I get asked a lot by people, you know, I want to do a triathlon.I want to do an Ironman, even a half Ironman.What do I need to know?What do I need to do?
And you guys have way more experience than I, but based on my experience, what I tell folks is it's not a three sport event.It's a four sport event.It's swim, bike, run, nutrition.
All right, everybody, welcome back to the move podcast talking about the Ironman World Championships from 2024.And yes, they were held in Kona on the big island of Hawaii.What a pleasure.
I am joined by none other than Craig Alexander, three time winner of this race.Absolute legend in the sport of triathlon.Dude still looks like he should be out there racing, came on the zoom.I was like.Oh, shit. Are you, you look ready to go, buddy?
Well, first of all, thanks for having me on, man.I'm just trying to keep up with you in high rocks, just trying to stay in shape for life.
There we go.There we go.Hey, you get up there.You're 51.I'm 53.I'm proud of where we are.
Also joined, uh, been on the show many, many times and, and, and, uh, was, you know, this is a fun story was with Jimmy was what Jimmy's been known as a lot of things.
He was known as sort of my sidekick, protector, big brother when I did triathlons as a teenager.And we told the story many times, and I'm eternally grateful for that guardianship, so to speak, back.Gosh. Oh my Lord, almost 40 years ago.
And then was just, and then was sort of known as, as we continued to be training buddies.But now I think you're most known and it's for your son who we've just Matthew's continued to progress and just gets better and better.And it's fun to watch.
So that's now, I think what, what everybody knows you, but that last name is very distinct.And so, We get asked all the time when we talk about cycling, where's the great, the next great American or the next great crop of Americans.
His name's always in there.So fun to watch Jimmy.
It is for me as well.Yeah.And definitely, uh, I don't have the, the Paul Mars that you guys have, but I'm definitely Matthew's dad now.
Um, 61 years old too, by the way, I got you guys on that.Yeah, that's right.Wait, 60, 60.
I got ahead of myself.Wow.Another just, we are going to talk about the army here a second, but Jimmy as his dad, I am, I am genuinely curious about this.I don't think I'll ever. scratch that.I know I will never have a child race on the pro tour.
So I don't know what this would be like, but is there, are there any nerves with, we know the sport's dangerous.We know stuff happens.I would imagine if my son was right, I'd be nervous, you know, turn on the television.It's a rainy day.
It's technical.There's been other crashes.I'd be scared and nervous.
Yeah.I, I didn't anticipate that. But I can't the level of, uh, anxiety, I guess every race day, man, you know, he's in Europe, Arizona two o'clock.
I wake up, you know, on Twitter, you know, crash shit, you know, no names and numbers, but yeah, I never, I didn't worry.I'm sure you were the same way back when we all raced.Um, I don't know.
I never thought anything bad was going to happen to me ever.Um, But now watching, yeah, it's tough, man.And there's the danger, then there's the, you know, how they deal with the weight of expectations, all things that you can't control.
And again, I never really thought about seriously, but yeah, nervous wreck, man.Look at me, look at my hair.I'm almost as gray as you.
you have here, sort of a little bit of business, then we're going to get into all the action because this this one has a lot to talk about.
Patrick Lange winning his third Ironman at the age of what is it almost 39 years old, which I just have a whole lot of thoughts about.I love it.We just all touched on how old we are, at least according to our passports.
Well, you got to root for the 39 year old guy.I mean, come on.But before we do today's show brought to you by Zwift.
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Yeah, I think they're doing well.I just got one of those whiff rides about a month ago.Yeah.Like you, mate, I love being outdoors, love being on the road, love being on the trails, but sometimes it's just a better option.
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Just go to Roka, R-O-K-A, Roka.com.Enter the code, TheMove, at checkout.20% off, Roka.com.Code is TheMove.All right.Let's talk about Patrick Lange, all right?
what you guys just, just, let's just go around the horn and, and, and I'll, I'll, I'll come at the end here, but just high level thoughts of, of this race of the athlete himself.
I think the journey I watched a lot this morning and read a lot of the interviews, very touching to hear about the emotional part of this with his mother passing and some conversations they had towards the end of her life.But at this age,
for a sport like, in fact, a lot of endurance sports where the trend is younger and younger and younger, certainly in cycling.39-year-old guy, been many, many years since he won, breaks the course record, runs 237.Lots to talk about.
I think the course record is one thing.We'll get to that in a minute.It was an amazing performance.First and foremost, he just beat everybody else.Obviously, he got to the line first.
I think the trend you talked about in cycling has been the same in triathlon.A lot of the current crop of superstars are in their mid-20s.We've seen a move back to
A lot of the talented up and coming athletes just going straight to the longer distance events, which has been awesome to see actually bringing a lot of speed back.
But I think, you know, human physiology is, as you get older, suited to these endurance events and also the maturity and the experience, which you can't get overnight.
So, you know, I think for a lot of athletes, they get to a certain point in life and It's not really age that precludes them, particularly in triathlon or an ultra endurance event like that.
It's other things in life, other business opportunities, family, other things take priority and you don't live it 24-7, 365 days of the year.I know with Patrick, he doesn't have kids.He's still ultra motivated.I didn't realize he was 39.
Actually, I heard someone say he turned 38 in August, whatever.He's in his late 30s.
I saw both.I saw a 38 and a 39.So for the, for the, for the purpose of this conversation, I thought making him sound older sounded cooler, but it's one of the, nonetheless, it's an amazing performance.
Um, it's his third title here.Yeah.I just think he's a great athlete.I mean, he's, I read a few things this morning that, almost trying to diminish what he's done by saying he's just well-suited to this course.
Well, he got a silver medal in Nice last year, which is a course he's probably more suited to.The net worth in Nice is more than here.I mean, you guys know the course.Lance, you've obviously lived out here and ridden out here.There's
I want to say there's close to 6,000 avert here, but it's a different profile than Nice.It's just up and down and up and down, which I think suits a bigger, more powerful.
I mean, you're punching over these climbs in the big chain ring and carrying a lot of the speed.Nice is probably a course that I thought might suit Patrick because I know he's a pretty good defender.He loves the technical aspects of the sport.
He had a great race in Nice last year. Yeah, I mean, he's not just a runner.He was fourth out of the water yesterday.
And I've seen him, I want to say one of his previous races here, which didn't go so well, but he was in the top two or three out of the water that year as well.So the man can swim, he can bike.What was interesting yesterday for me was
Being one of the first onto the bike, it gave him a few options in how we wanted to race.A few of the big hitters, the horsepower came through on the bike, but he got up to Harvey in a great position.
Coming down from Harvey, and for me, in this race, that's where I always started to heat up.You make the turn at Harvey, you've got that six-mile descent, which is really quick.
Typically, you've got a tail crosswind there, and then you hit some of those rollers as you're stepping back down to Kauai High.I think that's the time in the race you start getting warmer, and you've got to start manning yourself.
Hopefully, you've been on your hydration and nutrition early. But Patrick started getting distanced from a lot of the other contenders at that point.And the question was, has he just over-biked to stay with them?
And is he starting to hurt or is this more a tactical play?And for me, when I saw them come in after the 112 miles, I was standing about a quarter of a mile before the end of the bike. I didn't see a guy just hanging on.I saw a guy attacking into T2.
So I'm thinking, oh, this has been his tactical play.He's been holding a little back and very disciplined, experienced move.And now he's just saying, cut me loose.
And, you know, from the first strides of the marathon course, I didn't, I mean, Sam had a nice lead, but you could see Patrick was moving forward and what the game plan was.And he just looked up. amazing.
I also read this morning that his bike split here was, I think, his best in this race by 10 minutes.It was 16 minutes quicker than he rode here two years ago, which I think speaks a little bit to the aerodynamics.
I know that the boys are always playing around with hand position, bottle placement.They're in the top every year on the velodrome.
I think with, as you guys know, with that sort of a time gap between his best bikes, but see that speaks to the conditions as well that they had on the course.
I just thought all around from top to bottom, he checked all the boxes, beautiful swim, tough ride in the beginning and then played smart, showed a bit of discipline and experience.
Kept the core body temperature in check and that's not being a weak bike rider, that's being a smart racer.That's knowing your strengths and understanding that.
If I want to win this race, I'm probably going to have to run in the 230, so I need to manage myself well and bike in a way that I can do that.In the end, it was a convincing win.I think he was seven minutes clear.
I also read this morning it was the biggest margin of victory in a while, so maybe it was dominating.Across the board, it was a great race to be on the ground for 16 men under eight hours. A lot of great bike splits.
Cam Wurf, a guy you guys know well, you know well, Vance.I love Cam.Went to the Olympics for rowing.Can smash out huge numbers on the rowing, obviously.
rides in the pro peloton, did Paris-Roubaix one year and then jumped off and ran a half marathon because he wanted to run out.I just love him.He had an incredible race yesterday.
It was a ways back out of the swim, biked through and then had a great run to finish seventh.A lot of great storylines.I thought the race as a whole was Yeah.I want to say it was the best kind of I've I've seen.Um, so, and, and hats off to Patrick.
You just can't find fault anywhere.He's a super consistent athlete over this distance.Um, and just versatile and consistent across the disciplines.So yeah, it was a masterclass really.
Yeah.As you said, checked all the boxes by the way.One note on camera, if I thought that was maybe the biggest Strava flex of all time. And it rides your Bay.Okay.A lot of guys put their pair of Bay on Strava.
Great.And then he put his run off, run off the next activity.
I have marathon run.I was like, okay.All right.Mike drop.He's a lunatic.Yeah.Yeah.Yeah.Jimmy, what do you think?
And 40 as well.Right.He's a four-year-old guy.
And I think that speaks to what stands out to me, Patrick, um, prior to race day, he sounded calm, you know, like got nothing to prove here that said, I've got, I've got, uh, an objective and that was clearly to, to win this race.
And I think his experience paid big time here.You know, he. Like, like I was saying, the knock on Patrick, at least what I've heard is that he doesn't ride.Well, that he, that he, he sits in, you know, just doesn't do any work on the bike, which.
you know, the bottom line, the guy finds a place to win.And I think people just, they just get, they just get bitter, you know, how's this guy doing?And, and, and especially Kona, but also, you know, second and East last year, he's, he's got it all.
And people don't, don't think that he has it all.And I don't know why he doesn't get that, that respect as an all arounder, but he clearly, you know, I went to the press conference and a lot of the guys were talking about,
trying to keep up with the new recycling that they had to based on what Lalo did, I think a couple of years ago.
Um, and, and long ago, he just said, you know, my, my strategy was to, you know, I felt like if we were close enough on the bike that, that the runners would prevail.
And, um, and I think he, all his experience in color factored into that, to that strategy.And he said that when he got to the turnaround and saw that he was whatever it was, five minutes back, he's like, Oh, no big deal.
And I think he got out to maybe, maybe nine minutes or so in the end. But whatever, however he managed that race, I mean, he was the only guy.He ran 237.The next fastest guy was Matt Hanson at 245, a nine minute gap at the end.It was all run.
Nobody else. Whether it was their effort on the bike or hydration, nutrition, and these guys miss, they missed the boat and he covered all the bases, obviously, because he got off.He was on fire on that run from step one and just never let up.
If you believe what you read, and of course, with the time checks and GPS systems, but I read a couple of the articles where, and I think the lay person can understand this, keep in mind, SWAM 2.4,
wrote 112 gets off runs the first 10 K at a 535 pace.Now, to me, I'm like, okay, the guy can run.That's almost a strategic move because he knows that that's signaling like, Hey, to everybody.First of all, I think he passed.
seven or eight guys in the first 10 K, but Lalo knows that knows he's coming, right?He, he hears those footsteps and then, and then he does get it down to five minutes.And then it just, just says, all right, I got this.
But when we talk about checking every box, cause this just study in the race, you realize, and I get asked a lot by people, you know, I want to do a triathlon or I want to do an Ironman, even a half Ironman.What do I need to know?
What do I need to do?And you guys have way more experience than I, but based on my experience, what I tell folks is it's not a three sport event.It's a four sport event. is swim, bike, run, nutrition.
And this theme of nutrition not only came up yesterday in spades, but it has really come up in endurance sports.And we've seen this shift in nutritional consumption, calorie consumption, carbohydrate consumption, how much can the gut tolerate.
Clearly he nailed the fourth sport.I mean, he was right there.He knows he can run fast. He surged at the right time.He put the fear of God and laid low and then won by 10.Got it.That's he wins.
And I don't care what anybody says, what the quote unquote knocks are.The finish line is where the finish line is, and so see you there.Best man wins.
But you kept seeing or not kept, but you heard, I mean, if you have Blumenfeld repeatedly throwing up on the bike, I mean, this has to be a new this is not most people.Again, the layperson would watch.Oh, he must have ate something bad.
Oh, I got a virus.I mean, this isn't this is all nutrition related.How much can we tolerate?We think we have it right.You get out there.The temps rise.Your effort is more than you thought it would be.
The gut shuts down and all of a sudden, boy, all the warning lights go on.
Yeah, and I think speaking of Christian and the Norwegians, they've got a reputation of training very scientifically, which is not a bad thing, but also pushing the envelope, looking for those marginal gains and trying to train their gut for maximum absorption.
They're hitting very high numbers.It's interesting with social media these days and Strava flexes and Instagram flexes, you wonder what's really happening and what's just
kind of trying to play with people's minds that I mean I've seen Christian in a couple of races where they played with his position trying to get one or two watts here or there and ended up cramping and having to walk because it just of that change in hip angle created a sort of a cramp using a muscle the way it wasn't used to wasn't sort of used to operating that way so yeah the nutrition thing's been a big thing but more recently
I guess, carb consumption per hour.I think you hit on two major points.As the race gets hotter, core body temperature is crucial.
The two things you do to keep your core body temperature and check up pacing, smart pacing, and hydrate as much as possible.Then the second element of the nutritional pace is you've got to fuel your body with that energy.
you're not just covering the distance, you're racing the distance.So that speaks to an intensity.And when you're at intensity, your carb consumption goes up.So it's about finding the balance.And I guess that comes with the experience.
I mean, one guy who impressed me yesterday was Magnus Sittlief, who got second.Big guy, 6'5", super powerful bike rider, just a great all-around athlete.I mean, it's interesting
We try and pigeonhole athletes because they're better, but all these guys are good in all three disciplines as are the top ladies in the sport.
I mean, you don't get to this level having too many weaknesses, but all the talk beforehand was that he was a tender and he is.I love watching this guy race.I love watching him on the bike.He's beautiful to watch.
I found it interesting at some point, he clearly wasn't getting across to lay low. Hit a rough patch, started losing time.The front chase group ended up catching him towards the end.
I think most people at that point were saying, oh, Magnus' race is done.His big car to play was the bike, but just a tough dude.
Hit the marathon course, dropped back a few places, and then not known for his marathon running the way Patrick is, but just gutted it out, got back in a rhythm, and got himself up to second.
It's interesting because as you guys know, you've both raced at a very high level.You do need some ego and confidence to execute, but you also need to know and park the ego a bit and be smarter about it.
Magnus is a guy, I think, he didn't throw the towel in when his big play didn't come off.
He just tried to work out other ways to make it happen and ended up with another podium, which I think is his second now, second or might have been his third at the Ironman World Champs.He had an incredible day as well.
Speaking of core temp, I don't know why I didn't think of this when I raced triathlons. Cause we were talking about core temp and how do you get hot?I mean, would you go run the marathon, um, uh, with a trash bag on?No, it wouldn't.
Your core temp would go through the roof.Well, you know, and we get deceived when we swim, whether you're swimming in a pool or you're swimming in the ocean or lake or whatever.You're like, I'm in water.I'm cooling off.Well, no, you're not.
You're sweating.You're sweating in the water.So I read the reports of early on in the race, somebody lost their swim cap.Now this sounds like nothing. But then more and more articles had the law, the word lost in quotes, lost their swim cap.
Well, if you think, I mean, would you swim two and a half miles as hard as you can with a piece of rubber on your head, which is one of the main places where you ventilate and regulate temperature.Jimmy, I got, I mean, it is, look,
It happens right in a mass start swim.You know, it's physical arms are flailing.People are fighting for position.People are fighting for a draft or a group and your goggles get knocked off.
I've never seen the swim cap come off, but I guess it could happen.But all of a sudden, mysteriously, we're starting to lose swim caps.Here's the thing.I'm not criticizing this.I'm more pissed at myself that I didn't think of this.
This is, I mean, what a great idea.Just take the swim and say, say you got hit.I was, you know, Rick Otello hit me in the head and my God, I got my goggles back on, but I can't find my swim cap.
Meanwhile, my head is not about to explode because I'm going so hard, but what's the honestly.
Yeah.Be careful, Jimmy.Conflict of interest.You're the head.
Crow, you can answer that.I thought it was brilliant.I loved it.
I can.I can. I didn't see anything happen.I didn't see anybody.
There you go.Crazy.See what he did there.That was good.
This said, I can say with certainty back in my, my day before, before Crowley's day.And I, and I know Greg will have the same experience, but there were hot, humid races where you put your goggles on under your cap.
You put your cap on, you know, loosely it's up high. dive in, the cap comes off the back of your head, and you're like, Oh, shit, I lost my cap.And it does make a difference.Yeah, of course.To crack down on that, you know, and say, look, you
You better, you better, you're losing your cap off and you better carry two because we've got a, we use that for identification on the, on the water for safety reasons.
And I do think it's an advantage and it's something that from a rules perspective, um, the, the, the refs are going to have to start looking for, I think, because I don't know the scientific. data, but I agree with you, Lance.
But we've we've all been there.I mean, it would make a lot.
I don't know about you, but back in the day, I've seen you.
I must have seen you dive in a lot.So it has to be the dive.I know you wouldn't take it off or set it up to be to be to fall off intentionally.
No, I'm just saying, you know, full disclosure, we we did we did purposely lose our caps back in the day at some races. And at some point, it was a pretty popular tactic.And then it got it got fixed.Right.OK, well, guess what?
It's back at that time.By the way, by the way, as most people know who follow the Ironman, especially the one yesterday, there's no diving in.
So I don't know that excuse.It's got to be it's got to be somebody smacking you on the head or more. Uh, yeah, I got it.
I lost my cow.I mean, there was a wall there where, well, if you got a registry and you pick up your ice pack, the swim caps, they started manufacturing them in Silicon.So they'll double the thickness, which is actually what you use in a colder race.
You want to pick a cap to keep.For the obvious, obviously for the opposite effect, but you know, it was something that everybody talked about when the water temps got up into the seventies and even low eighties.
You've got to manage the core body temperature.That's the start of the race.You don't want it skyrocketing there.It was definitely something that we all talked about.
If it happened to come off because you didn't jam it down around over your ears, well, so be it.
I got to submit that for 2025.
Yeah, please make these changes.I just thought it was an amazing thing because as the more and more I read about it, the fact that the word lost then started ended up in air quotes.I was like, Oh, That's a great idea.
We're gonna keep talking about the Ironman 2024, but before we do, today's show also brought to you by Ketone IQ.Now we often hear that fasting and exercise are good for the brain.HVMN launched the world's first drinkable ketone in 2017.
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Get started today with a 15% off, uh, offer using the code, the move at one skin.co that's one skin.co use the code move.All right, back to the race.Um, should give a mention, right?
Um, we touched on at the top of the show, American cycling fans wondering when we're going to have an American winner of the tour or an American contender of the tour. It's been a minute.
Uh, I think I looked on 2002 since this last year that we had an American winner of the Ironman in Hawaii.Uh, but shout out to Rudy Von Berg.I've just, I just started tracking this guy's career.You finished on the podium, right?Third place.
Pretty cool.But 2002 since an American way, it's funny when you're on Wikipedia and you see the list of, of past champions.It's just stars and stripes, stars and stripes, stars and stripes.
And then a couple of these, all of these start to trickle in there.And then this Ozzie really trickles in there.And then the Germans come and we've had to wait 22 years, truly a global sport, but, but good race by Rudy.
Awesome, awesome race by Rudy.I don't think it was a surprise.I want to say he was fourth last year in these.He also finished on the podium at the Half Ironman or 70.3 World Championships.
Actually, I was in the coffee shop of the lobby this morning and I ran into his dad, Rudolph, who raced here in the mid 80s.So it's a pretty cool story.He was a very proud papa, as you could imagine. very emotional.
But yeah, Rudy was, I mean, he's a guy who's been just on a sort of an upward trajectory, chipping away and getting great results.Um, I want to say he had a couple of fantastic wins four or five years ago.
He won the European championships, the great Javier Gomez, who was a dominant force at the time.He was one of the only guys who, who beat Javier over that sort of 70.3 distance.Uh, yeah, I don't think it was a surprise.
And he's thrown his name right into the mix of contenders for sure.Moving forward.I think he's, It's one thing to, I guess, think that you have the ability to do it and have other people tell you that you have the ability to do it.
It's another thing to do it.And I think now he's got on the podium, he probably believes that he can do it.He probably believes he belongs in that company with those other guys.And so he's definitely one to watch moving forward.
Right.A hundred percent agree.And yeah, I think it's one, one is at least once actually sure of it.Um, but yeah, Rudy's Rudy's a super talent, you know, and like you said, those big results, I think he's always felt like he could do, do well here.
Um, and hasn't come, but, uh, I think with his maturity and experience, he'll, he'll, understand that regardless of what's going on in the race, that he has a skillset to win.
And I think maybe in the past, this is just me thinking, um, you know, he, he may be one of those people that have paid more attention than necessary to the people behind him on the bike.
These guys are, you know, I'm pushing 350 Watts, they're pushing 250 instead of just doing his thing, you know, and, and relying on his, you know, his attributes to get him across the line.And, and I think for the most part, he did that yesterday.
I listened to him in the press conference say that he, you know, he had a great swim.He, he actually was in a position early to push the bike.He tried to kind of snap the elastic in this, this group that was pretty big, right?
22 guys, I think, or so for a long time this year with the lack of wind on the bike course, it, and the just everybody figuring out how to optimize arrow, how to get the right nutrition and hydration in.
And then you've got that, you had the cloud cover early.Yeah, it was the beginning of the bike.And I think like he's anyway, they everybody, a lot of people paid for that on the way back when it got hot, you know, and, and anyway, I think Rudy is
did his own thing for the most part.Um, I had confidence in his overall get a four, if you're right, you know, he, he now knows that we can win this race and, you know, he may be the first American.How old is he?He's he's 26 or 27.
Maybe I think he's mid to late twenties.Yes.So he's, he's got time.He's right in the sweet spot.He's windows open.He's windows open there.
You know, I just, uh, a month ago, he switched from track to a factor and, you know, and I think he has a new running shoe sponsor as well.So he changed a lot, like late and didn't, didn't, you know,
Rarely does that work out, but I think the combination of things just gave them some confidence and more, more, a lot of these guys give up, you know, when they, when the race doesn't go as planned on the bike or, or they're in super Viking shape, super cycling shape, and they're looking at their numbers and there's 22 guys behind them.
And it's like, what the hell, you know, what now, what am I going to do?And, um, I think when you have the experience level of maturity to just do what Magnus did.Right.
You, you know, you heard him say that he sat on a, you know, his ass started hurting at the end of the bike to last hour.
He couldn't ride in the aero position, lost all of his lead, which he couldn't ride in the aero position because his ass started hurting.
Yeah.He'd said that he had a glute issue.So, okay.Okay.Yeah.
To be more specific and use it earlier, we were talking about gut issues and I was like, wait a minute, what, what, what, don't tell me this, but yeah, I got it.
Wasn't that, wasn't that, um, that's why you don't wear a white suit.He got the rig, you know, he got, he got booty lock, I think on, on the end there and, and lost his lead.Literally sat in transition.
Contemplating whether he should start to run and then was like, you know, I've got so many people here that are that are backing me.It would be idiotic to not start to run.He gets out there and like Crowe said earlier.
Next thing you know, the gap stabilizing to the people in front of him, then it's then it's shortening and he just did his thing, you know, and.
And who knows if the gut was an issue, because we all know, right, when once it, once the gut goes bad, it's, it feels like it will never end.But if you can figure out a way to stabilize that, then you're good.
Then you can just start putting one foot in front of the other and faster and faster.But it, it really, I mean, it shows you how tough these guys and gals are.I mean, Blumenfeld even finished like I read, he finished 31st or 39th.
I mean, that's, you know, whether it's because he has family there to support him or, or whatever.I mean, that's imagine, right?This guy comes into the race and says, thinking to himself, I think I can win.
And all of a sudden you, you know, you're not going to win, right?What's the worst thing you could think about is going and running a marathon with all of these issues, but to tough it out.Sure.
There were a lot of high costs guys that, that soldier through that race and ran four hours, you know, and, and it, It's respect.
It's cool to see, you know, and it's so easy to pull the pin, but they, I think every step you, you, you make here in this race, you learn something.
And I think he maybe, maybe they just feel like they'd be cheating themselves if they didn't suffer through this and just, and learn and figure it out.
I want to say this current generation are great at that.Yeah.I mean, as you mentioned, it's probably humbling when you're one of the pre-race favorites or the favorite.
to have your tail between your legs, but they do respect the race and the history.They're tough.It's a tough generation.Lionel Sanders was another guy back in the field.
But they honoured the race and I guess they honoured the sacrifice of their family and their support crew.And speaking of up and comers, I want to give a shout out to a young kid who ended up having a tough day yesterday, Trevor Foley.
I was standing about probably two or three hundred metres from the end of the bike and This kid was on the front of the group that Cam Wurf was in, and by reports, he'd been doing a lion's share of the front of the work.
Well, it's non-drafting, but he sat on the front, which is a tough place to be.But this kid's a runner.He's young.I want to say he's like a 2.15 marathoner.He had a scholarship for running in college.He went to the University of Florida.
Anyway, he's coming in off the bike, taking his feet out of his shoes, and it happened right in front of me.
popped his feet on top of the shoes and one of the shoes has hit the ground and the bike's high-sided and flipped him off, landed on his head and his shoulder.I went and picked him up.There was quite a bit of crowd there.We picked him up.
He was in shock.We poured some water on him and we said, mate, why don't you just hop on your bike after a minute or two and roll down into T2.You might be able to, if you get your body moving,
I mean, he was in, I don't know, he was in the top 10 or top 15 at the time and he still had his ace to play.The run's coming, the run's coming.So he ended up in, he actually said to me, can you go and find my mum or my fiance and let him know?
So he's rolling in the transition.He couldn't head out on the run.They took him to medical.I ended up finding his mum and his fiance.We actually saw him this morning.Um, but he's a, he's a kid to look out for.He won Lake Placid this year.
um just another one of these young guys who's come straight into the sport they're bringing all this speed in and i mean your heart goes out it's a long build up as you guys know when you're you're sort of targeting one or two events in the year and then that happens and
you know, you're reaching for a little bit more trying a prototype shoe and it just didn't work out and ended up terrible crash, but thankfully it was okay.They took him off for the head scans and everything.
And I mean, he'll live to fight another day, but you certainly want to watch.
He spends a fair bit of time in Tucson train too.And I've, I've seen him just grind away the last couple of years, but man is yeah, his bike and Ron are top notch.
And, um, I actually, I, I was at the penalty tent, which is 400 meters the other way down the road.And I'm watching these guys ride by same thing.I look. Just, just watch him go.
The next thing I know, he's head over heels in the grass and I'm like, shit, you know?And, but yeah, there were people write it right there to him.
And, but I, I didn't, I didn't think it was that bad because I saw him get back on his bike, but yeah, afterwards I heard it was pretty, pretty significant.
Jimmy, speaking of officiating, and we touched on this in the pre-show, there's some new technology for the bike portion to help monitor drafting.And we all know this, and the longtime fans of the sport know that.
I mean, in races like Ironman's, drafting is not allowed.And certainly in ITU races in the Olympics, it is.And to me, they look like two totally different sports.I digress. But it's not allowed.
But up until recently, you know, it's sort of been sort of old school, right?It's been to the to the human eye, deciding if somebody's in the drafting zone, pulling them aside, putting them on the penalty box.
But fast forward, we got this new and I kept reading about this.And I was thinking, what are they talking about?And then you you just mentioned it in the pre show, this this race ranger, some new tech that I got here.I don't know.
And I'm not making this up. I don't know anything about this other than what I read this morning, but apparently helps monitor the distance between athletes and, and warns them, but give me, give me the four one one.Cause I'm, I'm genuinely curious.
Quick, quick scoop is that it's, um, it's a system of, of lights.You've got a unit on the, on the front fork.It's about the size of a hockey puck making them small hockey puck.
And then you've got a unit that attaches to the back of the bike and the unit unit on the front communicates to the back.To the unit on the back of all the other bikes.On the back unit is a, is a light.
And when you get with, when you get within 17 meters and up to 14, there's a solid orange light.When you go from 14 to 12, it's a solid blue light.And then when you're inside 12, it flashes red. And so we've taken that, that, that current.
So we've, we've now got for all intensive, well, we now have literally an objective draft zone that athletes can use to see where, where they're, where they are in relation to their peers.
Uh, refs can see as well and not just, you know, you now have vision forward because the lights are bright.You can see easily see 15 people on the back now.
So where you place a ref, you have more, you can use fewer refs that you would, but you don't have to look behind you anymore is what I'm saying.
You know, if you get in the red, is that sending some signal that the violation has occurred, or this is just for the ref to then pay attention.
Their, their vision in the future is to have live real time, um, so, you know, that feed to somebody in a control room that can then get that information out to, to rest.
But the reality is that that's a ways down the line, at least I think it is racially made.Right.Fascinating. Um, for now it's an aid, right?It's, it's just, it's like the reflectors in common that we used to tell you.Yeah.
Those reflectors are 40 feet apart.And so that, you know, the old school race ranger. So now everybody knows where they are.
They also know that the refs are pretty strict now with respect to, you know, the rules, the main rule that people get dinged for isn't blatant drafting.
It's you enter the draft zone, you go from 12 meters to seven meters, and then you back out without passing.The rules require you to pass.
So now the athletes know that the second they see a flashing red light, the only option for them without risking getting a penalty is to go forward. So they stay in that they, they want the light in front of them to be off or orange.
And the second it, that light changed from orange to blue.And it's like, shit, I'm within 14 meters.They put the brakes on a bit, but as far as race dynamic, because penalties have been handed out for this.
Um, and you saw this in Kona, if you're, if you knew about race ranger going into it. Uh, early on with that 22 person group, you could imagine how advantageous it is to be at the front, right?
Because you can control what's going on and the refs are calling these yo-yos, these in and outs.So everybody back there is safe.You've got 22 people, you know, the second or so to, to, to go 12 meters.
So, you know, you're 30 seconds back at the back.Do I. I don't want to have to pass.Right.So I'm going to keep a safe distance and that allows the front people to do their thing.
So they're pushing harder now to try to, you know, anyway, I think, I think what happened at around 25 K was, uh, uh, Christian was trying stretching it out and then Magnus went over the top of him.
Christian with a huge effort based on what it looked like on TV.Christian tried to keep up, couldn't quite make it, then puked his brains out.
I think, you know, indirectly or directly as a result of that effort, you know, whatever he had eaten before that, you know, with, with Christian trying to make that effort anyway, it was, it was a winning effort.
You know, it got Magnus off the front and Christian too, until he,
But everybody's watching that, like, for a while, it was a cluster and you're looking on TV and the light flashes red and everybody on 4 people, if somebody sits up at the front, they're like, shit, I can't do this.
And then there's a little bunching up and everybody's like, I got a pass or I'm going to get spend 5 minutes in the family 10. Took a while to sort itself out, but it did sort itself out.
And race rangers, it's been a huge help for everybody to see what 12 meters is to see, you know, and they're using it in a way not to see how close to 12 meters they can ride, but, but to stay safe, you know, so the refs are enforcing the rules.
Athletes are using it properly versus how close can I get to 12? Um, you know, this is everybody, this just the pros or every, every athlete, just to say that our pro series races are using it.So not every pro race is using it.Um, but it, it's cool.
And I heard a lot of positive feedback from, from the athletes yesterday.It's just nice knowing where you are literally with respect to the draft zone, you control your destiny.
More, if you choose to use it to see how close you ride to 12, then you risk, you're on the risk of getting a penalty, but you know, there's no doubts.
Now the light flashes red, you know, that you could get a penalty, even if it's for one or two seconds, you know, if you don't pass.So it's pretty cool.One more thing, man, it's, it's opened up the race to, to brave athletes, right?
Because they know it's tougher for a group to manage themselves. when everyone can see what 12 meters is definitively, the people who can pedal are incentivized now to put it down.
Look, Sam would have done that regardless because he did it two years ago without race ranger, but the others, I think more, um, they're encouraged more to, to do their thing on the bike.Right.That's my thoughts anyway.
Let's finish.And this is also another question, but let's wrap up with, you know, it's been a couple of years where they split these fields, right?
And now they now alternate, of course, you had the men's world championships in East France last year, this year, they're in Kona. This will flip again next year.The women will be back in Canada.The men will be back in Nice.I don't know.
I don't know what, what, what, and maybe Crow, you have thoughts on this, but what is this?Is this a forever thing?Or is there, I don't want to get any heavy talk out of school, but like, uh, I'll have a crack at it.
Um, I hope it's not for everything in terms of the men and women on separate days, I think. one of the great things about the sport is the men and women have always been together.
I always feel triathlon has been at the forefront of equality in terms of racing opportunities, certainly prize money.I think sponsorship opportunities are now sort of in that realm as well.So I know there were concerns from the girls that
some of the elite age group men were getting involved in the race.I think that's a legitimate concern.I think that definitely was happening.
Ultimately, the integrity of racing has to come first in terms of you can't have some guys with their ego from the age group getting involved and someone getting towed up to the front.As far as the venues, I think has history in our sport.
There used to be, I mean, I would have, I'm sort of a middle of the range size guy.I'm 5'11".I think that course would have suited me maybe a touch more than the Kona up against the big boys with the power on the bike.
Although in Kona, being a little bit smaller on the run helps for sure.But I mean, again, and this comes down to personal preference, this race in Hawaii is what got me into the sport.I saw it on television in the 80s.
Watched all the legends and the icons race.I mean, I was the soccer player until I was 20.I played soccer until I was 20. quite a bit bigger than I am now.
I probably didn't have the profile to be an endurance athlete at that point and I was more a speeder.I mean, I used to play the speed positions in the team sports that I played.But it was the Ironman in Hawaii.It was iconic and that lit a fire in me.
So from a personal standpoint, that was the race that got me into the sport.That was the race that captured my imagination.When I started doing triathlons, I started in the shorter distances.I found a nice little niche in North America.
I mean, I raced in Europe initially for three or four years.Then I loved the US short course circuit, all the races I'd seen on television as well, like Chicago and St Croix.It wasn't unusual to flick on the television and see those races.
And in fact, there's a picture of Jimmy winning St Croix that still pops up on one of those history of triathlon Facebook pages all the time, which I love.He had a little bit more hair back in those days.
But he had a good looking rig and he was a good looking man back in the 80s and early 90s.
I was just going to say, he was probably wearing a Speedo as soon as I was thinking that you were talking about him having a good looking rig.
So I didn't say it, but he did have a Speedo and he actually should have been at the underpants run here last Thursday with that rig.But I digress. Yeah.
I mean, we had two great athletes from Australia, Greg Walsh and McKeeley Jones that were winning big races in America.Those races were on TV, on television, a lot of the big US races, but the main one was Hawaii.
For me, this is a very strong emotional element to it.It's probably an emotional decision, but I I'm not for innovation like we just talked about race range of technologies everywhere now.
It's infiltrating all areas of our life in a very positive way if we know how to use it the right way.I'm not against progress but I love the big island.Yeah, it's for me to be like as a golfer, do you want the masters at Augusta?
If you're a tennis player, I guess you can't really move Wimbledon from Wimbledon because it's called Wimbledon but it just has that sort of overarching element that transcends the sport.
I mean, I know when I used to check my bike in at the airport, people say, are you a cyclist?I'd say, no, I'm actually a triathlete.And then they'd say, the next question was, have you done that race in Hawaii?That's kind of a race that people knew.
So I'm not against change though.I mean, change, innovation, progress.But for me, I would like the men and women back together.So I think that that's a big essence of what I used to love about racing here.
I think that's right.I mean, you read a lot about, and we've all been there.Right.And I think we all probably share, um, that we're not, I mean, I'm not that woo woo.You know what I mean?
I think we all share that, but that Island has something special.Right.And the locals will call it the mana, the energy, the energy of the Island.It is.
And you read, I mean, even Lenga was talking about, he said, as soon as I got off the plane, he said, I felt it. And by the way, Nice, France is, is, is fantastic, beautiful place, and also has a ton of triathlon history.
Let's not forget, right before there were sort of dueling long course world championships, you had the Hawaii Ironman and you had the world long distance championships, slightly different distances.This was Mark Allen's game for so long.
He dominated that event, could never crack the Kona code.Finally came up, came over and got six Konas, but it was a hell of a race. Um, but, but there's something about the big island.It's there.And I, and I think I'm with you.
I'm not, this, these aren't our decisions.It's certainly not mine.Um, and I just also just wonder, you know, if it just for the athlete, you're like, well, it wasn't, it wasn't, you know, I won the world championship.
I won the whole Ironman world championships, but it was the year that wasn't neat.You would never want it to might be making this up, but Long story short, that is a very special place.
And you said it Crowley, like if somebody says to you, Oh, you're going to do the one in Hawaii, they are talking about that place, that start line, that event, that history, that heritage, that mana, that's it.Like, so Jimmy,
Again, you don't have to, it's, it's worth, it's worth floating.
Yeah.Kona's Kona, man.I didn't have any, well, I had a desire to do it in 87.I didn't finish.And then I'm like, I'm never doing this again.You know, stick to the two hours, two hour events, which I did for the most part, did it, did it once in 99.
Anyway, Kona's magical.Again, I'm not woo-woo either, but, you just can't deny it.
You know, you come here and it's, it's the island itself, but the event itself too, you know, I used to watch people on this run on this course and just, you know, their, their personal journey is it's there on, on for everyone to see, you know, on their, on their face, you know, just body language.
And at the finish line, especially, you know, everything that they've, that people have gone through, you know, Long as motivation with the passing of his mom.I mean, you see all those stories play out.And nowhere do you see that more than Cone.
So I hope Cone is here forever.As far as the single gender events, it's super important to me to protect the integrity of the women's race.And like Crowley said, It would be hard, but it's possible.
You know, you don't want any men coming into the, to the pro women's field.
And ideally any pro woman, all the 55 starters, you don't want any of them to have to, to, I can't think of another word, but go mingle with the age group guys, you know, you gotta, you gotta figure that out.And if that can be figured out, um,
you know, a dual gender race again, is, is possible.I haven't talked to a lot of people to be honest, men and women to see which they preferred.
I think the intentions, my understanding anyway, you know, to give women their own day their own race, to also, as you guys know, there's a finite number of spots that there's that that peer only fits a certain amount of people.
Um, and the way that the qualifying spots are dished out, blah, blah, blah.It, it's hard to get 2400 women here.
Yeah.And it wasn't a criticism or critique.It was just a question.I mean, it's it, it, I know you got it that way, but I just want to make sure the audience knows that like, it just, just a question.
Um, and by the way, this is not, uh, unique to the sport of triathlon.This has been for those who follow gravel racing.
Yeah, this is probably the single biggest debate and issue with, you know, call it professional gravel racing because these women are just so strong and so fast.
And, you know, they're stronger than most of these dudes that are out there trying to win their age group or even the dudes are trying to get 15th in the men's race.Like there is.
Those races, you would look at that and go, well, they should be separate and so are separated, so it's not unique just to try it also.
That's a perfect comparison, really. Yeah.And it's tough, as you know, from, from looking at what the thought processes are in gravel racing, you know, the, the opinions that the women give, I mean, some of them want to be on their own.
Some of them are like, should I sit in?
I can keep up with Keegan Swenson as my husband now, or not, not, but you know, they, some people might want that, that group, that male pack, by the way, there's not too many people keeping up with Keegan Swenson on anything, but I know your point, unless he wants to, but, um,
Yeah.It's a tough problem to solve.How much of a headstart do you give them?
And you're dealing with daylight and trying to get everybody in and get everybody out.The peer limitations on the, yeah.Yeah.
Well, yeah, it's tough.It's tough.And then you, it's just hard to get separation. you know, in most just from a practical standpoint.So I'd be interested.I got to start talking to people to see what like vibe wise, you know, what they prefer.Right.
I think that was that that's, that would, that would love that feedback.Cause that, that's just, that's what I'm curious about.
I am too, actually, and I didn't think about it really until this year.I was more focused on, you know, this is really cool.Women have their own day.
And I didn't worry so much about the men because they've always had their own race or just because they're on the course first. But vibe-wise, it'd be interesting to hear.It was a pretty cool vibe in Nisei.You were there, Crowey, this year.
No, I wasn't.I watched it on the coverage, but I heard everyone loved it who was there, so.
Yeah.You're right.You're not sending people to, you know, Peoria, right?I mean, this is a nice, nice, right.
And the bike courses is dynamic and beautiful and technical and, and, uh, very similar sort of, you know, running along the Promenade des Anglais.It's got that.It's got that out and back vibe as well.It's, it's got a lot of history at the water.
It's lots of people built in right there for sure.
Yeah.And that, that's sort of what I mean to, you know, the, there's the vibe that the athletes have, and then there's, there's the vibe coming from the fans and the spectators and all the people that come in.It's just a more diverse group.
Potentially when you have men and women in the same race from a fan base standpoint, the people that show up to support and watch.Um, and I just haven't paid attention to, to, to the vibe.
I haven't really read much about it either, but maybe, you know, as each year goes by people, more people talk about that, the vibe aspect of spectating.Um, anyway.
Okay.Well, Patrick Long and folks, I mean, three time champ, 38 or 39 years old, 237.I mean, so many, so many things stand out for me.Emotional win.Uh, it was fun to watch and fun and fun to talk about.And so Crow, you're a legend.
Thanks for the invite.Great to chat boys.
What are you, you, uh, you had, what are you going back to Australia soon?
Yep.Tomorrow.So Early flight back, back into our dead duties.So looking forward to it.
Oh, wait, did I hear you just before we leave here?Are you talking about doing a high rocks or is this you just messing with me?No, I see the pipes like it's a little concealed with the phone, but I see I see some.
Have you been doing some, it looked like you'd been doing some farmer carries.
I've been, I've been on some, I've been on the, again, a few other things.
You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen, this motherfucker is coming for the 50 to 55 age group.This is, you know what?In fact, I'm not at all worried about you, Jimmy, but I'm looking, I'm looking at there now he's flexing.He's flexing.
No, no, no, no.I just saw it on the screen.Look at guys.Okay.
You're a couple of age groups above us, Jimmy.We're not worried about you.
I can carry things, man.Don't count me out.
Well, I'm just saying, you know, I know I've got a baggy shirt on, otherwise you'd notice.
You've got to get more fitted with your clothing, Jimmy.That's why he didn't do that run.Size down, man.You've got to size down.
No, this is a little known fact before you close.They prohibited me from the underpants run.It's too distracting.And, you know, they won't, they don't want.
That's one of the, um, unforeseen problems with the single gender events.The underpants run was a sausage fest this year.Oh, yeah.Okay.You know what?
We could have saved a lot of time talking about the co-mingling of the fields and that way.Is that right?I mean, we could have just cut right to it.That's it.
You know, it's on the pants front.I was like, yeah, I should have been here last year.
Yeah.Well, we, now we know we will be there next year, but you're creepers out there.If I can, Rick could tell.
Yeah.Like everyone wants to see us run around in our undies.
All right, guys. Yeah.Don't say anything.Just this is when I I've known you a long time.I'm going to cut you off.Don't say it.Don't say anything.All right, boys.Thanks for coming on.And everybody, thanks for tuning in.
