This thread was originally titled, "Incredible development in the $612,000 Transcon Goodge run, currently ongoing" but the new title is more descriptive. The description of the run is here.
Paul Johnson just started his Transcon yesterday in Santa Monica.He did 63 miles on day 1.https://www.pauljohnson.run/trackhttps://www.strava.com/athletes/107251059
Did it get deleted? Not a bad idea though, although this thread should remain alive as well, to focus on what it has discussed as all remains very relevant, if not more than ever. What's going on these days is a huge theme in the sport of Runfluencers trying to grab every shard of equity they can from our wonderful, precious sport for their own ends but sometimes by highly unscrupulous means.
PJ hasn't done anything wrong yet, so to speak, except pay such little lip service and respect to PK, and to be thoroughly disengenuous. If he does go into a tailspin, we all have every right to ask what the heck is going on: that of a rookie novice, claiming he's going to be the best in history by 5%, with absolutely nothing to back it up, and attracting vast sums in endorsements, a large amount he really doesn't need - like the 16 pairs of brand new shoes, which is sickening largesse from Hoka. I find affording more than one new pair of shoes a year a bit of a pinch.
PJ hasn't done anything wrong yet, so to speak, except pay such little lip service and respect to PK,
Of course the new thread was deleted seeing how everything you fabricated about WG was only because you have a personal grudge with him. And now you do the same thing to PJ.
Also, did you EVER figure out how to download from Strava even after multiple people gave you the steps?
Jury's out of PJ, but it is a huge ask what he's saying. His run will be the perfect comparison to WG and RB's claims.
And to say we're misreading Strava is what it is, a shameless, obvious lie. The chances of it malfunctioning for them, and only them, at the most specific of times, in precisely the same manner, is quadrillions to one against. And of course he hasn't malfunctioned once since.
WG knows he can never try this again, this much is clear - he's run very little in the last year and his California run was a predictable disaster, albeit with a perfect HR. Just the one race planned for this year, way out in October. PK has the following in the book: Cocodona 250, Denali 135, Badwater 135, Leadville 100, Mogollon Monster 100, NEO 24, Route 66 Ultra, Desert Solstice, Across the Years on NYE.
Did it get deleted? Not a bad idea though, although this thread should remain alive as well, to focus on what it has discussed as all remains very relevant, if not more than ever. What's going on these days is a huge theme in the sport of Runfluencers trying to grab every shard of equity they can from our wonderful, precious sport for their own ends but sometimes by highly unscrupulous means.
PJ hasn't done anything wrong yet, so to speak, except pay such little lip service and respect to PK, and to be thoroughly disengenuous. If he does go into a tailspin, we all have every right to ask what the heck is going on: that of a rookie novice, claiming he's going to be the best in history by 5%, with absolutely nothing to back it up, and attracting vast sums in endorsements, a large amount he really doesn't need - like the 16 pairs of brand new shoes, which is sickening largesse from Hoka. I find affording more than one new pair of shoes a year a bit of a pinch.
Seriously? One new pair of shoes a year is a pinch? Are you homeless?
Did it get deleted? Not a bad idea though, although this thread should remain alive as well, to focus on what it has discussed as all remains very relevant, if not more than ever. What's going on these days is a huge theme in the sport of Runfluencers trying to grab every shard of equity they can from our wonderful, precious sport for their own ends but sometimes by highly unscrupulous means.
PJ hasn't done anything wrong yet, so to speak, except pay such little lip service and respect to PK, and to be thoroughly disengenuous. If he does go into a tailspin, we all have every right to ask what the heck is going on: that of a rookie novice, claiming he's going to be the best in history by 5%, with absolutely nothing to back it up, and attracting vast sums in endorsements, a large amount he really doesn't need - like the 16 pairs of brand new shoes, which is sickening largesse from Hoka. I find affording more than one new pair of shoes a year a bit of a pinch.
Seriously? One new pair of shoes a year is a pinch? Are you homeless?
Honestly a little shocked to see him opening up all the shoes yesterday.
I feel like it would have been a safe call to break each pair in by ~30 miles before the attempt. Sure it's a small thing, but any 40 day attempt requires a large amount of risk mitigation.
Yeah, well, I know where the majority verdict lies. And it's not just the duff HR data, which will get terribly exposed in the coming days, or the outlandish splits like 9 miles in 80 mins [also massively exposed], but refusing to share his Whoop, which we ALL SAW was missing four hours of running on the day he shared.
And now we have PJ being tracked, and actively begging for company and even at 0330 having about half a dozen around him. For reasons unknown, WG did a vast majority alone, refused to be tracked, didn't want company, and RB, Pete and James only very rarely joined him when I was out there. WG refused to run in the rain. It's pouring today and PJ's barreling along. That was a huge mystery right there - can one run in the rain in a Transcon? Of course one can.
What we are seeing now is already showing up the ludicrous farce of last year for what it was, and how a genuine attempt looks, starting of course with 120-200 training mile weeks, about 6-8 times the amount of WG.
If your attempt is under question, that has to be a deliberate choice. It doesn't take much to provide nearly perfect proof:
1. Releasing all running files including HR and cadence / stride length
2. Track HR 24/7 including sleep with a second watch.
3. Provide real time tracking, or at least every 10 minute updates like Paul.
4. Allow / Encourage others to join your run.
5. Filming it only helps, as documenting it narrows down the time that any cheating could occur during.
None of the things above are that difficult, and #1 and #2 are done by most runners already. #3 & #4 make it likely someone would notice if they saw the tracker moving at 3:30am and went to join them and Paul wasn't running.
Also, small update on Paul. Only around 110 miles in and we seemingly have the first navigational issue. His path looks to have been planned to go through the private reservation and he is detouring around it. Silly mistake in my opinion, it shouldn't be that hard to google map your route and realize it will travel around it. Interestingly Strava recommended me to go through it as well, so awkward for them.
If your attempt is under question, that has to be a deliberate choice. It doesn't take much to provide nearly perfect proof:
1. Releasing all running files including HR and cadence / stride length
2. Track HR 24/7 including sleep with a second watch.
3. Provide real time tracking, or at least every 10 minute updates like Paul.
4. Allow / Encourage others to join your run.
5. Filming it only helps, as documenting it narrows down the time that any cheating could occur during.
None of the things above are that difficult, and #1 and #2 are done by most runners already. #3 & #4 make it likely someone would notice if they saw the tracker moving at 3:30am and went to join them and Paul wasn't running.
Also, small update on Paul. Only around 110 miles in and we seemingly have the first navigational issue. His path looks to have been planned to go through the private reservation and he is detouring around it. Silly mistake in my opinion, it shouldn't be that hard to google map your route and realize it will travel around it. Interestingly Strava recommended me to go through it as well, so awkward for them.
Yes, so many have asked to see WGs Whoop and he simply refuses to share it, despite going on to Rich Roll to say he had shared it, which was a mistruth. It's interesting how much Mr Roll has been drawn into the saga, as he tended to rather distance himself from the whole biz, but then turned out to be great mates with Balenger, and used to live with their cameraman Robinson. I now see that he was photographed with, and in deep discussion, with WG on day 1 of his Transcon.
Yes, the tracking was a joke and a farce. Their absurd excuses for him not be tracked changed on a daily basis.
Yes, Paul route-finding by Garmin was pointed out as a blunder by a Transconner yesterday, who wrote to me:
They didn't scout the route very well. They are doing at least 10 more miles than necessary on day 1/2. The climb to Morongo Valley is treacherous. He won't have an entourage on that one. I cut through a windmill farm. They are going all the way into Palm Springs for some reason. I only mention this because he seems to be just following the map on his Garmin.
I feel sort of bad about the routing part. I think it shows a lot of inexperience and it is what it is. He's doing a decent job mileage wise, but these are really things that an experienced crew captain should be responsible for.
The shortcut through the windmills is a pretty obvious one just looking at the maps, the reservation one can be seen just by looking at where google streetview doesn't cover that area.
The more I look at the route around California / Arizona the more confused I get. I feel like if you do want to start in LA, it might be reasonable to run the first two days at night starting on a Monday. Get through LA without the traffic, then put some serious night miles on either I-40 or I-10. Both of these highways are more direct and have extremely wide pull off areas on either side and on a weekday have light traffic at night.
Additionally this puts some of the hotter desert miles overnight and you can get into an extremely good groove running on a consistent highway surface for hours.
A few things to note: The HRs are perfect for all, except for WG on day 3 when he's already started to crash. Most of that day he operates at around 105, and dipping quite regularly into the 90s and even 80s. Most odd.
Note how Balenger and Goodge's paces crash on day 2, with day 1 far too hot to handle, even at their far lower distance. Day 3 is when things started to get very tough for PK, having to add a full minute to his Ks. PJ only had to add 4 seconds for day two, which as noted is a great effort. But what's not denoted here, and the invisible threat, is how much more recovery he was taking, and how much longer he was out there.
Day 3 was clearly dramatic and challenging for the others. So let's see what gives. Paul has gone nearly toe to toe with PK here, but we're only 4.2% of the way there...
A few things to note: The HRs are perfect for all, except for WG on day 3 when he's already started to crash. Most of that day he operates at around 105, and dipping quite regularly into the 90s and even 80s. Most odd.
Note how Balenger and Goodge's paces crash on day 2, with day 1 far too hot to handle, even at their far lower distance. Day 3 is when things started to get very tough for PK, having to add a full minute to his Ks. PJ only had to add 4 seconds for day two, which as noted is a great effort. But what's not denoted here, and the invisible threat, is how much more recovery he was taking, and how much longer he was out there.
Day 3 was clearly dramatic and challenging for the others. So let's see what gives. Paul has gone nearly toe to toe with PK here, but we're only 4.2% of the way there...
Goodge's Heart rate drop sticks out like a sore thumb. Proving, when the going gets tough the grifters get cheating.
A few things to note: The HRs are perfect for all, except for WG on day 3 when he's already started to crash. Most of that day he operates at around 105, and dipping quite regularly into the 90s and even 80s. Most odd.
Note how Balenger and Goodge's paces crash on day 2, with day 1 far too hot to handle, even at their far lower distance. Day 3 is when things started to get very tough for PK, having to add a full minute to his Ks. PJ only had to add 4 seconds for day two, which as noted is a great effort. But what's not denoted here, and the invisible threat, is how much more recovery he was taking, and how much longer he was out there.
Day 3 was clearly dramatic and challenging for the others. So let's see what gives. Paul has gone nearly toe to toe with PK here, but we're only 4.2% of the way there...
Goodge's Heart rate drop sticks out like a sore thumb. Proving, when the going gets tough the grifters get cheating.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg as we'll soon see. But interesting to note WGs last 12k of day 3, with PJs last 12 of day 2:
WG never goes over 114, and PJ never goes under 141.
Here are PKs last 12 from day 2:
175 168 172 113 121 137 111 136 136 138 146 162.
A little walking in there, but on the whole, pure beast mode. Look at PK and PJ last two K of the day: 148/160, and 146/162. Identical averages, 8 years apart, and Rich Roll tries to explain it all away as "HRs are bullsh*t." Or the other excuse from their side, "we don't know how to read data."
Not that I'm a pro or anything, but I've done a few 100 milers and some multi day runs.
To see an average heart rate of 89 for a km after 50+ miles is absurd to me. After 75 miles my heart rate has no chance of going that low, even if I'm doing a very slow walk.
There's simply too much fatigue in the muscles for the heart to reasonably drop that low. After a 100k I'm routinely still in the high 90s or 100s for at least another hour while sitting down. I'd assume a heart rate that low would be detrimental to recovery.
Today is going to be a tough day for Paul with the climb out of Palm Springs with the wind and it will likely be where the borders of desert miles begin coupled with the reduction of people running with him. Might pick up some people when he passes 29 palms. I'd say if he knocks out 75 today in under 15 hours it will be a good sign for a good overall time.
Still doubtful that 40-48 days is possible, but that would put a solid 50 days in the realm of possibilities. I'm a sucker for an underdog though, so even through the doubts I'm hoping he can pull something together.
Or the other excuse from their side, "we don't know how to read data."
Because you've proven repeatedly you have no idea even how to download data let alone how to read it. Let's see you download PJ's data. I'll wait.....until the next century
Not that I'm a pro or anything, but I've done a few 100 milers and some multi day runs.
To see an average heart rate of 89 for a km after 50+ miles is absurd to me. After 75 miles my heart rate has no chance of going that low, even if I'm doing a very slow walk.
There's simply too much fatigue in the muscles for the heart to reasonably drop that low. After a 100k I'm routinely still in the high 90s or 100s for at least another hour while sitting down. I'd assume a heart rate that low would be detrimental to recovery.
Today is going to be a tough day for Paul with the climb out of Palm Springs with the wind and it will likely be where the borders of desert miles begin coupled with the reduction of people running with him. Might pick up some people when he passes 29 palms. I'd say if he knocks out 75 today in under 15 hours it will be a good sign for a good overall time.
Still doubtful that 40-48 days is possible, but that would put a solid 50 days in the realm of possibilities. I'm a sucker for an underdog though, so even through the doubts I'm hoping he can pull something together.
You are right. Today is the day to see if he has it in him. I doubt it.