Link to the announcement can be found here; http://triathlon.competitor.com/2014/03/news/craig-alexander-to-race-ironman-melbourne_95005
So much for him being done with Ironman racing eh? Crowie is still insisting he won’t go to Kona; anyone else think that his competitive edge will get the best of him and he’ll go anyway?
Now the question is will we see Chrissie Wellington again.
He just said that he won’t do Kona because of what it takes in terms of family and personal sacrifice. That does not preclude Melbourne or other Ironmans.
So will he win.
He just said that he won’t do Kona because of what it takes in terms of family and personal sacrifice. That does not preclude Melbourne or other Ironmans.
I could’ve sworn a saw an interview with Craig post Kona last year where he said he wouldn’t do Ironmans because of the wear and tear. I’ll see if I can find a link to it when I get home from work; if you’re interested Dev.
He definitely left the door open but I don’t expect him to go to Kona (if we take his words at face value).
I recall that video. Fairly certain he was specifically referencing Kona.
Possible that it’s just a sponsorship move being that Crowie is an Aussie and they love him down there. Whether he wins or comes in 10th, no big deal…all parties still win. But Kona is a different stage, and where legacy’s are judged on. If Crowie puts up another performance outside the top 15…that may hurt his marketability and legacy.
Sometimes it’s better to lead people to believe you’ve still got it…then actually show up to Kona and try to prove it…and then fail. Pro triathletes like Crowie make all their money off of sponsorships…not prize money. The longer Crowie can lead people to believe he’s still one of the top IM athletes in the world, the better it is for him. He doesn’t necessarily need to prove it to be marketable. Look at Macca.
ETA: Just for the record…I still believe that Crowie is one of the top IM athletes…just that at this point in his career (age), he has more to lose by racing Kona than he has to gain. Chances are, he won’t podium again at Kona given the new talent arising. Instead, he can focus on racing other 70.3s and IMs that the top names may not show up at…or if they do…they may not be on top form because their focus is Kona.
I recall that video. Fairly certain he was specifically referencing Kona.
I believe this is the video?
I stand corrected. Thanks for that all.
I agree with you Jason N about the sponsorship dollars and appearances as a top IM athlete. I think that Crowie is still a top IM athlete as well but that he’ll do better not being at Kona for a variety of reasons. Partly what you specified. From watching a lot of interviews with him, it also seems like he races too often during the year; overtrains and then suffers an injury that inhibits him for the big races. I think it would be interesting to see if he would have any improvement if he didn’t self coach for a year versus self coaching with advisors. Maybe he’s too old for it to make a difference at the IM distance though.
ETA: Just for the record…I still believe that Crowie is one of the top IM athletes…just that at this point in his career (age), he has more to lose by racing Kona than he has to gain. Chances are, he won’t podium again at Kona given the new talent arising. Instead, he can focus on racing other 70.3s and IMs that the top names may not show up at…or if they do…they may not be on top form because their focus is Kona.
I think Crowie is a top name in the sport and will always be, but I don’t think he’s an top IM athlete at this point anymore, and I think even Crowie would agree to that. Chances are he couldn’t make top 15 at Kona again, and that’s not really a knock on Crowie, as much as a praise on the other competitors + Crowie’s age.
Three years ago he went 8:03 at Kona. I don’t think age or improved competition are keeping him out of the top 15 at Kona.
Last years winning time was 8:12 and 15th was 8:36, a gap of 24 minutes. I don’t think Crowie is 24 minutes slower than he was three years ago due to aging.
Other reasons, sure.
ETA: Just for the record…I still believe that Crowie is one of the top IM athletes…just that at this point in his career (age), he has more to lose by racing Kona than he has to gain. Chances are, he won’t podium again at Kona given the new talent arising. Instead, he can focus on racing other 70.3s and IMs that the top names may not show up at…or if they do…they may not be on top form because their focus is Kona.
I think Crowie is a top name in the sport and will always be, but I don’t think he’s an top IM athlete at this point anymore, and I think even Crowie would agree to that. Chances are he couldn’t make top 15 at Kona again, and that’s not really a knock on Crowie, as much as a praise on the other competitors + Crowie’s age.
So then what is keeping him out of the top 15? 3 years is a LONG time for an athlete that’s going to be 41 at Kona.
ETA: Don’t give me this “family” as an issue either, yet saying that aging isn’t an issue. That’s why athletes fail in their later years, takes too much to recovery, the drive suddenly is harder to find, etc. That’s all “aging” is.
ETA #2:
Since he’s gone 8:03 in 2011, he’s now gone 8:40 and 8:43 for whatever reason. You can claim it’s not because of his age or other competitors and the fact of the matter is, he’s just not there anymore. Regardless of what the actual reason is, he’s a better “name” than actual top IM athlete. And that’s not a knock, that’s just the reality of where he is in his career, and that’s why I think Crowie realized, he doesn’t have it to make a run at Kona anymore. The structure and training it takes just is too much these days, but he’s a HUGE name in the sport and can essentially do whatever he wants in the sport.
I just don’t think you can pin a 25+ minute slower IM time to those three years.
IMO it is more about not wanting to dig in to the well that took him to 8:03 any more. That type of burn-out can happen at any age. No doubt he should be slower, but 25 minutes due to 3 years of aging is crazy.
So then what is keeping him out of the top 15? 3 years is a LONG time for an athlete that’s going to be 41 at Kona.
ETA: Don’t give me this “family” as an issue either, yet saying that aging isn’t an issue. That’s why athletes fail in their later years, takes too much to recovery, the drive suddenly is harder to find, etc. That’s all “aging” is.
Did anyone notice that Cam Brown out ran both Bozzone, and Docherty to finish second at IMNZ. His time was his 2nd personal fastest (of many) for the Ironman NZ course.
The 2012 IM Melbourne race between Cam (39 almost forty) and (38 almost 38) was one of the best races ever.
It seems unlikely that Craig Alexander, Cam Brown, or Chrissie Wellington will be any where near as accomplished at any of the other things they attempt in life, as they were at Ironman.
What is more, is that even if they only recapture 95% of their previous glory, they are still pretty extraordinary.
Yet one needs to feel like one is moving forward in life.
Oh the existential problems of the super-elite…
IMO it is more about not wanting to dig in to the well that took him to 8:03 any more.
Lol, right and I’m going to guess his age has more to do with that then anything else. The fact that it takes more from your body to dig into the well and it takes away from family time, etc. That is why he’s not going to be winning Kona (hell I would say even contend in Kona), and I think his interview shows he’s come to accept that fact. He’s good with where he is in his athletic life.
A 7-8% drop in performance in 1-2 years, that is some serious aging.
I still think Crowie could win IM races. That’s what I meant by “top IM athlete.” Not that he’s in the top 5-10 overall at the IM distance currently. He almost certainly can’t win Kona again…when the best are there, most of them are showing up in top form, and going all in for the win/podium/top 10. I just didn’t want to give the impression that I think Crowie is totally washed up.
Right but your trying to say his only drops in performance are because he’s not wanting to dig as deep as he has before. I’m simply agreeing with that and saying the aging process is a contributor in that decision. And I certainly am going to credit other competitors when they whip an athlete by nearly 40 mins, they certainly aided in an athlete “blowing” up that much because of race dynamics.
I bet he wins it.