Is it smart to do more than two Ironmans in a season? Is it smart to do 2 if you are going for the win in Kona?
Good point Tibbs - and a lot of that depends on the money / exposure required to make a living. Grew up in South Africa where a couple of ultra runs draw 13 to 18 000 athletes each year. Comrades is a 90km race which usually had around 14 000 each year with a cut of time of 11hrs (may have moved it to 12hrs this year) Winners usually around 5:30 odd depending on whether it is an up or down year - the race is run between 2 cities and alternates direction each year. In the mid 80’s and 90’s a local guy called Bruce Fordyce dominated the race winning something like 9 times. He was / is a legend of the race - his speciality was ultras - had about a 2:25 marathon - but just kept on at the same pace as the distance went up. He always maintained that he could only peak for 2 A races a year…London to Brighton in the UK was his other favoured event. Year after year overseas athletes came to challenge Fordyce in his back yard - and they all failed miserably. They were typically however running 5 to 8 races a year and would often place in the top 5 in several of these races each year however would seldom get the win - these athletes however were typically trying to make a living from racing - the prize money and exposure was limited when they only raced 2 or 3 times a year - hence the high number of races. A South African Dr by the name of Tim Noakes - author of the Lore of Running maintains endurance athletes only have a limited number (5 or 6 I think he says) of truely great races in them in their career. My belief is if you are going soley for the win on the Queen K then ideally that should be your only ultra of the year - however finances usually dictate otherwise…
"Grew up in South Africa "
Just curious, I’d tend to guess not, but are you a legitimate Zulu? Two of my favorite all time greatest movies are Emfield’s “Zulu” and “Zulu Dawn”.
Nope - just grew up in the heart of Zululand - speak a the local dialect reasonably and have many friends and a great affinity with the Zulu nation…
"just grew up in the heart of Zululand "
So what did you think of the movies? The original “Zulu” was about the fort at Rork’s Drift and “Zulu Dawn” was about the massacre of British troops at Ipsalawanda(?) beforehand. Fairly historically accurate to my understanding. I actually have the original 1963 “Zulu” with Micheal Caine and Stanley Baker on tape. Probably watched it 20 times. Apperently it was also one of Bill Clinton’s favorite films also.
Preferred Zulu to Zulu Dawn - as history movies go they are reasonably accurate - my middle name is Rorke due to some family history
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What does it say about me that I’m starting to think like Tibbs?
See post day after IMH?
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=224016;search_string=search_string;#224016
Shows a genuis that will win you friends and influence people.
Shows a genuis that will win you friends and influence people.
in the thread “who is Mr Tibbs” you claimed that he is an idiot. If this is case, why is it a sign of a genuis?
Don’t get me wrong I truly belive that you are a genuis, I just think that you are a bit incosistent.
a genuis, is it like a genius? 
Mr. Tibb’s genuis taking the tools of an idiot and doing something moronic with it. You follow?
‘better use your intelligence for something stupid than your stupidity for something intelligent’
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You got it Franny. Move to the front of the class.
This is one I can’t figure. Isn’t IMH kind of like the Tour? As in, it takes an enormous effort to win it. So why do these guys do race after race and then come to Hawaii at the end of the year and expect to do well?
Surely, it must just be money, right? I mean, taking Cam as an example, he has done IMNZ/IMG/IMH every year for the last three years, I think. Apart from this year he has been consistently near the top at IMH since 2001. So why not have a big push, do IMNZ in March, have a break, then shift to Kona and train through July/August/September to be ready for the big show?
Do any of the pros do what Lance does and train extensively on the course months ahead of the race?
I figure that earlier in one’s career it might be best to go out and try and do 3 or 4 IM’s a year to “learn” and experience “racing” that distance. This year I did 3 half’s and 2 fulls and hope to do 4 halfs (1 tapered) and 2 fulls next year and then maybe 3 fulls the following year. I just think that hands on is the best way to become “one” with the distance.
“…I know I know, the race report is still coming”
I think it is possible to do several a year and do well if one can master the art of recovery and taper. Most don’t understand this and try to do too much racing and training together. Whether it is possible to do several and win Hawaii has yet to be determined, but I suspect it is. Only when someone does it will we know.
Frank
a genuis, is it like a genius?
Its like a genius that quit high school.
…and if you are going to start correcting Tibbs’ spelling, you had better quit your day job, because he can always stay one step ahead.