Newsletter ep. 102: what the data says

The Grand Final is this weekend; does that mean the end of the season is here. And what can we learn from the first year of the new Kona qualifying?

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Things have just been flat out shitty this last week and I’m 100% taking a mulligan to regroup. Like really for real.

But I’m still headed to France at the end of the week, and things still have to be done. And we deal until we can’t anymore because that’s what we’ve been taught to do. And it all made me think of my favorite study I read this week: women are not better at multi-tasking; they just do more work. Maybe, instead, I should learn a lesson from Sara and go slow when it’s time to go slow.

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The end of the season

(Photo: Janos Schmidt/ITU)

I just really like this photo of Katie Zaferes and Georgia Taylor-Brown at a race earlier in the season. They’ll both be competing for the series title at the Grand Final this weekend, which means the season is almost over and I’m still wondering where it all went.

If you missed the newsletter a few weeks ago on ‘how to watch the ITU races,’ the gist is: get yourself a TriathlonLive account. And if you already have one because I told you to, then good for you. You’re ready for Lausanne this weekend.

The Grand Final goes down on Aug. 31. It’s like a world championship, but not. Because ITU wants to make things complicated. The final is worth more points in the season series, but not all the points.

For the women, it’s pretty much the Brits and the Americans in some kind of good old-fashioned battle for the overall title. Katie Zaferes has enough of a lead in the series she should be able to hold on, even with just getting her stitches out.

For the men, it’s more up in the air. My money’s on Mario Mola or Vincent Luis for the season title, but who knows. All I really care about is that Javi is going to try the Javi double again: race the Grand Final in Switzerland this week and the 70.3 World Champs in France next week.

And what we learned is…

Like we mentioned last week, it’s the end of the first year of qualifying with the new Kona system (which is sorta the old old system but with some complications). And now the data is in.

Thorsen has analyzed the numbers and broken down the effects of the new system on the pro fields. Some takeaways: Some people (like Angela Naeth or Matt Burton) would have done better under the old system. Some people really benefited from the ‘win one and you’re in’ system. Gender breakdown is basically the same—despite promises to the contrary. Interestingly, the DNF rate is mostly the same—despite warnings to the contrary.

His numbers also suggest people are racing fewer fulls (duh) and fewer 70.3s overall. The second part of that I find odd, since I can look around at the N. American field and show you all the women racing more 70.3s because they don’t have to chase points but they do have to chase money. So I’m wondering if it’s a regional thing (ie. the markets are different in Europe, so maybe they’re racing less and it offsets the N. Americans) or it’s an average v. mode thing. Not sure yet.

Thorsten is also probably right that the best system would be a combination of a winner-takes-all and a seaon points omnium thing. (There’s a decent proposal at the bottom.) But I’m, honestly, at a point where I just feel like the best system might be one that doesn’t eat its young. You know?

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• Speaking of things there isn’t data on: Which shoes are the fastest? I saw Helle Frederiksen (before she retired) post that she couldn’t figure out the Carbon X v. the 4%s v. the Next %s. And she’s not the only one. It’s a conversation I keep having and it feels like one there should be a clear and mathematical answer to. (Instagram)
• Exoskeletons are going to change how we run. And I did a piece for Triathlete on which fancy science training tests you should actually take. (Podium Runner/Triathlete)
• I know, I know, more cyclists are moving from the road to dirt because we’re all getting killed. But wouldn’t another option just be, I dunno, for people to stop killing us? (Outside)
• The Colorado Classic this past weekend is the only race of its kind. But it’s not enough. (Colorado Public Radio/Outside)
• Yes, I’ve told you my rules of triathlon before, but Phil Gaimon has his own 11 rules of cycling. And I’m gonna have to reject ‘wave.’ Like, no, stop telling me to be someone I’m not. (Live Feisty/Outside)
• This Twitter thread about doping and feeling bad was interesting. It made me wonder about other things we sorta kinda a little bit still feel bad about? (Twitter)
• YouTube is changing thru-hiking — bet you didn’t know thru-hiking YouTubers were a thing. And Instagram is changing surfing. And isn’t it all a little late to be noticing the internet has changed things. (The Trek/New Yorker)
• What if we just said no more guns at the Olympics? No more shooting, none of it. (3WireSports)
• If you’re an Olympian, don’t make that suggestion though. Those PanAm protestors got probation and Olympians got a warning. (New York Times)
• Best thing I read this week: Venus Williams was always supposed to be the first part of the two-stage rocket, blasting up through the worst of it all alone to clear a path. (New York Times)
• h/t to Fast Women, but Sydney McLaughlin’s $1.5 million business to become a breakout star does sound a little lonely and a little sad and a little bit amazing anyway. (nj.com)
• Here’s the most controversial thing I’ll say this week: I don’t really like Rich Roll’s podcast. But Gwen is on it talking triathlon and trying to win marathon gold. (Rich Roll)
• I didn’t think there was anything left to be said about runners and pregnancy clauses, but Adam Goucher said a whole bunch of things about Kara’s suspension I didn’t know. Like, when she was 5th at the Boston Marathon she was still on suspension with Nike for not racing during her pregnancy. (Kara Goucher)
• Andrew Luck decided to quit football this week and I don’t even care a little bit, but it made a lot of people very angry and it made me think about what it means to retire early, still at your peak. (The Ringer)

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Comments & thoughts

– Everyone agrees that Coke and cookies are the way to fuel bike rides. Which probably explains some things.

– After last week’s podium babies debate, Jessica pointed out a baby is different than a support member, Elisabeth thought a mom bringing up her two middle-school-aged daughters was a great reminder and example for everyone, and Chrissy argued for podium dogs.

– Also, get your vote in for the new Live Feisty tanktops.

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‘If We Were Riding’ is a weekly triathlon-ish newsletter written by Kelly O’Mara and produced by Live Feisty Media. Subscribe to get it in your inbox every Wednesday morning. You can also read past issues. This episode is from Aug. 28, 2019.