NYC Marathon VS. Arizona Ironman

[GOtriSports]

Hey all, I have been being a bum today and watching a lot of TV. The NYC marathon has been on NBC while on Versus a less known channel the Arizona Ironman has been showing. I am wondering why a marathon gets so much more attention than an Ironman. I mean lets be honest to complete an ironman is SO much harder than a marathon and I would be willing to go far enough to say the competitors of the ironman are in MUCH better shape than the marathon runners.

Also, the people in the ironman are must more "ripped" and obviously have more muscle. However many of us know doing tons of cardio kills muscle so why would the people do MORE cardio have more muscle mass? I guess the swimming may come in to it because I don't know many swimmers who are not pretty muscular.

Anyway, does anyone have any idea why marathons gets so much more attention than an Ironman?

 

[P-funk]

NYC Marathon and Boston Marathon are the two biggest running events in this country every year. they are televised because people have an interest in watching those events. The AZ Ironman, while difficult, is not that famous....it isn't like the Ironman in Kona, which is always televised.

 

[P-funk]

also, i don't believe the AZ Ironman until Nov. 23. are you sure it isn't a re-run?

 

[GOtriSports]

also, i don't believe the AZ Ironman until Nov. 23. are you sure it isn't a re-run?

I was a little confused about this myself. I went to their website and it says it is the 23rd... but the whole television event said "Ironman Arizon 2008" all over the place. Do they have two of them in Arizona each year and maybe this was earlier in the year?

I guess I am wondering why people are more interested in events such at NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon ect. I feel like people would enjoy watching the better athletes. And if they watched the ironman they would still be watching a marathon... just after a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride

 

[P-funk]

I was a little confused about this myself. I went to their website and it says it is the 23rd... but the whole television event said "Ironman Arizon 2008" all over the place. Do they have two of them in Arizona each year and maybe this was earlier in the year?

I guess I am wondering why people are more interested in events such at NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon ect. I feel like people would enjoy watching the better athletes. And if they watched the ironman they would still be watching a marathon... just after a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride

Yea, they had an ironman earlier this year....in the summer....tons of people dropped out mid-way because of the heat!

I agree with your assumption that people would enjoy watching the Ironman. This is why the Ironman in Kona is televised ever year! It is the Super Bowl of the Ironman essentially, just like the NYC Marathon and Boston Marathon are. Think about it....who the hell would watch the Wisconson Marathon? NO ONE! They put the biggest events that are going to draw the largest viewing audiance on TV.

 

[GOtriSports]

Yea, they had an ironman earlier this year....in the summer....tons of people dropped out mid-way because of the heat!

I agree with your assumption that people would enjoy watching the Ironman. This is why the Ironman in Kona is televised ever year! It is the Super Bowl of the Ironman essentially, just like the NYC Marathon and Boston Marathon are. Think about it....who the hell would watch the Wisconson Marathon? NO ONE! They put the biggest events that are going to draw the largest viewing audiance on TV.

I guess it makes sense when you put it that way. And you are right. They were talking about the intense heat and I guess I am too much of an idiot to realize that it would not be 94 degrees there right now haha