Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Prev Next
Re: Gomez back to itu [oscaro] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
So AB is racing an IM (I guess caveat is he has to qualify) 10 months before the Olympics? Well that sounds interesting, of course I cant see any males auto qualifying for the olympics and thus keeping him off the team, but doing all that endurance work and trying to double w/ the almost assuredly team relay....good luck with that. Of course the U.S. has their own sorta drama with one of our top relay guys (Kanute) having not raced an individual ITU race this qualification period either. #lovethedrama

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Last edited by: B_Doughtie: Jan 20, 19 9:01
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [TRO Saracen] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
TRO Saracen wrote:
Jackets wrote:
Is this confirmed?

That's a shame, think I'd rather see him in Kona this year, however its probably going to sway A.Brownlee to come back to Oly distance now which is what I wanted.

AB is not going to go to Tokyo because Gomez is there.

He'd only be swayed by folk who he thinks could help him get gold, not sure he views Gomez as strong enough on the bike these days to be significant horsepower in a break that stays away. It's going to be very hard to stay away on that course anyway.

I was convinced AB would do Tokyo for the relay, strong GB women and chance to win gold with his brother. Then the individual as a no lose hail Mary. But relay is pure speed, so now having doubts with him on the 70.3 Dubai start list as he'd need to really drill speed from the off - even the prime AB was never as good over the sprint distance, let alone relay leg distances.

If AB is going to 'target' anyone I'd put Frodo on top of the list. He'll be smarting from 70.3 worlds defeat by someone he more or less chased out of ITU.

I'm prety sure Ali won more sprint distance Tri's than lost, don't know where this myth come from?
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [Jackets] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I have a vague recollection of AB saying in post race interviews that JB was better than him over the sprint distance. So I will hypothesize that the myth came from Ali himself. But yeah...it is a myth. He has demonstrated more than adequacy at sprint triathloning.
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [Jackets] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Keep in mind he's not raced a sprint distance in nearly 4 years except for Commonwealth Games (10th there on what seemed like no training). Combine that with his injuries and now his LC training, he's losing top end speed every month he trains more aerobic based vs guys who are racing the sprint distances pretty much every WTS event these days and they are the athletes in their ITU "prime". Of course it's a no brainer to go LC training because that will help his injury issues (I still contend it's AB and that "injuries" will stick with him whatever route he goes), and it's likely the healthiest route. But it's not the route to win medals in ITU, there is becoming far too much specificity in each sport that you can't really "cross over" and perform really really well at both spectrums of the sport. ETA: I should also add ITU's "worldly" schedule was a major turn off for AB ever since about 2014 (he also hated the "Series" champion vs the 1 day world championship winner take all), as he thought it was putting way too much on the athletes to travel to what 4-5 continents to race within the series, and then they went from a yearly 6ish race schedule 8 years ago to now what 9-10 WTS events a year.

So combine AB's injuries that are severity of hip issues and achilles and you can understand that "sprint" racing just likely isn't his wheelhouse anymore. But as I said previously, no other male in team GB is going to get an auto-spot so as long as he can get what is it a top 140 or top 115 ranking, they can "choose" him to the team (and it would be a no brainer). He pretty much has zero to lose at this point. He's the greatest 1 day racer in the history of this sport. It doesn't matter how good or bad he does in Tokyo, and team GB just by the guys/gals on their relay squad will be in medal contention. It's not like a Spain that has only 1 female or Norway who has what very little female presence.

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Last edited by: B_Doughtie: Jan 20, 19 10:04
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [B_Doughtie] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
it also has to be said that ali is still a celebrity in the UK, and his presence on the squad would sell tickets. that's maybe a bit cynical, but the olympics is big business and it would be in the best interests of the IOC, Japan, and team GB to have ali in the race.

-mike

____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [B_Doughtie] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
So this thread had me recheck the last chapter of Maccas book. This guy tried to come back to itu and qualify for London after a whole dacade of none but ironman training. He writes about an 8 x 1000m tracksession before the London test event. He ran the first 6 reps all between 2:42 and 2:39 before his hamstring gave in.

Well, if thats true and Macca could turn his wheels that fast, than so can Gomez. Gomez is not 39, did only one year of ironman training (not 10) and was on another level as a 10k runner than Macca ever was.

Again, I'm not saying he is the favourite. But I would never count him out as a medal contender.

10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [ToBeasy] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I can't see Gomez with a Gold medal round his neck in Tokyo, he would need the stars to align.

I wouldn't rule him out of winning a 6th ITU World title though! I'd say that was well within his grasp.

I'd say at his age he needs to pick his races and maybe he needs to keep away from 70.3 also, won't do him any favours especially if he's mixing it with Frodo and Ali! That race seems to have wrote all 3 of them off for the rest of the year.
Last edited by: Jackets: Jan 20, 19 17:04
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [Jackets] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I wouldn't rule him out of winning a 6th ITU World title though! I'd say that was well within his grasp.

----------

I would especially as most of the WTS events are now the sprint distance. If he's going to "cherry pick" his schedule he most assuredly aint going to score well enough while other guys likely will be able to "offset" scores. You don't win world champs by only racing the standard distance races, that's just not going to score you well enough, when it means he then cant have one off race.


And to the other comment about Gomez being a "contender". By default Gomez will be a contender. By simply being a top front pack swim/biker he's going to almost assuredly finish top 10 (I've said between 8-10th). I've said this almost exclusively because he's aging, Tokyo is likely to be a very non-technical course and the fact that the top 5 runners (I'm not even counting Brownlees in that list) are almost assuredly coming off the bike together, and so do I see Gomez outrunning Birtwhistle/Mola/Blum/Murray/Luis; no I dont. I'm going to even go as far as say someone from the U.S. is going to finish in that 8th-12th placing due to the top run nature of the event. But by default Gomez is a "contender", I just don't think he's odds on favorite to podium like he was in Beijing, London, Rio (before injury). To say he wouldn't have podiumed would have made no sense. IMO to now say he will podium for a 3rd olympics (likely 4th if had raced Rio) to me makes no sense. That's objective as I can be with it.

2 seasons ago when all the big boys were together at events he couldn't outrun them then, he's suddenly going to be able to now? How? But is he a "contender", sure he is. He's a front pack athlete that can still outrun most of the front pack. What I'm talking about though is the 1% of the 1%'ers. So that's simply where I see he's slipped, but as I said this isn't some contreversial statement, he's put aging athletes out to pasture, just like some of the new ones will do to him and AB.

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Last edited by: B_Doughtie: Jan 20, 19 13:03
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [B_Doughtie] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
How many are at sprint distance next year? Having Gomez back is more firepower in that front pack.

He was dipping his toe into 70.3 a lot in his last couple of years in ITU as well as injuries, I'm not making him my favourite to win the whole thing but I'd definitely say injury free he'll be in the mix top 3/4 and in with a shout come the GF.
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [Jackets] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
March 8-9th
Abu Dhabi sprint
Abu Dhabi MTR Series

April 27-28
Bermuda Olympic

May 18-19 (begin of 2nd olympic cycle year)
Yoko Olympic

June 8-9
Leeds Olympic
Nottingham MTR Series (june 15)

June 28-29
Montreal Sprint

July 6-7
Hamburg Sprint (they don't have the MTR world's listed with this event so far)

July 20-21
Edmonton Sprint
Edmonton MTR Series

Aug 29-Sept 1
GF Lausanne Oly



WTS Standings- 5 best scores + GF score.....athletes can "offset" by racing more, etc. When athletes only race the bare min. they basically can't affford a bad result or they'll be out of it essentially. It's why many times the GF is never even close to being a "good" finish. It's always X can finish in 8th place and still win, etc. So most of the time the pressure is off. It's a big annoyance to AB back to even when they first doing it this way.

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [B_Doughtie] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Yes, seems far too many sprints there, not very Gomez friendly, why are ITU throwing so many Sprints in?

Sure there only used to be one or two a season max.
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [ToBeasy] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Doubt he did that session, that would indicate a way sub 14 which I do not believe he was capable of even when he was younger.

Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [Jackets] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
So that post Tokyo Sprint distance can be the new “standard” distance. That’s my guess and hunch and yes I was told MTR was going to be in Olympics as early as 2013 from PTB in the sport. So you can kinda see the writing on the wall w different movements.

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [oscaro] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
oscaro wrote:
Doubt he did that session, that would indicate a way sub 14 which I do not believe he was capable of even when he was younger.

Honestly, I doubt it too. That would be a pure track guy or marathoner of high caliber workout.

Was wondering what you guys thought. Mola might be able to do that but Macca was no Mola level runner.

10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [Jackets] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Jackets wrote:
Yes, seems far too many sprints there, not very Gomez friendly, why are ITU throwing so many Sprints in?

Sure there only used to be one or two a season max.

Some of this has to do with the MTR series, part of this also has to do with how tightly condensed the WTS series is this year. When races are close together they tend to opt for sprint distance versus when there's more downtime, they tend to be standard distances...

Hamburg is MTR worlds again, and yes Edmonton has to be sprint as well, because of the MTR the next day. Leeds was able to stay standard distance, because the MTR in Nottingham is a week apart from it... Montreal is a new venue this year (not far from the old venue, just two quay's over...) and the courses may be more conducive to a sprint race (I'm not positive, since I haven't seen the courses yet). But with the Grand final being 3-4 weeks earlier than it traditionally has been held, the WTS schedule is more condensed, which may be why we're seeing a couple more sprint distances this season...
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [B_Doughtie] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
B_Doughtie wrote:
So it'll be fun to watch how all this progresses.

3 major Races; 2nd, 3rd, 4th.

All OD
All with a pack of 20 or more in T2

In Leeds running faster than the "magnificent 7" but Birthwistle

4th Overall In World Series Championship with 3 races.
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [luarca] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
#STUD

Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Quote Reply
Re: Gomez back to itu [luarca] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
luarca wrote:
B_Doughtie wrote:
So it'll be fun to watch how all this progresses.

3 major Races; 2nd, 3rd, 4th.

All OD
All with a pack of 20 or more in T2

In Leeds running faster than the "magnificent 7" but Birthwistle

4th Overall In World Series Championship with 3 races.

I hold my hands up and i'll say I didn't see him doing as well as he's done so far, I did think he'd do better than some was saying though.
Quote Reply

Prev Next