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Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year?
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runbikerun
Feb 25, 05 11:41
Post #1 of 59 (1354 views)
Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year?
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Suppose an average Joe in his early 30's in a better than average american shape but far from being a decent athlete gets a sponsor who will take care of all the expenses (bike, travel, race fees, etc) + a salary and he only needs to commit to train and race a couple major races per year. By the way this guy loves the sport and couldn't do better because of everyday distractions (work, wife, kids, bills).
So this guy only has to worry about training. Do you think he can go all the way to the top in a year or two? Or do you think he needs years and years of training to get there. Or do you think is impossible?
jhc
Feb 25, 05 11:44
Post #2 of 59 (1342 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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Depends on what you mean by the top I guess. Most people can never get to the top, no matter how much time and money they have to train. Genetics is always going to play a role.
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I love sushi, but I'd rather not have it served next to a "fish taco". - KEJ
M~
Feb 25, 05 11:44
Post #3 of 59 (1341 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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Personally, I don't think it would be possible for the longer distances at all. Endurance takes years and then trying to combine endurance with a fair amount of speed (those AG winners are fast), I doubt it could happen in one year. But you never know. People have come out of nowhere before.
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 11:46
Post #4 of 59 (1324 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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average in what way?
What if he has an average I.Q., average income and average height, but a non-average VO2Max of 80?
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Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
Orbilius
Feb 25, 05 11:47
Post #5 of 59 (1321 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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Not enough information. What is the athletic background of this person? Does this person have a history in any of the three disciplines? Swimming?
It is my opinion that it takes years of gradual work to reach the level of aerobic fitness required to be at the top.
Kentiger
Feb 25, 05 11:48
Post #6 of 59 (1314 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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I think a coaching friend of mine said that to reach a new level requires so many hours of training.
4000hrs to get to provincial (or state) level
8000hrs to get to national level
15000 to reach Olympic/elite level
(not totally sure of the numbers but it was something close to this)
Blue RC4 rider and Rolling Thunder mafia member wannabe
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 11:50
Post #7 of 59 (1307 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [Orbilius]
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Orbilius - well said. I fully agree. We need more information - otherwise this question has no meannig.
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Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
gtingley
Feb 25, 05 11:51
Post #8 of 59 (1306 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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It's all about genetics. You either have it or you don't.
- Gary
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DC Pattie
Feb 25, 05 11:52
Post #9 of 59 (1295 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [Kentiger]
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is that 4000 hours per year, over a lifetime, or what? The math does not add up???
DAve in VA
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 11:56
Post #10 of 59 (1276 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [Kentiger]
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Of course - he charges clients more if the training programs take longer.
________________________________________________
Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
runbikerun
Feb 25, 05 11:58
Post #11 of 59 (1268 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [baruch spinoza]
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Average guy/gal:
7-8 min/mile on the run
15-20 mph on the bike
10-15% body fat
He has the genetic factor but he doesn't know it.
He has all the desire
By the top I mean say top 10 finisher Kona
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Cullen Watkins
Feb 25, 05 12:00
Post #12 of 59 (1256 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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No
Cullen
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 12:04
Post #13 of 59 (1231 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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I would say no. My main inspiration in this regard could be Gordo. From an unfit guy he became an elite Ironman athlete. And he started in his early 30s. But he took him quiet a few years to build it. If you take into account the cycles of training and recovery, the required build period, the adaptations, the improvements in skills (particularly swimming) and the race experience. Taking into account the number of races ou can do in a year (not that many full Ironman races in one year) – I would say that the minimum would be 3 years.
________________________________________________
Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
MattinSF
Feb 25, 05 12:05
Post #14 of 59 (1225 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [baruch spinoza]
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Absolutey
NOT
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HOPE is a plan that worked. CHANGE is a plan that worked. BELIEVE is a plan that worked.
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 12:08
Post #15 of 59 (1201 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [Gary Tingley]
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<<It's all about genetics. You either have it or you don't. >>
And if you don't you can buy rotor cranks.
________________________________________________
Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
(This post was
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by baruch spinoza on Feb 25, 05 12:09)
yawg
Feb 25, 05 12:08
Post #16 of 59 (1199 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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No
greg
dire wolf
Feb 25, 05 12:09
Post #17 of 59 (1194 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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You just answered your own question: no. The top 10 guys at Kona have everything this guy has, and much more. They have the genes, the sponsors, etc. -- and they've been training hard much longer. What does he have on them?
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What a drag it is getting old. -- Stones
Orbilius
Feb 25, 05 12:09
Post #18 of 59 (1194 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [MattinSF]
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I would say that the average person with all the traits you described has a decent chance of qualifying for Kona in 3 years.
STP
Feb 25, 05 12:09
Post #19 of 59 (1192 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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I could only see it happening if they had recently been "at the top" in one of the 3 disciplines. Otherwise, even a decent casual athlete is going to need much longer than a year of full time training to reach their potential.
And- if they were "top" material, they would already of had some sign of it by they time they were 30 even if they had not trained full time. Champions don't just rise up off the couch. It is more than a lack of training time that keeps the masses down.
smartasscoach
Feb 25, 05 12:14
Post #20 of 59 (1164 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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It depends on his/her parents...
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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke
smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 12:15
Post #21 of 59 (1157 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [smartasscoach]
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Depends on his DNA
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Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 12:16
Post #22 of 59 (1150 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [smartasscoach]
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It is more to do with nature than narture.
________________________________________________
Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
boing
Feb 25, 05 12:16
Post #23 of 59 (1150 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [runbikerun]
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Not sure about the reaching the top bit, but it would be interesting to know how much better you could be if you just concentrated all your energy on getting faster. If you had all the resources of Lance - Wind tunnels, equipent etc etc. how much quicker could you go?
I think the biggest differece between the Full time pro's and those with "proper jobs" is recovery time. Though Pro's probably naturally absorb/recover quicker from training - the fact that they can sleep more, get regular massage etc must help recovery = Can fit in more quality sessions. A few sport scientists I have spocken to have said for just bike training unless you are a pro you should follow each training day with a day of complete rest day or extremely light recovery spinning (for me this would be below 120bpm) .
I spoke to an Elite GB team member (who has a proper job)at a duathlon he was rooming with Tim Don. He said Tim say all he does all day apart from training is eat and sleep (+ spends his winters in a nice warm country!)
I guess unless I come up with so world changing invention or something I will not have enough money to try the Pro lifestyle untill I retire at some ripe old age.
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"
baruch spinoza
Feb 25, 05 12:18
Post #24 of 59 (1145 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [boing]
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If you don't have the time to train - Why don't you buy rotor cranks and a P3?
________________________________________________
Tom Demerly necessarily exists, Tom’s essence is existence Tom’s essence is perfect, and therefore Tom’s perfection implies that Tom must exist. Since Tom is infinite substance, no attribute which expresses the essence of substance can be denied of Tom . Every being has its being in Tom. Nothing can come into being or exist without Tom.
smartasscoach
Feb 25, 05 12:20
Post #25 of 59 (1131 views)
Re: Can an average Joe go to the top in 1 year? [boing]
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If 99.9% of us could have a pro life, we wouldn't perform at elite level.
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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke
smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com
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