Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Lance Armstrong to race Kona Ironman World Championships in 2011

"You probably know that we broke the story that Lance Armstrong will be racing an Ironman earlier this year.

You probably also know that Armstrong began his professional sports career as a triathlete.

But now we can report that according to Armstrong's long time coach Chris Carmichael of CTS, says the seven time Tour de France plans to race the 2011 Kona Ironman World Championship and---get this bombshell--he plans to not just win his age-group but...

Our reporter Ben Greenfield asks the great question and got the insiders scoop on Armstrong and the big 2011 show in Kona, Hawaii from Carmichael."

Interesting.......we know he can run, an we know his background was in Tri's before he became Lance the cyclist. Just a question if he can swim...

RobRollin wrote:Interesting.......we know he can run, an we know his background was in Tri's before he became Lance the cyclist. Just a question if he can swim...

Hi

If his background was Tri, I would have thought swimming was part of it, no? I am not at home so can't check, but I thought he used to swim as well ... I thought it got a mention in his autobiography.

Andrew

He started in tri's, so yes he could swim. As to how well; I don't know. He seems to think he will be up there with the pros. ha.

I think it is fair to say Armstrong can swim. In john wilkinsons biogrophy Lance the making of a champion, Wilkinson quotes Armstrongs swim coach as saying he was near Olympic standard! Further when Armstron started triathalons his swim coach was worried he would be classed as a pro athlete because he was earning serious money as a tri athlete thus ruining his chances of becoming an Olympic swimmer that he asked for a ruling from the U.S Olympic committee. He was allowed to race tri's as they were not Olympic sport at the time.

If you google Armstrong their is footage of him racing Mark Allen as a fifteen year old in a professional triathalon!

I just read his biography. He was pretty terrible at swimming when he fist had a go at it. Apparently within a year he was fourth in his state. He became one of the top juniors in his state, but wasn't the absolute best like he was on the bike.

Seems like he would be competitive enough in the water.

When he was 16 he entered in some triathlons and didn't win against the pro's but would place in the top 5. I think these were mainly olympic distance events.

Yes everyone does know that he was a pretty good triathlete at teh start of his sporting career but that was before the cancer. It also says in his books that he is a hell of a lot lighter after the cancer then what he was before it (part of the reason he is such a good cyclist now) and I'm guessing a lot of that weight came from the muscles in his arms and around his shoulders if he has built the legs back up. Does this mean that while he was a good swimmer before the cancer, he is not so good now. Hope not cause I'm a big fan and hope he does well.

Matt

Matthew wrote:I'm guessing a lot of that weight came from the muscles in his arms and around his shoulders if he has built the legs back up

yes he's lighter but he works out his upper body more than any pro cyclist that i know of...have you seen his kettlebell training? he's a beast!

tripstobaltimore wrote:He seems to think he will be up there with the pros. ha.

i wouldn't bet against it!

Petrol wrote:When he was 16 he entered in some triathlons and didn't win against the pro's but would place in the top 5. I think these were mainly olympic distance events.

he was racing against guys like Mike Allen and finishing in solid positions. as the swim leg is a mandatory part of any triathlon, it's fair to assume that he could swim pretty well. whether he can regain that form is another matter, but he's done pretty well in his bike comeback so far.