It's too late now to do anything about rearranging the states. Maybe he can get out tomorrow but driving tonight
might not work. I live 180 miles west of Dallas and they are diverting flights to Dallas here right now.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

Completely agree. WTC doesn't own the distance but they own the IRONMAN name. If he wants to call it an iron distance or a full distance triathlon... then there is no problem. If you call it an IRONMAN, don't be surprised if WTC gets involved.

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blog

Kathy, I took you up on your recommendation. I went there, met him, and chatted with him and one of his trainers a bit. He is a really nice guy, and I wish him all the luck. I took some photos too. The guy on the left in your photo in "aero" has been there riding with him for 5 hrs too. When I got there he was about 90 miles into the bike. I looked at his computer and he is putting out legitimate watts and making progress. He asked me to stick around have a run with him for some of the run later, but I declined. I'm still too heavy and not certain of my knee after surgery at the end of last year. My coach says I don't have to run yet, so I'm not running yet even though IMFL approaches.

I took a few photos for him with his phone and snapped a few on my phone too. I can post them later if anyone is really interested but they look almost exactly like the one you posted. From what I can tell the stages spin bike looks like a pretty nice setup too. The spin bikes at my gym have power too, but they don't look as polished as the stages bike. A nice gal was up from Houston, TX to bike with him too. Wish her all the luck in her training too.

His wife was happy to hear that Shreveport is fairly close to Dallas too. I think he is headed to Fayetteville next then Shreveport.

The weather here hasn't been as bad as expected, so far..... we are in the eye of the storm now.

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You will remain the same person, before, during and after the race. So the result, no matter how important, will not define you. The journey is what matters. ~ Chrissie W.

Shreveport then Fayetteville

Does anyone else find it ironic that a bunch of triathletes are calling someone else selfish?

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I *heart* weak, dumb ass people...

so Fayetteville is replacing Little Rock?

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

As in happening in the opposite way of what is expected? Not at all. This might be the least ironic thing ever, which is very sad.

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You will remain the same person, before, during and after the race. So the result, no matter how important, will not define you. The journey is what matters. ~ Chrissie W.

Looking at his calender, it appears that way.

That is adding about 100 miles to his commute between LA and AR, but then only saving about 30 miles from AR to MO.

Have not had a moment to read the thread - but just want to wish this amazing athlete and his crew safe passage through the states. Excited for him and hope his team and him can hold it strong! What an amazing endeavor!

Kathy,
I think that you are assisting with the opposing viewpoint. When you went on your vacations/trip were you physically exerting yourself for 12-18 hours per day and then booking it to another location every day? Or were you actually interacting with your children, and even planning a couple stops just for them (maybe even more than a couple)? Given the data which we all have access to, it would indicate that he spent quite some time as an absentee parent. I really dont think that he just up and started doing this type of exercise? This kind of thing takes many many hours, which when matched up to a job results in a parent who is just not around for parenting. In my mind, this is not very cool. I wrote earlier that if he wanted to promote anything to do with children (i.e. obesity, cancer, whatever), then why not do a trip around his own kids? It looks like he has a beautiful family, and should not be absent as a dad.
So what it boils down to from my very cynical point of view is that this fellow wants to do something totally cool, wants someone else to pay for it, and wants to prop up some other explanation to help him get others to pay for it. I am fine with him doing that, after all it is a free country that we live in here in the USA. I just dont think that he deserves the accolades which he seemed to be garnering.
It is not being a hater as you state in several of your posts (as did a couple others), it is just interpreting the data which is available and formulating an opinion based on that data. It is not hate at all.
Regarding the jealous accusations...well, yes, I am; and I think that everyone reading is as well. Otherwise, we would not be reading this forum. Heck, I would love to be out there every day trying to do something crazy like that; but I would not ask everyone else to pay for it and I would not subject my family to chasing my own self serving dream.
I really do hope that he is successful in his attempt to do this; but that does not mean that I agree with his methodology.

Stephen J

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I believe my local reality has been violated.
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Happiness = Results / (Expectations)^2

I think that you may be confused; but you almost explained it with your own words....The value that he presents in entertainment does not override the distaste for the way that he is going about it [for me]. I think that you are correct about the jealous part; but I think that you are underestimating the ability of the 'naysayers' to formulate a judicious opinion through any haze of emotion.

Stephen J

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I believe my local reality has been violated.
____________________________________________
Happiness = Results / (Expectations)^2

I don't know aaything about the guy, and I assume you don't either. As such I would never think to criticize his parenting skills. Even if he's spending 25 hours a week training, he may be spending substanntially more time with his kids than you or I do, depending on his circumstances. And that's going by your implied assertion that the number of hours you make available to be with your kids is what makes the best parent, which is not necessarily true.

Further, the fact that he and his wife are trying to do this with their kids tow, is some indication IMO, that he probably cares a great deal for his kids and giving them memorable life experiennces.

So yes, you do come across as a 'hater' whether you intennd to, or like it, or not.

I would put any amount of money on the fact that you know nothing about how James is as a father.

That's all I am going to say about that, because quite honeslty I don't think you should be saying, or accusing him of the things you are.

His odds of completion just went up significantly in my mind. One of the big factors that I thought could do him in was weather, but if he's just going to hop inside for an indoor IM when the weather goes south, then that risk factor is gone. There still is, of course, injury, crash, doctors orders, that can do him in, but taking weather out of the equation really increases the odds of this thing.

And, I bet this won't be the last indoor IM we see out of him. My guess is that both he and his crew are discovering the many benefits of staying put for the day.

I suggest the haters just walk away from this thread.

He is spending 50 days doing something most on here have never done once or couldnt do more than 3-4 times a year.

Keep going dude. 11 down.

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So....youre suggesting he should be out in the tropical storm weather???

I will bet as long there as there isn't any dangerous weather conditions, he doesn't do another indoor one.

Oh, he's back outside for the run

what about Yukon? is that not a Canadian state? i'm really questioning myself questioning a canadaian since i've lived in mexico for over 10 years. maybe things changed up there?

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

It's 50 days dude. Relax, I'm sure the kids will be just fine. Geez.

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I *heart* weak, dumb ass people...

You can think whatever you want to think. But your tone is pretty condescending. And frankly, your attempt at forming "logical" argument - utilizing data to make a judicious opinion, blah blah blah...is kind of ridiculous. You don't have complete data. You don't know what you're talking about because you don't know the cowboy or his family, etc. Like I think someone else said, relax...

i wouls assume the banner, in part, would be to let people find him easily. He has has media show up, plus supporters. Instead of these people wondering around the gym, he is a little more identifiable with the banner.

that was a long post to me - thank you so much for taking the time to do so. i dunno. i'm not getting the same vibe that you are. i don't see the guy with the inyourface gimme yer money posts or anything. i think he has a LOT of sponsors and believers (did you see where 2 of the guys who did 30/30 in Italy came out to run with him one night?) and every single report i read indicate the guy is a peach. but i'm really a glass half full kind of person.

so yeah, our RV trips/life were nothing like his life but i was simply speaking to dragging kids in an RV experience (honestly the hours they are currently in teh RV traveling are quite small on his route) as a form of torture. i think it is entirely possible that those 5 kids are seeing more of their dad and interacting with him than I do on a daily basis with my 2 girls. and i work from home. but then again my girls are teens so maybe that isn't a fair comparision.

yeah, him being on the road 50 days with IM and the training that must be required COULD be taking up a huge part of his kids' days but then again maybe not. and i'm not going to assume that the kids never see their dad either. i think the training and the event can be structured so the kids are a part of it (we know the oldest daughter is) and today his kids spent the entire day with him (so it seems) so there is that. i don't think anyone can really, looking from the outside, ascertain he is an absent dad.

afa money and causes, i think doing something this big requires a certain promotion for you to get sponsors and media. so maybe he prostitutes himself to help his cause. more power to him. he is doing something noone else has done and taken triathlon out into the streets, out into the community, out involving people who are getting off their couches to go run with him. i think that is amazing. he is touching SO many lives and what a rush that must be.

so i think he deserves all the accolades if for no other reason than the physical effort it must involve to do what he is doing on a daily basis.

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

Running 45 to 65 miles a day for similar durations strips weight off ultra runners. Not just fat, but sometimes muscle.

Can't see this being any different.

Settle down. Re-read what I wrote. In no way did I suggest that he should not do it indoors. I just said that in my opinion his odds of successful completion just went up if he is going to avoid inclement weather by going inside.

I touched on a change to later starts (8am vs 6am) and mid-"race" breaks earlier in the thread. We are now seeing an example of how the later finishes are starting to impact on the logistics and the ongoing probability of this event continuing.

It also makes it harder on the support crew, working later into the night.