Defending Challenge Roth champion Dirk Bockel (LUX) will return and he’ll face 2012 Ironman world champion Pete Jacobs, 2013 Kona runner-up Luke McKenzie, 2013 Kona fourth-place finisher James Cunnama (RSA), Eneko Llanos (ESP), Timo Bracht (GER) and Nils Frommhold (GER).
Read more at http://triathlon.competitor.com/...#PcPfRsfgJDzVhQxU.99

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

So Roth will be like Kona, just that the athletes will be in better shape since they have fewer IM distance races in their body.

A cracker of a race. I wish I was racing this year!

I guess she just couldn't resist. Hell, she doesn't have to race any other IM to qualify for Kona this year, so why not try and win both and claim both records.

Better get that legacy established now before her and TO start producing little super athletes.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

No stupid KPR. The best just show up and race on the world's fastest iron course.

I suspect the roth record will be unattainable for her.

But, only one way to find out!

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Why's that? The flat bike course favors a strong rider more than Kona? Meaning coming off the bike she'd be what... a solid 8-10 minutes off the record and have to run about a 2:35 to claim it. She's need someone like Steffan to chase down to really push her.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

Not a lot of weaknesses in Wellington's race (she biked in 4.36 when she did 8.19)
49:49 4:40:39 2:44:35 8:18:13

Andreas Raelert also have done ok
46:18 4:11:43 2:40:52 7:41:33

One of the misconceptions about Roth is that the bike course is dead flat. Not so... it constantly rolls, has a few punchy hills and two longish climbs. The elevation gain is ~3600ft, where Kona is 4700-4900 ft?

What's amazing to me about that comparison is how close the run and swim times are.

I am surprise and wonder if it will impact her Kona performace. She is one person who has timed her "peak" race to perfection each and every year....Same with Jacobs, he still needs to validate? Which means he has to at least show up for one more IM

Looks like only at Roth and Kona we get competition, with so many IM, most of the fields is thin these days! Even Melbourne for the ladies was uninspiring !

She has signed on with Challenge to do some races. There is no guarantee she's gonna go balls out in this race. Or for the record. Whereas someone like Wellington always went full gas, she has shown she has no qualms turning the gas off.

As much as I respect Rinny, on her best days, she has been on par with Chrissie on the run (a touch faster, but within the same minute) and a bit slower on the swim. Chrissie was always in a different league on the bike. Rinny's top line watts are just going to be too low to get anywhere close to that 4:36 that Chrissie put down. It's just physics working against Rinny on the bike. No doubt her power to weight is awesome but that's not what gets you close to 4:36. As we discussed in some other threads, top line watts really matter, and certainly on a course like Roth. I concur that Roth has hills that are tougher than Kona, but it is largely an aerobar course. Advantage to Wellington's old record.

I think she has signed on to do Challenge AC but not the full distance and also the 1/2 at ST Andrews
It will be such a shame if she shows up at Roth just to complete the race like she did at Florida. Think fans would be a touch disappointed!!

You would really call them "on par" for the run? Rinny has 4/6 of the fastest Kona run splits of all time, and was never outrun by Chrissy. Certainly Chrissy at the time had a larger gap on the bike than Rinny did on the run; but Mirinda clearly was the superior runner.

The last time Rinny and Chrissie raced at Kona, Chrissie was injured 7 ways to Sunday. Rinnie beat Chrissie's run time by less than a minute. Rinnie's run record of 2:50 is about 2 minutes faster than the aforementioned injured Chrissie in 2011. I would certainly say that Chrissie is 'on par' with Rinnie on the run. Maybe Rinny has a slight edge over Chrissie, but the difference isn't even close to trump Chrissie's swim and bike.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

When has Chrissy ever had to run all out to win? And u can't say her last when she injured because obviously she couldn't go all out due to injury (and still won easily).

One of the reasons Wellington's record is safe is because Rinny is smart enough not to go after it. Or do we want her to burn herself out of the sport too?

agreed

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Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

"The flat bike course . . . "
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Ha! I've done the race 5 times (6th this year) - I always hear that from folks who then get humbled on the hills in Roth. That even happened top Mark Allen in the 90s. I'm not denying that it can be fast, just not flat in Northern Bavaria!

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

If you get start money and I am sure that she gets that you have to race. This is common practice in all sports, it is written in the contract. That is the main reason that long distance races at track meets usually are fast.

Also I am sure Runny is a professional. She validated in Florida and can race in Roth. Two Ironman distance races a year is almost too hard. But I am looking forward to both Roth and Kona :-)

LOL! Quoted for truth.

It is a truly amazing race to experience. Both as a spectator and an athlete.

All of this.

Plus, Chrissie won Roth and Kona in a single year. It wouldn't surprise me if Rinny is chasing that legacy a bit.