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Now that James "Iron Cowboy" Lawrence has wrapped up his incredible 50 Ironmans in 50 states in 50 days challenge, I got to thinking about how people PERCEIVED this as compared with various pros. What James did is incredible. But it's also something that, in certain ways, represents a challenge for professional athletes.
James has numerous sponsors, including support from companies that don't support any pros - like AirBNB. His social media accounts have numbers that don't outshine the very top pros, but which are certainly "competitive." And the media coverage - both endemic and non-endemic - of what he's done has been incredible.
You simply would not get this in more mainstream sports. Like, I can't imagine some guy playing 50 rounds of golf in 50 days in 50 states to raise awareness for anything... Or some guys playing 50 games of baseball in 50 states in 50 days. I'm pretty sure the MLB already does this...
This has certainly been the largest spectacle - I can remember - in our sport. And it was done by a "regular" guy.
To the random person off the street, the answer is obvious. What James did is more "impressive." That's the way these things always work. Diana Nyad created a similar debate within the open water swimming world. All everyone talked about what that she swam like 10x the English Channel, without much mention being made of the fact that she attempted the English Channel and wasn't able to finish it. Diana Nyad was THE best open water swimmer in the world to everyone who didn't know anything about open water swimming. To people who did, it was a much more interesting debate.
So I'm curious. How do you all view what James Lawrence just achieved? Certainly the threads - plural - about his 505050 challenge have been nearly unprecedented in their popularity. Only Kona - given, it's a single day - come close to generating that much interest.
So, now that he's actually done it, now that he's finished, how does it stack up for all of you, who actually know something about this sport?
"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp
Now that James "Iron Cowboy" Lawrence has wrapped up his incredible 50 Ironmans in 50 states in 50 days challenge, I got to thinking about how people PERCEIVED this as compared with various pros. What James did is incredible. But it's also something that, in certain ways, represents a challenge for professional athletes.
James has numerous sponsors, including support from companies that don't support any pros - like AirBNB. His social media accounts have numbers that don't outshine the very top pros, but which are certainly "competitive." And the media coverage - both endemic and non-endemic - of what he's done has been incredible.
You simply would not get this in more mainstream sports. Like, I can't imagine some guy playing 50 rounds of golf in 50 days in 50 states to raise awareness for anything... Or some guys playing 50 games of baseball in 50 states in 50 days. I'm pretty sure the MLB already does this...
This has certainly been the largest spectacle - I can remember - in our sport. And it was done by a "regular" guy.
To the random person off the street, the answer is obvious. What James did is more "impressive." That's the way these things always work. Diana Nyad created a similar debate within the open water swimming world. All everyone talked about what that she swam like 10x the English Channel, without much mention being made of the fact that she attempted the English Channel and wasn't able to finish it. Diana Nyad was THE best open water swimmer in the world to everyone who didn't know anything about open water swimming. To people who did, it was a much more interesting debate.
So I'm curious. How do you all view what James Lawrence just achieved? Certainly the threads - plural - about his 505050 challenge have been nearly unprecedented in their popularity. Only Kona - given, it's a single day - come close to generating that much interest.
So, now that he's actually done it, now that he's finished, how does it stack up for all of you, who actually know something about this sport?
"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp