Is triathlon the 'hardest' sport you have done?

shotgunmcos

I find it odd the reaction I get to speaking about tiathlon to the average Joe Soap. If rowing pops up in a conversation and it emerges that I used to row back in the day I usually get a response like 'now thats a had sport!' even from the person who never rows. There seems to be a perception that its a 'tough' sport.

In stark contrast if I mention triathon I might get asked "whats that like, swimming and cycling?" with a casual amusement and reminiscence of when they used to swim and cycle as a kid.

Running on the other hand is more of a luncacy in the Joe Soap's eyes as they see me arrive back into the office after running in torrential rain or fog etc...

Its gas also that a 50+ year old and 20+ year old in the office who are both real fans of UFC (Ultimate Fighting in Cages etc..) think that swimming or running before work is hardcore!

So, what would you consider to be the 'hardest' sports and how does it compare to triathlon (if not triathon)?

I've no basis to judge Skiiing but watching the Tour Du Ski recently I was very impressed by both the biathlon and XC Skiing.

Rowing would be up there too. Not even the pain of a turbo test compares to a 2k race or test on the machine

catweazle

Learning to snowboard, I had to take painkillers every morning to get out of bed. It mightn't be so hard once you aren't falling over every 30 seconds

tunney

"Me go fly" is WAAAYYYYYY tougher than triathlon.

2.5 stone of limitless energy that doesn't get bored that wants to be thrown around the house for hours at end its tougher than a tri. At least a tri has an end and you rarely do them day after day.

Whistlejacket

I'd say jump racing. Those lads crouch on top of half a ton of muscle and boot it over 5 foot high solid fences at 40 mph then ride a lung bursting finish, and all with no food in them.

Getting back on a horse when you've been away from it for a few months hurts muscles I didn't even notice I had at the end of Gaelforce, never mind try and ride a finish.

too much trifle

i have a great interest in most sports, from snooker [sport??any way] to marathons, and most in between,
taken part in alot of sports over the years
but have never rowed,
from what i've seen from steve redgrave docu's right down to my local curragh club the pain rowers put themselves into def gets it from me:D

MrCreosote

The reason rowing is considered tough I reckon is because it seems to be all or nothing. 10 training sessions per week, throwing up on erg tests etc from novice to expert. There seem to be very few "recreational" rowers, unlike say running or swimming.

Not sure if any sport is necessarily tougher than others, they all can be taken to extremes.

And snooker is more of a sport than anything horse related. If it's not human powered it's not really a sport.

shotgunmcos

tunney wrote: »

"Me go fly" is WAAAYYYYYY tougher than triathlon.

2.5 stone of limitless energy that doesn't get bored that wants to be thrown around the house for hours at end its tougher than a tri. At least a tri has an end and you rarely do them day after day.

Wait until they turn 7 or so and invite 15 of their friends over to your house for their birthday party....

shotgunmcos

MrCreosote wrote: »

There seem to be very few "recreational" rowers, unlike say running or swimming.
.

Very true. I went back down to my club about a year go after an invite to head out in a quad for an 'easy' spin. I stroked and was generally enjoying it until somone yelled for 3*10 minutes hard :rolleyes:

The Curragh lads row without sliding seats, now thats hardcore :eek:

Back to the XC skiiog though, how hard must it be to ski uphill?!

BennyMul

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Wait until they turn 7 or so and invite 15 of their friends over to your house for their birthday party....

or wait till you just come in from a 20mile run and you get dragged to play hurling, and they make you run arounf the field.

But can you pick a "hardest" sport?, you cant compare Golf, Snooker to an endurance sport.
I believe it also depends on the person, most people on here are driven to give it all, and will suffer to get there so no matter the sport you choose it will be tuff,

centre back

very hard to compare sports as hardest to each other, would rate of injury occuring be the easy way to do this. ie soccer, hurling and other field sports are now common place for a various amount of injuries, knee, groin, broken legs, compared to tri sports which would be more muscular problems, still serious injuries but to a lesser extent..? are am i talking tripe:-)

centre back

very hard to compare sports as hardest to each other, would rate of injury occuring be the easy way to do this. ie soccer, hurling and other field sports are now common place for a various amount of injuries, knee, groin, broken legs, compared to tri sports which would be more muscular problems, still serious injuries but to a lesser extent..? are am i talking tripe:-)

Brianderunner

The Tour de France is considered the world's toughest sporting event and i'd have to agree. No wonder so many of them are on drugs, they need it to be competitive.

MrCreosote wrote: »

And snooker is more of a sport than anything horse related. If it's not human powered it's not really a sport.

How is Horse Racing not human powered? Have you ever seen a driving finish between Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy? Both without doubt two of Ireland's best athletes.

Would you feel the same about Formula 1, the cars do all the work really. Same as all ball sports, sure doesnt the ball do all the real work

Darts, Snooker, Poker etc are games and are not sports.

umpire bat

National Hunt racing....falls,fasting,running to keep the wieght down, saunas, work riding in the early hours of winter mornings, etc... Collarbones in permanent pop out mode,Driving the length of the country for a few rides at an evening meeting and back to the grind at 6 or 7 the next morning. Its just rough and tumble.

centre back

Brianderunner wrote: »

Darts, Snooker, Poker etc are games and are not sports.

would totally agree with that !!! though i would add golf!

couerdelion

Rugby League is the hardest sport I ever played, although much more in Yorkshire than over here. It was a tough enough sport as it is with the much more physichal contact in the tackle than I ever had playing rugby union. Then when we played against some of the rougher amateur teams you really did have to man up and prepared to fight, and not just the other players. Wingers running down the wing and being tripped by the crowd and it turning in to a mass brawl. I got punched from behind, ended up with a broken cheek bone. It was catching on my jaw stopping me from talking properly and I still got told I was soft for even thinking of going to the hospital to get it looked at. Ahhh the fun times, no talk of shaving legs or losing weight then

MrCreosote

Brianderunner wrote: »

How is Horse Racing not human powered? Have you ever seen a driving finish between Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy? Both without doubt two of Ireland's best athletes.

Would you feel the same about Formula 1, the cars do all the work really. Same as all ball sports, sure doesnt the ball do all the real work

Darts, Snooker, Poker etc are games and are not sports.

The horse is the engine. The jockey isn't carrying the horse and running along. Not saying jockeys aren't tough or fit, just that horse racing is not a sport.

Exactly the same with motor "sports". Just because they spent hours in the gym or Jensen Button is so fit he could be a professional triathlete doesn't get away from the fact that it's still just driving a car, and the car's engine is supplying the power.

Darts, snooker- absolutely sports. Not sure about poker...

BTH

couerdelion wrote: »

Wingers running down the wing and being tripped by the crowd and it turning in to a mass brawl. I got punched from behind, ended up with a broken cheek bone.

I'm pretty sure thats not sport....

marketty

Chess-Boxing FTW. (it's a real thing!)

BTH

marketty wrote: »

Chess-Boxing FTW. (it's a real thing!)

Saw that on Russell Howards show. The most ridiculous looking sport ever!

dx22

Rowing...rowed as a teenager all pain very little enjoyment thats why i gave up where as i enjoy training and racing in triathlon 100%

drquirky

I wrestled in High School and its pretty hardcore. Cutting weight every week sucked and it is a very physically demanding sport.

Diamondmaker

You can only give this a valid comparison to sports you have played your self.

In my case I would agree triathlon is the hardest thing.

In team sports there is always moments where you can gain a breath, ball goes out, ref interaction or ball is in a 100% non threatening location in far corner from you. You may be alert and on your toes but you are gaining a break.

For me the run at the end of an Olympic and larger distances would be the hardest experience that going ! Consider the duration of the half marathon say is similar to a team sport duration, but of course you are in pain and hobbling starting and there is no where to hide.

And the main factor which make a successful triathlete is the more pain you put your self under and the more pain you can tolerate the better you are, so it is a direct pain to success ratio.

This is not neccesarilly the case with team sports.

I guess it is the same with weight lifting and the like but it is short bursts.

Ultimately I think multi leg endurance sports once you get into decent distances are some of the toughest of the "regular" sports out there.

Perhaps to put a bit of uniformity on the thread it should be what is the toughest of all the Olympic Sports. Otherwise you validly have climbing Everest unassisted in there and well thats probably tougher ! But its not a fair comparison as is Golf or Snooker not also...