Letters to the Editor: Triathlon Safety

September's Letter from the Editor elicited reader response. Read them here. 

 

Dear Editor,

I just wanted to compliment you and MetroSports for having the courage to take on such a controversial issue as the safety of triathlons and running. Clearly, this debate will only continue to heat up as the years pass and more senseless injuries and deaths occur. As a USA Track and Field coach who led several marathon training and long-distance programs for a variety of organizations including the Arthritis Foundation, The Reebok Club, Bally Total Fitness, USA FIT, and the 14th Street Y, I wanted to briefly share my two cents.

There is one HUGE factor, which I didn’t see mentioned in either point of view. That is the preponderance and growth of “charity-oriented” triathlon and marathon training programs.
Having coached for one of these programs (Joints in Motion in 2000) and having known countless participants in others, my fear about such programs is that they attract well-meaning, but ill-prepared participants who are so driven by their cause that they will sacrifice life and limb to complete a race.

This is purely human nature. Nobody wants to train for months and months and do gobs of fundraising only to tell their friends “yeah I didn’t even start the race because I was scared about the swim, the run, fill in the blank.”

Racing is big business and as always, in my opinion, greed often plays a role in tragic stories such as the ones that were mentioned in MetroSports. Charities need to do a better job of screening participants. Too often the rhetoric is “anybody can complete a triathlon or marathon.” Yeah, and anybody can probably walk on the moon, but that doesn’t mean they will nor does it mean they should attempt to.

In short, I believe that many non-profit organizations are being highly irresponsible when they recruit non-athletes to participate in extremely risky endurance events. What we read about in the papers are the dramatic and tragic stories—the sudden collapses and drownings. What we don’t read about are the sprained ankles, the stress fractures, the strained muscles, and on and on.

—Tim Haft, New York

Dear Editor,

I definitely feel that there is some risk level in the sport of triathlon. That is why not everyone can successfully complete one. It makes the sport elite and the completion such an accomplishment. The risk level can vary depending on location, weather and an individual’s health.

An open swim in a placid lake is incredibly different than one in the ocean with wind and high waves. I have competed in a sprint tri and an Olympic length tri and I can’t even compare the two. The sprint tri was in a calm lake and the conditions were almost perfect. The Olympic tri was in Tampa Bay and we were swimming in 3-foot waves and horrible winds. They were pulling people out of the water because of the conditions. They almost didn’t let the beginners compete because of the wind and waves.

 I feel that preparation is the key to a safe and competitive race. I trained for the Olympic tri with Team In Training. Having the coaches on site both in practice and the weekend of the race really helped and they allowed us to do a practice swim the day before the race. The coaches were able to guide the weaker swimmers and some were not able to complete the swim on the day of the race. Although this was extremely disappointing to them, better to stop than to drown! So, yes, triathlons are risky, but that is why not everyone can participate. I recommend training with a group with some experienced triathletes to help the beginners to make it an unforgetable and safe experience.

—Deirdra Brinkman

Read September's Letter from the Editor: Better Safe than Sorry