Sam Long has now placed Top 3 in 6 straight races
Sam Long took second at Singapore T100 on Sunday to continue an incredible streak of consistency and establish himself as a favorite in the T100 Triathlon World Tour. He is now second overall with two second-place finishes in the series. The performance was especially impressive given he took second at Ironman 70.3 Oceanside just one week before.
Most athletes would dread back-to-back endurance events. Long seemed to thrive on the challenge.
“What fires me up about back-to-backs is the small margin of error,” Long said after the race. “The high stakes. Every detail has to be right from the training starting weeks out, to the travel itinerary, and to having all the equipment dialed in. When I do the back-to-backs, it gets me fired up to be at my absolute best.”
Sam Long is on a tear and having a blast.
Long has now finished Top 3 in six straight races, including a win at Ironman 70.3 Pucon. That consistency may be a sign that Long has leveled up his baseline fitness. In which case, watch out. Temperatures approached 90 degrees with humidity during Sunday’s race, and Long only seemed to get stronger throughout. He narrowed the gap to winner Youri Keulen throughout the bike and run, ultimately taking second by 1:27 over the course of nearly three-and-a-half hours of racing.
“The streak of consistency shows that I have unlocked the process of peak performance both in training and also the mental components required on race day,” Long said. “I know how to turn it on when it matters. I feel the ability to perform in different conditions and courses is the mark of a true champion.”
Sam Long rocking Singapore in April.
Long finished the swim leg in Singapore with nearly four minutes to make up behind the race leaders. He wrote after the race that he purposefully paced himself so that he wouldn’t overheat early. His patience paid off. Long posted the fastest bike and run legs of the event.
“My race in Singapore went exactly to my plan,” Long said. “I planned on being 4 minutes down in the water. I planned on executing a bike that got me into the race without burning too many matches. Then I knew if I did both those things, it would come down to a good run and also what the others had on the day.
Sam is in the midst of one of the most entertaining triathlon campaigns of the season.
“I for sure have work to do on my swim to become the best triathlete I can and it’s a work in progress. In Oceanside I deviated from my race plan and my performance suffered from it, so Singapore was really confirmation that when I trust my plan and my abilities, it pays off.”
Long isn’t hiding his ambitions at all. He wants to win big, and no matter what he’s going to have more fun than anyone at the finish line. He’s having one of the most entertaining campaigns in triathlon this season, and you’ll definitely want to be strapped in for the journey.
