Sage 25k behind Kilian.
Sage 25k behind Kilian.
I've also been wondering about this, people saying 'at least he gave it an honest effort' and something like 'massive balls for going for it!'
how ludicrous would it be for someone to talk in this way about a 5k race, where one sprints out in front and manages to keep the winning pace for 3k...
I mean most if not every elite runner on any 100 mile field is likely to be able to pull off a fast(er) 50 miles.. but the race isn't 50, so, what's the logic?
Thus far I've doubted Jim's abilities. And I think even his most ardent supporters can agree that he's talked a bigger game than he's walked. But if holds on for third, I'll gain some serious respect for his ability to tough out a bad race (even if he has only himself to blame for thinking he'd CR no problem).
agreed.
interesting to see how this goes for him as well as how / if he matures. it's sad that the way he acted and spoke earlier in this race are exactly as in the 100k road world championships 2015 I believe it was, where he 'couldn't help himself, since everyone was going so slow', and ended up fading to 28th place.
one might say that he is still young, but 27 isn't that young, 'we' are just old;).. and he hasn't seemed to learn much in the pat two years. I truly hope he'll grow.
Tollefsen passed him, not sure if any other has, since.
I find it interesting as to how the euro's like Francois and Killian seem to dominate these races on much less structured training regimes and obsession with mileage than the Americans. I don't get why Walmsley would throw in a couple 130+ mile weeks plus 30,000 feet of climbing leading up to UTMB. Francois was probably picking grapes in his vineyard for the past few weeks to taper, while Killian ate tasty pastries made by Emelie and did a couple 2 mile runs with 3000 feet of climbing (kidding). But check their strava's and they definitely do seem to acknowledge rest and recovery to a good degree.
Seems to me like the whole American lineup is overtraining to some level.
Following the usual script. Everyone gets excited about x, y, z.... And then Killian wins.
Walmsley blowing up sooner and sooner in these races. And he doesn't have the heat to blame this time. Like his sub 14 5k is just slowly fading from college.
Hdhdjdjd wrote:
Walmsley blowing up sooner and sooner in these races. And he doesn't have the heat to blame this time. Like his sub 14 5k is just slowly fading from college.
his first 5k is normally pretty strong though
walmsley on fourth place at the moment. d'haene leading atop the last climb.
Is Wallmsley coming back from the dead?!
Also, no way Killian wins this...
so it seems, although got just passed by thevenard.
and Kilian is now 17+ minutes behind Francois who is expected to reach the finish line in 20 minutes as I understood... sub 19h they say.
This is not Walmsley's strengths, guys. UTMB is a crazy event. I think he's doing great, but his style is more suited to the CCC or some great non-overnight running escapade. But he's young and might as well experience once in a lifetime!
Kilian is struggling, but will get 2nd.
Excellent news, glad to hear the local heroes show them American boys who the daddy is
Kilian is 0-2 against D'Haene, the french guy is a beast on the 100miles, would be nice to see him in the US racing Hardrock or Westernstate
Great. Tollefson must have been running a smart race, kudos to him!
MountainRunnerrr wrote:
Kilian is 0-2 against D'Haene, the french guy is a beast on the 100miles, would be nice to see him in the US racing Hardrock or Westernstate
not correct. Kilian is 4-3 against Francois when it comes to ultras, and one of those races neither won, but came 3rd (Kilian) 4th (Francois). The 2012 transvulcania won by Dakota Jones, Andrew Symonds was second.
Also the Corsica trail GR20 FKT is in Francois' name, having broken the record earlier established by Kilian. Of course this isn't a race and not really comparable, since it's just the one competing the other.
but anyway, Francois is definitely (maybe the most) fantastic on mountainous 100milers. I think Western States doesn't really suit him that well, being all that flat, as he said of the The North Face Australia 100k, that it was just too fast for him. Was 14th on the 2015 edition, might have been injured though, don't remember.
Wow, Walmsley is only 5 min back from the most dominant UTMB all-arounder Xavier Thevenard and looks like he may podium at UTMB. Great job, although he looks wasted and a skeleton.
Might podium? Has anything happened to Tim? Also, didn't Xavier just drop Walmsley?
Podium is Top 5 at UTMB