CAM BROWN: The Greatest Ironman?
I always had a soft spot for Tom Evans, even though I don't know him personally. But he is Canadian and a healthcare professional, so in so many ways, a symbol to me of what is possible....(or not). And in my opinion, Tom was one of the most under-rated ironman athletes of all time. Winning Florida at the age of 40 was one great achievement, being third off the bike in Hawaii...and all the time still working as a Dentist. Pretty special. One could even say, great.
Anyways, this blog is not about Tom Evans (although he may be the greatest triathlete who ever also held down such a high level/professional job), but it is about another, not quite as highly under-rated, but under-rated nevertheless, athlete. Cam Brown, or at least, mainly it is.
It is also about the whole idea of "greatness" itself and what that means. I just want people to think about it because I have been thinking a bit about it. Who and what is great? What does it mean to be the "greatest".
My mind associates Cam Brown and Tom Evans also, as two of the greatest ironman athletes, past the age of 40, ever. (of course we can't forget Dave Scott's comeback in Hawaii at the age of 42, but he didn't actually win and furthermore, we can't compare him to mere men since he is Zeuss incarnate...)
If The Man is Zuess, then Cam Brown is most certainly at least a demi-God, Perseus maybe...giant killer, or maybe Heracles, or, maybe he is divine, yes, like Atlas, a symbol of endurance and strength, holding up the earth and sky for eternity(isn't that what they do down under?....in any event, there appears to be more than just mortal blood flowing in those Kiwi veins.
Let's consider for a moment the fact that Mr. Brown's first Ironman victory came in 2001. His last, as most of us know, was just days ago, in New Zealand, where he has won a cool dozen times. Pile a dozen wins in one of the longest standing and most iconic races in Ironman, and put 15 years between wins and you have a greatest type of achievement. No-one else has even come close to this kind of achievement in our sport. It most certainly is a Herculean accomplishment. Or Atlas-ian. Take your pick. And that is the point, great is great, and greatest is kind've a weird concept.
Let's consider the ironman records of some other "greats" in the sport by way of comparison. Crowie's ironman career lasted about 7 years. Macca's ironman career was 10 years long (with wins at either end). Mark Allen competed in ironman's 12 years apart, only the Man, Dave Scott himself was more enduring, racing in Kona 16 years apart, but even he cannot claim wins 15 years apart. Boom for Mr. Brown!
The word "greatness" has different sorts of vicissitudes and standards, none are objective, certain or beyond argument. If we simply want to think about endurance then maybe Luiz Alvarez is the greatest ironman of all time (having completed 100), or Lou Hollander (having done ironman past the age of 80) or Madonna Buter?, or maybe IronCowboyJames, who did 50 ironmans in 50 days (although the elleptical is a bit of a stretch in my opinon). All great. All greatest in some respect. That is what is special about our sport. There is so much room for greatness. Ironman racing is like a giant petri dish for growing a culture of greatness.
Can one be considered the "greatest" if he has never won in Kona? That is an interesting question, open to debate in my mind, especially when one considers the unique environment which Kona presents and how unfairly it may bias one kind of athlete over another. How can "greatness" hinge on one race?
Cam Brown's Kona record is nothing to laugh at. Two seconds, two thirds. He should have a couple beers with Andreas Raelert and compare thoughts about being a bridesmaid in Hawaii.
In the end, I think the title of this blog is a bit mis-leading. The term "greatest" is largely arbitrary, totally subjective, and at most, entertaining to consider. That is true in any endeavour.
However, I for one, am completely blown away, and inspired by Cam Brown's ability to be in shape, year after year, on the highest level of the sport, to win the same race 12 times, to beat a generation of men who were squeezing their zits in the mirror when he got started, and to win last weekend, at the age of 43. Absolutely amazing. When one thinks about endurance, over the long haul, endurance that defies the rules of time...and combines that endurance with excellence of the highest level possible in athletic achievement, one quite simply can't avoid mixing Cam Brown.
At this moment, he is, for me, the greatest endurance animal on the planet and he is right there next to the Man in my personal pantheon of triathlon.
Anyways, this blog is not about Tom Evans (although he may be the greatest triathlete who ever also held down such a high level/professional job), but it is about another, not quite as highly under-rated, but under-rated nevertheless, athlete. Cam Brown, or at least, mainly it is.
It is also about the whole idea of "greatness" itself and what that means. I just want people to think about it because I have been thinking a bit about it. Who and what is great? What does it mean to be the "greatest".
My mind associates Cam Brown and Tom Evans also, as two of the greatest ironman athletes, past the age of 40, ever. (of course we can't forget Dave Scott's comeback in Hawaii at the age of 42, but he didn't actually win and furthermore, we can't compare him to mere men since he is Zeuss incarnate...)
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| The Man hanging out between ironmans |
If The Man is Zuess, then Cam Brown is most certainly at least a demi-God, Perseus maybe...giant killer, or maybe Heracles, or, maybe he is divine, yes, like Atlas, a symbol of endurance and strength, holding up the earth and sky for eternity(isn't that what they do down under?....in any event, there appears to be more than just mortal blood flowing in those Kiwi veins.
 |
| if Cam started lifting this could be him in a few years. |
Let's consider for a moment the fact that Mr. Brown's first Ironman victory came in 2001. His last, as most of us know, was just days ago, in New Zealand, where he has won a cool dozen times. Pile a dozen wins in one of the longest standing and most iconic races in Ironman, and put 15 years between wins and you have a greatest type of achievement. No-one else has even come close to this kind of achievement in our sport. It most certainly is a Herculean accomplishment. Or Atlas-ian. Take your pick. And that is the point, great is great, and greatest is kind've a weird concept.
Let's consider the ironman records of some other "greats" in the sport by way of comparison. Crowie's ironman career lasted about 7 years. Macca's ironman career was 10 years long (with wins at either end). Mark Allen competed in ironman's 12 years apart, only the Man, Dave Scott himself was more enduring, racing in Kona 16 years apart, but even he cannot claim wins 15 years apart. Boom for Mr. Brown!
The word "greatness" has different sorts of vicissitudes and standards, none are objective, certain or beyond argument. If we simply want to think about endurance then maybe Luiz Alvarez is the greatest ironman of all time (having completed 100), or Lou Hollander (having done ironman past the age of 80) or Madonna Buter?, or maybe IronCowboyJames, who did 50 ironmans in 50 days (although the elleptical is a bit of a stretch in my opinon). All great. All greatest in some respect. That is what is special about our sport. There is so much room for greatness. Ironman racing is like a giant petri dish for growing a culture of greatness.
Can one be considered the "greatest" if he has never won in Kona? That is an interesting question, open to debate in my mind, especially when one considers the unique environment which Kona presents and how unfairly it may bias one kind of athlete over another. How can "greatness" hinge on one race?
Cam Brown's Kona record is nothing to laugh at. Two seconds, two thirds. He should have a couple beers with Andreas Raelert and compare thoughts about being a bridesmaid in Hawaii.
In the end, I think the title of this blog is a bit mis-leading. The term "greatest" is largely arbitrary, totally subjective, and at most, entertaining to consider. That is true in any endeavour.
However, I for one, am completely blown away, and inspired by Cam Brown's ability to be in shape, year after year, on the highest level of the sport, to win the same race 12 times, to beat a generation of men who were squeezing their zits in the mirror when he got started, and to win last weekend, at the age of 43. Absolutely amazing. When one thinks about endurance, over the long haul, endurance that defies the rules of time...and combines that endurance with excellence of the highest level possible in athletic achievement, one quite simply can't avoid mixing Cam Brown.
At this moment, he is, for me, the greatest endurance animal on the planet and he is right there next to the Man in my personal pantheon of triathlon.
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| The Great One being Great |
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