All the triathletes are right here

So there's this article on xTri.com about where did all the triathletes go? Here's my answer.

There are very few sports where the professional and the recreational mix. Running and triathlon are two of them, and I think for good reason.

Who follows professional running and triathlon? Recreational runners and triathletes, that's who. Who helps provide the money for sponsorships of the pros? We do.

Maybe if road races or triathlons were only for the pros, people would pay for tickets to be able to watch. But...I don't think it's likely. Endurance sports are sometimes interesting to watch, but frankly, not usually. The distances covered (even in a sprint) are just too vast; cool breakaways happen over distance and the individual, sitting still in some grandstand, doesn't actually get to see most of it. So the pros need us, the recreational athletes: their sponsorships and ability to race depend on our wallets.

Road races and triathlons also require a lot from the communities that host them. The general public - people who don't care at all about triathlon or running - have to put up with road closures and limitations and inaccessible public parks. And then, every race requires a ton of volunteers! Imagine the cost of paying all the folks who hand out water on a race course. How many volunteers would come out just for the pros? And where would the money come from to support pros alone?

The article talks about how DNFs are on the rise. I certainly wouldn't advocate going out and signing up for Ironman without proper training - whatever proper training means for the individual in relation to his goals - but I don't think it's that big of a deal. There will always be people with too much money and too little sense who will attempt feats they shouldn't - climbing Mt. Everest, taking a space shuttle to the moon, whatever. But I have to believe that most people who want to complete the Ironman know that it's not just about the single day - it's about six months or a year of hard work to get you ready for the day. And we also know that no matter how ready we think we are or aren't, there's no promise we're going to finish.

Oh, and of course DNFs are on the rise - participation in running and triathlon is on the rise. Did DNF not exist when the Boston marathon was only open to men? Isn't it great for both sports that more and more people are participating - and CARE about professional athletes in these sports?

I'm a recreational triathlete and runner and proud of it. I'm honored to be able to participate in the same races as the pros, and I'm happy for them that they (usually) get their own categories and start times and the like. But I don't think the sports would exist on the scale that they do if the recreational folks weren't included in the races, big and small. I'm always in awe of the 8 or 9 or even 10 hour Ironman finishers, and the 2 or 3 hour marathon finishers - and I'm equally as excited to see the weight-loser or fund-raiser or happy jogger finish just under the cutoff. They're athletes too, and they have the right to be there, whether Martin Spierings likes it or not.