Strava Jockey’s, Lebron + Canyon, Queen Dauwalter, Open Water Tips, and more…

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

There comes a time in everyone’s life where they need to put up or shut up and this is my weekend. On Sunday, I’ll be tackling IRONMAN Lake Placid with a goal time of 10:30. It’s my first full IRONMAN after a half dozen 70.3’s and 100 mile bike races under my belt so am I being realistic with myself on a hilly course and a run that’s never been tested after 112 miles of cycling. Maybe, maybe not. But 10:30 feels right.

As I’m writing this, I feel ready. I’ve been reflecting on my build these last few months and feel grateful and excited for the work I’ve put in. Especially these last few weeks, I hit my big training days and kept focused on completing nearly everything thrown at me. Even a lost headset that YES! finally showed up, has not stopped me. I’m also grateful because it’s too late to change anything at this point. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Over the coming days, I’ll visualize every aspect of my race. From the swim where I want to go out strong, to the bike and starting my nutrition at mile 0, and lastly a marathon that I’ll break up into 5 x 5 mile segments (+1 extra mile) but ultimately it’s anyones guess. I know it won’t all go according to plan and that’s ok. Rarely in life does everything work out the way you visualize it but rather than harping on those things, I’ll push forward with the good, keep a clear head and try to achieve my goals. All while knowing tears of joy, family, friends, and a cold drink (or two) will be on the other side of that finish line.

As always, thanks for subscribing and hope it was a great week.

Stay moving…✌🏼 – Scott

Headlines

🏃 Dauwalter Dominates: It’s unclear if anyone will ever beat her. Courtney Dauwalter once again came out on top at the Hardrock 100, a 102.5-mile trek featuring more than 33,000 feet of elevation gain. She’d break her own course record from last year by 3 minutes and now has set a course record the past three times she’s run and owns the fastest three women’s times. Overall, she finished 4th, behind the top 3 male finishers. On the men’s side, it was 48-year-old Frenchman, Ludovic Pommeret breaking the men’s record set in 2022. He finished in 21:33:06. Read more…

🚴 Lebron 🤝 Canyon: I had no idea Lebron James was a longtime investor in the bike brand. But good on him and with that, they’re launching an initiative to get even more people on bikes. Called, “Find Your Freedom” the campaign is focused on elevating the magic that bikes can provide; inspiring everyone to share the wonderful potential that cycling can unlock, the lessons it can teach, and the freedom it provides. Read more…

🏊🚴🏃 The World Champ DQ’d: Sam Laidlow, the 2023 World Champion knowingly finished Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain’s Basque Country this past weekend knowing he was disqualified. Let me explain. During the bike portion of the race, Laidlow didn’t report to the 5 minute penalty tent for drafting, resulting in a harsher penalty. Disqualification. Rather than reporting to the penalty tent, he rolled the dice and protested after the race where he’d ultimately lose that too. Should his DQ have been lifted, he’d have finished 2nd and earned his World Championship slot. And with only a few races left before the 2025 Ironman World Championship in Kona, it appeared as if Laidlow wouldn’t even qualify for the race to defend his title. But alas, Laidlow has qualified for the main event because as the Ironman rule book states, there is a five year champion exemption to the Ironman World Championship which says if a pro completes a “Validation Race” meaning racing competitively (as determined by Ironman in Ironman’s sole discretion) and finishing at least one (1) Qualifying Ironman (excluding the 2023 Ironman World Championship) OR two (2) Qualifying Ironman 70.3 (excluding the 2023 Ironman 70.3 you’re in. So cheers to Laidlow. The WC is filled with a lot of heavy hitters. Read more…

Meanwhile

🚴 Canyon enters the shoe game: With the Tempr CFR shoes for both road and gravel, Canyon has collaborated with Boa, Solestar, and Vibram for its first cycling shoes. At $329, they’re up there with the most expensive high-end shoe. Read more…

🚴🏃 We must end this ‘Strava jockey’ trend – selling stats for cash: This is terribly embarrassing and if you ever purchase other people’s Strava stats and showcase them as your own, you’re a huge loser. But it’s happening. In Indonesia, the trend of selling high-performance Strava data has gone viral, with Strava jockeys selling records on the app of their running, cycling and other exercise accomplishments in exchange for money or other items. Read more…

🚴 This New Bike Route Is One of the Most Scenic in the U.S.: Who needs brraktaking Europeans views when you can cycle through a National Park, an Elk Refuge, and Hot Springs; the route, called USBR 76 in Wyoming, is a new bike route that cuts through Grand Teton National Park. Read more…

🏊 Junior Champ gets 2 year ban: When the drug testers come a callin’ you best be available. Two-time Turkish swimming Olympian Viktoria Gunes has been suspended two years by World Aquatics for “whereabouts failures”, suggesting she did not make herself available for random drug testing. Read more…

🏊🚴🏃 Garmin Fenix 8 leaks: Someone hit publish too quickly. An Icelandic retailer went live early, revealing a new device set for September. The listing reveals that the Fenix 8 will come in a 43mm size at the smallest compared to the 42mm size of the Fenix 7s. But the most notable change could be in terms of display. The leak reveals that instead of the customary Memory In Pixel (MIP) displays, the Fenix 8 might adopt AMOLED technology. Read more…

🏃 The 8 best hydration vests according to runners: While on the trail, it’s hard to argue that hydration vests have become insanely popular. Once thought to be for marathon and ultra distance training only, seems as though everyone is jumping at a chance to use them. Here are some top options. Read more…

🚴 Week 3: Best of the Tour (so far)

The Unbeatable Tadej Pogacar – Is the Tour his to lose?: I’d think so at this point. Following Stage 15, Pogacar holds a more than 3 minute lead and has looked better if not as good as everyone else in each stage. But as a 21 stage race, there is still plenty of time for his competitors to gain ground. Read more…

From Near Death to the Tour de France In 10 Weeks: Steff Cras has endured more crashes and setbacks in one year than most riders face in a whole career. The story of how the resilient TotalEnergies racer made it to the Tour against the odds is an incredible one. Read more…

100 year sentence for chip thrower: Not really but a strange interaction happened during stage 14. A fan, clearly angry at his chip choice, decided to throw them in the face of stage leaders Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. Finding it not funny, the drunken fan was arrested and the CPA put out a statement saying they will “with great pleasure” take legal action against this bozo. Read more…

Training Tips

Because training is life.

🏊 Why Don’t Open Water Swimmers Kick More?: Pool swimmers often have a powerful kick, so why do so many open water swimmers look like they’re dragging their legs? Read more…

🚴 Training Absorption is the Key to Unlimited Improvement: Interested in a legal way to maximize gains? Start with training absorption, the sweet spot amount of prescribed training that you can adapt and progress from that won’t feel like overtraining which can lead injury or prolonged soreness. Read more…

🏊🚴🏃 The Wetsuit You NEED Vs The Wetsuit You WANT: They’re two very different things. Top-end wetsuits can cost a pretty penny, but some affordable options might meet your needs even better for a third of the cost. Is the expensive wetsuit really worth it?

Rewatchables

Content for long training days inside or just everyday life.

Unspoken Road: A portrait of brother and sister, Nora and Uriel Torres. The siblings, originally from Mexico, discuss how growing up in a small town in California they experienced discrimination and isolation, but as they came of age discovered the therapeutic and life-affirming value of cycling.

Documentary · Oregon Trail Gravel 2024: The Oregon Trail Gravel is an unforgettable experience that takes cyclists through stunning Oregon scenery in the heart of the Cascades. Over the course of five days, participants will ride through a variety of terrain, from dense forests to wide open valleys, enjoying nature at its finest.

Courtney Dauwalter’s Ultimate Challenge – 3 Iconic 100-Mile Races in One Summer: As the first person ever to attempt the “Triple Crown” of ultra running, Dauwalter took on the Western States 100, Hardrock 100, and UTMB in the same season. This is her story.