The question of the day or at least the car ride: Is a triathlon a festival?

No points for guessing which side The Runner argued and which side I argued.

Some background required.

This weekend is the Huskisson Triathlon Festival, down in Huskisson (Jervis Bay). It’s a whole weekend of triathlon events.

For The Runner, it’s bliss, right up there with Woodstock, Coachella, Playground Weekender, and well, an actual festival.

For me, not so much. For me, it’s closer to an event that must be endured. A weekend hearing about elastic laces, energy gels, and wait for it, race times. Riveting. Grown ups in spandex riding bikes and running around. And trust me, if you’re thinking super hot athletic model perfect 24 year old bodies, let me stop you right there. The average age of triathletes is probably about 38. And there are a fair few people older than this. Much older, and in spandex. Lots of fitness fanatics descending on a town in spandex–The opposite of what I think of when I think festival!

So, as we were driving down the coast in Supercar (a fun, easy, enjoyable experience- the joy of GPS! I had to crush The Runner’s theory.

He was espousing the belief that a weekend at a Triathlon is similar to going to a festival, like a proper, fun, awesome good time festival.

Wrong!

Festivals are times when people come together to celebrate, relax, have fun and share an enjoyable experience! sweat, pain, and injury do not come into it in my book! Unless it’s sweat from the dance floor and injuries that you wake up with without knowing how you got it! Lots of triathletes dread the race and they don’t look forward to doing it- that does not sound like festival fun to me!

I felt bad as I shattered his heart and broke his spirit but there’s no way I could support the words fun and triathlon in the same sentence. I know, thousands of triathletes will tell me I’m wrong, but for all of you Tri-widows out there you know I’m right.

Sunday morning at triathlon o’clock we’ll exchange knowing looks over a coffee that me, now on my detox, is not supposed to have. We’ll be looking at watches and fiddling with cameras and kindles, trying to pass the time between clapping and yawning.

So what do you think- who are you siding with? Is a triathlon a festival???