...don't have the discipline to train for a triathlon." Sometimes I can't stand athletes. Brian and I went to a group ride at Kincaid last night. It was basically a run through of the new course for the Hammerman Triathlon/Duathlon. The race is either a triathlon (swim, bike, run) or a duathlon (run, bike, run) based on your preference.
I tried to figure out why I had never seen any of these faces at the other bike races in town. I also wondered why they were struggling so much on the singletrack. I realized that most of them were triathletes, so they mostly ride road bikes and run on the roads, swim laps in a pool. I thought, that's cool. It was nice to meet some new people.
When the trail turned off to a mile of fun singletrack, people started complaining. They thought that this new course (the old course had no singletrack) was discovered, many people would opt out of the race this year. I said, "I would think this would draw more people to the race. It's not that same old Kincaid ski trail course, this is more interesting and challenging." That's when I got this response.
"People who like to ride singletrack, don't have the discipline to train for a triathlon." Lately I have been spending some time reading posts on athletic forums and I have found one general theme. People like to bitch about athletes that participate in sports that they are not involved in. Downhill skiers dislike cross country skiers, skate skiers dislike skijorers, mountain bikers dislike road bikers, road bikers dislike recumbent bikers, everybody hates climbers, and most people hate people with dogs off leash. Okay that last one is not a sport, but they get a lot of crap. Every group has something negative to say about some other group.
I don't generally write posts like this ranting about people, and maybe this post is ironic because I'm complaining about ALL of the groups. I actually don't think these kinds of posts are enjoyable to read. But it's my blog and sometimes you just need to get some things off your chest. It's getting hard to get any information from forums because you have to weed through all the crap to get to the real content. If anyone is reading this, what do you think, am I overreacting?
5 comments:
Don't forget the horses. I think we can all agree to hate the horses. Or...at least those that ride them.
I, personally, hate people who ride bikes that don't auto-shift.
I don't think you're over-reacting. I used to think the snobby type who look down on other sports were in the minority, but unfortunately it seems pretty pervasive now.
Perhaps it has something to do with folks wanting to feel superior to others? The ole, my sport is better than your sport, my hobby is better than your hobby, my car is better than your car, etc ad nauseum.
I've participated in many sports and the different varieties within sports (gotten really good at a few of them too) and I don't look down at other sports.
But maybe that's just cus I'm a better (superior) person. :) LOL That's was a joke...
Hmmmm, I'll have to write a blog post about his sometime perhaps.
Cheers from Oz, and I'm looking forward to your ice climbing stories this coming winter.
LOL, I'm reading your blog now! Well put! Unfortunately it's not just athletes. I think Dave Down Under put it well - a superiority thing. Seems like the snobbery comes from ignorance. If they don't understand or know much about it they look down on it. I try to remember this when I find myself hating something, then I go do some research.
I'm subscribing to your blog today - maybe I'll be visiting Alaska soon!
I totally agree. I am mountain biker, runner, triathlete, endurance runner, etc.
I find people that stick to just one sport are pretty stuck on themselves and that sport.
They all rock!
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