Seems like endurance events, especially running and triathlons, have begun to get a little exposure to the general population of the US. Beyond the typical televised pro sports (football, hockey, basketball, baseball) here in the US, there is a huge number of people participating in edurance sports that buy DVD's, check listings and wait months for a single event they are interested in to come on tv, stay up late and watch events on the internet and so on, just to see the top competitors in endurance sports. The participant ranks are swelling for triathlons, 5k and 10k runs, and even the longer races that you will not finish if you don't train like the Marathons and Ironmans. So even though many can not conceive of ever running 26.2 miles, or completing the 2.4 swim, 112 mile bike and the 26.2 mile run of the Ironman, people are not surprised when another person tells them they have completed, or aspire to complete, these distances. Though I have heard the "head case" and "crazy" labels applied to myself many times for my participation in these activities, it is still meant all in fun. Few really believe I am going to hurt myself by participating, or am actually dangerously mentally unbalanced. Just getting out and working out. Some even find this something to admire, inspire and aspire to.

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