Are you an A, B, or C triathlete? I didn’t know what to think when I first heard that term. When I was in college, and even when I went for my master’s degree, I always got “A’s” for my work or some “B’s.” I never got a “C.” But recently, I was classified as a “C” triathlete.
Should I feel bad that I’m a “C” triathlete? Should I just quit triathlon training because I truly suck at it? Now, I’m labeled.
Here are the definitions of each:
SWIM (a pace you can hold for a 500 pool or open water): A+ (sub-1:30 paces); A (1:30 pace); B+ (1:40 min pace); B (1:50 min pace); and C (2+ min pace).
BIKE (a pace you typically hold for a 90min+ “flat” Ride): A+ (20+mph), A (19 mph); B+ (17 mph), B (15-17mph); and C (13-15mph).
RUN (a pace you typically hold for a 6-mile flat training run): A+ (sub-8 min); A (8-9 min); B (9-11 min); and C (11+min).
After looking at these average paces, I started to feel intimidated. Again, I questioned why I was doing this. Did I buy a new bike for nothing? Should I just quit? Where am I going with this?
Should I Quit?
I understand that I was classified into a category so that I would find others to train with. But it doesn’t make me feel good. If I were an “A,” I would feel great about this. (I don’t think I’ll ever be a “B” or an “A” athlete. Maybe I should take the “C” and feel good about it for someone who never did anything.)
When I was in the open water a few weeks ago, a woman classified as a “B” swimmer said, “I’d like to swim with you guys, but I’m much faster.” So, instead of being good, it became negative once again.
Should we classify?
When my Galloway group meets, we don’t group people according to speed. We all go out together for the long runs; the short ones are for speed training. And you know what? We all have excelled, including the faster runners. Plus, it allows everyone to get to know each other.
Do you think classifying people makes the sport less desirable? I’d love to hear your thoughts.