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Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie
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Good read.

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December 12 2017Peaks and Valleys at Amberger's Kona DebutWritten By Brad Culp


Last edited by: Slowman: Dec 13, 17 12:00
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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He only has 340 KPR points right now. It will be interesting to see how he plans his year with races to get back to the start line in Kona. His April-September schedule last year looked pretty heavy to me.
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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"The next few minutes are likely what cost Amberger a shot at a top-10 finish in his debut."


A bit generous IMHO
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [1poseur1] [ In reply to ]
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1poseur1 wrote:
"The next few minutes are likely what cost Amberger a shot at a top-10 finish in his debut."


A bit generous IMHO

I agree, I thought that if he had a solid day he could do a top 20, but never a top 10.
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [CgyTriGuy] [ In reply to ]
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CgyTriGuy wrote:
He only has 340 KPR points right now. It will be interesting to see how he plans his year with races to get back to the start line in Kona. His April-September schedule last year looked pretty heavy to me.

My guess probably Cairns P4000 and maybe Port Mac. Both are somewhat lighter in competition, few internationals travel all the way down under to do both but credit to him i think for winning Cairns last year
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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TL:DR: Stud swimmer gets excited, rides way too hard and dies on the run.
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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TulkasTri wrote:
“I could’ve just kept doing my own race like I had for the first three hours of the race, but that’s not my kind of thing. I’m a racer. I don’t hold back at any point.”

Amberger burned a few too many matches trying to match the pace of Sanders and the rest of the lead group, and then missed his special needs bag after he made the turnaround at Hawi. That was it. He was fried. The return trip to Kailua-Kona would be 50 of the longest miles of Amberger’s life. He spent most of the next two hours riding alone, wondering how he would actually manage to make it to the finish.

how many times has this EXACT same story happened in kona among professional (and amateur) athletes?

Quote:
“At a race like Kona, the results don’t always tell the full story,”
unfortunately, they tell the only story that matters when ironman is your employer.
Last edited by: jkhayc: Dec 12, 17 13:22
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [CgyTriGuy] [ In reply to ]
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I didn't need to race after Cairns last year for KPR, I raced a lot simply because I love to race, and wanted to put some more earnings away. KPR will not be an issue next season if I race to my potential, so I'm not worried about it, but I do plan on doing another two Regional Championship races in 2018.

http://www.josh-amberger.com/
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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TulkasTri wrote:
1poseur1 wrote:
"The next few minutes are likely what cost Amberger a shot at a top-10 finish in his debut."


A bit generous IMHO


I agree, I thought that if he had a solid day he could do a top 20, but never a top 10.

It's interesting to hear how people read the race differently and assess the level required to achieve the famed 'top 10'.

I wouldn't be bothering with Kona if I didn't think I could win or podium at some point in my career. Did I think I could podium this year? That's irrelevant. I raced to achieve it, and it obviously didn't work out. There's no doubt in my mind that I could have raced conservatively in 2017 and been in the top 10, but I could never have raced conservatively and got a podium. That objective required full commitment to the cause. I didn't choose to race conservatively for a top 10, and I don't regret it at all. Top 10 was not what I'm wanting, and it probably never will be what I'm wanting from myself. So missing the top 10 in my opinion, because I didn't race conservatively, doesn't bother me one bit.

http://www.josh-amberger.com/
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [hey_burgs] [ In reply to ]
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On reflection what would you have changed from this years race and will you change anything for 2018?
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [hey_burgs] [ In reply to ]
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Josh,

Who is your coach?
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [M~] [ In reply to ]
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M~ wrote:
Josh,

Who is your coach?

Cameron Watt, if i am not mistaken, one of the best in the business.....part of the TriSutton family. He also coaches Sarah Crowley
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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Glad you liked the story but it's not OK to post it here. I wrote it for Wattie Ink, not for Slowtwitch. If you'd like to read it, go to the Wattie Ink blog and do so.
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [BradC] [ In reply to ]
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BradC wrote:
Glad you liked the story but it's not OK to post it here. I wrote it for Wattie Ink, not for Slowtwitch. If you'd like to read it, go to the Wattie Ink blog and do so.

brad, as you can see i edited out everything but the link. sorry i didn't see it sooner. (i'm out of the country.)

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks Dan. Enjoy your trip!
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [hey_burgs] [ In reply to ]
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What are your thoughts on taking the swim out *that* fast like you did. Was that really the plan, to push for a large gap, what was it 90s to the chase front pack swimmers? Great publicity and leading the race for a few hours. Is there plans to "tone it down" or is that just your style of no regrets. Were you just testing the waters this year so to speak?

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [Ian in Oz] [ In reply to ]
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Ian in Oz wrote:
On reflection what would you have changed from this years race and will you change anything for 2018?

It's hard to say what I'd change for the next assault, because I think you'd fall into a trap assuming that the race will be run by the same rules year after year. Maybe I'll lure some people out in the swim with me next year, and maybe Wurf, Kienle, Sanders & Stein won't all be out of the water together to unleash a joint siege on the QK? It was an alignment of stars for those riders, and that alliance in my opinion was a massive point of difference that we might not see again. But of course, 1 & 3 of the podium was filled by athletes that raced a smart middle ground. Maybe next year we'll see crazy conditions that will isolates many more athletes? So really I guess I'm saying that it's too early to tell, but the commitment will not change.

http://www.josh-amberger.com/
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [asianzone] [ In reply to ]
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asianzone wrote:
M~ wrote:
Josh,

Who is your coach?


Cameron Watt, if i am not mistaken, one of the best in the business.....part of the TriSutton family. He also coaches Sarah Crowley

Cam's the man

http://www.josh-amberger.com/
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [B_Doughtie] [ In reply to ]
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B_Doughtie wrote:
What are your thoughts on taking the swim out *that* fast like you did. Was that really the plan, to push for a large gap, what was it 90s to the chase front pack swimmers? Great publicity and leading the race for a few hours. Is there plans to "tone it down" or is that just your style of no regrets. Were you just testing the waters this year so to speak?

The plan was to go really hard at the start of the swim. It's difficult to ever force a gap unless I race this way. Case in point, the chase group out of the water had swimmers of a massive spectrum of ability, some swimmers in theory should have been 5-8 minutes down (at least) if the had to swim on their own merits. Everyone adapts much better these days to sitting in a pack, so you just got to blow it open.

http://www.josh-amberger.com/
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [hey_burgs] [ In reply to ]
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hey_burgs wrote:
TulkasTri wrote:
1poseur1 wrote:
"The next few minutes are likely what cost Amberger a shot at a top-10 finish in his debut."


A bit generous IMHO


I agree, I thought that if he had a solid day he could do a top 20, but never a top 10.


It's interesting to hear how people read the race differently and assess the level required to achieve the famed 'top 10'.

I wouldn't be bothering with Kona if I didn't think I could win or podium at some point in my career. Did I think I could podium this year? That's irrelevant. I raced to achieve it, and it obviously didn't work out. There's no doubt in my mind that I could have raced conservatively in 2017 and been in the top 10, but I could never have raced conservatively and got a podium. That objective required full commitment to the cause. I didn't choose to race conservatively for a top 10, and I don't regret it at all. Top 10 was not what I'm wanting, and it probably never will be what I'm wanting from myself. So missing the top 10 in my opinion, because I didn't race conservatively, doesn't bother me one bit.


Please don't take me the wrong way, there is nothing more that I would've liked than to have seen you on the podium next to Lionel. Can't wait to see what you can do next year.

Was the swim record ever in your head?
Last edited by: TulkasTri: Dec 13, 17 13:18
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [BradC] [ In reply to ]
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BradC wrote:
Glad you liked the story but it's not OK to post it here. I wrote it for Wattie Ink, not for Slowtwitch. If you'd like to read it, go to the Wattie Ink blog and do so.

Sorry 'bout that. Slowman already edited. I didn't see this sooner.
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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No worries, Tulkas. Thanks for posting. And props to Josh for taking the time to answer everyone's questions.
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [TulkasTri] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe you would like me on the podium, but you don't think I can do it. That's okay, I can back myself :)

The swim record wasn't in my mind, it's definitely attainable, but not a goal unto itself.

http://www.josh-amberger.com/
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [hey_burgs] [ In reply to ]
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hey_burgs wrote:
Maybe you would like me on the podium, but you don't think I can do it.

Touché
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Re: Josh Amberger's Kona Report via Wattie [hey_burgs] [ In reply to ]
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It's my understanding that the swim course is different (and perhaps a little longer) now than it was in the 80s and 90s, thanks to more accurate measurements. So your 47:09 might be the fastest true 2.4-mile swim in Kailua Bay, but surely you can go 38 seconds faster next year to make it an official record ;)
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