World Triathlon Corporation is now rechristening the half Ironman distance triathlon to "Ironman 70.3". Presumably in order to make it seem less ... trivial. But it's NOT an Ironman! An Ironman is 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling, followed by a 26.2-mile run!!!
I've always thought that "half marathon" races should be called something different, since 13.1 miles is no small distance to run on foot! However, I could never think of an adequately descriptive title for them. Sometimes it's called a "mini-marathon", notably the Kentucky Derby miniMarathon, but to me that belittles it. I've also seen "mini-marathon" applied to all sorts of race distances other than half marathons, including 10Ks and kid's races, so it's by no means a universal term for a 13.1-mile race.
Then again, the term "marathon" is often applied indiscriminately to anything that seems to take a long time or that someone wishes to hype, like a clothing sale or a series of television shows. Wrong. A marathon is a 26.2-mile race, nothing else.
What's the solution!? Help!!!
6 comments:
We should just call it a 70.3. I don't like 70.3 Ironman. Keep it half...who cares, but just don't call it an Ironman. There is only ONE Ironman. Now I am confused...
This is just more you know what to make people feel better about themselves.
Like when the Army gave everyone a black beret which for 30 years was an exclusive item for Rangers in a Ranger unit, they made the Rangers switch colors to tan. Why didn't they just create a new beret for new soldiers? Yup you guessed it, they wanted the Ranger beret even though they didnt pass Ranger school
Half Ironman says it all. its doesn't trivialize it or marginalize the event at all. People who don't follow triathlon at all will have no idea what the 70.3 means.
The problem is just what you say Nancy, a marathon is a special term for one event, 26.2 miles. And when everything is considered special then ultimately nothing is special.
I respect the term half ironman and if I have to I will repect Ironman 70.3 but lets not continue this trend of making the special, unspecial.
Commodore,
Love your comments. Maybe WTC's motto should be "Where all the triathletes are above average."
I have no idea why I have abortion-related posts here, but I'm pretty sure my views on that are way to the left of most of my readers. :) Suffice it to say that I'd support retroactive abortions for a few of our elected officials.
WTC owns "the rights" to the Ironman so there is little that anyone can do. They are in it for the almighty dollar. It's not right, but they will do what they want.
I would never call anyone an ironman who had not finished 140.6 nor would I claim the title for myself under any other circumstances.
It is kind of like when people call themselves "vegetarians" and still eat fish. Ooooh, that drives me crazy...
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