They just don't make them

Triathlon Forum
1

…like they used to.

explains maybe why kenny souza was unbeatable for 5 straight years, and at 51 minutes up palomar was much better than any multisport cyclist, ever, and no one has ever come close since.

he (after getting fat and staying that way for 10 years and now deciding to get back into shape) went on a 100 mile ride with paul thomas two days ago, from san diego, to orange county and back.

partway in, the dares and bets started. they kept riding, tho paul had one set of clothing, no money, no credit card, no ID. they ended up in san dimas, 122 miles later, and stayed at kenny’s parents house.

yesterday they rode to pasadena, then over angeles forest hwy and to here (about 95 miles, net 4000’ elevation gain, 3 times that much overall elevation). they stayed at monty’s last night, monty told them to borrow his van and drive home and bring it back some other time.

instead they got up this morning, left at 6:30, rode up to the top of the angeles crest (8000’), tho the road was closed and snow covered parts of it, then down the other side to azusa (over another closed road covered with debris, hwy 39), then down to san dimas, and out to the coast at long beach, turned left, kept riding, and just pulled in to san diego. 175 miles.

last night paul had big blisters on his feet. i lent him some second skin in a spray can. he stole it, took it with him (3rd day riding, same clothes) and halfway throught the ride sprayed it on his raw crotch. “worst pain i ever felt in my life,” sez he, “kenny almost couldn’t ride he was laughing so hard.”

that’s the mentality it takes to be a champ, and the brain’s still there even if you’re not a pro any longer.

2

I rode 20 miles tonight. A few good rollers :). Then I helped put the kids to bed.

Maybe in 15 years I can have such excursions…

3

Yupper…even an old dog loves to chace the rabbit…

4

Studly. Very studly. Although some would argue about what parts of their brains are really left active after all these years. Especially with the second skin spray on a raw crotch idea. Maybe he just needed a wakeup.

Question is, will Kenny still wear the male thong/man bra outfit? Not that there’s anything wrong with that… especially if you win every race.

5

…

that’s the mentality it takes to be a champ, and the brain’s still there even if you’re not a pro any longer.

Even though it is very very impressive, I’d say riding ~400miles in three days, while not in great shape isn’t the smartest thing in the world. They are asking for injury.

6

“They are asking for injury.”

sure. yes. but this is the thing that set the old timers apart. from tom warren forward, exemplified by molina, furthered by tinley and kenny. and they all trained together. tinley and kenny out for 10X400, then “how 'bout another?” neither wanting to give in. 40 quarters later, well, maybe you get injured, but if not you win kona.

people are too protective of themselves these days. the old guys, that’s why 8:10 instead of 8:30, 2:08 instead of 2:14.

7

I agree with your theory Slowman. What an awesome ride. Pretty sure I saw them on the Crest (climbing) just above La Canada as I was coming down. Maximum respect to those two.

8

That is the text book definition of “rockin’ it old school”. and I promise to never use that phrase again.

9

Thanks for the story Slowman, did my heart good. A little different than the Kitty thread where they advised only a 10% increase in milage. Sounds like something out of the Skid files.

10

“Pretty sure I saw them on the Crest (climbing) just above La Canada as I was coming down.”

that would’ve been yesterday. they rode up the crest from la canada, left on angeles forest. today they rode the crest from the wrightwood side, over dawson, down to islip saddle (all closed road) then down #39.

on another note, sojourner rode the “loop” today, the 90 miles if you don’t segue the 1.5mi each way to and from our house. big pines hwy to the crest, up and over, upper big tujunga cyn cut-off, angeles forest to mt. emma, to fort tejon, and back. 5hr flat. big time ride. 10,500’ of climbing, and still 18mph average over rocks and dirt and snowbanks. joe’s got the same mentality.

oh, and yes, joe, i am still thinking everest challenge. really the only race that interests me this year (not the only one i’ll do, i want to run some footraces too, but it’s the one thing on the bike i want to do).

12

Souza ruled.

13

“51’ up Palomar?”

At an interview last year, at our local bike shop, Floyd Landis said he does it in 51-52’ or so.

14

Slowman…

Dares and bets: tell them to come join me in Mexico in November :slight_smile: they are doing the training for it, and it would be sweet to see what the good old boys could do–pretty sure they could pull it off (wicked fast) with very little prepwork. Let them know a girl ‘dared’ them. I will freely buy the tequilla and cigars for post race and let them drink it in front of me while it takes me 2 days longer. Or they could do it real ultra style and consume during the event. I have no bets to offer, just dares.

PLEASE place diaper rash ointment in your medicine cabinet…that would have saved the crotch, and some good vasoline. As for the blisters, you should have told him to just duct tape it, he wouldn’t have felt anything anymore.

Very happy to hear Souza is getting serious again.

15

Slowman, you’ve got to be kidding… You mean they weren’t watching their HR, adjusting their Garmin gps, fumbling with the mirror on their helment, they were actually training hard?? You mean, train fast to get fast?? WOW, the good ole days. I wondered today why you never see the Kenyans doing the “pose” method of running or wearing a HR monitor??

16

Yes it was yesterday that i saw them.

This post reminded me of another Souza bet. Pacific Shoreline marathon 8 + years ago. They also had a 8K. Long story short the announcer bet Souza he would not run the 8K. Souza was working as a Clif Bar rep (not there to race), he jumped in the race in street clothes and proceeded to tear up the field crushing them!

Question, when they left San Diego, how long did they think they were out for?

17

When they left, it was for a five hour ride or so. I rode out Mt. Emma to meet them yesterday, about a 45 mile ride for me, which is about a third of my recent weekely mileage. When I met them, Kenny was in full bonk. I played with him up the hill, dropped him like a bad girlfriend on the downhills, and took much pleasure in just punishing him. He had eaten 4 fig newtons and 2 gels all day. I had an extra gel and was feeling sorry for the kid, and gave it to him. 30 minutes later, Paul put the hammer down, and I was gapped like a three dollar whore. Kenny rode around me and bridged, and I finally made it back. Figured I put the final hurt on Kenny on the last 1 mile climb. Paul set the pro pace once again, now I’m a one dollar whore, and Kenny just dances up the hill like a columbian on coke. I was humbled in the presence of greatness, and now know that Kenny gets about 30 miles to the gel…

18

…

that’s the mentality it takes to be a champ, and the brain’s still there even if you’re not a pro any longer.

Even though it is very very impressive, I’d say riding ~400miles in three days, while not in great shape isn’t the smartest thing in the world. They are asking for injury.

I think the “brain” must be a little cracked to spray second skin on severe chafing. On the other hand once the pain crosses a certain threshold it tends to just go numb.

I think it must be a generational thing because none of that really sounds that crazy to me. Death rides will certainly be some of the highlights laying on my death bed someday and I am planning another one Saturday.

Nothing more satisfying that seeing what this funky bunch of biomachinery can really do. Ok it might not be that satisfying until you come out of the coma the next day, but then it’s great. I can’t even remember the final parts of some of the rides I have done - just a gap between wishing I would fall over and die so it would stop and stumbling through the door in a daze. Man I can’t wait!

19

Yeah about the brain…I remember Olaf talking about Kenny Souza showing one year in Zofingen wearing a speedo and a singlet when it was 3c at the start…maybe these long rides did affect the brain…
KS DNFed that year…i think to date, it was the coldest day Zofingen had.

20

this entire thread has left my laughing and smiling while reading it. Thanks Dan!

I didn’t come from an endurance sport background, but as a 41 year old, can still relate to my high school days when we would wake up, ride bike to school (3.5 miles), have tennis practice from 8-10am, go inside for basketball practice from 10-noon, ride home and eat lunch, ride back for summer league baseball, play a game or two, ride home, eat, and then end up on someone’s driveway until 1am playing brutal “no foul” games of 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 until our joints just locked up (or someone twisted an ankle, or someone got gashed in the forehead by an elbow and we had to stop to go to the store to get a bandage because we didn’t know where our moms kept them :slight_smile:

Playing until passing out…amongst dares and bets (the biggest motivator of all time ;-)…ah yes…I do love this stuff

21

I love when people have the guts to dare to fail.

Ya never find your limits if ya don’t push them from time to time. Some days your limits will push you, but often enough, you will be the one pushing the limts back. Regardless of where your limits are, it’s fun to push them, like a sleeping dog (sorry for the dog abuse refernce Dan) just to see what happens.

Go hard or go home. :slight_smile:

(The advantage the old guys have is they have pushed their limits often enough that they know what they can do on any given day, even if they’re not trained or fit)