Looks like Lessing is getting ready to put the hammer down in Hawaii this summer with the win at Disney. Bjorn hammered the boyz on the bike as expected. Congrats to Bjorn, holding off many hard charging runners. Finally, what happened to Spencer Smith on the bike with a 2:20 split (18 min slower than Bjorn). Did he flat ?
Bjorn… 27.4 mph on the bike!! I cant comprehend holding that speed for 56, knowing Im gettn off and running 13…damn!!!
Ironmanlive showed Spencer getting a penalty (don’t know what kind) during the bike. There might be something written in the “updates” section, but I didn’t read all the notes.
dennis
Shows that experience counts though.
Lessing also put on a fearsome pace on the bike - 25.6 mph and then was still able to run 5.36 minute miles.
I love Bjorn’s style but you can see why Lessing has been a consistantly top performer for so long.
I expect some brilliant victories from Bjorn in the future - but I think it will be a couple of years yet.
Keep attacking that field Bjorn - I would love to see Bjorn, Craig Walton and Macca in the same race - that would be amazing!
Its GREAT to see lessing ditched the speedo and got some “real” tri shorts (that speedo stuff he had on looks good). Micheal Lavoto is the real deal. Bjorn is a badass. Has Spencer lost it? (his penalty reputation is racking up)
I’m predicting Lessing will win Kona in the next 2-3 years.
luke
What were the conditions like? Are there results on Ironmanlive?
yep, on ironmanlive.com
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The conditions were almost perfect early. By about 10 a.m. the heat and humidity were getting into the red zone and the winds were picking up. The bike was rolling and technical and windy the last 6 miles or so.
The run was pretty nice, though it had a few steep hills, and a nasty sandy section at mile 11.
The swim may have been slightly long.
Almost 2000 racers participated, which made transitions very slow and crowded and some portions of the bike course were jam packed.
All in all, Disney and Fred Sommer did a great job I thought.
-Robert
Was it wetsuit legal?
Would you do the race again next year?
I’m thinking of signing up for it and was wondering how it was. 2000 people on a course is a lot. The bike has got to be all jammed up.
Thanks,
matt
Not wet suit legal. Water was 85 and beautiful though. Calm, calm, calm. Hot, hot, hot.
I didn’t do the race. I was sick this winter so I didn’t sign up. I sagged for my buddy. I spoke to quite a few of the guys though. Almost everyone thought it was great except for the transition area debacle and the sand on the run at mile 11. 
Oh, and there were too many participants. Until USAT does something about race numbers I don’t see things changing. I feel safety is impaired as numbers go up, but that’s a different topic.
I plan on doing it next year if I’m alive.
I noticed that Bjorn’s 2:02 bike split was the second fastest according to the results? Who did the ride faster? I was scrolling down through the results and didn’t see a faster time but were there relays or just a glitch in the timing? Also, how about Joe Bonness with the 12th fastest bike split … impressive as always.
Somebody way way w a y down was listed in 1:38 or something with a calculated speed of 37 mph, however his T2 time was 50+ minutes, so clearly, it was a typo, computer error glitch of some sort. Bjorn must have had the overall best bike split. Becca can start breathing again.
What happened to Luke Bell??? The wonderboy?
With all the swim waves, the bike course didn’t seem too jammed up. BTW…a good mile and a half of the last 2 miles was in sand. After we left the beach and went in to the woods it was still sandy trails. Makes Lessing’s run time that much more impressive. I think everybody was expecting a pancake flat bike course, which it certainly was not. Nothing awful, but a lot of rollers. The “shady” run course didn’t have much shade at all. HOT would be an understatement. Of course I’m from upstate NY, so I’ve got anit-freeze running through my veins.
Thanks for the response.
It’s Ironman, it’s Disney, it all sounds good but … I’m gonna skip it. I really prefer smaller races.
Thanks,
matt
Interesting that that morning there were a group of people protesting the fact that no wet suit was allowed and they were essentially DQ’d.
If they make a lot of improvements with transition and make that bigger and don’t run ya through close to two miles of sand at the end I might consider going back next year. Heck of a way to get in some great heat training…this race along with the Boston Marathon this year…wow…but I enjoyed the race and did a good time for myself…
I hadn’t heard about the wetsuit complaints. I assume they wanted to wear a wetsuit and not be eligible for age group awards, a feature of some races put on by Fred Sommer. I personally think the race organizers made the right decision in this case. I couldn’t imagine putting on a wet suit and swimming in such hot water. (85-86 degrees).
Since everyone except the pros had to go through the transition area I guess it was relatively fair. But the paths were so narrow that fast guys couldn’t pass the ultra clydesdales in transition.
I met Frank Day there at the expo, by the way, and got to try the Power Cranks. He convinced me, but I’m waiting until November. I have an Ironman in October. Frank took a lot of time explaining his product. I thought he was very charming.
I also met the owner of Inside-Out Sports, Mr. Cardozza (sp?) Now he is a real charmer. No wonder that business is so successful. He’s a born salesman.
-Robert
Yeah I competed in it and thought the swim was long because all the times seemed a bit slow…I usually get out of the water around 28 or 29 minutes but came out after 30 plus minutes. Surprised me a lot…Hot as heck when we the mere mortals began our wave.
Nice way to do a heat training session too…LOL
every time I hit disney world I go silly and think wow this is gonna be different, another world,fantasy time…LOL not quite as I found out. One thing, don’t bother going the Animal Kingdom…disappointing,Epcot center was almost as lousy…for me…just my two cents again