Today I had the funniest response from someone at work, when I was explaining what is involved in doing an Ironman Triathlon. The picture below is the closest I could find to give you a visual.
Normally people sort of whistle or look at me like I lost my marbles, but this guy almost seemed to choke when I mentioned the "Marathon after all of that" part.
When you hang out with other Triathletes all this training seems normal. Its easy to forget that in truth we are kinda like freaks. Sometimes its good to talk to "civilians" to help keep the freak factor in check.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Funny response
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8 comments:
I get the same thing even when describing HIMs.
For some reason people can glaze over the 1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike, but it is always the run that sets people off. Do people thing we just dogggy paddle and then hop on beach cruisers up until we start running?
Ahhhh, how I LOVE to be a freak. Would we have it any other way? Endurance sports rock!!
Nope. Freaky Makes for a great adventure.
Jamie, I think people do not have enough experience with swimming to be able to gauge how hard swimming can be. WHich is why they freak when they after their first swim session and they realize its not easy. And the Bike yeah who knows I think they must picture a sunday ride through the park or something. But I do think many people have at one point tried running either in school or elsewhere and they KNOW how hard that can be.
But you are right that look always comes at the run portion
It really is funny the different kind of reactions you get. My favorite, ever, was one guy (a 5k runner) who boldly stated that he "could do one of those any day without training."
But yeah, we are freaks - it's true. Our perception of reality is so beyond the norm that I don't think there's a word for it. I remember John saying to me after Moo, "You've forever changed your perception of what is hard. Congratulations." And I remember thinking...Is that a good thing?
ha ha ha, love it! HILARIOUS! no joke right?! I said the same thing when I heard of an Ironman... CRAZY... a few minutes later I said I had to try it...
Have fun training!
OOOOOOOOH! I just looked at your 09 plans, you are racing IM Lake Placid... me too! See ya there, have you done it before?? Never been to New York, SUPER excited!
Had similar reactions to the one HIM I did last year. Want to go long this year and enjoy more expressions! No race entered yet though...
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