The Tri Town Times: 10/14/19

• Posted on 14 October 2019
• By Antonio Gonzalez
• Posted in the tri town times
• 0

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

- 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.