Alright I guess to write Craig Alexander is the real deal would be an understatement and have people saying "have you been living under a rock for the past 2 years?" But seriously his performance yesterday was amazing. My heart really aches for Chris Lieto who had the race of his life but came up just 5 miles short, but such is Ironman you can throw everything you got into a race but there still might be one guy who just has a better day than you do. Still it was a Classic race and it was awesome to see Lieto finally nab the top American rights and Podium spot he deserved. especially after his balls out performance on the bike. As for Crowie his run is dominating, it seems like the era of the uber biker is over with the retirement of Sindballe, the Normannator's so-so ride yesterday. Even Lieto had a large lead that was stomped out by the Aussie running machine. It looks like Criag Alexander has found a way to adapt and over come the uber biker, and that is keep them with in 10 minutes on the bike leg and run them down like a Cheetah at chow time.
The women's race was quite frankly the Chrissie Wellington Show. She ran herself to 22nd overall shattered Paula Newby Fraiser's Course record and pretty much stated "I'm the toughest woman in the sport!" The main drama of the day was Mirinda Carfrae's march up the standings from 9th to 2nd in the Women's race to the tune of a blazing Marathon. Likewise Rebekah Keat ran herself from Oblivion to the top 10 making me wonder what the Hell is in the Water in Australia that makes them run so fast? Other major stories were Sam McGlone's comeback from an Achilles injury to procure a top 10. Tereza Macel staying in the top 5 nearly the entire race, but all this drama unfolded as Wellington was laying down for a massage in the med tent and deciding what stationary to use for her victory speech....I have only seen one other woman dominate a race like that other than Wellington last year and that was Nina Kraft on EPO. Wellington is the real deal, whether she's just naturally built for this or she accumilated years of good karma working in Nepal, or she the result of a cold war bio-engineering plot by the British Government to create the ultimate athlete I don't know but she is unbeatable.
On the blogger front Congrats to Bree Wee and Charisa.
Bree Got into 18th for the women and was the the fourth American Pro Woman behind the New Englanders Dede Griesbauer and Caitlin Snow and last years top American Woman Lindsey Corbin. For more on the Kona highlights visit Claire's Examiner Blog as she can tell this story better than I can.
Charisa managed to finish fifth in a massively competitive age group which is a huge testament in itself, as any age group brack between 30 and 50 is as competive as the pro race.
This ends the Kona Recap.
As I sat infront of my girlfriend's computer with my compression sock covered feet raised above up on her sofa, I began to think ahead. Right now I've got job apps out and some personal crisises to handle but watching the whole thing on the net and having a bang up running day in Hartford got me thinking ahead to next season, I want to do Ironman and I want to get my ass to Kona, but so far the only thing I have to show for it is a bid that came up 70 seconds short. And a couple of massive bills for travel and equipment costs. So I'm going to use 2010 as a training season, perfect my marathon, work on my bike, essentially race local and suffer like I never have suffered before and maybe if the planets algin and I get my "real job" I'll fly out to Tempe next November and punch my ticket to the big dance. I know I have a sub-10 hour race in this body I've just to bring it to Fruition, I've got to get my mind clear and put in the proper training, not this hodge podge garbage of 3000 yard swims and long runs here and there and a few sporadic bike rides. I've got a gift to go the long haul and it's about time I use it, if I qualify for Kona great, if I don't then I at least want to know I was condition to the best level possible and left nothing in the tank. As some of my trasining partners have stated "You've managed to run 11 hour Ironmans on miniscule training, horrible nutrition and a stress load that have most people balled up in the corner crying for mercy, imagine what you could do with so proper structure." So here's to 2010 and hopefully some constructive off season.
Happy Training
R.D.
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Hmmmmm...which incredibly brilliant training partner said that? *whistling*
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