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The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread
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Herbert
Aug 21, 08 16:00
Post #1 of 32 (5520 views)
The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread
Can't Post
Please do not ask your questions here, we bring over the questions from the other thread.
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Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:00
Post #2 of 32 (5383 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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Tom Demerly asks:
Simon, firstly, thank you for a great performance and a thrilling race. Well done.
In the closing part of the run you seemed to lose some ground on the leaders briefly, then came back powerfully. It looked like you took your visor off. What was going on there in those final few moments before the last 180 degree turn toward the finish on the blue matting?
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:13
Post #3 of 32 (5189 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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opps I answered in the other thread
I'll stay in this "room" now.
[slowman's note: below i'll post the answer simon placed in the other thread]
G'day Tom, I always enjoy your posts.
What was going on in the final K?
I got into trouble at the start of the final lap, actually specifically on the downhill.
I was dropped before the aid station, ran back up on the small up hill before the turn onto the "spill way" where the main hill was (and it felt like a convection oven). I used too much energy up getting back on but I just wasn't able to respond to the surges (I think Gomez was pushing).
they dropped me on the climb, I just thought about taking one stride at a time and running within myself. I thought about how much I didn't want to come 4th.
I turned into the stadium and thought "here we go" and just gave it everything.
they went for water, which was strange, I made up 5 free meters, had momentum and just thought "run like benno" (head down, tempo and rythm)
I finally got back onto their group and felt that the only way to win was to try and break their spirit, make them settle for silver bronze.
Jan was able to respond and that was all I had.
s
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Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:16
Post #4 of 32 (5095 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Bman asks:
Simon - Who is your bike sponsor this year. I believe you did not start out with Cervelo at the beginning of the year but have been on a Cervelo leading up to the Olympics. What will you be riding next year and will the SQUAD be sponsored by Cervelo? Is a bike sponsor in the works for the SQUAD or any group sponsorship at all?
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:26
Post #5 of 32 (4901 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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I just wrote a long reply where did it go
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:28
Post #6 of 32 (4854 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Not sure, just make it short and sweet. :-)
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:30
Post #7 of 32 (4806 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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Litespeed = Bentley - handcrafted beautiful and very classy bikes
Cervelo = F1 car - very fast, rides like a rocketship,
for me, because I wanted "no stone left unturned" i had to switch to the f1 car. I test rode a Cervelo in april and I bought one from Fort street cycles in Victoria the next day.
I really really loved my Litespeed Archon, super comfy, all class bike. The Soloist was faster. period. I had to go with faster. It just ended up that we all rode Cervelo's.
s
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:32
Post #8 of 32 (4765 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Dwayne asks:
Hey simon hello from kingston how you feeling? Awesome race! you looked a little frazzled near the end but came on!! were you as tired as you looked or were you just laying back waiting?
Thanks
Dwayne
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:32
Post #9 of 32 (4763 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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next
Slowman
Aug 21, 08 17:34
Post #10 of 32 (4738 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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simon, slowman here. let's play word (or phrase) association. you can just give me one word or one line answers.
beijing:
opening ceremonies:
triathlon's third olympics:
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:34
Post #11 of 32 (4730 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Local star asks:
whats your personal opinion of the team tactics that we are starting to see in the draft legal Olympics?
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:34
Post #12 of 32 (4726 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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Great town Kingston, love it.
I was finished, or at least I thought I was, they dropped me, it felt like there was nothing I could do about it. I simply fought back because I decided to.
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:38
Post #13 of 32 (4613 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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team tactics.
it's been there for awhile, just didn't get as much "formal" attention as it did when we announced our intentions.
the french have raced as a "team"
We saw Bill Davoron last night in the dining hall. They have been trying to make it work for a few years, back to Com games in 2006. They have specific targeted athletes in "team racer" roles.
[Pub. note: Bill Davoren = Australia's Head Triathlon coach].
it's exciting, it will constantly evolve and change and eb and flow.
I understand some people don't like that, I respect that, we have an incredible sport with so many aspects and options available. this is just one "dynamic" of "triathlon".
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SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:41
Post #14 of 32 (4559 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Slowman]
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beijing: complex
opening ceremonies: wow
triathlon's third olympics: hurt :) incredible
People have been coming up to our triathlon team for 2 days saying "we just love your sport, it was so exciting and I just love triathAlons :)"
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:42
Post #15 of 32 (4532 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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litespeedrulz asks:
Many are trying to read things / make conclusions in the fact that you didn't mention Paul Tichelaar in your interviews on the CBC and praised Colin, etc. Can you clear up the feeling, relationship, etc., for the conspiracy theorists please.
Thanks for doing yourself, your family and Canada proud yet again.
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 17:53
Post #16 of 32 (4295 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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herbert, what's going on, I just wrote an answer and it erased itself again?
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 17:55
Post #17 of 32 (4269 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Simon, I am really not sure. Why don't you answer the last one short and sweet again.
Sorry for the inconvenience
Slowman
Aug 21, 08 18:06
Post #18 of 32 (4068 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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for those of you who don't know (and why would you?) simon is doing all this on a blackberry. tomorrow, his fingers will be more sore than his legs were yesterday. so we'll close this down after he answers the paul tichelar / colin jenkins question, and then we'll take a dozen or so of your questions and forward them to simon. we'll try to prevail upon him to answer them when he gets back and in front of a full-sized keyboard.
i'd like to take this opportunity to shout out a big thank you, simon. this is your third olympics, and you've won a gold and a silver medal. not many in canada have those credentials. this will make you that much more popular in your home country, dare i say canada's version of lance armstrong? as such, the triathlon world must now get used to competing for your time with other and bigger audiences.
i might say, on a personal note, that going on 20 years ago i sponsored a young up and comer who was a monster on the bike (who knew you could run fast too?). it's been quite a ride, pardon the pun, to watch your progress.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 18:08
Post #19 of 32 (4033 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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re; Paul and I.
I knew this question was coming.
We approach sport very differently. It's not right or wrong.
He has a job to go to after sport, a hard to obtain degree whereas I live triathlon. I have since I was 15. His priorities are different. He went to the womens race the day before our race, I sat and watched on TV. does that sum it up? he was here for the Olympic experience.
He didn't want to work in a team role, I never felt he should, he's an amazing athlete, very very talented. He has the ability to be on the podium, ability plays a smaller role in athletic success then people think, you have to have it but there is so much more that goes into it. IMO it's about the decisions you make.
Who am I to judge how he should approach sport? just because I approach it one way doesn't make it right.
BUT if someone "talks the talk" they should "walk the walk". Paul said he wanted to medal, that was his goal. I don't think the decisions he made here in Beijing and his preparation reflected that.
He starts his job at a big firm in a couple weeks, I'll be running around in my swim suit for a long time trying to figure out what's next....
Olympics, the pressure and intense emotions around it can strain relationships, it strained ours. We will share beers in the future.
Honestly I'd prefer people stop speculating and judging us on this. It's over, the sun came up this morning and life goes on.
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 18:13
Post #20 of 32 (3971 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Slowman]
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thanks Dan, you've contributed so much to our wonderful sport, I appreciate that.
You sent me a crazy red QR many many years ago, you made a 19 year old JUMP for joy and that small gesture of faith made a world of difference to a young guy who was a trigeek at heart and couldn't believe he had a brand new RED QR.
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 18:14
Post #21 of 32 (3959 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Thank you so much Simon. You are awesome indeed and such a good sport to play along here.
You most likely got the vibe that we are all very proud of you no matter where we are from.
No give your fingers some rest and we'll talk to you soon.
H
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 18:16
Post #22 of 32 (3934 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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I'm on my computer
I have 15mins before I have to go to Nike house and do an interview.
2 more questions. hard ones.
Herbert
Aug 21, 08 18:19
Post #23 of 32 (3890 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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TriBriGuy asks:
I've read several places about you "stealing" Gomez's nameplate from a transition area and posting it in your training area for inspiration. Any truth to that? And if so, is Mr. Frodeno now missing some part of his Olympic memorabilia/schwag? ;-)
And in that vein...what is next for you, Simon? After a well-deserved break, that is...
SimonW
Aug 21, 08 18:25
Post #24 of 32 (3801 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [Herbert]
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G'day Triguy.
yes I stole his name plate last year. the guy is a special athlete, I had to have something to remind me of that everyday, in every session.
I did a treadmill workout in the heat shed about a month ago. it was 8x3mins at 2% at 12-13mph with :90 rest with a huge oil coil space heater going, the floor board heaters cranked all the way up, no window open, the door shut. I cranked the music and I ran. I thought "that's the last rep, I can't do another" and that stupid name plate just kept staring at me. So I just kept running.
my training motto this year was "just go (run) faster", my racing motto was "sing". The poster of Gomez held me accountable.
If you ran that race 10 times in a row, Gomez would win 8, they don't run races 10 times in a row, that's the beauty of the Olympics.
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Herbert
Aug 21, 08 18:28
Post #25 of 32 (3769 views)
Re: The official Simon Whitfield Q and A thread [SimonW]
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Final Q from gulrich:
It seemed as if a lot of the "contenders" either had bad or off days (kafheldt, don, aitkinson, hug to name a few)
A lot of these people chose not not to race much or at all in the lead up to the olympics. Can you discuss your race schedule in 2008, how you came up with it, and how it helped you perform at the Olympics.
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