Lance is Racing 70.3 Panama (Page 9)

You're kidding right???  Look what happened with attention to cycling in the US once Lance was winning the TDF.  It's not like there weren't some previous great US cyclists, or even winner of the TDF, but those individuals never captured the minds/hearts of Americans.

Lance is a polarizing individual, but he brings a massive amount of attention to the sport.  Guaranteed that a full year of him racing Tri's, Kona, having big time sports networks provide some coverage, etc. that interest in the sport will increase.

And how can you say it will never be a spectator sport - look at cycling.  People see the riders once, for a few seconds, each race/stage.  You get a lot more opportunities in Tri - and that's just live, much easier on TV (edit to say that cycling can be god awful boring during some of the flat stages...)..

I hear ya. I was able to see both Millrose and Fayetteville (one on live stream, one on TV) and remember thinking at the time this wouldn't have been possible a few years ago. Having high-profile americans (well, high-profile for distance runners) in the races certainly helps make that sport more available through various media. I see no reason why the same thing won't happen with triathlon with LA involved. How many of us were wishing there was a live feed of the Panama race? I was. By the way, that was a helluva distance running weekend! I was stoked to have the opportunity to watch it.

Brad

Gotta tell you, Lance did very very little to nothing for the marathon.

bryancd - 2012-02-13 1:21 PM

ATLrunr - 2012-02-13 12:18 PM It seriously bugs me when people say someone can't do xyz because of age. Like there is some magical switch that flips at 40, rendering one incapable of something they may have been able to do before?Anyways, I have no doubts now that LA will get to kona and put on a good show. Probably not win, but def a top 10 contender.

Not a magical switch, but the decrease in athletic perfromance takes an appreciable nose dive for men in the early 40's. I'm just trying to hang on myself. It's a physiological fact, ask Dr. Fred D. here on the board.

Certainly this has been true over the years, but the truth is more and more athletes are defying those odds as well.  It remains to be seen if the switch has been turned "off" for Lance or if he has 1 or 2 more good shows in him. 

Uh.....we're not watching cycling down here in person....at least not in any numbers.  Hell, the Tour of Missouri couldn't even sustain itself despite attracting many of the top pros and their teams. It was the first thing their "Tourism Board" cut when dollars got short. 

And for the record, cycling took off in the U.S. in the 70's.  That's when the "ten speed" swept the country and people started riding.  Yes, Lance has been great for cycling, but I know just as many people who quit watching the Tour once he was gone as started watching when he was going for wins 5,6, and 7. 

I work with 80 people, none of which run triathlon or care to.  I was on a trip last year with about 1/4 of them and kept trying to watch the Tour....I got ran out of the room.

We tend to think this is a large community because we like to hang with people who share our interests.....it's actually very small and very few people care.  The one's who do are participants for the most part.

I'd like to hear exactly where you all think it's going to grow to??  Season tickets to the local triathlon series? ITU types races that draw crowds of people who don't run triathlon cheering on their favorites?  Television coverage of an event that the Networks can't even justify showcasing it's biggest event for more than 90 minutes.....much of it full of "human interest" stories that have nothing to do with triathlon.....throw in a few old people in a near death experience for added suspense!!

I love triathlon.....but I wouldn't walk across the street to watch a race I or a family member wasn't participating in.

The fact is he CAN'T win the TDF again because he is too old. He proved that one last year. Lance most certainly could have won Kona in his prime... it remains to be seen if he can now... due to his age. Sorry it bugs you, but it is a medical fact, the older you get, the less you perform, the less you recover in time.

I am not disputing the positive impact he could have on Tri's. My statement above was a reply to a poster who stated that he had done alot for marathons.

But winning the TDF and winning Kona are not remotely the same and btw Lance didn't race the TDF last year.  It's a different caliber of athlete.  I have mucho respect for pro's and what they do is amazing, but none of them could compete today as an Olympic level single sport athlete.  So Lance has a weapon that no other professional in the sport of triathlon has.  We have to consider the possibility that a 41 year old former olympic caliber athlete might still be able to win in a field/sport dominated by less than olympic caliber athletes.  

If pros today were running mid 2:30 marathons off the bike, I'd say Lance has no shot.  But as it stands today.  If he gets a little luck to fall his way and can muster a sub 2:50 marathon, he may have a chance on any given day.  By virtue what we saw in Panama, he still clearly has that abilty.     

Here is another interesting question:

Who is the best American long course triathlete today?

Potts, Reed, Lieto, Lovato.......Armstrong??

Sorry, but winning a top level endurance event for an aging athlete is the same. And right... not last year, year before.

I understand what you mean about different calibers, but for an aging endurance athletes, it still comes down to traing and recovery. And yes, I do think it is possible for him to win. He is a freak of nature, he is determined, he has a metric f ton of resources and money... for the reason you mentioned, different group of athletes.

But even Lance is not immune to time and his window in this sport is very short and closing fast. People here have speculated what he can do for triathlon.... how much do you expect him to accomplish in 1-2-3 years? It will be HUGE if he can win Kona at 41. Nice feather indeed... but that clock is ticking. It's a fact, and I'm not hating.

Agree, no question his clock is ticking.  I am just saying, the clock doesn't appear to have stopped just yet.

1 week ago, I wouldn't have thought a Kona win remotely possible.