Cycling with Simba
Age ain't nothing, dogs rule, a big Tour de France loss, Vive la Poo?, and more...
š Good morning and happy Friday! Welcome to the Front Pack newsletter, your source for all things endurance. Click here for the web edition.
Loaded week at FPHQ with multiple development meetings, 2H discussions, branding and marketing calls. And lots of writing - landing pages, filming video, and thinking about this newsletters own design. All good things though! And as I get deeper into this entrepreneurial journey, one thing has stood out. The openness of other successful entrepreneurs. Almost everyone I connect with, reach out to or get introduced to via a friend or old colleague is absolutely open to giving me 15 - 20 minutes on Zoom, over coffee or a phone chat. Whether itās to pick their brains around product or strategy, people just want to see others succeed too. Humanity restored. ā„ļø
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Stay movingā¦āš¼ - Scott
Headlines
š“ Cycling with Simba: That is the Migration Gravel Race. Itās certainly at the top of my bucket list but let me tell you why. The 4 day, 4 stage race takes you throughout Kenya while doing more than 26K feet of climbing. With Mt. Kilimanjaro to your left by day 3, you continuously cycle past wild giraffes, elephants zebra, hyenas, and wildebeest. At the 2024 race, it was Sarah Sturm (USA) and Hans Becking (NED) winning the overall titles. Read moreā¦
šš“š All of the Weather: That was what Mont-Tremblant brought to the table. At the 70.3 IRONMAN event, the 9th race in the PRO Series Tour, it was the volunteers who deserved their own medals because it was a long, cold, windy, rain filled day. But, it was two Canadians Lionel Sanders (CAN) and Paula Findlay (CAN) who won the menās and womenās pro fields. It was an exciting week for both as Sanders came back from a rib injury that sidelined him since April, while Findlay just 48 hours earlier won her third Canadian Time Trial Championship. Read moreā¦. [2]
š“ But these Views: Not a race Iāve ever heard of but after some research, am highlighting based on these beautiful views. In itās 20th year, more than 4K riders did the Wales Dragon Ride this weekend. Set in the Brecon Beacons and as the name indicates, wraps itself around like a Dragon tail to its head. A stunning course that brings you through the country side, cyclists can hit everything from the MacMillan 100, a 68 mile race to the Dragon Devil, a 184 mile course. Read moreā¦
Meanwhile
š“ Heartbreaker: Sepp Kuss (USA) is out of this years Tour de France due to complications from COVID-19. Forced to abandon the Crit Du Dauphone earlier, the American star hoped to get better but his upward trend stagnated in recent days. Read moreā¦
š I Feel Broken: Is what anyone would say after attempting to run 1,000km (621 miles) in 12 days. But hear from 52-year-old Natalie Dau who made the attempt, going from Thailand to Singapore which would be roughly two marathons a day. But would she make it? Read moreā¦
š 46-Years-Young: In age is just a number news, USAās own Gabrielle Rose did not make Team USA for the Paris Olympics but she was the talk of the town at the swimming trials as oldest competitor was beating competitors half her age to advance to the semifinals. Though thatās as far as sheād get, the trials for Rose was affirmation and confirmation that women can do anything at any age. Read moreā¦
š Dogs rule: An older story but letās highlight it anyway. Dion Leonard (AUS) took on a 250K (155 mile) ultra in Beijing, China. As a multi-day race, the Aussie found himself alone in the Gobi desert and hurting on the course. His savior? A tiny but alone, energetic but homeless dog that would run with him for more than 77 miles over the final two-days. Forming an incredible bond, Dion would ultimately adopt the tiny pup and get him back to Australia. The dogs new name, Gobi. Read moreā¦
š $13 Million: That is a lot of cash. And is what Lesley Mettler Auld, 53 was awarded by a Seattle court. Auld, a former ultramarathon athlete fell on a Seattle sidewalk in 2021 and to this day cannot run and struggles to walk. She fell on a stretch of sidewalk āperennially covered in water and algae.ā Read moreā¦
š Alwaysā¦Shoot Your Shot: Sometimes thatās all it takes. Four years ago, as a high school kid Leon Marchand cold emailed legendary swim coach Bob Bowman, best known for coaching Michael Phelps, to see if he had a spot for him on the Arizona State swim team. Bob looked up his times, said, āHell yes!ā and four years later, Bowman coached Marchand to 10 NCAA titles at ASU. Now. Marchand will be competing for France at the Olympic games. Read moreā¦
šš“š Vive la Poo: Weāre getting down to the wire to see if the Olympic triathlon events will include swimming. If all goes to plan, it will be a historic moment, given that swimming in the Seine has been illegal for more than 100 years due to the river's pollution levels, though some swimming has been permitted recently as part of triathlon test events. Authorities have spent at least $1.55 billion to clean up the Seine. Last month, a rainwater storage facility was opened that can hold 20 Olympic swimming pools worth of water to reduce pressure on the sewage network and lower the risk of wastewater being discharged into the Seine. Read moreā¦
š° Deals & Steals
š° AirPods Pro - $199 $249: Nothing to really say here. These are great, easy to pair, easy to use. Also the most recent model with USB-C charging. Get them while they are on sale.
š°š° Zipp 353 NSW Carbon Disc Brake Wheel Tubeless - $1,424 $2,321: The front wheel is the cheapest but still, the rear XDR wheel is $500 off. Not bad.
š° Apple Watch Ultra 2 - $719 $799: Not the greatest deal but still, $80 off. If you are an Apple Watch Stan but donāt have the Ultra yet, with the new updates, itās up there with the Garmin Fenix series for best fitness watch.
Upcoming Events
Big races to keep your eye on.
Training Tips
Because training is life.
š Your swimming technique SUCKS (and how to fix it): We post a lot of swimming technique videos here but Iām most impressed with this one. Why? Because they look at five different angles. With swimming, itās almost impossible to get better unless you have a visual of your stroke. If you need a coach, get one, but make sure they film you or are physically showing you what youāre doing wrong. A simple read out of extend your arms, pull your head up will never be enough.
š How I Pack for Trail Running: Sally McRae is a legend in trail running and if youāre like me and donāt know what to pack, take her word for it.
šš“š A Triathleteās Guide to Race Fueling for Every Distance: Training is the most important but fueling is a close second. If youāre not doing it right, youāre failing. This step-by-step guide will help you calculate an individualized triathlon fueling plan based on your specific nutritional needs for sprint-, Olympic-, half iron-, and iron-distance racing. Read moreā¦
Rewatchables
Content for long training days inside or just everyday life.
š I won my Ultra! Chasing Leadville 100: Hit the YouTubes and youāll see a ton of training content focused on Leadville. Mostly because itās only 8 weeks away so people are well on their way or starting to panic train. For Amanda, sheās hitting her stride. Big congrats and good luck!
š“ The Wildest Gravel Race in the World: This was the 2023 race (I havenāt seen anything from 2024 yet), but if youāre a gravel fan follow Sami Sauri's journey taking on this epic race, the inevitable ups and downs, discovering Kenya's beautiful and unforgiving landscape.
š 300 Mile Ultra from LA to Vegas: As a BPN production, you know what youāre getting; jacked, fit, attractive people and good cinematography. Aside from that, still a cool underground race to check out.
š Quotes
āI want women in particular to not be afraid to be strong, to lift weights, to take care of themselves and just know that they can have a lot more in the older chapters of their livesā¦" - 46-year-old former Olympian Gabrielle Rose following the Olympic trials