Anything is possible…really?

Everything is possible…but is it always desirable? Is the half Ironman distance dangerous for my brother? Is my sister's ultra prep enough? And what about the marathon for my grandmother? Is it too much for his old bones? Health in there? Is it good or… too much? By the way, all these accomplishments, for whom and why are you doing them? That's a lot of questions? Welcome to the world of so-called extreme athletes whose universe confronts those around them and who, on a daily basis, must answer their questions and very often justify themselves as much as reflecting on the challenges in which they have embarked.

When too much is not enough

In recent years, we have witnessed a spectacular proliferation of major, even extreme, sporting challenges. It must be said that the influence and recovery of its events, thanks to social media, the often associated fundraisers, the sponsors, the mind-blowing physical metamorphoses of a few individuals, the ego of certain athletes, the slogans of certain challenges and for a host of other reasons, good or bad; suggests that too much…is never enough. But what is too much and what is enough?

Of course, it's all a matter of perspective. Are you reading this while munching on your couch or in between intervals on your home trainer? I'm going to extremes, but still, there's a gap between Health Canada's recommendations for adults to practice a total of 2½ hours or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, and 20 hours/week or more of sport (not of activity) to which many triathletes devote themselves in season practicing long distance.

As everything is relative depending on your history, your condition, your discipline and so on, it is difficult, if not impossible, to answer questions relating to "too much", but, a certain number of theories and studies circulate, and, if sometimes (often) a study comes to say the exact opposite of the other, a certain number of overlaps draw up principles which seem to belong to common sense or to a minimum of balance. Thus, we hear such a cardiologist say that running a distance greater than a marathon is not done without health consequences, that for someone over 35, it would be preferable not to exceed 35 km per week in running training so as not to affect his joints, that he should not increase his volume by more than 10% per week, etc. However, several of its principles cannot be respected when talking about performance (even for very short distances) or even objectives for long-distance events. Someone who is poorly prepared, lacking in volume, could even lose his skin on certain challenges if he does not damage his joints in training. In summary, while sport is good for your health, competition may not be.

Despite all the talk about the risks of so-called extreme sport, one fact remains, people sign up for huge races and many approach competitions with a checklist. If we were only talking about athletes, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

But on races like an Ironman, for example, the pros rub shoulders with the ordinary people. It is a privilege for the enthusiast to come close to all these machines. How privileged it is for spectators and families on site to see fans whose lives are turned upside down when they cross the finish line. Ordinary people are the ones who make the event profitable; we will therefore do everything to charm them. But ordinary people, well, sometimes it's "ordinary" thinking by signing up for extraordinary challenges...

So you…

So you, yes you. Let me talk to you because we know each other well, you and I. So you…you who signed up for an Ironman without ever having done a triathlon or a marathon or maybe even a half marathon, I have some thoughts that I would like to share with you, please do you want to, but I'd like you to think about it a bit before you hurt yourself or let go of this sport I love so much once you check "accomplished" next to the Ironman distance on your little list.

First, I remind the reader that an Ironman is 3.8 km of swimming followed by 180 km of cycling and 42.2 km of running, that some pros do it within 8 hours and that if some amateurs pinch the buttocks of the pros, others finish it in 5 p.m. (the maximum time allowed). I talk about this distance because I know it well, but it is very simple, of course, to make connections with other types of challenges.

So you, before you sign up:

• Get in shape first. It looks simple, but...
• Read, get informed, educate yourself on the sport, attend races, volunteer in these different events.
• Do you have a sports nutritionist? Think about it, it eats a triathlete, and it also eats during a race. It's a science.
• Think a bit about your budget, I say the same.
• If you are gregarious, join a club; it's crazy the experience that circulates there and the generosity of the members. And, in a club, there are coaches...
• Think of the rule of 3, adapt it if necessary, but think about it: do 3 times the Sprint distance before doing the Olympic distance, do 3 times the Olympic distance before doing a half Ironman, and… do 3 half Ironman before doing a full.
• If you plan to walk during the race at the time of registration; postpone the registration and register for an event that suits you.
• Respects sport, discipline; the chrono is a business (your business), but we do things or we don't do them, so we respect the rules of the art.
• If you're starting from scratch in triathlon, consider taking 4 or 5 years before doing an Ironman.
• Think about your loved ones, the impact your training time will have on them. Think about your career. It could be that you train between 8 and 20 hours a week for a while...
• You don't have to do this.

I'm tough huh? It's that I love you and I love this sport. As I love you, I want you to do this sport for a long time, and for that, nothing better than to start at the beginning and to climb the levels one at a time, for the morale, and for the body. Each distance has its challenges and you have to learn to love them and feel good with each distance before moving on to another. The further the goal is, the more rewarding it is the day you reach it.