Thanks, Cal.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

it makes no sense that they have the pros start 15 minutes early to "make the race clean" for pro women on the bike but then the strong pro women swimmers get to be towed through the entire swim. 1 race and 1 start and none of this double start garbage.

Ach! I have three bike fits waiting and we're watching this here- awesome. Beautiful day there...

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

"we don't need anymore complaints of the likes of Joanna Zeiger claiming to get clobbered by pro men!!!"

I seem to recall it was the pro men complaining of getting clobbered by Zeiger last year!

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www.true-motion.com Triathlete Casual Wear since 2007
(Twitter/FB)

Hey Herbert, I saw your post about how you felt when the national anthem was playing. Bottle up that feeling and when you are running next summer at the end of a 2.5 hour run in training in Chatanooga in 95 degree heat and 90% humidity, remember that feeling. That's your carrot to suck it up and train through the hard painful hours in anonymity.

....and then on race day when you are at mile 18 of your qualifier race, remember that feeling to push you through! This is all you need to know...the rest is pretty simple...put your head down and train every day!

Thanks Pete, I am hopeful, would be nice to have the chance to avenge that crap performance against the 'boks from last month!

I heard these two today, thought you would appreciate them:

What's the difference between Australia and an arsonist?

An arsonist would waste 5 matches.

What's the difference between Australia and coffee?

Coffee stay in the cup longer!

Enjoy.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

what about the bike? anybody think torbjorn and dr. tommy are going to rip the bike field apart? with the exception of normann, who's going to make his way up to the front in spite of that hot pace?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Tell them to come back tomorrow ;).

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Searching for the bliss of ultimate exertion.

You can tell by the width of the lead group they are playing it conservative this year, content to let Linda continue to pull. I'm still holding to my 49+ prediction for the finish..Keep an eye on the pack, if it gets single file, there will be one more sorting, if not, this whole group will come out together....

    the rest is pretty simple...put your head down and train every day!

that might be my new favorite quote

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USAC, Health and Nutrition Coach
http://www.echelonhealthcoaching.com
use code SLOWTWITCH for %15 off

I would like to see Normann and Torbjorn rip it up together.

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Searching for the bliss of ultimate exertion.

"who's going to make his way up to the front in spite of that hot pace?"

Did Tollakson start? he can certainly ride with those big boys.

also, Macca hinted this week you have to take "risks" to win in hawaii and be willing to come in 10th if it goes wrong. I don't think he is going to dawdle in the pack this year.....

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www.true-motion.com Triathlete Casual Wear since 2007
(Twitter/FB)

It is electric all together every year. I was merely amazed that I feel like this so far away and only connected via the internet.

My gut feel says that Dr. Tommy will go for broke and try and stick with the "fast bikers". Its the first time that he is in Kona with an earlier Ironman, some down time and a solid Kona prep block. He also pulled off a 2:56 in IMCDA where he was not yet at 100% prep.

This big bunch of swimmers should make for an interesting first 10k of biking. Especially with the 10m draft rule. How many people hammer the first part of the bike and blow up in fear of losing Normann?

I think Dr. Tommy could be the underdog for a top 3. He was off the bike in the top 5 last year and running well until his plantar fascitis flared in the race. Tom can swim and ride with the top guy, plus he is typically smart when in races. I know he has been working on his run, but not sure he has the speed to hold off someone running 2;49-:52 if they are in 5min back off the bike.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

what great coverage! i'm looking at the video. everybody's doing great. babbit and huddle are great. heather's doing pretty darned good. and newby's great. and the camera work, and the feed. finally triathletes have the "tv show" they've been waiting for all these years. i hope it continues like this ;-)

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Markus, the first loop of the bike for the pros is a hammerfest...everyone is jockeying for position and trying to make the Hawi express...it only settles out on the Queen K. Last year, Jonnyo was doing 600W when Norman passed him going up Palani heading to the Queen K. Norman must have been doing 700-800 as he is way bigger guy than Jonnyo and Palani is one darn steep hill.

Look at the gaps form in the final bit of the swim...cool!

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

substitute NZL for Aust & I've heard 'em all before :(

LOL

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blood, sweat...and big gears

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''
- Muhammad Ali

It appears that at least a third of the group are women, so they will fall off the bike pace right away. There are probably another third of swim specialists, so they will fall off too. IT will be about 5 guys at the end that will be similar in bike abilities, and will be waiting for the second group uber bikers to come up....

Big pack finihing the swim, no breakthis year

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Francois-Xavier Li @FrancoisLi
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw
http://www.swimrunfrance.fr
http://www.worldofswimrun.com

Francisco Pantana first out, Ruke Bekke not far, LVL just behind, Luck Bell out. No Normann or Bown yet

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Francois-Xavier Li @FrancoisLi
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw
http://www.swimrunfrance.fr
http://www.worldofswimrun.com

Anyone count how many stokes per minute the top pros are doing...I'm counting 60-70 range!

Normann must be at least a few minutes back now.

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Searching for the bliss of ultimate exertion.