Ironman laws?

DB – its been a while since I was on RW but had a quick look just now. You Pirates seem as active as ever.

I used to enjoy the Pirates v TriTalk banter in the old days – I was wearing the blue TT kit though not the yellow and black 😉

RW seems quite active but TT seems very quiet these days. Fat Buddha seems to still be on both!!

Hundreds of hours training, 6,000km biked, 1,400km ran and 130,000m swam.

Over a year that works out at a couple of 1200m swims per week, a couple of 10-15km runs per week and 115km riding per week, which is a recreational amount.

Put more effort in! 😆

We’re growing and there’s still loads of banter. Only annoying thing is there’s an increase in the number of people wearing the kit who don’t seem to be on RW or make any effort to be a part of the social side. You give em support on course and they blank you. Sort of thing the death penalty should be brought back for…

teamhurtmore – Member

plenty of folk walk around in marathon tee shirts and no one comments!

I have a willy-waving tshirt too, “better get the endurance downhill shirt on so everyone knows I’m a riding GOD”. “Uh, wait, we’ll be riding later. Better not wear it as they’ll soon know I’m a riding FANNY”

But if there’s a t-shirt but no riding situation, it’s getting worn. Only god can judge me!!1!

I’m amazed, having worked on a few triathlete’s bikes (which is a necessity, since none of them seem to know how to do it despite buying loads of tat off the internet for it), that you could see the numbers for energy gel and sweat stains.

Why are they all such animals?

Don’t forget the piss stains.

I’m amazed, having worked on a few triathlete’s bikes (which is a necessity, since none of them seem to know how to do it

Its the triathlon version of the trickle-down effect MB 😉

Be grateful…..

My number sticky label from the etape is still on my bike. Everytime I go for a ride I see it and think “must take that off when I get back”, go for a ride, come home and chuck bike back in shed and go into the house. One day I’ll remember to take it off.

Because they work hard and refuel whilst racing rather than stopping for a breather at the top of every climb and cakes in the cafe half way round? 😈

And a very funny (sad actually) thread on a Facebook post recently about the thought that folk give to what previous event t-shirts they’ll wear for the registration of their next triathlon / IM etc?! FFS

This… and other comments above (IM tattoos, ‘happiness’ at being able to project a certain image to others etc.), suggest some strong narcissistic traits lurking away in the IM community.

Oh, and if that’s the Facebook post I’m thinking of, it was completely tongue in cheek, with only one person taking it seriously and getting wound up. And he’s well known for being a knob, to the point that he was being mocked in rhe rave briefings at Outlaw the other week. Several people turned up in Parkrun 25 t-shirts for a laugh on response to that thread.

suggest some strong narcissistic traits lurking away in the IM community.

Yip, definitely, more than in any other sport I’ve come across.

Several people turned up in Parkrun 25 t-shirts for a laugh on response to that thread.

Brilliant, love that!

FWIW, my road shoes are v old tri shoes held together with masking tape. What does that say? Tight arse more than anything else!!!

Masking tape? That well known, high strength tape thats incredibly useful in wet environments?

I’d say it means you don’t ride very much, or very hard.
Most people use gorilla tape or shoe goo or similar to hold shoes together.

Narcissim? A bit strong there, but certainly the level of commitment required to perform (even complete) an IM is considerable and requires an element of selfishness and/or understanding from family and work. Too much of a leap for me (couldnt find time to commit properly), hence stuck to Half Iron Man distance instead. As the book says, “The Perfect Distance”.

GM – with new enthusiasm for the road, 3x a week normally around 50-60miles with plenty of hills (Goodwood, Duncton, Fernhurst etc). Masking tape working wonders so far, but I bow to your greater achievements. In reality, like the old labels, just being a bit lazy. Prefer being out on the bike to being in the shops!!

To be fair I’m still working my way through a stack of “one seasons use” race shoes. Only bought one pair of road shoes in about 10 odd years. (When the contents of my house were in a lock up a couple of thousand km away!)

It’s quite amazing how inventive you can be when the alternative to a 15 year old pair of shoes which are nearly dead costs near enough 250 quid.
Shoe goo and gorilla tape is only the start.

Its the strap that’s gone on my shoe – hence just put them on and tape across a few times!!

No excuse, I am juts being a tight arse!!

Agree re race number but it’s no different to all the people entering sportifs and leaving race numbers on or bragging about their “TIME” at Ride London… that isn’t a race! IF you want to do it properly enter a race and step up.

I’ve seen riders with both RideLondon and Deloitte Ride Across Britain number boards left on their handlebars several months after the event. Not quite sure what either is meant to prove to the casual observer.

Don’t you guys who leave your number on worry about what those zip ties flapping round on your lightweight bars will do to the finish? I’ve had a pair of light ish aluminum mtb bars fairly much trashed by a zip tie after one muddy race just from the number board moving about.

Can’t imagine the glue does the finish on a seat pin or frame much good.

Mate of mine has won Euros age group and top 10 at Kona. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him with old numbers and crap hanging off his bike.

Dont know about IM branded events, but all the labels in the tris I have done were simple sticky ones for bike and helmet – hence easy to miss 😉

I work with a 2x IM competitor and team GB triathlete.
She was saying it is total mind over matter, bloody will not stop, no matter how crap I feel, just feed, hydrate and keep going and going and going…
That brings a certain attitude that she has now backed away from IM because of – much prefers tri atmosphere and people.
She has also lost a team mate who died on an IM, put herself in intensive care and suggests that death/serious hospital time are also part of the IM thing, and that there are more medical issues than folk realise….
I would also balance the argument to say she is one of the most down to earth, lovely and happy people I know. Just don’t try and pedal up Dumyat road faster than her….. 👿

Why not? Will she put herself into hospital just to prove she’s faster?

Will she put herself into hospital just to prove she’s faster?

It seems her competitive edge all-all-crush-you-into-the-floor is rather strong on a bike…

The only time I came off a road bike was during my last Ironman and was 6 inches away from getting my head crushed. Carried on with the race and finished but after that close call I stick with mountain biking now.
My mate got knocked off his bike by an icecream van on the same race and another mate couldn’t race because he’d been knocked off a few weeks previous. This was 10 odd years ago. The odds are just against you too much I reckon, hat off to anyone putting the hours in nowadays. Still wouldn’t leave my number on though.