Tuesday, September 28, 2021



 

Stop Whining….

 

This post parlays on my last post about “It’s not fair” You can check that out if you missed it. 

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3661547083020423819/5145556322009754003    

The whinging (good Aussie slang) is all about Feb Kona 22 being moved. 

 1- what did you expect?

  •  Since the announcement, there has been 0 information or follow-up.  A promising sign, there were issues.
  • The rumor hit the street last week the Feb World Championships were moving.  Where would they possibly move a Feb race?  
  • Any country warm enough is strickter than HI, so let’s look at N American? What FL?  That would be the WORST decision. Some say why not hold in StG in February, great idea, Feb 7, 21 was a low of 35 and a high of 64, imagine the water temperature.  So they moved to May and combined with Ironman StG.

 2- NO one is forced to race in May, so move your entry to October and be done with it

  • Yes, the race is over 2 days, with over 2000 athletes already qualified; what is the option?  The pier cannot hold 4000 bikes!
  • Finally. Women get their own race and 50 Women to Kona! And we do not have to start 1 hour + after the pro’s.
  • But I hear complaints, “it’s not the same”  Tell me what in your life right now IS the same as it was pre-COVID-19?   There will be ups and downs about racing over 2 days, but it is what it is. Why not back-to-back days?  The men need to rack their bikes and that cannot happen when there is a race going on. 
  • Why do people accept changes in all facets of life but then expect triathlon to be just like it was?
  • The veiled threats of “no more Ironman” It’s your choice, but a heads up the non branded races are not the same either. 

3- I’ve heard:

  • “I don’t want to share the WC (World Championship) with nonqualifiers.” 
    •  Newsflash, 2000 people, are NOT going to choose to race in StG in May, so without the IMStG racers, there is NO WC. And who cares!
  •  “I don’t feel right racing a WC as I am signed up for StG.”  Get over it. Do you want to race StG? Race it.  This was not your decision, embrace it, show up and race.
  • If you signed up for IMStG and now don’t want to race it, bonus, you can transfer to ANY 2022 NA Ironman, even Alaska, which is sold out.  Transfer and get on with it. 
  • I don’t work for Ironman, but I give them kudos for managing a challenging situation!!
 
Well done at 70.3 Worlds; no one was going to be happy.  Did the women have worse weather? Yes,  But managed the transition well; we did not have to be there at 5 am for a 9:30 start.  They made the swim non-wetsuit and did not call the race when it started lightening.  Everyone had the opportunity to race and finish!  

 
There is no way to replace Kona, so why not go to StG, give the Pro’s a race and give those who WANT to a chance to race outside of Kona. 

 

Saturday, September 11, 2021

It's NOT Fair, my 3 LEAST favorite words

 

The amount of bitching and complaining today is ridiculous! 

If I read one more "it's not fair" about the wave start times for the 70.3 World Championships! 

NOT Fair is

- being left in Afghanistan
- working in the Twin Towers 20 years ago today
- being separated from your mom at the border 

Starting your triathlon later than you like, no not IDEAL!  

This race was supposed to be spread over 2 days, Women racing on Friday and Men racing on Saturday.  Fewer people each day and likely everyone would be racing by 8am.

However, we are still in the middle of a fucking pandemic, hospitals are full, volunteers are not plentiful and we are LUCKY to be racing!   This race could have been canceled with 100% cause. 

It was not ideal to be pushed to Saturday, I know, I had to alter my travel plans and accommodations, but I still GET to race.  This "World" Championship is basically a Noth American Championship as many cannot travel from overseas due to COVID. I am guessing they would be happy to start at 9:25 IF they could race. 

With over 4000 people, what is FAIR?  NO ONE will be happy.  Start the women first and there will be hundred of complaints about being swum over and passed on the bike aggressively by ALL the men. Alternate the waves, sure that may be more equitable, but that is NOT happening.  Bitching about it does NOTHING but fuel more negativity.  

For the people continually complaining about Ironman, STOP, signing up for races, you have a choice!  There was an independent 70.3 race today in Boulder.   NO ONE is forcing you to show up in St. George and race.   

There is a multitude of gender equality issues to work on!  Find some that affect real life and get out there and make a difference. 

As Mike Reilly says, you can control one thing and that is your ATTITUDE!

Show up!
Kick-Ass! 
Have Fun!
STOP BITCHING!!!