Training Peaks levels up, Roche becoming dominant, Cycling Gear of the Year, Chaos at Ineos, and more…

👋 Good morning and happy Friday! Welcome to the Front Pack newsletter, your source for all things endurance.

Keeping the upfront short because we’ve got a packed newsletter this week. Twas a good week and things are humming faster than my kids energy after a night of trick-or-treating.

Quick reminder –

• Unbound Gravel 2025 – The lottery opens today, put your name into the hat. You wont be disappointed!

See you next week!

Stay moving…✌🏼 – Scott

Front Pack + Hill Climbers Podcast

Drop everything because you totally have to listen to this!!!!!! But srsly, if you have 50 minutes, take the time and listen to me, and hosts Sam Huntington, and Franco Martins discuss all things Front Pack after only a few months of operation.

Are we back, mid, or just dominating from the front…errr…pack?

To refresh your memory, Hill Climbers scratches that itch between business and cycling. They give cyclists something to talk about besides just cycling and it’s impressive to see them grow and figure it all out themselves. They feel as industry refreshing as we’re hoping to be. And they’ve interviewed some banger guests; co-founders, entrepreneurs, big time race directors, and more.

And because we are never NOT our authentic selves, we dove into the trials and tribulations we’ve seen so far. The difficulties and hard work of being a 1st time entrepreneur, and an industry outsider, to the growth and happiness we’ve seen from members around the world joining.

Now Live – 🎙️ EP. 8 of The Front Pack Show

Big thanks to Carolyn Carter (LA_Triathlete) for jumping on the show, talking about her whirlwind life going from Age Group athlete to Pro triathlete. Her background, the online haters, and what its like being bullied as an adult.

God, what a sad and weird sentence to write.

FUN FACT – Both Carolyn and I found out our families lived 12 minutes away from each other at one point. Small small world.

Listen here!

Headlines

Top news, races and results you may or may not have been paying attention to…

Elite Trail Runner and Mountaineer Crushes Speed Record on Himalyan Peak: Accomplished endurance athlete, Tyler Andrews, records ‘Fastest Know Time’ on his push to the summit on 8,000-meter peak Manaslu. As the 8th highest mountain in the world, Andrews wants to be “the best in the world,” hence his decision to take on the Himalaya – the world of mountaineering’s grandest stage. Tyler embarked on his journey on Sept. 19, and scaled the 26,781 ft. peak in 9 hours and 52 minutes, destroying the previous record held by Nepalese climber Pembe Gelje Sherpa by over two hours. Read more…

KONA Was Great: While there are still a few races left on the IRONMAN schedule for 2024, all eyes were on Hawaii last weekend. And it did not disappoint. Patrick Lange (GER) captured his third Ironman World Championship title with an emotional victory dedicated to his late mother. Lange, a seasoned Kona veteran, executed a strategic and steady race, excelling in the marathon with a time of 2:32:41, which helped him secure the win. These freaking runners, man!

My favorite for the race, Magnus Ditlev (DEN) finished in second place after initially struggling on the bike, then showing resilience in the latter stages to claim the runner-up position. Rudy von Berg (USA) rounded out the podium in third, achieving the best Ironman result of his career​.

One shout out to the local athletes who made significant impacts. Kaiden Lieto, son of famous IRONMAN athlete Chris Lieto and from Kona was the first Big Island finisher, completing the course in 9:58:12. Read more…

The Javelina Jalloween: Known for its crazy party-like atmosphere and festive costumes, the race offers runners challenging loops in the hot Sonoran Desert of Arizona. But did 99 degrees slow down these athletes? Nope. It was David Roche who is quickly cementing his place as one of the best ultra runners in the world right now winning the men’s race. And on the women’s side, Riley Brady took the dub. Read more…

Blu’s Throw Up and Blow Up: It was a “Brutal day out on the course yesterday.” That was how Kristian Blummenfelt recapped his 8:29:58 effort that saw him finish the day in 35th position. Blum, who was picked by most as the favorite to win would vomit 8 times on the bike, all but extinuishing his chances for victory in KONA. Read more…

Make every second count!: Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha breaks the men’s half-marathon world record by 1 second. Kejelcha finished strongly in the Spanish city of Valencia to set a time of 57 minutes, 30 seconds, knocking a single second off the record set in 2021 by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon, Portugal. Read more…

Meanwhile

Other happenings in the world of endurance:

It came down to 2 minutes: Congrats to Alexandera Houchin, the First Woman to Finish the Arizona Trail 800. A very cool and worthy read. Houchin finished the race in 10 days, 5 hours, and 50 minutes with a lot of lessons learned along the way, including, DO NOT show up to the Post Office late. You know them USPS workers close the doors right on time! Read more…

Colin Farrell finishes Dublin Marathon while pushing friend in a wheelchair: The 48-year-old star ran the final 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) of the 26-mile race while pushing his friend Emma Fogarty, who lives with a rare skin condition, across the finishing line. The actor finished in 4:06.45. Farrell, who was back home in Ireland for the marathon, aimed to raise funds for DEBRA, an Irish charity supporting people who, like Fogarty, have the incurable genetic condition epidermolysis bullosa (EB) – also known as butterfly skin. Read more…

TrainingPeaks v. Zwift: The online training wars are heating up! TP just acquired virtual cycling platform IndieVelo, now rebranded as TrainingPeaks Virtual. The beta version if free until March 2025. Which will you choose? Read more…

Man Hiking at 15,000ft Finds Dog, Trusts His ‘Mountain Knowledge’: Every now and again, you come across a tale of a dog and a hiker who meet and conquer something brutally hard, together. This is that story. Read more…

Bicycling’s Gear of the Year 2024: Not quite the end of the year but this list rocks! At first glance, it is super well thought out and doesn’t just include a laundry list of stuff you’d expect. From accessories to clothing, and maintenance, worth a look. Read more..

Fitness Editors Tested More Than 100 Walking Shoes for Women—These Are The Absolute Best: I’ll get straight to the point. The best Walking Shoes that Fit Your Foot Needs are the ASICS Dynaflyte 3, and the Brooks Running Ghost 11. For full-on comparisons and more recommendations. Read more…

Rewatchables

Content for long training days inside or just everyday life.

Is This The End Of Team Ineos?: What’s going on at Ineos Grenadiers? The team that was once the powerhouse of pro cycling is struggling to continue to make the impact of its heyday, with 2024 marking its worst season in 15 years.

The World Record-Breaking Bike Of Lael Wilcox: The Alaskan adventurer dives into tales of fixing punctures, how thinking ahead prevented any major mechanicals and the troubles of day four.

Behind The First Summit of The World’s Tallest Mountain: LOST ON EVEREST shines a light on what happened to Andrew “Sandy” Irvine and George Leigh Mallory, who set out to attempt the first true summit of Mount Everest in 1924.