As someone in my early 20’s, fresh off a collegiate running career and getting into triathlon, I became a big fan. Probably because of his cockiness and brash attitude. Still a massive fan of the sport, I find it interesting that in all of the coverage on Kona this year, I don’t think I heard or read ANY mention of the guy. I mean, he’s one of the few 3x champs and seems to go unmentioned.
WHY?
There’s only one Canadian we are allowed to talk about around here 
He and Deboom were the guys when I got into the sport as well in my late teens/early 20s.
If I recall correctly, I think Reid removed himself by choice from public view and is still a bush pilot operating out of BC. I actually looked him up about 4 or 5 months back and couldn’t find anything recent at all though, so who knows.
Definitely a legend who was on the podium 6 of 7 years between 98 and 05. I have the impression that he was an unlikeable character who people didn’t really root for.
“Between 98 and 05” 
Not accusing Peter or anyone else but I have some healthy skepticism about that time period.
Yeah, back when he and Deboom were winning with times nearly an hour slower than last two Konas.
Yes he be ame a small plane pilot, dabbled in MTB recently iirc
I live in Victoria. SQW is still a known name around here for his win of the Sydney Olympics yet barely anyone knows who Reid is.
I ran in to Lori Bowden once at a coffee shop, several years after she retired. I said hi and that I was a fan, and she seemed genuinely startled that someone actually recognized her in her own town!
Gretzky?
Ok two.
I could definitely see how he might not have been liked by his competitors bc he was so focused on winning. I remember an interview he gave, maybe on the NBC broadcast, where he mentions Cam Widoff and how he really didn’t like that guy. I’d assume it was mutual.
I don’t even mean that he’s not mentioned on ST but even in any interview or recount of past champions. I’d honestly forgotten about Bowden as well as she’s never mentioned either.
He gave it to people who openly drafted. At Im oz years ago he gave it to the lead pack for drafting
The changes in bikes, clothing, helmets, nutrition easily accounts for all of that and more. Looking back 20 years ago it’s amazing how ancient it all seems.
Mark allen in 1990 did an 828 to win, those times are reflective of the technology and approach to training.
Having said that Mark has a 240 marathon in 1989 with a 240 that included transition.
Aero technology, advances in tyres, wheels, nutrition plus coaching. You could make the case they trained sub optimal compared to today.
Reid bit like Craig Alexander raced astutely racing to win the race they were in playing to their strengths.
Also Reid wanted to withdraw from triathlon public life, figure people are respectful of that.
I met him in Kona in 2016 while swimming. He was super nice and seemed extremely nonchalant. As others have mentioned, I think he has stepped back from the sport more than most past champions. Lots of past winners are out promoting their coaching businesses, but he just seems to prefer to live a quieter life flying back home.
Just to be fair, Mark Allen also had multiple 8:0x times. 1990 was a slow year. Peter also got most of his podiums AFTER the EPO test came out for Sydney 2000. Before then Peter was being beaten and also Peter had NO 8:0x times at Kona. He raced methodically and steady and bagged wins in races of attrition with a balanced attack in all sports. If Peter raced today, he would be 2 .5 min faster on his swims because we have a shorter swim course today, and 20 min faster on the bike and a few minutes faster on the run because of super shoes. That still puts him a good 25 min behind today’s winners, but hard to compare between eras.
I’m not sure it’s fair to compare between eras. He was clearly a pretty incredible athlete. It’s not just the equipment, but the modern training techniques, recovery methods, etc… I tend to think pretty much all of the legends would still be in the mix in the modern era. Reid’s 2004 run split was better than everybody (In the Top 5) this year except for Lange, so I think that would easily translate into a pretty elite run in the current field. Also, if I’m not mistaken at some point Chris McCormack commented that the last time the winds were bad in Kona was 2004. So if the conditions used to be a little harder, it makes me think that these older guys must be so envious of how the most recent years have played out in terms of weather.
Others with more knowledge can comment, but wasn’t the old course with “The Pit” harder than the current Kona course?
This, I don’t think the genetics of the top people is better than greg welch , mark allen etc.
Training methods, nutrition, technology are all better, much better.
As for wind will leave some one else to look up historical weather, but its always windier in our day and blows a head wind both ways
Having said that doubt too many people today would have bigger bike engines than stadler, hellreigel zack
Peter and Simon had their big wins within a year of one another. Back in those Days, coverage of the IRONMAN was really ONLY in the Triathlon mags of the time. Zero coverage elsewhere other than than the agate results in the Sports Results section of the paper - even when Peter would win the IRONMAN World Championships. Contrast that with when Simon won the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games. It was on the front pages of EVERY Newspaper in the country with an above the fold picture. It was the lead story on the TV NEWS that night. It was not just a Sports Story it was a big NEWS Story. I was asked onto the CBC National TV Breakfast Program of the day, as a Guest, 2 days after, to comment on what this win meant for the sport of Triathlon, for Canada and for Simon?
In other words there was a MASSIVE difference in the exposure of the two results.
Simon’s best buddy/training partner in 2000 when he started achieving results: Lance Armstrong. I’ve always thought it was strange that no one pressed him on this…