Golfing and Triathlon – Are They Related?

The quick answer is no, but there’s a great story about Lee Trevino, the great golf pro and 1968 US Open champion that relates to my personal Triathlon experience.  It’s said that the young Trevino used to challenge more experienced golfers out on the golf course.  His challenge was hard to resist: he would play with only one club, give an opponent his handicap, and winner would take the prize. Trevino claims that he and his trusty No. 3 iron never lost.  Trevino was such a great golfer that he could defeat his opponents while only using his No. 3 iron.  Of course, all this happened before he turned pro.

My own experience in triathlon runs somewhat similar to his story. My “No. 3 is iron” is a trusty indigo blue Trek Y-foil bike! The Trek Y-foil is really not designed to be a triathlon bike.  Sure it’s got the aero bars and the fast forward seat post, but underneath the Tri-bike disguise is a carbon fiber road bike. The Y-foil was ruled to be not race legal by the UCI federation rules due to an unfair race advantage.  I bought my Y-foil in 2003 and it has carried me thru 6 years of triathlons and one Ironman.  My Y-foil is well cared for, lubed, cleaned and always shiny on race day. My bike probably gets more loving than the most expensive bike out in the field.  Like Lee Trevino, I do more with my “No. 3 Iron” bike than any other expensive bike out in the field.  Sure, I’ve always fantasized about the Cervelo P3C or other tri bikes made by Quintana Roo, Felt, Blue or Kestrels.  But I’ve passed my fair share of these expensive “fast” bikes in the triathlon world and believe me when I say - it feels great after the finish when I look at the results under that column that says: “Avg Bike Speed.”  Proof to me that it’s really not about the bike, it’s what’s on the bike.  

However, the question of the day still lingers:  How much faster can a more expensive bike get me - 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds?  It’s really difficult to say and does the expense justify the time? If I train harder with my “No. 3 iron” can I makeup that time? Bottom line: Is it worth the cost when I’m out there hustling triathletes out of their podium spot with my trustyTrek Y-foil?  Sure, there’s a few triathletes that beat me to the podium spot with more expensive bikes.  But, is it the bike or is it what’s on the bike.  I always take heed of some very wise advice that Julius Stuart offered me on one of our training rides.  A bike is just a torture machine – the harder it tortures you the better you are. Julius is an excellent cyclist who has dropped me a time or two. Not bad for a guy who is in his late 60s and still VERY fast.

I think I will continue playing with my “No. 3 iron” bike and allow my opponents to have full access to a bag full of expensive golf clubs. In the end we will see who really has the handicap.

Here's the URL for the Y-Foil special interest group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yfoil/