Verzbicas Competing Sunday in Hungary at World Tri Champs

First, a big "High 5" to all the triathlon fans who have participated in this thread while providing correct information as well as perspective on Olympic-distance triathlon training and racing.

Here is the Running Times magazine feature-length piece on LV that I should have posted in the first message of this thread, to lay the foundation for this discussion:

http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19585&PageNum=1

It is in this lengthy piece that he and his triathlon club coach, Keith Dickson, repeatedly state their intentions of preparing LV for the Olympic Triathlon in 2012.

Note that Kevin McDowell, 3rd at World Jr. Tri on Sunday, is LV's teammate.

Here are a couple of passages that resonate with this discussion:

"What the running community doesn't understand is that he's a very good runner, but he's a world champion-caliber triathlete," Dickson says. "Lukas can sweep the table in triathlon if he stays focused and keeps improving. I think he understands that and how much fun that would be, along with the idea that you can make a lot of money as a pro triathlete. But at the end of the day, he's not looking that far forward. He loves running and he loves triathlon. But underneath all of that, he wants to be an Olympian."

"A more interesting scenario regarding his eligibility is that he could be a professional triathlete by the time he's a senior, regardless if he's earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. And there is an outside possibility his junior cross country season this fall -- when he'll be shooting for Virgin's historic Illinois record -- could be his last season as a prep runner, if he and his coaches decide to go full-bore into triathlon leading up to the 2011 races that will serve as the first Olympic qualifiers."

By the way, in interviews with LV following his FootLocker XC win back in December, he stated that his US citizenship was imminent. He was expecting a confirmation letter to be arriving within a week or so. I have not read more on this topic, but I presume he now is a U.S. citizen.

Well, he's back running xc with his Carl Sandburg H.S. team. First races will be in October. Illinois' high school state meet is the first Saturday of November. There, he most likely will be taking another shot at Craig Virgin's 13:51 3-mile course record (from 1972) at DetWeiller Park in Peoria.

Stan Ford Jr.

Tim Don is a bad example to quote as he is a convicted doper. Maybe Don is outrun when his supplies have run out.

Things to know about triathlon wrote:

Earlier in the year Tim Don from Britain ran 28:50 on the road in the off season, finishing 50 seconds behind GEB. He's won one race all year, but has made every bike pack (meaning he's been outrun).

Well he won HyVee in the middle of the season this year. Doping is irrelevent to the discussion. I was using that time as a comparison.... guys are running faster than a 28:50 guy.

Stan Ford Jr. wrote:

his triathlon club coach, Keith Dickson, repeatedly state their intentions of preparing LV for the Olympic Triathlon in 2012.

"What the running community doesn't understand is that he's a very good runner, but he's a world champion-caliber triathlete," Dickson says.

Sounds to me that LV just repeats what the club coach whispers in his ear.

I predict that LV gets injured again and doesn't finish the XC season this fall.

Runners who don't respect the triathlon are failures.

Lucas is following some greats here. Mottram was the Australian junior triathlon champion, but at 18 decided to focus exclusively on running. Armstrong was a national triathlon champion when he was 18 and 19, before soloing with a cycle. Both could possibly have been world champions at Tri.

Not pursuing the triathlon would be a huge mistake for Verzbicas right now.

Verzbicas is on his own path, not following Mottram, Armstrong or Virgin - that's why he is the most compelling runner in HS and should be a role model for any HS runner.

Follow your own path - if you have a passion for running, cycling, or swimming then do it, and don't ask for training tips from 70's runners .... they ran 40 years ago.

Don is a poor example....to use as a "doper"...he was "busted" for something that i consider petty b/c britain's anti-doping rules suck for out of comp. they (may have changed in the wake of don and ohurugu) used to mandate that you have to be available for one SPECIFIC hour of the day, and if you're not there, too bad, missed test. i think that's bullshnikes, give me a flippin phone call and i'll tell you where i am. what happens when you get two flats on a ride and you're late getting home.

I'll admit, after two misses, he should have been more careful but i think the one hour window is lame and i won't stigmatize him the same as say reginald. perhaps the fact that i used to race against him biases me but i think i'm being reasonable about this.

dude-

Congrats to LV

First of all congrats to Verzbicas, he did an awesome job. But one thing to consider is that triathlons at the Junior level is MUCH less competitive than track and field at the Junior level. They just aren't something that as many people do as kids, partially because of how costly they are. If he sticks with it and really focuses on the swim (many ITU professional races allow drafting on the bike, so it is essential to get out early in the swim) then he may be a contender for 1016, but for now he's got a ways to go.

I mean a contender for 2016, not 1016.

DaveW wrote:

Verzbicas is on his own path, not following Mottram, Armstrong or Virgin - that's why he is the most compelling runner in HS and should be a role model for any HS runner.

Follow your own path - if you have a passion for running, cycling, or swimming then do it, and don't ask for training tips from 70's runners .... they ran 40 years ago.

Your post is insightful, compelling, and utterly illogical. Please review apostrophe usage and resist the urge to post your drivvle.