Search
shop

Sam Long shares measured reflection after disappointing IRONMAN Arizona

American long-course star Sam Long gave a measured reflection on his race at IRONMAN Arizona in his most recent YouTube video, where he shared his thoughts on the race.
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

The controversy surrounding Sam Long’s penalty at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in St George, Utah has been one of the most talked about incidents of the year. Everyone, from spectators to pros, weighed in on the perceived injustice Long suffered at the hands of IRONMAN and their officials.

Ultimately, the American dealt with the situation remarkably, as he quickly set his sights on IRONMAN Arizona, in what was billed as his “race for redemption”. Unfortunately for Long, the race “didn’t quite pan out how I wanted” in Arizona, as he shared in his most recent YouTube video.

Advertisement

Bike struggles hinder hopes

After a good swim by the “Big Unit”, the bike didn’t quite go to plan for Long, as by his own admission the initial miles after T1 was where “the race quickly started to go south”. Long shared that, “within the first eight miles I started to have back issues” which resulted in him “spending a lot of time out of the saddle early in the race, which you just can’t do on this course”.

IRONMAN Arizona Race Report – Going Long with Sam Long (YouTube)

After pushing through the pain on the bike, Long felt like he was in a good position, sitting in 4th, having “not overbiked”, but quickly started struggling on the run, having at one point to stop at an aid station to attempt to stretch out.

“I could barely run” admitted the American, stating that at the aid station, “I was at a nine out of ten pain level. Whilst I felt energetically and muscularly good, you’re only as strong as your weakest link,” and after cramping up immediately when taking onboard any nutrition, accepted that “the last twelve miles was going to turn into something of a death march”.

Admirably, Long soldiered on to finish the race, but ended up way down the field, as he missed out on a Kona slot for the 2023 IRONMAN World Championships. The full distance is still yet to be conquered by Long, who looks likely to once again bypass the distance in 2023 to focus on the more lucrative middle distance events.

Solving the IRONMAN puzzle

In his video, Long didn’t want to just gloss over another poor IRONMAN performance, and after three bad long distance races in a row, admits that there are issues that need to be addressed.

“I’ve got some major overhauling work to do to figure out the IRONMAN distance”. The biggest question of all seems to be his training, as Long observes that “looking at my training, you’d expect me to overpeform at the IRONMAN distance and not at the 70.3 races”. However, things have if anything been the opposite, with Long certainly more competitive at the middle distance races.

To close, Long maturely remarks that “we are all on our own path in life”, and encouraged anyone watching to take that into account. The American, still just 26 years old, has plenty of time to rediscover his form of old, but will hope he can end a tough year in style next weekend at IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells.

Tomos Land
Written by
Tomos Land
Tomos Land is a triathlon & running journalist whose expertise lies in the professional world of short course & long distance triathlon, though he also boasts an extensive knowledge of ultra-running.
Discover more
tri-fit vortex tri suit review
TRI-FIT VORTEX tri suit review – race day approved performance
Maja Stage Nielsen Kat Matthews Jocelyn McCauley IRONMAN Texas 2023 podium photo credit IRONMAN
PremiumRacing to keep up: Is social media making us train harder?
Cadomotus chronos aero triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL
PremiumTraining to heart rate vs power on the bike
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumHow to pace a triathlon to leave it all out there WITHOUT blowing up
latest News
Laura Madsen wins IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables 2024 photo credit IRONMAN
‘Underdog’ Laura Madsen dreaming of T100 glory after London comeback
Georgia Taylor-Brown London T100 post race
“I am just an amateur in this” Olympian Georgia Taylor-Brown reflects on learnings from London as she gets set to take to the French Riviera T100 start line
World of Triathlon LIVE
From first-time age-grouper to putting on a HUGE triathlon exhibition – meet the triathlon inspired exhibition professional behind World of Triathlon LIVE
Georgia Taylor Brown Paris Olympics 2024 medal
Georgia Taylor-Brown poised to go “all in” for gold at LA Olympics
Patrick Lange IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
IRONMAN World Championship Nice 2025: Men’s start list finalised
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...