The Tri Town Times: 10/14/19

The Tri Town Times: 10/14/19

Ironman World Championships and marathon records fall; Kona bike count; hilarious race report.

Hi all,
 
Thank you to everyone who attended our Kona viewing party. The food and drinks were great, the company even better, and as always the race did not disappoint.
 
Now down to business, here is your weekly TT Times newsletter:
 
Weekend Race Report-
This weekend was historic for the endurance sports scene for many reasons:

- The Ironman World Championships in Kona is by far the biggest event on the triathlon calendar, with all the build up and suspense you'd expect from a race of this stature. This year's race saw Gold medalist and 2x Ironman World Champion Jan Frodeno break the men's record with a finishing time of 7:51:13. Anne Haug became the first female Ironman World Champion from Germany with a winning time of 8:40:10.

- Last year's champions Patrick Lange and Daniella Ryf both had off days, with Patrick dropping out on the bike, and Daniella finishing in 13th place.

- Kenyan Eluid Kipchoge, who currently holds the marathon world record of 2:01:39, broke the 2hr barrier this weekend in Vienna with a finishing time of 1:59:40. His time does not count as an official record because it was not set in competition. In some ways this run is as much a triumph of pacing and scienceas it is human performance: 41 dedicated run pacers, a pace car with lasers to set a drafting distance and pacer formation, and drink providers on bikes all assisted in breaking this barrier. The net result: a .8% improvement. Nonetheless, it's amazing to watch someone run an average of <4min 34sec for 26.2 miles. I hope this inspires the world's other top runners, much like Roger Bannister did in 1954, and opens to the gates to in-competition times below the 2hr mark.

- The Chicago Marathon saw the women's marathon record (set in 2003 by Paula Radcliffe) fall by over a minute by Kenyan Brigid Kosgei. The new record is now 2:14:04, a time only bested by 22 men at the race, and a time that would have been a men's world record if set in 1964.

 
Events We're Looking Forward To-
70.3 Arizona is this Sunday in Tempe.
 
Gear That Caught Our Attention-
The always interesting Kona Bike Count is out. What makes this article fascinating is the concentration of highly dedicated athletes who are racing on mostly personally-purchased equipment (some of the amateurs are sponsored, but they're the exception, not the rule). And so the Kona Bike Count is viewed as a window into the trends and purchasing habits of the triathlon industry as a whole.
 
Popular Social Post-
I love reading post-race reports for insights and tips from some of the world's greatest athletes. But few make me laugh as much as top swim/biker Josh Amberger's Kona report.
 
Quote that Struck a Chord-
"Education is not the learning of facts but training of the mind to think." Albert Einstein
 
Have a great week!
 
Antonio G
Tri Town
(77)

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