I was also surprised that he is using this non racing period trying to break his 5km run PB. That's a kind of useless exercise from a pro triathlon competitiveness angle in the sense that a few seconds on the 5km changes nothing in his half and full IM races, because he pretty well never accesses that level of speed. It seems he would be much better off getting his 100m, 200m and 1500m speed down. His 100m and 200m are key to not getting dropped at the start line in Kona and his 1500m is key to hanging onto a pack that is slightly stronger than him. This would be a useful exercise and if we're talking complimentary vs cannibalization, the swim work would more compliment a flat TT than the run work. The kick work in the water very much translates to the bike whereas running speed almost never transfers to the bike.

So like you, other than for a personal challenge I am surprised that he's not using this time to smash his 1500m swim time. Duration wise its similar to the 5km anyway for him (his 1500m is somewhat longer than his 5000m run).

Because having fun and staying motivated key drivers.

He is still swimming and Daytona is the focus. Physiologically speaking getting into great 1hr bike shape and 5k speed shape aligns nicely with training demands of speed needs for Daytona.

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David T-D
http://www.tilburydavis.com

OK but he's going to always suffer in Kona if he can't hang with the second swim pack and then he's playing catch up on th bike which ends up messing with psychology. So hopefully if he really wants to win it, he put's the 40-50,000m per week Andy Potts approved program :-). Winning every other race he can do with his traditional swim. But you would think he'd invest time during lockdown on his weakness that hurts him the most in Kona (plus you never know when pools will be closed back up depending on where he is staying)

Let me know if he needs some hour record tips ;p

Thank G-d his coach/advisor has you Dev! ;)

If nothing else, Dev is consistent.

At least I am consistent with the rest of ST that he will not win Kona from the 4th group of swimmers.

But hey it sounds like his coach is saying he is focused on challenge Daytona for now not Kona 2021 so that would make sense.

I think he gains more upside breaking the Canadian hour record than winning Challenge Daytona in the rest of the sports media....so swimming hard to compliment biking hard and a bit of extra swimmer mass will help the hour record than being lighter for a 5km that would hurt the record.

But this is why we are fans. We can second guess every pro and their coaches. That's the whole point of professional sports. If fans don't have their two cents the pros are irrelevant. But hey if Challenge Daytona and 5km PB are the priority then he can knock himself out on those . At least he will race a tri which is fantastic.

oK over to the Giro and second guessing the directeurs sportives and the racers.

Any thoughts about bowling?

Being a fan can be more about spectating and taking in what the pros deliver. Not trying to tell MJ how to improve his 3-point shooting. Depends on the fan, I guess. But you version sounds more like a critic.

For the win!

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Let food be thy medicine...

Because having fun and staying motivated key drivers.

Thank you David for putting this out there and stating the obvious!


THE key take-away here for most.

In a year when for Age-Groupers and for the most part for Pros, has been a complete wipe-out, this is key! Appreciate it for what it is - a personal challenge, and a bit of thinking outside the box. More triathletes would do better, with this kind of personal challenge(s), and exploratory thinking vs, getting all caught up in the minutiae, details and data of it all!

Lionel will have a good go at this. He has the kind of fitness, power profile, and mental strength to have a good go at the Canadian Record. Upside - he'll learn a few things, and some new skills (riding a fixed gear bike on the track).

Stay tuned for more details - we'll be getting those out shortly - time, and how to watch!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Dev, you are swimming like 40km per week, why aren't you in the lead pack? :)

Aside from a few lifelong fish, I AM leading my age group in most swims. Lionel is not leading in his group haha!

hey maybe it gets Sven Tuft out of retirement to do this after a triathlete surpasses all Canadians and Eddy Merckx.

Sven would kill this I am sure and it would be amazing to see him try.

haha, it was not 1 full hour, but over 28 minutes and 28 seconds Steve Baur did 51.57 kph in this ITT:

https://www.cyclingranking.com/...ance/stages/stage-21

He was only 1:31 behind Lemond and 38 second behind Fignon. OK it was downhill from Versailles to Paris, but would have loved to see what Bauer could have done over an hour if he gave it a shot. Also way back at the LA Olympics, Alex Steida did a 4:51 in the 4000m pursuit back in the time before aero bars and when Steve Hegg went 4:35 for the gold in a road position not aero. Steida's time was 49.5km from a standing start. Not crazy fast, but Steida probably could have put something down in the range of the current 48.5 Canadian record on aerobars and dual discs.

I hope Lionel's attempt pushes a few other Canadian's to give it a try.

If you go look at the link from the 1989 TdF stage 21 ITT on the Champs, Steve Bauer beat Indurain, Chiappucci and Bjarne Riis

Also ahead of such noted TT specialists as Raul Alcala by 10 seconds and a whopping 26 second demolishing of Andy Hampsten. Lots of mediocre performances at the end of the tour correct? Also "only" 1:31 is 3.3 kph or something behind Lemond...

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

pretty sure pro cyclists wont mind a multisport athlete holding one of thier their national title

Lionels religoius training on the turbo trainer seems to be ideal for this kind of epic sustained focus event - would be cool to see him smash it and then the million bucks at daytona

Several of the Canadian pros know what Lionel can do after racing him this year on Zwift.

this is a very elegant and sick burn...

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

oops. I certainly didn't mean it that way. Can you explain ? I'm Canadian, we're not very good at burns.

I don't think Cam can go take Rohan Dennis' number at the hour haha.

But Cam's racing at the Vuelta, so is he a triathlete anymore?