James Lawrence and the Conquer 100

James Lawrence (the Iron Cowboy) is known for completing unconventional fitness goals. In 2015, when he told us he was going to do 50 full-distance triathlons in 50 states in 50 days, we thought he was crazy. But we backed him 100%. Bruised and beat up, he completed the unthinkable. He did it.

As if the “50/50/50” wasn’t enough, James is now attempting to do 100 full-distance triathlons in 100 consecutive days. While it does sound crazy – insane actually – we know better than to cast doubt. James is calling this the “Conquer 100.”

What is the Conquer 100?

After accomplishing the 50/50/50, James knew he wasn’t done yet. Over the next five years, he rode his mountain bike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, ran 235 miles across Greece, competed in Xtreme Triathlons around the world, and raced the Xtri World Championship in Norway. He also competed in the T.V. World Premiere of The World’s Toughest Race – a ten-day adventure race through the back jungles of Fiji, and The Uberman, all leading up to his biggest project––Conquer One Hundred––racing a full-distance triathlon for 100 consecutive days, from March 1, 2021 – June 8, 2021. 140.6 miles a day, for 14 weeks, totally 14, 060 miles.

The Prototype

To assist James on his Conquer 100, we reimagined triathlon bikes. ‘The Prototype’ is designed to be Aero Over Time (AOT). The goal is to be as aero as possible for as long as possible. This means finding the perfect balance between comfort in body position and speed. Being extremely aero but uncomfortable is counterproductive in the long run. As soon as you pop up out of your aero position, you lose all aero benefits.

We worked with James and one of the top triathlon fitting coaches in the country, and consulted with engineers from Boeing and engineers from several top universities to create a bike that is Aero Over Time. With James averaging 7-8 hours a day in the saddle for 100 days, he will need to be as comfortable and efficient as possible. The Prototype is designed to help him Conquer the 100.

A triathlon is often considered a great test of an athlete. Running, swimming, and biking all have their unique challenges. The Prototype’s geometry relieves specific areas of the body that are more prone to discomfort during the biking portion of a Triathlon – ensuring James is healthy and safe during his event.

What’s a Full-Distance Triathlon?

There are 4 different triathlons.

Sprint Triathlon—750 meter (0.465 mile) swim / 20 kilometer (12.5 mi) bike / 5 km (3.1 mi) run.
Standard or Olympic Triathlon—1.5 kilometer (0.93 mile) swim / 40km (25 mi) bike / 10 km (6.2 mi) run.
Half-Ironman or 70.3 Triathlon—1.9 kilometer (1.2 mile) swim / 90 km (56 mi) bike / 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run.
Full Distance Triathlon (aka Ironman Triathlon)—3.8 kilometer (2.4 mile) swim / 180.2 km (112 mi) bike / 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run. This is what James will be doing – the most hard core of all of them.

The Bikes Behind the Conquer 100

For the #Conquer100 challenge the Ironcowboy, James Lawrence, has multiple rides to choose from depending on the day and how he’s feeling. His two primary bikes are the Empire and ’the Prototype’ triathlon bike. Here’s a breakdown of why each bike is perfect for this challenge and why he rotates between the two.

Empire

The do-it-all road bike

The Empire is a very popular road bike from Fezzari and is designed with an ‘endurance-race’ geometry. This bike is the most versatile road bike in the Fezzari lineup being designed for all-road riding: rough asphalt, high cross-winds, descents, climbs, etc. the Empire is a great all-arounder for long endurance rides. It’s also the first of our road bikes to pioneer Monoform technology, our single-piece carbon frame construction making it very light, strong, and smooth. This has been a critical bike for James when he wants a slightly more relaxed body position while putting in 112 miles every single day.

The Empire is one of his favorite go-to bikes thus far in the Conquer 100 while his body is acclimating to the extreme daily demands and helps him be quick and smooth while being able to sit up a little more.

The Prototype

Crafted to #DefyLogic

To assist James on his Conquer 100, we reimagined what a triathlon bike should be based on rider needs and feedback. Most triathlon bikes are designed to get the rider in an incredibly tucked and aggressive position which is often difficult to hold for long periods of time and can actually induce more fatigue to the body as it tries to hold that position. Being extremely aero but uncomfortable is usually counterproductive in the long run. As soon as a rider has to sit up out of the aero position for relief, most of the aero benefits a triathlon bike is designed for are lost. ‘The Prototype’ is designed to be Aero Over Time (AOT). The goal is to be as aero as possible for as long as possible. This means finding the perfect balance between comfort in body position and aerodynamics for speed.

We worked closely with James and one of the top triathlon fitting coaches in the country, Jeff Sherrod at Precision Bike Fit, and also consulted with engineers from Boeing and several top universities to create a bike that is AOT. With James averaging 7-8 hours a day in the saddle for 100 consecutive days, comfort and efficiency is critical. The Prototype is designed to help him Conquer the 100 and be a powerful tool he can use to be as aero as possible while minimizing as much discomfort as possible.

Synopsis

Both the Empire and the Prototype have their own unique traits that offer distinct advantages depending on the day. The Empire is versatile and comfortable for long hours in the saddle. The Prototype features advanced aerodynamics while putting emphasis on being as comfortable as possible in the aero position, “Aero Over Time”. Weather, wind, and how James’ body feels are factors that help him decide which bike to ride that day. With the huge amounts of volume and repetitive stress he’s putting on his body it also helps to simply rotate the bikes to help change up body positioning as well. Whatever the needs of the day, the Empire and the Prototype compliment each other well and are designed to help James #conquer100.

To follow along during James’ journey, follow him @ironcowboyjames or on his website