Activating Scott Tinley, Part 2

Tinley Mexico
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Triathlon legend Scott Tinley recently talked to me for a Q+A session that's going to appear in the inaugural issue of SwimBikeRun St. Louis Magazine in October. We're putting excerpts of that interview on Activeness over the next few weeks. To read the whole thing, get the magazine.

Read Part 1 of the interview.

TINLEY Q+A, PART 2

Did your massive amounts of training create any injury problems?
No. I had good biomechanics in my running and I stayed on trails as much as possible. And I was light: I weighed 155 pounds, which is what I weigh today. The trouble I have now is an arthritic hip. I believe that stems from trauma from some pretty bad bike crashes. I fell on it so many times and would just train through it instead of allowing it to properly heal.

How does that limit you now?
I would like to run more and faster. I run about 15 miles a week and I would like to run twice that. I run 7:30 miles but I would like to run the occasional 6:30. But in terms of long-term maladies, I’m lucky compared to a peer like Greg Welch or to these NFL players who are so beat up when they retire.

I read that you train 10 to 12 hours a week?
I wouldn’t even call it training. I get out there on the paddleboat, go for an hour-and-a half bike ride, or swim in the ocean. It’s fun. It’s a stress release. It makes me happy. I know it is healthy for my body. It gets me outside. If I can roust up some friends, I enjoy the camaraderie. There are so many intrinsic benefits to physical activity beyond the competitive aspect.

Do you still race?
I go to three or four races a year. I went to Florida in August with Dave Scott and Scott Molina for a clinic and a sprint triathlon.

What do the local racers say when they see the “The Great Scotts” setting up their transition areas?
[Laughs]. They knew we were coming. We had a blast. Dave actually won it at age 51! That’s amazing.

Do you guys remain friends?
Sure. I just don’t see them as much. Scott lives in New Zealand and Dave is in Boulder.

Do you still get nervous before a race or a rush from doing it?
No. I could stop in the middle of a race and walk away. I do the best I can, but I don’t have any expectations because I haven’t invested the time. I don’t have the time, I don’t want to, and I’m physically not able to commit.

What’s one good piece of advice for age-group triathletes?
It’s so easy to train too hard and become obsessed with this sport. It can affect your life in positive and negative ways. You want to temper the negative and accentuate the positive. But when triathlon training has a negative effect, you want to step back and say, “My wife left me, my kids hate me, my dog doesn’t know me. I’m doing too much.”

In designing a training program, start by looking at your life and deciding what’s important. Then slide in your training around that. Or try to combine them. Get your spouses or kids involved. Take them on vacations for races. There are ways.

Do you have any favorite triathletes among those racing these days?
I don’t follow them much. Of the people I’ve hung out with, I’m a fan of Carol Montgomery. She’s nearing 40 and still doing well — I like her shtick. I like Simon Lessing because he’s an intelligent individual and a very good athlete who has a couple of kids and seems to be a balanced guy.

Do you still go to Kona for Ironman Hawaii?
I went last year to speak at the medical conference and I went for the 25th anniversary [in 2003]. But I no longer go on a regular basis.

Do you miss it?
No. I miss Hawaii and I miss seeing old friends, but the sport has changed — especially that event. It’s very business-like and a for-profit scene. That’s fine. If I were a businessperson I’d do the same thing. I don’t want to taint my memories of the purity that existed in the early days. If I do go, I have to put up my guard and just accept that this is what it is now.

Do you follow any pro sports?
Not really. I watched a little of Agassi playing in the U.S. Open. It’s interesting to see how the fans react and the fight in those guys’ eyes.