Newsletter ep. 122: triathletes to watch in 2020

As I write this, I’m headed to Boulder — triathlon capital of North America. I’ve actually never been, so this will be *just like* when I rolled into Kona for the first time. Is it worth the hype?

Then next week both Sara and I will be at TBI 2.0 (or Endurance Exchange as they’re now calling it, since merging all the triathlon conferences into one mega-conference). We’ll actually do a podcast show from Arizona during the conference answering any and all questions you have about the conference, triathlon, the people there, the gossip. Whatever you want to know: What’s the topic everyone’s talking about? Can you & Sara go find the bike manufacturers and ask them what the next thing we’re going to have to all buy is? It’ll be kind of like our Ask Us Anything show, but Endurance Exchange edition.

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What will it take to turn triathlon into a spectator sport?

We talked about this question on the podcast last week, but it’s something I’ve thought a bunch since. It’s also a topic you keep hearing a lot about; there are so many various efforts to turn triathlon into a REAL fan-based, spectator sport. So, what will it take? How do we get people watching triathlon after football or tennis? Yes, it’ll take a lot of money, but let’s say you had all the money, what then? What do you need to do with it?

Here’s what I see as the things triathlon needs in order to become a thing general sports audiences will tune in to:

• interesting stories: I mean, no shit, but go with me. You need rivalries and big stars (beyond triathlon big, like actual sports big). You need to market the hell out of the athletes and then match them up against each other a la UFC.
• interesting races: Again, no shit. But here’s the thing: Ironman is not inherently spectator-friendly, but neither is doing loops around a parking lot. Yes, you can spectate more of the loops, but it’s boring. You need genuinely exciting races (not just impressive performances of fitnesses) — which is obviously what Super League is going for. However, the challenge is that it’s the impressive performances of fitness that bring the spectators in the first place— ie. she ran that marathon how fast? after biking how far? Then we have to get them to stay with a an actual race.
• a self-contained schedule with something on the line: Why do I end up watching the World Series even though I don’t care about baseball? Because it’s the goddamn World Series! One of the challenges any effort to make a pro triathlon league faces is the stakes. People tune in when there’s a reason to tune in, when the winning or the losing matters. That can be achieved with large amounts of prize money or, ultimately, with some kind of self-declared championship. The problem, though, is the athletes only have so many long-distance performances in them in a year — and as long as Kona and maybe some other big IMs or 70.3 world wins are in that calendar, then a competing schedule will always have a hard time competing.
• better coverage: Yes, IM’s Facebook Live coverage is solid now, really gotten a lot better, and is fairly sufficient (for the most part) for our tri geek needs. However, it is not top-level pro sports entertainment type of coverage. You gotta step up the production game if you wanna draw in the non-tri audience.
• and then market it like crazy: Even if you do all those things, you still need people to tune in so you can win them over. You need to market the athletes, the stories, the match-ups, the events. And then you need to deliver on your promise

If I had the money to make triathlon a real spectator sport. And it’d take a lot of money.

Triathletes to watch in 2020

The Kick did a fun round-up of experts’ picks of women to watch in the running world this year. They basically went out and asked a whole bunch of different runners and coaches and writers to pick one woman to watch. So I was thinking about this for triathlon.

It doesn’t have to be the fastest or the best person — no, you can not all pick Daniela — just someone you’re like ‘hey, keep your eye on them this year’ or ‘I love following so-and-so, they’re worth watching.’

Sara and I will talk about it on the podcast this Friday, but some of our picks: Imogen Simmonds (very funny and also definitely going to be a big winner soon), Flora Duffy (hello, Olympic year, and with the comeback), Kim Morrison (Sara says her Instagram is hilarious and she’s an uber biker). I also want to add Gustav Iden (duh) and that whole Norwegian squad going into Tokyo. And Rachel Joyce posted that she’s getting the urge to get competitive again. She’s not sure what that means yet, it doesn’t even really matter, once Rachel decides she’s back she’s definitely someone worthing keeping your eye on.

OK, so who are your nominations for triathletes to watch in 2020 — doesn’t have to be just women. I’ll compile a list.

Race of the decade

In a similar discussion in the running world, there’s been a whole to-do over LetsRun’s ‘Race of the Decade’ poll. The gist is: They only picked men’s titles and photos, then only men voted, then they’re like ‘see people think men’s races are more exciting.’ And so the circle goes on. 

I don’t really care about the debate because I don’t go on LetsRun because it’s a terrible place, but it came up again this week. And then I started thinking about the triathlon race of the decade. And what makes a race a great race anyway?

Sara and I will discuss on the podcast on Friday. Some contenders: Jan v. Javi in the 2014 70.3 Worlds, the 2018 70.3 men’s worlds race, back in 2010 when Macca beat Andreas in Kona, the 2012 London Olympics with Javi v. the Brownlees. But then there are also the great performances: Chrissie’s win in Kona in 2011 after the car crash, Daniela in 2018, Jan this year. 

What is the triathlon race of the decade?

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• If you ever just want to feel bad for whining about getting your workout in, well. MAKE IT WORK. (Triathlete)
   
• Oh, look who’s making it work: retired pro Ruth Brennan Morrey qualifying for the marathon Olympic Trials 20 years after she first qualified. (The Post Bulletin)
   
• Ayesha McGowan has become the first African American female pro cyclist. So that’s cool. (A Quick Brown Fox)
   
• The IOC is outlining all kinds of rules regulating protests at this summer’s Olympics. Not as cool. (The New York Times)
   
• At the Olympics, the beds in the athlete village will be made of cardboard. (Associated Press)
   
• The military spent decades studying the effects of caffeine — as in how to best take it and at what intervals to stay awake for unadvisable amounts of time. Good stuff. (Medium)
   
• Why are we so obsessed with hydration? (The New York Times)
   
• What if all the hype about muscle confusion is really just mental confusion? In research we didn’t need to tell us what we knew: You stay more interested in your workouts when they vary. (The New York Times)
   
• Other research: Sometimes things being harder actually makes them more appealing. Is that why we like to suffer? (Outside)
   
• I have enough friends who are personal trainers I know they can end up hurting themselves from all the personal coaching, but I never thought about how many are losing their voices from all the screaming. (The New York Times)
   
• Why has the world not cared as much about the fires in Australia? Are we just burnt out on disasters, on climate change? That’s doesn’t bode well… (New York Magazine)
   
• What if, contrary to popular belief, travel is actually good for the environment? It takes going to places often to care about them. Though I often think people only want to preserve amazing natural places after they already got to go. (Outside)
   
• I’m not saying I agree with the point of this essay, but I do understand why you’d be against exercise. (Verso)

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Thoughts & comments

– Generally, everyone was in favor of more people coming to the gym. Just wear a swimsuit in the pool, guys!

– Multiple people also agreed with Sara’s observation that the men’s calves are better on Zwift. 

– And Sean pointed out in our round-up of last year’s biggest sports moments, we missed Sarah Thomas’s English Channel four-time crossing.

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‘If We Were Riding’ is a weekly triathlon-ish newsletter written by Kelly O’Mara and produced by Live Feisty Media. Subscribe to get it in your inbox every Wednesday morning. You can also read past issues. This episode is from Jan. 15, 2020.