Has Lionel ever “seen the light” on weight lifting? Maybe that can be the next character arc-- Olympic weight lifting to build muscle mass and improve swim, bike, run power.
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CrossFit Games 2024… Hyrox World Championships 2025…The Ultimate Fighter 2026
John- Lionel has gone to ero to see Jim. He also had Ivan Ogorman and Canyon with him too. Ivan ran the testing, Jim was just there to help and supplied the equipment and location IIRC.
That was a few years ago… 2021? And then a few weeks ago, Lionel shits all over the testing in one of his videos and says the testing was crap and he never got any good data as the test protocol is outdated. From what I remember, they did velodrome and outdoor testing with the aero lab stick. Now he thinks wind tunnel testing is the answer to his problems. I’m not convinced he’s as aero as a brick as he thinks he is. Personally, I think he’s got an issue with his power meter reading high. And wind tunnel testing isn’t the answer. I’ve seen too many people go into the tunnel and come out with a super fast position but then they can’t hold that position on the road.
The guy doesn’t listen to anyone even some of the best minds of the sport. He’s fired just about everyone that has ever helped him. His ego is too big. He thinks he knows more than them and knows what’s best for him. While I do think that everyone needs to be an advocate for themselves and knows their body better than anyone else, Lionel lacks self awareness to his fatal flaws that have been holding him back.
Swim is all about form & technique not engine -i don’t agree with this - it is actually all about swim specific engine and specific swim strength
Exactly, swimming is all about swim-specific strength and power.
How did we already let this thread fall 4 pages off the front page? Also, shouldn’t have all/most of the discussion/arguing regarding the DQ at Lahti been in this thread?
Anyways, I’ll vote to send Lionel to the Crossfit games, I would love to watch that.
Lionel’s vid on the 70.3 DQ: https://youtu.be/WkuhnRoESJk?si=UMUc19hkJNHeNY7q
Not typically an LS fan, but the fact that he takes time to engage with an AGer while in the penalty tent and congratulate her on her race is class.
Not pro or anti LS - but I do find him interesting, a self-made celebrity in our little world. Props for that. But this video was hard for me to watch. Yes, he is a grown-ass man and this sport is his game - he needs to know the rules about how to dispute a ruling. He needs to pay attention to the color of the card/what the referee is saying. His GPS tracks ‘justifying’ his line are pretty unbelievable - too smooth, too precise. Still, his emotions seem real to me. I don’t know where I come down on the DSQ for crossing an ‘imaginary’ centerline - but, c’mon, there’s evidence that other athletes were on the other side of a marked centerline without penalty. Even if we recognize that referees can’t be everywhere and that video evidence isn’t admissible ‘in court’ post hoc - put yourself in LS shoes. It sucks. And he is a bigger person for not showing those infractions by other athletes in this video. He acknowledges that he wasn’t fit enough to win, but maybe top 5. That seems credible to me, if he does not hang around the penalty tent for 5 min congratulating AGers, waiting for IM to identify his infraction and having his motivation erased. And a top 5 is a big deal for him right now. IM needs a better strategy review infractions. A GoPro on the helmet of every referee for after-the-race video review? Sorry, LS, IM did you wrong IMO.
He said he admits to not seeing the color of the penalty card and then states that he thought it was blue.
Then he states that he didn’t realize that crossing an imaginary center line was a rule. Then he states that he believed that if he had not crossed the center line that it would have been very dangerous because he would have forced athletes he passed off their line.
Lastly he states that he wasn’t made “very well aware†of the center line rule†at the briefing.
He did seem honest but boy that’s a lot of excuses.
That was a professional not an age grouper…
He said he admits to not seeing the color of the penalty card and then states that he thought it was blue.
Then he states that he didn’t realize that crossing an imaginary center line was a rule. Then he states that he believed that if he had not crossed the center line that it would have been very dangerous because he would have forced athletes he passed off their line.
Lastly he states that he wasn’t made “very well aware†of the center line rule†at the briefing.
He did seem honest but boy that’s a lot of excuses.
You’re either intentionally being obtuse or really not understanding the situation. Guessing the first one but I’ll try and give the benefit of the doubt.
Every pro knows the center line rule as it’s written. Top ton bottom. It specifically mentions a solid line, which obviously implies two way traffic. Check it out yourself and report back.
No one would have quoted that rule when traveling on an unlined, narrow, one way road. No one. Hence so many other pros crossing the “imaginary line” (and real ones) frequently in that same race.
He said he admits to not seeing the color of the penalty card and then states that he thought it was blue.
Then he states that he didn’t realize that crossing an imaginary center line was a rule. Then he states that he believed that if he had not crossed the center line that it would have been very dangerous because he would have forced athletes he passed off their line.
Lastly he states that he wasn’t made “very well aware†of the center line rule†at the briefing.
He did seem honest but boy that’s a lot of excuses.
You’re either intentionally being obtuse or really not understanding the situation. Guessing the first one but I’ll try and give the benefit of the doubt.
Every pro knows the center line rule as it’s written. Top ton bottom. It specifically mentions a solid line, which obviously implies two way traffic. Check it out yourself and report back.
No one would have quoted that rule when traveling on an unlined, narrow, one way road. No one. Hence so many other pros crossing the “imaginary line” (and real ones) frequently in that same race.
I stated what he stated and offered my opinion that he had a lot of excuses. He’s a professional YouTuber and you’re a fanboy - neither of which are wrong.
That was a professional not an age grouper…
She states that she won her AG.
Well we have our answer, you’re a bit of both then. Hahaha
Jan would be a fanboy too in your estimation?
He may be. If so, good on him.
Oh yes… the volunteer… Sorry I thought it was the professional on the bike. My bad 
Some nice words from Mark Allen:
As time marches on and the world evolves, I catch myself unconsciously doing the “then and now†comparison about life. You know how it goes. The past gets remembered as a time when everything was simpler, and today looks like an exhausted landscape where you always feel like you are playing catchup. But then I shake off the fog of reverie and remind myself that the “good old days†were never as good as I remembered, and that the present day is actually pretty cool even with its demands.
It’s the same for me remembering the days gone by in sports. There are always the heroes of our past that warm our soul when we think of them and what they brought to the world. These are the athletes who embody qualities that never fail to remind us of what we, as human beings are capable of. One athlete today stands out in my mind as a living embodiment of everything needed to be considered a hero of grand proportions. That athlete is Lionel Sanders.
The first thing I think of when I watch Lionel race is that he is not so much racing as he is daring everyone else to race him on his terms. And “his terms†means nothing gets left out on the course. Don’t hate me for saying what a lot of people think. Lionel is not the most graceful or gifted. He is definitely not going to be featured on form videos. But what he may lack in grace, he more than makes up for in grit.
If I were racing today I would lose sleep over ever trying to pass Lionel. Even if he’s not on and I had the chance to slip by him, I would fear the price I would have to pay to make that pass. He never makes it easy! Lionel treats athletes in front of him and athletes coming up on his shoulder like they insulted his family. I love that.
The second thing I love about Lionel is his work ethic. I’ve watched him get smarter over the years about his recovery, but when it comes time to put down a ten-out-of-ten workday he is still frightening both in his intensity and his unwillingness to hold anything back.
In my time the work ethic was not about numbers that could be measured, but by the amount of pain accumulated over the course of a tough workout. Guys like Dave Scott and Scott Molina were legendary in being able to extract the utmost by that gauge staying just one step shy of downright torture. They were legendary for venturing out over the pain and suffering ledge. But I’ll bet if they were here at the peak of their careers today, Lionel would be right with them and probably then some.
The final thing on my list, but by no means the end of my list of things I admire about Lionel, is his integrity. In a sports landscape where every word and every image seems to bear the watermark of a PR and social media team, Lionel says what he means and means what he says. More impressive than when he calls out someone or something is how when he feels he has wavered himself, he looks into the mirror and calls himself out. Never once in my experience of Lionel has he ever failed to stand up and take responsibility for his own mistakes and missteps. Not a quality in abundance today and one that I hold as a non-negotiable for elevating someone into the “greatness†category.
Something else I hold dear is that I want to make sure that I say everything I have to say to and about people while we’re all here. I want the people I care about to know I care. I want the people I learn from to know I remember them, and I want the people I admire to know I admire them. Lionel, this one’s for you!
Some nice words from Mark Allen:
As time marches on and the world evolves, I catch myself unconsciously doing the “then and now†comparison about life. You know how it goes. The past gets remembered as a time when everything was simpler, and today looks like an exhausted landscape where you always feel like you are playing catchup. But then I shake off the fog of reverie and remind myself that the “good old days†were never as good as I remembered, and that the present day is actually pretty cool even with its demands.
It’s the same for me remembering the days gone by in sports. There are always the heroes of our past that warm our soul when we think of them and what they brought to the world. These are the athletes who embody qualities that never fail to remind us of what we, as human beings are capable of. One athlete today stands out in my mind as a living embodiment of everything needed to be considered a hero of grand proportions. That athlete is Lionel Sanders.
The first thing I think of when I watch Lionel race is that he is not so much racing as he is daring everyone else to race him on his terms. And “his terms†means nothing gets left out on the course. Don’t hate me for saying what a lot of people think. Lionel is not the most graceful or gifted. He is definitely not going to be featured on form videos. But what he may lack in grace, he more than makes up for in grit.
If I were racing today I would lose sleep over ever trying to pass Lionel. Even if he’s not on and I had the chance to slip by him, I would fear the price I would have to pay to make that pass. He never makes it easy! Lionel treats athletes in front of him and athletes coming up on his shoulder like they insulted his family. I love that.
The second thing I love about Lionel is his work ethic. I’ve watched him get smarter over the years about his recovery, but when it comes time to put down a ten-out-of-ten workday he is still frightening both in his intensity and his unwillingness to hold anything back.
In my time the work ethic was not about numbers that could be measured, but by the amount of pain accumulated over the course of a tough workout. Guys like Dave Scott and Scott Molina were legendary in being able to extract the utmost by that gauge staying just one step shy of downright torture. They were legendary for venturing out over the pain and suffering ledge. But I’ll bet if they were here at the peak of their careers today, Lionel would be right with them and probably then some.
The final thing on my list, but by no means the end of my list of things I admire about Lionel, is his integrity. In a sports landscape where every word and every image seems to bear the watermark of a PR and social media team, Lionel says what he means and means what he says. More impressive than when he calls out someone or something is how when he feels he has wavered himself, he looks into the mirror and calls himself out. Never once in my experience of Lionel has he ever failed to stand up and take responsibility for his own mistakes and missteps. Not a quality in abundance today and one that I hold as a non-negotiable for elevating someone into the “greatness†category.
Something else I hold dear is that I want to make sure that I say everything I have to say to and about people while we’re all here. I want the people I care about to know I care. I want the people I learn from to know I remember them, and I want the people I admire to know I admire them. Lionel, this one’s for you!
What beautiful and well deserved words
I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have someone such as Mark Allen say such amazing things about you
His conduct in that penalty tent in Lahti spoke volumes. At a moment when he must have known that a good result at his major goal for the year was essentially over, he treated everyone in that tent with a kind of athletic grace, including asking that volunteer age grouper about HER race the day before.
I’m 67 years old, been in the sport for 40 years and I’m damn impressed.
That was awesome, and well deserved.
Some nice words from Mark Allen:
As time marches on and the world evolves, I catch myself unconsciously doing the “then and now†comparison about life. You know how it goes. The past gets remembered as a time when everything was simpler, and today looks like an exhausted landscape where you always feel like you are playing catchup. But then I shake off the fog of reverie and remind myself that the “good old days†were never as good as I remembered, and that the present day is actually pretty cool even with its demands.
It’s the same for me remembering the days gone by in sports. There are always the heroes of our past that warm our soul when we think of them and what they brought to the world. These are the athletes who embody qualities that never fail to remind us of what we, as human beings are capable of. One athlete today stands out in my mind as a living embodiment of everything needed to be considered a hero of grand proportions. That athlete is Lionel Sanders.
The first thing I think of when I watch Lionel race is that he is not so much racing as he is daring everyone else to race him on his terms. And “his terms†means nothing gets left out on the course. Don’t hate me for saying what a lot of people think. Lionel is not the most graceful or gifted. He is definitely not going to be featured on form videos. But what he may lack in grace, he more than makes up for in grit.
If I were racing today I would lose sleep over ever trying to pass Lionel. Even if he’s not on and I had the chance to slip by him, I would fear the price I would have to pay to make that pass. He never makes it easy! Lionel treats athletes in front of him and athletes coming up on his shoulder like they insulted his family. I love that.
The second thing I love about Lionel is his work ethic. I’ve watched him get smarter over the years about his recovery, but when it comes time to put down a ten-out-of-ten workday he is still frightening both in his intensity and his unwillingness to hold anything back.
In my time the work ethic was not about numbers that could be measured, but by the amount of pain accumulated over the course of a tough workout. Guys like Dave Scott and Scott Molina were legendary in being able to extract the utmost by that gauge staying just one step shy of downright torture. They were legendary for venturing out over the pain and suffering ledge. But I’ll bet if they were here at the peak of their careers today, Lionel would be right with them and probably then some.
The final thing on my list, but by no means the end of my list of things I admire about Lionel, is his integrity. In a sports landscape where every word and every image seems to bear the watermark of a PR and social media team, Lionel says what he means and means what he says. More impressive than when he calls out someone or something is how when he feels he has wavered himself, he looks into the mirror and calls himself out. Never once in my experience of Lionel has he ever failed to stand up and take responsibility for his own mistakes and missteps. Not a quality in abundance today and one that I hold as a non-negotiable for elevating someone into the “greatness†category.
Something else I hold dear is that I want to make sure that I say everything I have to say to and about people while we’re all here. I want the people I care about to know I care. I want the people I learn from to know I remember them, and I want the people I admire to know I admire them. Lionel, this one’s for you!
What are the odds the Mark could be the one person in the world that could coach Lionel?
He’s the one coach who Lionel would have to listen to because Mark has been there and done that. He knows what it takes, knows what makes Lionel tick, and I would hope would instantly command Lionel’s respect.
Wishful thinking…I want Lionel to pull it all together for one last magical Kona triumph.
My thoughts exactly and couldn’t have said it better-- his professionalism and composure given the circumstances speaks volumes for this character.