Lukas Verzbicas! The college hunt is on!

I'd be surprised if he didn't go to either Oregon or Colorado. It will be interesting to see him against Derrick and Fernandez (assuming he's healthy) in xc 2011.

No way any DI college coaches are gonna let him train for triathlons and their 3 season program. At least not with any kind of scholarship.

From the interview it doesn't seem like he has any intention of dropping the triathlon training.

Good vid, he even mentions that he didn't want to run against HS competition when he was a year older than normal. The kid has eye of the tiger.

Wisconsin? Madison has a huge biking/triathlon community.

Victoria, British Columbia..

Where the climate is the mildest in Canada, almost no snow or real winter to speak of. The triathletes here can cycle outside almost every day throughout the year.

Triathlon training with Simon Whitfield and friends at the National Centre in Victoria, and running training with Jon Brown and his group. Now where else in the World could be better than that ??? Olympic gold and Olympic Silver in the tri. by Whitfield and two 4th place finishes in the Olympic Marathon by Brown, not to mention his fabulous track times (still the British record holder for 10K), and five top-20 finishes at the World Cross Country Championships. If Lukas is serious about both sports, and he seems to be, then he should get the hell out of the NCAA, and come to the University of Victoria.

A Cross Country season in the Fall, lots of cross-training permitted and encouraged. Maybe a couple of Indoor Races for fun, or not, no problem....No outdoor track season for the CIS schools --- exams start in April, and people are off running for their Clubs or Centres or whatever after the end of March....Perfect setting for a brilliant triathlete/runner...

Actually he doesn't even have to run for the University of Victoria if the Coach doesn't support his triathlon. There is a seriously kick-ass distance running Club in Victoria, the Prairie Inn Harriers, which has one of the largest and best group of distance runners in Canada or even North America I would suggest...

Both Whitfield and Brown run for PIH, whenever they can...

I could help arrange the funding, and I know that Simon and Jon would be onside in about 1 second as would my buddy Bob Reid, who has built the Harriers into one of the finest clubs anywhere, from beginners to elite...

I truly hope that this young man is one of several who will represent USA distance running down the road.

Maybe he wants a good education, and not just a good place to run and bike.

keepitup wrote:

Maybe he wants a good education, and not just a good place to run and bike.

stanford

If he was serious about being a world beater he would to CU.

You know, for a majority of occupations there really isn't that much of a difference in where you go to school. Also he said several times in the interview that his decision is based to compete as a college athlete, so I think he is looking for a "good place to run and bike".

Are you out of your mind? Any coach would be delighted to let him do triathlon training in return for having the best runner in the country for XC and some track meets.

Triathlete and track athlete.

Worked out great for Steve Duplinsky.

Wait....

The University of Victoria is usually ranked 1st/2nd or 3rd, in undergraduate education in Canada. It's a very highly-rated academic University. Not there with Stanford or the ivy-league schools, but who is? Not about 99.9 % of USA schools. Anybody know how to get hold of Lukas/family/coach/school? My e-mail is rsbowker@shaw.ca. Thanks...

He is one of the guys who broke the mold. He has been doing it on his own terms for some time now. That alone tells me he is worth watching for many years to come.

DaveW wrote:

He is one of the guys who broke the mold. He has been doing it on his own terms for some time now. That alone tells me he is worth watching for many years to come.

A bit like Rupp. Find a successful system and stick with it despite the conventional criticism. The swimming aspect might actually be a bigger advantage than those who put in more running miles. Hard to know for sure, but I can't see how it can hurt as long as he is running and doesn't bulk up like and olympic swimmer.

sdkhjk wrote:

Wisconsin? Madison has a huge biking/triathlon community.

I agree. University of Wisconsin and Madison would be a great fit. Big running and triathalon community and one of the best NCAA XC teams. Mick Byrne is also a flexible coach who would work around and be suppotive of Lukas's triathlon training and schedule.

a good fit wrote:

sdkhjk wrote:

Wisconsin? Madison has a huge biking/triathlon community.

I agree. University of Wisconsin and Madison would be a great fit. Big running and triathalon community and one of the best NCAA XC teams. Mick Byrne is also a flexible coach who would work around and be suppotive of Lukas's triathlon training and schedule.

I hate to say it, but I hope he goes to a great running program and not just a good one. Stanford, Oregon or Colorado would fit that and I'm sure all 3 provide excellent tri training grounds.

He should check out the ivy league. The education is unmatched and they would compromise well with him concerning the triathlon.

Anonymous Coward wrote:

He should check out the ivy league. The education is unmatched and they would compromise well with him concerning the triathlon.

Meanwhile his training and racing in running would suffer. Ivys don't produce world beaters in distance running, this is no longer the 1960s.