Chris Kwiecinski covers Region 9, Dixie State and Southern Utah athletics for The Spectrum. Everything he had was enough by about five seconds. Then take a look at the UK Ultimate 1/4 Triathlon. Sanders said he's in his prime, which made a pandemic-shortened race season in 2020 so difficult. "They're taking it to the limit.". We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The second-bottom Baggies host Wolves on Monday fighting to keep their slim Premier League survival hopes alive. Sites sur le SEO, les moteurs de recherche et le référencement naturel. "I had to spring on the downhills to keep up.". Sanders took the lead of all athletes between the 5.8 and 7.7-mile mark of the run, and held off Long, who was less than a second behind Sanders in the home stretch. Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Like this article? Sean Patrick Astin (né Duke; born February 25, 1971) is an American actor, producer and director.His acting roles include Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003), Mikey Walsh in The Goonies (1985), Daniel Ruettiger … His dad, Anthony, left his job in IT sales to coach and manage him; he is now a certified Ironman coach and is also pursuing British Triathlon Coaching qualifications. In January he was made a global ambassador for the shoe brand Hoka One One, and the company made a short film about him called Time to be Awesome. Currently, he falls between two stools, unable to go to the Special Olympics because his IQ is greater than 75, but also prevented from participating in the Paralympics because he doesn't have a physical disability. "The next one, he'll probably win.". ", More: IRONMAN: Sanders, Ryf make history with St. George 70.3 wins. Nick Butter runs marathon in 196 countries, RW meets the man behind Maurten - Olof Sköld, Meet the man running 2000 miles in memory of his son. The latest Tweets from O.Andrieu Abondance (@abondance_com). Long and Sanders we in the top 20 right after the 16.5-mile mark of the bike course. Aside from going down to the wire with Alistair Brownlee in the St. George IRONMAN 2017 and a 10th-grade 800-meter race, he can't think of another instance where another runner challenged him as much as Long did. Kelenic added a pair of hustling doubles in the fifth and seventh, the second scoring Sam Haggerty to give Seattle (19-20) a 5-1 lead. The Baggies host Wolves in the Premier League on Monday on … 'I have chosen to be an athlete so that I can motivate other people like me to take up sport and so that I can win medals. Heiligenstein Sam Houston (9-0) has a shot at a perfect season while K.C. Sanders crossed the finish line with a time of 3:42:56 to win his third IRONMAN St. George 70.3 title, outlasting 25-year old Sam Long. Sam Holness says he has a significant advantage over many other up-and-coming athletes aiming for a career as a professional triathlete: he has autism. 'Being an athlete has changed my life by improving my confidence and self-esteem. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. But given I have a long history of violating said rule, I figured a few weeks ago that a local triathlon was the perfect time to try out Garmin’s almost never talked about ‘Extended Display’ triathlon-focused feature. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. But, Sanders has an explanation for why he didn't crack the top 20 of the swim course. 'My running technique was awful when I started because my coordination wasn't great,' he says. Last October, the charity Shaw Trust put him in its Power 100, a list of the most influential disabled people in the UK. The win clinches a spot for Sanders in the IRONMAN St. George 70.3 World Championships in September later in 2021. Six other times, he was atop the leaderboard at the end of a round, just never the round that mattered […] He just had to realize that, too. "There's nothing to be upset about with how I raced.". He trains for between 20 and 24 hours a week, six days a week – 80 per cent aerobic, 20 per cent HIIT (high-intensity-interval training), with a little yoga in the evenings for strength, conditioning and to help with sleep, which can be an issue for people with autism. Sanders crossed the finish line Saturday with a time of 3:42:56 to win his third IRONMAN St. George 70.3 title, outlasting Long, who finished second with a time of 3:43:01. "It's great to see guys hungry like this; I see myself in him.". I always do tasks to the best of my ability.'. The event marked the first Ironman-produced event on U.S. soil for 2021. Sam Appleton, Ben Kanute and Michael Raelert were the first three athletes to leave Sand Hollow Reservoir Saturday. He didn't begin speaking until he was four and acquiring the motor skills to do physical activities to a decent standard took time, too. Having joined a running club at 18 and moved quickly from parkruns to 10Ks and half marathons, Holness completed his first duathlon in 2015, then his first half Ironman event, in Portugal, in 2019. "I can't wait to come back to do it again.". Looking for something smaller? Getting a consistent stride length and getting my arms to work properly took months.'. The UK Ultimate 1/2 Triathlon is our demanding and much sought after 'half iron distance' event and returning yet again to the beautiful Alderford Lake venue in Whitchurch, Shropshire on the 6th June 2021. We make a great team.'. "If you look at any other sport, they highlight rivalries," Long said. XTERRA CHAMPIONSHIP. It was such a great race, Long didn't harbor any disappointment after coming in second. Super League Triathlon (SLT), the world's premier swim-bike-run series, today announced they will debut in the U.S. at the iconic Malibu Triathlon on Sept. 25 & 26, 2021. His condition is a boon when it comes to training, he explains: 'I can focus for long periods while doing a repetitive task, and won't stop until it's completed. Sam Long, archiconocido por sus palizas, vuelve a mostar al mundo del triatlón porqué está hecho de otra pasta. "That's where we're headed," Sanders said. The event will feature $15,000 USD in prize money for elite athletes, who will compete over a 1.5km swim, 33km mountain bike and 10km trail run. "I gave it everything I had. (That's known as the 70.3 event, the total of its 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.) Holness also attended the university, completing a BSc in Sports Science, for which he wrote a dissertation on coaches who work with neurodiverse athletes. Like any true triathlete, I violate all the rules of common sense. That's when negative thoughts started to catch up to him, too. Distance: 1.5km swim / 33km mountain bike / 10km trail run The race will serve as a qualifier for the 2021 XTERRA World Championship. "I just realized, these guys are better downhill runners than I am," Sanders said. 'I know that my dad is pleased with how I have coped, because I can get anxious when my routine changes too much,' he says. "He's getting better, I"m staying the same," Sanders said. "I don't think we need to be shy about our competitive side.". As IRONMAN becomes a bonafide professional sport worldwide, Sanders said he has noticed the sport is improving. He could do it. The five teams that took quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL draft head into the offseason program full of optimism that they have found the franchise cornerstone that will lead to great success for the next decade. He's involved in an attempt to broaden triathlon inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. Probably the fastest 'half iron distance' in the country But, Sanders fought his way back into the top five with a bike split of 2:30:30. I was about a minute 50 down, which I didn't start very well so I was quite happy.". I will happily pound away on the treadmill, indoor rower or turbo trainer for hours on end. However, Sanders said the 2021 North American Championship win on Saturday was perhaps the best race he's even been a part of. IRONMAN is becoming less of a sport decided by tricks and tactics, and more of a sport won by pure athletes. History indicates that at least a couple of those teams will be looking for new answers […] A Cheadle Hulme man aims to round off a 72-hour mega-triathlon by pulling a plane as he crosses the finish line. Twitter: @yorkiebea 'Athletes with autism are ideal candidates for endurance sports, as they require focus and long efforts of aerobic training. 'Don't let a disability be a reason for not doing sport,' says 27-year-old athlete Sam Holness. Jake Paul lived up to his promise to beat Ben Askren in the Triller Fight Club headliner on Saturday.. Paul moved his undefeated record to 3-0 in professional boxing competition when he beat former Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder Askren by first-round TKO in their 190-pound main event matchup at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Atlanta. Long also compared what he and Sanders have to other primetime sports. There is a beauty in numerous nationalities coming together with a unified aim. IRONMAN: Sanders, Ryf make history with St. George 70.3 wins, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "We're just super lucky we get to do this right now," Sanders said. Ironman was able to put on a few U.S. based events in 2020, including Ironman 70.3 Arizona and Ironman Florida, where they … Continued I learn visibly and require my coach to speak slowly and not ask too many questions at once, because it can get confusing. "He's getting better, I'm staying the same," Sanders said. That didn't stop Sanders from speaking very highly of Long, who's a 25-year old fast-riser on the triathlon scene. On Sunday, April 11, triathletes from around the world took on the 2021 Ironman 70.3 Texas triathlon out of Galveston, Texas. The two competed down the stretch, but Sanders and Long weren't among the leaders to begin the race. Está claro que si te apodas ‘The Big Unit’ y te promocionas como “Las piernas más fuertes del triatlón” vas a tener que estar a la altura de dichos títulos. 'I am fed up with Covid. Sanders said he and Long would out-bike the competition by about five minutes in past races, but that gap has closed. Keeler can become the winningest coach in FCS playoff history and the first to win titles at multiple schools. Of course, the main barrier lately has been the pandemic. Meanwhile, his mum looks after his nutrition and wellbeing. 'I found a need for coaches to communicate more effectively and use more visual tools, as well as having greater expectations,' he explains. However, Sanders and Long are just grateful to be able to race again. Runner's World participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 'Autism is my superpower,' is printed on his T-shirt and looking at the achievements of the 27-year-old from west London, it's hard to argue. They battled through the Challenge Daytona triathlon, as well as the IRONMAN Texas 70.3. Holness has high hopes of changing his sport in other ways, too. 'I had to learn to run properly. He credits Long, who was right on his heels, as major motivation and was grateful for the challenge. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_, and contact him at CKwiecinsk@thespectrum.com, or (435) 414-3261. Three thousand Instagram followers are keeping an eye on his training. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Goodbye regular season and hello playoff football. "This is the closest I've ever had to finish in a race.". Long continued the mutual respect between him and Sanders, embracing the rivalry between the two. Sanders, who calls the head-to-head competitions between him and Long "fake beef," won the 70.3 in Texas with Long finishing third. PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Sam Burns figured all those close calls would eventually teach him how to win on the PGA Tour. Even so, the cancellation of every race he entered in 2020 has been hugely frustrating. Twice this season, he had the 54-hole lead and failed to convert. "My deficits are getting less and less. "I've never had to sprint, ever," Sanders said. Now, Holness is quick; he has his eye on a sub-three-hour marathon and a sub-75-minute half within the next couple of years. As the runners approached the six-mile mark of the St. George IRONMAN 70.3 run course, Lionel Sanders watched Sam Long fly by him. First person with Down Syndrome completes Ironman, The really weird history of the treadmill, How to run safely while fasting during Ramadan, It's OK to skip sessions when the weather is bad, My daughter with Down Syndrome started running, 12 challenges to keep you motivated in 2021, Runner's World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network. At least his growing public profile can go on doing good work. The big dream is to be the first athlete with autism to participate in the Ironman World Championships, and to turn professional. He won in 2016 and 2018, and set the St. George course record in 2018 with a time of 03:41:11 to boot. Friday marked the first week of the high school football playoffs in North Carolina. Neither Long or Sanders were among the top 20 after the swim, but both made up ground soon after. Sam Allardyce admits West Brom should have given themselves a better shot at survival.. If he can end up becoming the first pro triathlete with autism, he surely won't be the last. The bike is what the two excel at, but the gap has closed on the two. In 2016 she competed in her first triathlon alongside friends Holly and Sam Branson and their father Sir Richard, to raise money for her charity Big Change. Getting to the postseason was something that seemed like a bit of a longshot in a shortened and unusual season because […] "I've been sucking at swimming since day one," Sanders said. Sam Holness says he has a significant advantage over many other up-and-coming athletes aiming for a career as a professional triathlete: he has autism. I hate not completing things that I start, and I never complain.'. Sanders couldn't turn his neck to see where Long was, so Sanders just began to sprint down the "Time To Fly" part of the run. Could he keep pace with Long, and other athletes like 2019 champion Rudy Von Berg and Magnus Ditlev? But autism also made him a slow starter. "As long as I kept up with them I felt like I still had just a little bit more," Sanders said. It's given me purpose, goals and an opportunity to be the best I can,' he says. That race will most likely feature a more intense, dryer heat, with the same challenge of the incline at Snow Canyon. This isn't the first time that Sanders has basked in St. George championship glory, either. 'My dad knows how to communicate with me. He also gets lessons and advice from Level 3 British Triathlon coach Matthew Tithecott, ultrarunner Andy Wren and Mick Woods, a performance coach at St Mary's University in Twickenham, London. It was a few months overdue, but welcomed nonetheless. I just want things to go back to normal so that I can race.'. "I'm only disappointed because I kind of needed that paycheck," Long said. The most important one being to never try something new on race day. Boss Sam Allardyce has issued a simple instruction to his West Brom squad as they enter the last chance saloon. Long and Sanders have been competing throughout the past year as they trained to stay in shape during the pandemic. ‘After swimming 3,300m biking 140km, running a half marathon and hiking up mount Etna I finally made it,’ she said of the achievement. ... 'I can focus for long … Don't let a disability be a reason for not doing sport.'. What makes the two such an interesting duo is where they're both at in their careers. He's the best man for the job, says Holness.