I'm a triathlon coach. If an athlete tells me that he's training 6 hours/week and still manages a top performance, beating a top athlete, one of the two things is happening:

- He's on drugs

- He's lying about the 6 hours/week.



Therefore, for me, the answer is simple. Maybe you, being the devil's advocate, will make a case for the first possibility.

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

Your response only serves to make you look more ignorant and judgemental than you usually are:

"An athlete" : Have you seen his palmares? Already at 15 years of age Steve Larsen was the US National Junior Time Trial champion, he then became a world-class professional cyclist for 15 years and raced for Motorola along with Lance Armstrong, was a National Champion mountain biker, won a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games, and with relatively little training finished fourth at Wildflower, first at Ironman Lake Placid, and ninth at Ironman Hawaii. You generalize Steve as "(a)n athlete"?! I'd say he's got a little more base working for him than "an athlete".

"he's training 6 hours/week" : In his post he said: "(m)ost weeks I am fortunate to train more than six hours" (emphasis added). You imply he said he's training only six hours a week, while in his post he clearly states that on most weeks he's training more than six hours a week (which could be eight, ten, twelve or even twenty hours a week).

"Triathlon coach": everyone's a triathlon coach now-a-days... it's sort of like "aerobics instructor"...

"Triathlon coach": everyone's a triathlon coach now-a-days... it's sort of like "aerobics instructor"...

That there is funny. I don't care who you are, that's funny.

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fka: bassman

After the swim, I'm a fish outta water.

I thought you were the devil's advocate, turns out you're you're just another SL groupie. I much prefer Lance's groupie, at least he's worth it.

Yep, everyone being a triathlon coach is rather new... now being an idiot... you my friend belong to a tradition that goes back for centuries.

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

That's a childish response... not unexpected, however ;-)

My partner and I were laughing so much at your (predicted) post that I forgot to point out that it's non-responsive as well...

Of course, if someone is fast they are on drugs. Mr Tri Coach, let's face it, Steve is just fast. Genetically gifted, years of training, and good coaching with the Motorolla Team and Massimo Testa.

If you look at his history he has always performed best when he was the under dog. As the expectations rise he flirts with overtraining. He lived with me when he prepared for Kona 2003 so I've seen it first hand.

As for his current training, I can't tell you everything he's doing but I was in the pool yesterday at 6 am, he showed up at 6:30, and was done at the same time as me - 7:00.

So speculate all you want............

[reply]I'm a triathlon coach. If an athlete tells me that he's training 6 hours/week and still manages a top performance, beating a top athlete, one of the two things is happening:

- He's on drugs

- He's lying about the 6 hours/week.



Therefore, for me, the answer is simple. Maybe you, being the devil's advocate, will make a case for the first possibility.[/reply]

I remember when this forum used to have articulate, rational discussions on contentious issues. Now, "he lies or he dopes" counts as a rejoinder. Pathetic. Of course, since you are a Porto/Spanish coach, I can understand why you assume elite athletes are on drugs.

As an aside, I would have thought you would applaud an athlete who has adopted an individualized training program, tailored to his own needs, that incorporates consisitent, specific workouts. I guess you only advocate that approach when that training program is purchased from a 32 year old protugese engineer who is...gasp..certified as a Level 2 coach by the Portugese Triathlon Federation (or whatever).

"he's training 6 hours/week" : In his post he said: "([i]m[/i])[i]ost weeks[/i] I am fortunate to train [i]more than six hours[/i]" (emphasis added).

Actually he is stating he is training less than 6 hours. At least the way I read it. He is fortunate (lucky) to train more than 6 hours a week, meaning most weeks it is under 6.

You guys are killing me. Less than 6? More than 6? It all depends.

He rode 45 minutes yesterday. 5X 5:00 efforts with a quick warm up and ride back home.

Last weekend he ran a local 1/2 marathon (off road)

He will likely ride 4 hours tomorrow.

So yes, he does have weeks that he trains more than 6. HE'S JUST LIKE THE REST OF US WORKING CLASS STIFFS - you sneak in work outs during the week and do long stuff on weekends.

While I disagree with you, I can see how you read it that way.

Hello Frank,

Thanx for the post. I should have deleted the topic before I even sent it out. I was afraid it would be taken the wrong way and well, it looks like it has. Next time your in San Diego stop by and say hello. I am at EVERY triathlon either as a sponsor, participant or volunteer. Generally at least two out of the three. Just ask around, someone there will be able to point me out.

Brian

dave wrote: I am going to do a full IM on 6 hours a week in four weeks. What would you consider a decent result of an old 48 year old guy?


To finish within the time limit without hurting yourself. If you want a time to shoot for to be considered to be very good: under 14 hours if this is your first one, and if you don't have a big endurance background (multiple marathons, etc.). Under 12 and you are REALLY moving along great. Under 11? Go to Kona!

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

I know you... I just haven't figured out who you are, but I will. Until then... no soup for you!

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

As do I know you... but you should have known that I don't like soup...

"Triathlon coach": everyone's a triathlon coach now-a-days... it's sort of like "aerobics instructor"...


Be careful with those words, it takes coordination to be an aerobics instructor.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**