Full quote (bold added):
“And I don’t want to just do an ironman. I don’t want to approach it like I approached the marathons. I want to do it as fast as I can.”
I think it’ll be fun to watch. I doubt he’ll win it, but if he’s a year removed from a serious bid at the tour, it’d be fun to watch.
Swim 1:00 at worst I’d guess
Bike 4:15?
a 3:15 marathon puts him at 8:3x. With that scenario, he’d likely be in the lead late in the race. I don’t think the comeback is about the tour.
Actually, he was a pro triathlete as a teenager, putting his winnings in a trust fund to preserve his amateur status for Olympic purposes (per the rules at the time). My, how times have changed.
But I like this. Like most, I’m curious to see how he does in the swim and run with his aerobic engine to drive him, how he conserves energy on the bike.
It was probably figuratively… it made for a good quote.
Anyway, I for one, am looking forward to watching him compete… and its a really high profile name to bring to the sport. If you love triathlon, you should love the exposure Lance can bring to it.
Do we really want this kind of exposure? I mean it’s so hard to get into races now as it is. Would a million more people (no basis for this figure) interested in Ironman be good for AG’s. Imagine flying to your chosen IM destination a year out, renting a car, paying for a hotel, standing in line at 4am and still not getting into the race… Ugh. I’m conflicted. However, I really, really, want to see this! Serioulsly, I can’t wait.
Weird thing is I didn’t read the original link, I read about him wanting to do an IM on another site. Could’ve swore he said what I remebered, but the link in this thread indeed says the opposite.
Kinda glad I was wrong. LA doing an IM just to finish in the top 30% isn’t too interesting to me. LA wanting to compete for the win is.
Styrrell
He did not say he wanted to beat all the pros, just wanted to do well. Seems kinda silly to assume that LA can’t accomplish his goals.
Do we really want this kind of exposure? I mean it's so hard to get into races now as it is. Would a million more people (no basis for this figure) interested in Ironman be good for AG's. Imagine flying to your chosen IM destination a year out, renting a car, paying for a hotel, standing in line at 4am and still not getting into the race... Ugh. I'm conflicted. However, I really, really, want to see this! Serioulsly, I can't wait.
If it gets that much exposure, and blows up the sport, are you assuming there will still be the same amount of races?
there was this link with the odd shower, blowdry, 10K comments
BTW Lance ran NYC in 2:46. That is faster than most pro athletes have run a standalone marathon.
Maybe his goal will be to win his age group as I can not see him racing Pro but I can see him racing 40-44 and winning or placing in that age group. I honestly see him riding up to the Pro’s on the bike but when it comes to the run he will be running for 1st place in his age group.
I doubt he would even be the first to T2.
I like Lance. I’ve read his books and always thought he was clean. He was a great cyclist. I just have doubts about him being highly motivated to do well in an IM, similar to his lack of motivation to give it his best in his marathon attempts. Not only would he not be close to the tops pros, he likely wouldn’t even place in his age group.
Perhaps if he really trained hard he could be in the mix, but I really don’t see that happening.
Do we really want this kind of exposure? I mean it’s so hard to get into races now as it is. Would a million more people (no basis for this figure) interested in Ironman be good for AG’s. Imagine flying to your chosen IM destination a year out, renting a car, paying for a hotel, standing in line at 4am and still not getting into the race… Ugh. I’m conflicted. However, I really, really, want to see this! Serioulsly, I can’t wait.
If it gets that much exposure, and blows up the sport, are you assuming there will still be the same amount of races?
Yes, I guess I am assuming that. I suppose a good deal of the draw to M-dot races are the Kona slots. Or is it that they are “official Ironman” races? Probably the latter for most people. But as it is now, official M-dot races offer Kona slots, and those cannot be expaned to infinity. So yeah, I guess there would have to be fewer slots at each race if more races are added, or there would have to be M-dot races that offer no Kona slots. But I think this has been discussed on ST before.
Two words. Steve Larsen. The only difference is that LA was a swimmer, is as good or better on the bike and has run a 2:42 marathon. I hate people who just jump on the LA bandwagon but to simply bash him because he is who he is just sucks.
BTW Lance ran NYC in 2:46. That is faster than most pro athletes have run a standalone marathon.
Just as an aside, many top Ironman athletes have never run a standalone marathon. Their is a bit of a message there! 
If lance does an IM it will be great exposure for the sport! I really hope he follows through. If he tries to be competitive people from all around the world will watch it. There might even be live coverage. Who knows, maybe NBC will even air their coverage more than once!
I doubt he would even be the first to T2.
That’s a possibility. There have been a number of former top Pro Roadies who have had a go at the Ironman ( Albeit all those guys and a girl if you include Karen Thurig where not at Armstrongs level), with much fanfare and their bikes splits were not that extraordinary. Fast, but not #1. I think they realized that it’s three sports!
Actually, he was a pro triathlete as a teenager, putting his winnings in a trust fund to preserve his amateur status for Olympic purposes (per the rules at the time). My, how times have changed.
But I like this. Like most, I’m curious to see how he does in the swim and run with his aerobic engine to drive him, how he conserves energy on the bike.
True. I thought for some reason his first couple of years (~ 15 or so) were amateur, then around 17 he competed for a year or two as a pro. But, that was 20 odd years ago, I don’t remember specifics. 
John
I do not think he would be first off the bike but if he was start, we would ride up to the lead pro pack and ride with them. No matter how you cut it, there is an advantage to being in that front group. Not first of the bike but first age grouper for sure.
NBC wouldn’t know what to do about its coverage!
Bye bye human interest stories. Instead, most of the race will be broadcast from Lance’s helmet cam!
nah, they probably come with a mini series
.
If his training goes well (and he actually does do it) my money is on him hitting T2 in first or very very close to first. If he is calling his training for a 2:47 marathon casual (paraphrasing), I 've got to believe that he thinks he can compete for the win. Everything athletically he has ever done has either been to win (first go round at tri, cycling) or casual (running, mtb).
With his ego I don’t see him stating that he wants to take a race seriously and thinks he can’t a least compete with the best, particularly when he could compete with the best at 16 or 17 years old.
Styrrell