B_Doughtie wrote:
A few things.....I don't know how many guys have improved to the level of what a LS has done in the time frame he has done it, from AG racing (almost rag tag knucklehead type of approach...and I mean that in a good way) to this level in 7 years. I better not say more cus I don't want to be accused of being in his fan club. I gave him a ton of shit for racing Kona last 2 years with the mental shape he did them in (eta: I should explain that- he showed up in Kona with weird expectations for his fitness/mental levels + he didn't seem to really be in "it"), and to change in 1 year the way he has.....it's pretty good turn around. 2nd, I find one thing strange is that I'm surprised a guy of his caliber of runner didn't "feel" the pace was too hot initially out of T2 for what the first 45 mins. He said he thought his watch was reading 4:12/k pace when he was actually running what 3:50ish/k pace. That's sorta a big difference atleast when you start talking about after 20 or so mins. That's like a 2 min difference in 5k pace, that's almost a zone difference. But that's just super over analyzing.
3rd, to make a guy have to run a 2:40 marathon and do it back to back years, that's both crazy odd luck, and just shows you the pedigree of athlete Lange has become.
Really was outstanding race, didn't get to see any of the swim but I saw the final 3 hours of the bike. For 1st time live feed on TV, that was a pretty legendary race to show the sport off to the general public.
Good day for the sport indeed!
I also found it was weird that his early pace was not something he could easily figure out. Literally you don't even need to feel your body, you can just visually eyeball that you're moving over the ground way faster at 4:12 vs 3:50....then again, maybe with the amount of time he spends on the treadmill, perhaps he actually can't tell large pace discrepencies simply from rough visual inspection of his surroundings....add perceived exertion and you have the full picture. I personally think if he just did not overcook it to that degree he wins. Watch 1989 videos of Mark and Dave on Alii and then watch them up on the QueenK and they are doing the inverse plan that Lionel was stuck implementing at the end. I think Lionel's prep and fitness were perfect. I few minor things differently and he wins....or simply a crazy windy day and him, Wurf and Kienle have another 5+ minute lead on Lange and Lange does not run 2:40....he runs more like 2:45+ entering T2 with much higher TSS after a windy ride.