Sir, – The bile directed towards the triathlon participants in Dún Laoghaire by Brian O'Connor in "How bored do you have to be to think Ironman is a good idea?",) "(Tipping Point", Sport, August 27th) is nothing short of extraordinary.
I am a 51-year-old man who plays and trains for different sports four to five days a week. Yes, I once completed a shorter version of the Ironman triathlon in Brittas and was exhausted, but I believe that exercise is essential for my mental and physical well-being and is time much better spent than drinking pints or stuck in front of the TV night after night.
I think I am setting a good example to my four teenage children who are all actively involved in sports three to four days a week. For your columnist to suggest that it is “depressingly egocentric” is bizarre.
My suggestion to Brian is to enter the upcoming sprint Triathlon in Brittas Bay, raise a few bob for charity like most participants, and then write another article on his experience.
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Turn off your Sky box, Brian, and push yourself a little so that you can better understand what Corinthian sport is really about. – Yours, etc,
DAVID WALSH,
Newcastle on Tyne, UK.