“B”longing: Making Room in Triathlon for All Personalities

The classic stereotype of a “typical” triathlete is someone who is goal-oriented, competitive, and all of the qualities that typically come along with being labelled a “Type A” personality. Occupational Therapist and triathlete, and self-proclaimed “B-Type” Jessica VandenBussche is urging us to expand our view of how we see others in our sport, to make all personalities feel welcome in triathlon

By: Jessica VadenBussche

When Covid hit, and we were still wondering what that would mean for the world, you many have noticed triathletes around you scurrying about to prepare. Many busied themselves buying home gym equipment, setting up picture-perfect home offices, and questioning their identities with no races to strive toward. Observing the chaos, you wondered “When do those folks breathe?”

On the other hand, you may have taken some time to reflect and assess the situation (missing out on ALL the home gym equipment in the meantime).  You probably did not question your purpose more than usual, and figured you were just as much a triathlete as pre-pandemic. But without the stereotypical matching kit, rows of freezer meals – and if you can’t even remember your PB- can you really consider yourself one of the group?

We think so!

Although the common picture of a triathlete is at least slightly obsessive, A-type personality, so many other triathletes (or, if they do not yet identify as that, “people who do triathlon”) also exist. Some of them win too!

When referring to A-type personalities, we often think of people who are goal-oriented, competitive, and aggressive – all highly valued traits in sporting and professional worlds. Some more difficult areas can include a tendency to overreact and over-schedule, as well as higher anxiety and high blood pressure. In contrast, we think of people with more B-type personalities as laid-back, patient, observers who can be a bit more flexible when it comes to changing plans. Struggles for these folks often include procrastination and difficulty showing how hard they can work toward a goal.

So, with those descriptions, you can probably see how it can be helpful for triathletes to have A-type personalities. Being goal-oriented and organized helps to actually get in the abundance of training needed, and the competition piece can be a huge driver for success when you think you’ve hit your limit in a race. But we think there’s more to it than that!

B-types, for example, could be better at observing a situation, adjusting when a plan goes awry, and maybe even reflecting on their performance. According to a study from the Journal of Sport & Exercise Physiology by Hardy, McMurry & Roberts about responses to exercise stress, B-type personalities actually have a more positive view about high intensity exercise. That could certainly come in handy in a triathlon!

Research and performance speculation aside, I like the idea of widening our view of the “stereotypical triathlete” to include more B-type traits, because it makes me feel more like I belong. As an example, I am personally goal-driven, competitive, and mentally flexible. Compared to the average triathlete persona, I can be a bit scattered due to my procrastination and distractibility (or “awareness”).  For me, getting to the start line on time with everything I need is the hardest part. And I bet many can relate!

Once we’re going, we focus and push hard in the middle of the pack and likely share some smiles along the way.  Sure, we are “B-leaning”, but there is some A in there too. Turns out it is pretty average to have parts of both personality types. Fancy that  . . . Another average result!

Maybe being “average” is a strength, since it means we are multi-dimensional. 

In any case, let’s agree that it takes all kinds to do a tri, and that is the beauty of it. I bet most of us developed an interest in triathlon because it is a participation sport, so let’s participate and acknowledge what our “participation ribbon” represents. By participating, it means we can call ourselves triathletes. The more different kinds of people that get to do triathlon, the more we can learn from each other (and – for those with a streak of A-ness – the better equipped we are to TAKE OVER THE WORLD).

Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessv.ot

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References:

https://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-a.html

2. A/B types and psychophysiological responses to exercise stress

Hardy, Charles J; McMurray, Robert G; Roberts, Sue. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology Vol. 11, Iss. 2,  (Jun 1989): 141-151.