Running stage race?

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve gotten my parents hooked on le tour. It’s pretty funny to hear them talking about tactics and whatnot.

Anyway, my dad had the idea of a running stage race. 15-30 miles per day, with intermediate sprints, climbs, etc.

Obviously the biggest hurdle would be recovery, so there would probably need to be many more rest days than in a cycling race. But aside from that, I think it’s a neat idea, and I think it would be fascinating to watch. What kind of people would compete, and who would win? I would think that some world-class marathoners could get a little team together to help them through, just like Lance does.

I think it’d be cool. What do you think?

-Colin

2

marathon des sables is sort of set up like a stage race.

but a real one (with 1000m TTs, xc-races, long road stages, intermediate primes etc) would be super-wicked.

ditto a triathlon stage race, though i think this was tried with the IronTour in france (though i know nothing about the irontour.)

-mike

3

There is something like this in Jacksonville, FL, in August though the distances are a bit more achievable: Tour de Pain.

4

I remember a story (fictional, set in the 30’s or something like that) about a race across America that was a running stage race. Included the politics of the race, near bankrupcy, etc. It was a good read. It would be cool to have something like that (though I have NO itchings to participate). And who would win? Some as yet unknown Ethiopian…