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| Me, Kyle, and some of his Tri-201 trainees at the 2010 Monster Tri following my first overall win. The RD awarded me with a lifetime of comped entry fees. Equally great- These guys are still racing! |
Over the years I've witnessed a shift in our sport. While some of those great grass-roots events are still around, there are more and more triathlons popping up from large production companies. They lure us to their events with their promises of swag & finishers medals. They shamelessly charge over $50 for an event you'll complete in less than an hour.
Some of us justify these expenses. To us, they're small sacrifices for our hours of training. And because we complete only a handful of races in a season, those sacrifices are just that- small. But to others- the ones who don't race for fun, but race to race- normal triathlon expenses are a burden. To them, triathlon is more than a hobby. They train hard with ambitions of one day "making it". The need to race frequently is not only their way to compete head-to-head with fellow athletes, but a means to track progress, to get noticed by sponsors, and very seldom, a chance to win prize money to fund race expenses.
The Elite Amateurs
When we think of the 'elites', we think of the professional triathletes who win world championships and make a comfortable living off of it. The triathlete's dream: get paid to train & race. A living of luxury. Whether or not their lives are luxurious is debatable. What's not is the years of hard work & sacrifice it took to get to that point.
Most top-level triathletes were not nurtured as triathletes. They developed as swimmers, cyclists, or runners. At some point they transitioned into triathlons as a way to continue their athletic endeavors. They've worked hard to master all three sports. Training is a process, and it takes time become a high performance athlete. A lot of time. Most of them have spent years developing their talents to advance from 'finisher' to 'competitor', and ultimately to 'winner'.
Before the professionals were professionals and got paid for winning races, they were amateurs & didn't get paid for winning races. They might have found an odd race here and there with a modest prize purse, but the number of races that offer cash awards to elite amateurs is small. Only when they earned their elite license (or "Pro Card") would they be eligible to compete in races with prize purses. Consequently, every season is dedicated to qualifying for that license. The license doesn't mean a pay check, though. It just means there's an OPPORTUNITY to race for one. Unfortunately, since they've graduated to professional races, chances are they're not winning anymore. It may take years to advance enough to hang with the big boys and girls, and even then racing is complemented with coaching, writing, or both to make a living out of triathlon.
Done right, training is a full-time job. Each discipline demands consistent and quality training. Train for each sport as if the others didn't exist. Rest between workouts to make the best of each session. Train tired, ignore the fatigue, and know that tomorrow, the next day, and every day in the foreseeable future, you will do it again. Keep your eye on the goal and have faith that one day this will pay off. Sleep 8-9 hours and wake up for another day of training. The work load demands are high, so it's difficult to take on a job that pays well. You put your life (and career) on hold, because in 10 years the opportunity will be gone. Unless you have a flexible job, one that allows you to leave for hours in the middle of the day, training to perform to your highest potential is nearly impossible. Your workouts directly affect your mental state, and in the middle of a hard training period, you find yourself asking, "What am I doing with my life?"
Pay it Forward
The shortage of cash prizes in triathlon threatens the viability of our sport.
Not the participation (to the age grouper, triathlon will continue to thrive) but this situation in which our ascending athletes struggle financially hurts our ability to compete internationally.
How can we expect our future Olympians to perform when our current triathlon culture fails to support their endeavors?
The solution is simple: reward those who work hard to win. Encourage talented young athletes to invest in our sport by showing them we are willing to invest in them. Support proposals of prize purses in local & regional races, because it's one of the few breaks these athletes get. Understand the marketing potential of having a prize purse, and encourage RDs to raise the bar. Show your support to our sport by supporting your local & regional elites!
