And to think, he was wearing Adidas Bostons. He could have run 2:35 easily in Vaporflys.

I would argue that his pacing strategy this time was intended, ie you can make pacing mistakes but even most of us after 20 minutes know we are digging a hole.

I would guess he’s testing the outer limits of his physiology, but more importantly his execution at this distance....knowing full well that there will be a failure point sometime after halfway in the marathon.

Maurice

You can't push yourself beyond your physical limits. By definition.

Maybe he's just a bit of a drama queen. :) It's really hard to tell externally what kind of darkness people are pushing themselves through. Someone making all sorts of histrionics and drama like they're pushing through immense pain may be experiencing the same thing that someone who shows very little outwardly. Some great endurance athletes have great theatrics with facial contortions, etc. Some look like cold assassins from start to finish. Who are we to judge which one was trying harder?

I would hesitate to go to all the elite marathoners, cyclists, and rowers who show very little and tel theml something like, "Hey Chris Froome, you need to learn to 'turn yourself inside out'. You're clearly holding back because you don't 'pretty much pass out' on the bike - you're just kind of staring at your stem and spinning really fast. So much more in the tank. You need to go study Thomas Voeckler."

Edit: Maybe he really does push himself harder than most. I just don't think we can judge that externally.

Some words from the man himself about his trip to Western Oz and a hint of Tokyo..

https://triathlonmagazine.ca/...NeeYfEQNfDwGDOpMFggQ

Haha they will still say he blew or faded.

The heat in Rio was nowhere near that of Kona. It reached a max at 84° and a 51% humidity rate. And it's a 2 hours race.

I don't argue AB's capability to master the heat by the way. Just wanted to say that Rio's conditions were far from extreme.

Yeah but he is going at 100% FTP or close at Rio vs 80% at Kona. That's roughly 300 more watts of heat he needs to dissipate so for a shorter race going harder, you need to get rid of more heat. So I am not buying that he cannot tolerate heat. He's not a big guy and has a very good surface to volume ratio (read he is not 'thick'), so he's built to get rid of heat even though he generates a lot at this top line wattage. Kipchoge is also built to dissipate heat (by definition, all elite marathoners and 10,000 m runners are or you can never ever become elite in that sport because the heat build up will kill you). But just because elite marathoners are built to dissipate heat (again high surface to volume ratio) does not mean that they don't wait for cool October marathons to break records..

AB has the height-weight profile to dissipate heat. If there was a question its whether he knew how to handle the nutrition + hydration + sodium for a longer hotter race. He got that done this time.

 
Another problem is training in Yorkshire, he mostly adapt to dissipate cold rain :
https://en.climate-data.org/...rk/yorkshire-138067/

(pink ?)

It is nice to see Alistair finally putting in a good run at the longer stuff. So far, he has not really succeeded at 70.3 or the full long course (where his undoubted success have been created by the bike.) This year at Nice, he looked great for 3k, then turned into a sack of potatoes! So he seems to have made some progress, which is good to see. I can't help feeling that one day, he will put it all together (not necessarily at Kona) and get close to 7 hours 30.

Came 2nd twice at WC! Pretty good pedigree me thinks

No need to over think this. Ali B is amongst the best 2 or 3 triathletes ever. Two x Olympic Champion, 2 x runner up and 70.s worlds and a 7.45 IM. In a couple of years I suspect we will be saying best triathlete ever.

The internets also says that Mola claimed Ali pulled his cap and goggles off in the swim (I don't believe the appeal resulted in any punishment).

https://triathlonmagazine.ca/...ng-swim-wts-cozumel/

Not judging either way.

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Fast-Finishes.com
Triathlon and Running Race Timing
Athletic Event Management

"I don’t know who pulled off my cap and goggles during the swimming stage"

He should have just end it right there! Mola is usually no where near Ali on the swim anyway.

The appeal process in itu basically only works when there is outside parties to collaborate the story. It doesn’t work in the “he said, she said” and rightfully so.

BUT they do have an appeals process that actually has been used on several occasions....mainly with an athlete turning u turn early etc. no short shutes in itu yet.

In fighting in the swim unless so obvious is very rarely going to get called on appeal. It’ll only get called basically from video evidence from the offficials; which has become an point of awareness now for itu officiating.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II