I wrote these last year. In view of the way Ironman turned out yesterday they are worth dusting off and checking out.
I hope you enjoy them:
About Norman Stadler-
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/editorials/0000045.shtml
And the Ironmanlive Internet coverage-
Tom, I like your analogy about your ride being better than having the best tickets in the house for the superbowl. You must have felt like Terrell Davis taking a handoff from Elway !
Looking back on that ride now, riding with Norman Stadler was so incredible. That, along with riding with Scott Molina, a huge hero of mine, was worth the trip to Thailand.
I’m headed back to Thailand in three weeks to do that race again. Hopefully there will be some more spirited training rides like that one. It was one of the best days in my life on the bike.
Speaking of the Terminator, this is what I posted on a local Ottawa Canada Triathlon Forum:
title: Hawaii Ironman: Scott Molina…how cool is this ?
Body:
I was following some of the great racing in Hawaii, but I could not help looking at how the one of the original Big 4, the Terminator, Scott Molina was doing. Molina in his peak in the late 80’s won every major race in the world, including Ironman Hawaii.
Now competing as a masters triathlete, he qualified at Ironman New Zealand and showed up to race in Hawaii, while his compatriots, Allen, Scott and Tinley have moved on to other professions.
While Molina did not have his best day, I was totally impressed that he hung in and finished, likely in one of his slower times ever. On a day when the top pros were keeling over and dropping out like a retreating army, the old master slugged it out and came through in fine style in 12:35. This is what it is all about. These guys did it for the love of sport then and they continue to do it for the same reasons now !
1090 12:35:43 MOLINA, SCOTT CHRISTCHURCH NZL 174/239 M40-44 165 2 35 52:17 1:23 3:37 97 673 6:04:14 18.4 22:21 192 1318 5:13:15 11:58
Wow! Thanks for sharing this with us Paul.
Hah, I re-read that yoou earlier today when I was loooking for your photo of Norman’s Look on the rack in transition.
see you tomorrow.
Julian (leaving) England!
I had the privilidge of riding the lead bike of a local 1/2 ironman where ANDRIY YASTREBOV was the winner. It was really cool. I started marking off his miles and he just kept putting out 6:30 mile after 6:30 mile–and he stopped at every aid station. He was using this as a warm up to Hawaii. It was amazing. And in Hawaii he ran 2:49. If only he could work on his bike he would really be a threat. It is cool to watch the gifted do just what they were made to do.
Good reading. When are you going to start writing again?
What was Norman Stadler riding, and how was it set up?
I never stop writing. I’m just not always publishing. In a typical day I write an absolute minimum of 2000 words, not counting slowtwitch and other stuff.
Very little of what I write anyone ever sees.
Thank you Tom, I hadn’t read those.
I particularly enjoyed your tale of riding with two of the greats, what a magnificent experience that must have been. For a moment there, we mere mortals had a chance to cruise along with you and imagine what that must be like.
Sorry I won’t made Phuket this year, but it makes me all the more determined to be there for next year.
Good luck,
J.
Tom, you’ve got to share more of your words with the world. Those editorials on your site are a great read - same with the bike reviews.
You do a fine job of those things - I just wish there were more of them!