“I could do an Ironman, no training.” (Page 5)

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Baowolf

2010-10-25 10:57 AM

in reply to: #3168970

Elite

5316

Alturas, California

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

Never like when folks don't respect the distance, do something like this, maybe get a lot of press and then it encourages other folks to "test themselves" without training for the event and get hurt or worse. Those who contribute towards putting others in harms way does not impress me. I know it as not his intention, but on the other hand if you want to do a thing train for it. An IM is serious enough a thing that those who are not as active as he was will think, bah I don't have to train, I will just suck it up and get er done..... my 2 coppers.

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Marvarnett

2010-10-25 11:16 AM

in reply to: #3170435

Champion

6962

Atlanta, Ga

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

Baowolf - 2010-10-25 11:57 AM Never like when folks don't respect the distance, do something like this, maybe get a lot of press and then it encourages other folks to "test themselves" without training for the event and get hurt or worse. Those who contribute towards putting others in harms way does not impress me. I know it as not his intention, but on the other hand if you want to do a thing train for it. An IM is serious enough a thing that those who are not as active as he was will think, bah I don't have to train, I will just suck it up and get er done..... my 2 coppers.

I see your point, but the reality of it is that while I respect the IM distance, it's not this impossible feat that people put it up to be.

It's 3:00/100
13.5 mph avg
15+ min/mile

That gets you 17 hrs.

Was this guy an 'anonomoly'? Sort of becuase he had a huge aerobic engine. But to say people can't just go out and complete an IM without putting in 20+ hrs and all this huge training, is simply wrong. Note the complete part.

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thndrcloud

2010-10-25 11:40 AM

in reply to: #3170174

Extreme Veteran

612

Chicago-ish

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

mmrocker13 - 2010-10-25 9:29 AM

I'm a MOP sprinter and I'll bet any of you that I could play an entire soccer game with a competitive team.

Frankly, I think it would be "easier" (more feasible, I guess, is a better term) to walk out and do an IM than it would be to try and play a full game of soccer with a competitive team.

The IM is just going to take putting one foot in front of the other for 17 hours (give or take). It's not something that most able-bodied people CAN'T do, if they needed to.

Soccer, OTOH, takes a level of explosive speed plus endurance, agility, and skill that requires training for most folks.

You're still missing my point. Soccer takes all those things that you mentioned to be played WELL. I never said I'd play well. I think you're misunderstanding me saying that I could play with a competitive team as me saying that I would earn the right to play with them which I couldn't without a lot of training and a miracle.

I would absolutely not be able to score a goal. I'd likely trip over the ball trying to dribble it down the field. I might be able to pass in the right general direction if no one was guarding me. I wouldn't be very competitive but I could absolutely run up and down the field for the entire game.

Finishing IM on no specific training with an unimpressive time = running up and down a soccer field for an entire game with some pathetic attempts at kicking the ball in the right direction.

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dinabean

2010-10-25 11:44 AM

in reply to: #3170577

Extreme Veteran

552

Wesley Chapel, Florida

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

Finishing IM on no specific training with an unimpressive time = running up and down a soccer field for an entire game with some pathetic attempts at kicking the ball in the right direction.

I guess this is where I disagree with you. I think that finishing an iron distance race, even with an "unimpressive time," is impressive just for the sheer ability to put one foot in front of the other for 15 and a half hours. Maybe it's because I am slow and fat, but that unimpressive time is still very impressive to me. There are people who put in years of training and still don't make the cutoffs.

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TriMyBest

2010-10-25 11:51 AM

in reply to: #3168970

Pro

6011

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

My only real comment about it is that I don't think he proved the point that he thinks he did. His blog said he wanted to prove that soccer players are the most-fit athletes in the world, and he would prove it by completing an IM. IMO, what he actually proved is that he is an elite athlete, who would be likely to do well in any sport he attempts. I don't think finishing an IM in 15:30 on virtually no tri-specific training would be within reach for the average soccer player. I'm not being critical, just voicing my opinion.

Kudos to him, though, for sticking with it throughout the race, and raising money for a worthy charity.

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jldicarlo

2010-10-25 12:23 PM

in reply to: #3169961

Champion

8766

Evergreen, Colorado

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

AndrewMT - 2010-10-25 8:25 AM I think we also have to realize the benefit of ignorance. Those of us that hear about and talk about 140.6 races on a regular basis probably build it up to be more difficult than it is. We respect the distance and put in the work to make it achievable. This guy probably didn't realize he "should have" been intimidated by the distance. That's a big mental hurdle that he didn't have to face.

Bottom line, he's in top aerobic shape, so even without the specificity, he was able to push through. Good for him!

There's definitely something to the mental side. My first triathlon was a half-ironman. I looked at the distances and thought to myself, "Well, I've done those distances individually, how hard could it be to put them all together?" I didn't have anyone to sit there and talk me out of it. I just decided to do it. And while I did train, I still didn't know I was doing something crazy until people at the race kept saying, "You're doing this for your first triathlon?" I was slow, but I finished that race. 90% of Ironman is having the guts to step up to the line and then just keep moving forward all day. There will always be people who train their butt off and still DNF. And along the same lines there will always be moderately fit people who will undertrain but still finish just by sheer force of will.

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Pector55

2010-10-25 12:29 PM

in reply to: #3170635

Champion

5376

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

TriMyBest - 2010-10-25 12:51 PM My only real comment about it is that I don't think he proved the point that he thinks he did. His blog said he wanted to prove that soccer players are the most-fit athletes in the world, and he would prove it by completing an IM. IMO, what he actually proved is that he is an elite athlete, who would be likely to do well in any sport he attempts. I don't think finishing an IM in 15:30 on virtually no tri-specific training would be within reach for the average soccer player. I'm not being critical, just voicing my opinion.

Kudos to him, though, for sticking with it throughout the race, and raising money for a worthy charity.

Good point. While I like what he did, he didn't prove anything about soccer players being the "best" anything. The problem is that we would all need to agree on what subset of "athlete" he is specifically meaning. In my opinion you are going to have to measure more than just endurance events. A decathlon is a better measure of athleticism than a triathlon IMO.

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Scout7

2010-10-25 12:34 PM

in reply to: #3168970

Runner

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

Good for him. Good for the charity he gave money to.

Other than that, what does it matter?

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thndrcloud

2010-10-25 1:09 PM

in reply to: #3170606

Extreme Veteran

612

Chicago-ish

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

dinabean - 2010-10-25 11:44 AM

Finishing IM on no specific training with an unimpressive time = running up and down a soccer field for an entire game with some pathetic attempts at kicking the ball in the right direction.

Unimpressive when you consider his capabilities and potential. Setting a goal you know you can meet without even trying (or training) isn't particularly notable. Someone who worked hard but missed the swim cutoff one year only to come back and miss the bike cutoff the next year is amazing even though they still didn't finish the race. Will power, tenacity, humility and determination are impressive.

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Chaderbox

2010-10-25 1:14 PM

in reply to: #3170715

On your right

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

Pector55 - 2010-10-25 1:29 PM

With the variety of sports out there, it's going to really be tough to say you're the "best" because you're great at your sport. Would a top level soccer person be a useful baseball player, or pole vaulter, or syncrhonized diving, or fencing? Athletes that run are good at running, amazing.

I'm not quite sure he proved anything other than he has plenty of determination, although one could argue that he's already proven that by getting to the level he is in soccer.

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tealeaf

2010-10-25 1:37 PM

in reply to: #3170831

Sneaky Slow

8694

Herndon, VA,

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

thndrcloud - 2010-10-25 2:09 PM

dinabean - 2010-10-25 11:44 AM

Finishing IM on no specific training with an unimpressive time = running up and down a soccer field for an entire game with some pathetic attempts at kicking the ball in the right direction.

Unimpressive when you consider his capabilities and potential. Setting a goal you know you can meet without even trying (or training) isn't particularly notable. Someone who worked hard but missed the swim cutoff one year only to come back and miss the bike cutoff the next year is amazing even though they still didn't finish the race. Will power, tenacity, humility and determination are impressive.

From his blog this morning...

"My knees were killing me, my toes were bleeding, my palms were throbbing, my lower back aching. Grinding up the hills (in probably too high of a gear than I should have been) made my quads and hamstrings feel the deepest burn I have ever felt. My whole body was throbbing, but not once did I even think about quitting. As I've said before, I was determined and prepared. Nothing in my control would have prevented me from finishing. Speaking with people who did not finish, they said they just couldn't keep going. If I were to stop when my body was telling me to, I wouldn't have finished the first bike lap."

I mean, I realize with training he'd go faster but that paragraph demonstrated all four of the things you mentioned as impressive, I think.

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GoFaster

2010-10-25 1:44 PM

in reply to: #3170431

Elite

3779

Ontario

Subject: RE: “I could do an Ironman, no training.”

furiousferret - 2010-10-25 11:55 AM

cstoulil - 2010-10-25 8:29 AM I didnt read through this whole thing, but i see a lot of people doubting the swim of this guy saying it's not possible without him training. What does everyone consider proper swim training for this?

I guess i think this comes from the fact that most people in the US dont know how to swim, but it's not hard folks.

I see alot are saying you need some type of training etc. or its not possible.

So what do you guys think this sort of training is?

Now I am in no means a great swimmer around 2:00-2:15 per 100. But what training have I had.

Well I took swimming lessons when I was 5-12 years old and was on a small town (iowa) summer time swim team up to age 15, longest event was 100 free, and did a couple tri's when i was 16 with 500m swims but i prepared for that all myself. so does this count as special swim training if i then don't swim for 15 years, but then i can jump in the pool 15 years later when i decide to get back into doinf tri's and I swim 1.2 miles in 50 minutes with little to no push off and no breaks on my 3rd workout getting back into it?

now i know thats not the same as the 2.4 distance, or doing it in open water, but i felt like i could go for as long as i want. I guess it's just a part of being comfortable in the water.

ohh i also decided one week before a race to swim as a team member for a local sprint this summer, this was when i did the 1.2 workout. for the race i did the 500 meter ows in 10:30 and this was without having done an ows since i was 16 years old, (15 yrs ago)

So do my swimming lesson i had when i was 5-12 years old count for training when i take a 15 year break and can jump in the water and still swim comfortably.

Or maybe the people doubting his swim, just didn't learn to swim until the were adults, or after they decided to start tri's,

I guess being comfortable in the water is the main key, to me swimming at my 2:15 pace is comparable to walking, i fell like i could go forever,

now maybe this guy took swimming lessons when he was a kid and doesnt have the fear of water it seems alot of people have on this forum.

Its not that I doubt that he didn't train the swim, but I think he was a decent swimmer at some point in his life. A 2:00/100 isn't world beater times but you're not going to do that doggy paddling. He probably has decent crawl technique (again, not great, but decent).

To jump into this one - I thought I knew how to swim cause I took plenty of lessons as a kid, lifeguarding courses, always felt comfortable in water, etc. etc. - but was never a part of a swim team, or anything competitive.

It's taken me 3 years of Tri's to finally break the 2min/100M mark in a Sprint Tri. I continue to work on improving, but the fact that he went out and did the swim in 1:34 is truly impressive for having swam 3 times in 3 weeks and not at all in however many years. The cycling and running - I get. The swim, well that's something that clearly shows some underlying talent, and an awful lot of determination (when I consider I couldn't manage two lengths in a row a couple of years ago).

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mmrocker13

2010-10-25 2:26 PM

in reply to: #3170727