The main impediment to my own pursuit of recreational
“tri-athleticism” has always been reticence.
That’s it. I’m shy; unsure of myself.
I don’t have the “proper jargon” down for the swim/bike portions of the program. I don’t have the right gear or proper technique. And you have to know a lot of stuff.
Additionally, I’m patently uncool.
I’m always doing massively lame things like forgetting to refer to my bicycle seat as a “saddle”. I ride a slow, heavy bicycle from Walmart which I’ve no objection to using, in fact, I think a heavier bike provides a more challenging workout, but I wouldn’t dare bring it to a Bicycling Meetup Group.
I can just hear the (imaginary?) elitist snickers now.
I couldn’t clock a respectable 100 yard freestyle swim because I’d be doggy-paddling halfway through. I couldn’t demonstrate a decent butterfly stroke for $1000 tax-free dollars. And I can’t do the cool flip turn at the end of the lane, although I really, REALLY want to.
So what if I could eventually work past these hurdles? In my mind, approaching my local Tri Club would result in my being laughed straight out of Florida.
Someone might respond to my declaration of (irrational?)fear like this: “Kristen, you were new to running once, you got over it, and now you are natural and relaxed in that environment.” No one has, but that would be a reasonable assertion to make in this context.
My Response:
Running is Unique. One thing I’ve observed, and this is just my opinion, is the vast difference in permeability between running and other sports. Unlike everything else, running is wide open. I’ve always taken pride in being part of the running community; for it’s all- inclusiveness and ease of transition between other recreational sports.
Want to be a runner?
Ok, Go Run. boom.⇒ You are one.
It’s that simple.
It would break my heart to know that someone felt that their body type, running style, disability, etc could or would exclude them from being part of this fantastic, amazing, rewarding, addicting, All-Inclusive Sport that’s an All-Inclusive Resort for Your Mind and Your Troubles.
Running’s a Staycation that’s only a pair of shoes (or not) away. That’s it. There’s no stopping you. Except maybe, injury.
9 times out of 10; I’d be willing to bet, they are over-use injuries. Why?
Because Running is just that good.
So forgive me if I get a little defensive about the sport that I’m so proud to be a part of. As far as mainstream exercise goes, it’s the simplest, most accessible, and most welcoming of communities. I’d be very sad to hear that someone might be deterred from the happiness of running because they felt alienated by their physicality. There’s simply no room for that nonsense; figuratively and literally.
And as far as organized racing goes, there have been some additional divisions created to broaden the competitive field and encourage participation by all runners. The new divisions are by-weight categories: Athena, for women, and Clydesdale, for men. Runner registration is completely optional; the purpose is to give more runners an opportunity to “place” in different categories and,
I don’t know about you, but my fondness for accolades and medals has held pretty steady since childhood.
So don’t worry about having all the right gear or the ideal runner’s physique, because there is no such thing. Don’t worry about having a clumsy or awkward-looking stride, because running shouldn’t be about judgement. I’d like to think that running is the sport that’s closest to being free of elitism, or at least, has the capacity to be.
Running is All-Inclusive. Everyone Willkommen.
***Disclaimer: I know many triathletes, swimmers, cyclists, and other athletes who are not elitists in the slightest. I used other sports as illustrative comparisons and to demonstrate my personal experience with the way running has made me feel included (relative to other sports).