Ironman New Zealand champ Joe Skipper criticized for 325 km ride

With the United Kingdom facing a lockdown, Joe Skipper’s 325 km ride that took him over nine hours has generated criticism online.

British cycling journalist Jack Sexty reported on road.cc this morning on a controversial Strava entry posted by Joe Skipper. The British star, who followed a sixth-place finish in Kona last fall with record-setting wins at Ironman Florida and Ironman New Zealand, completed a 325 km bike ride around Norfolk.

Skipper didn’t break any rules – leaving one’s home in the UK is allowed for a variety of essential needs, such as “shopping for basic necessities,” to look after any medical need, to provide care, or to help a vulnerable person” or to take “one form of exercise a day, for example, a run, walk, or cycle: alone or with members of your household.”

Skipper was alone for his ride and says that he “took precautions,” carrying his own food and only stopping once for water, but that didn’t seem to appease some in the twitter-verse.

There’s always one #stravawanker that’s going to ruin it for everybody else. ✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/cYo1iqh84g

— StravaWankers (@stravawankers) March 26, 2020

Married to a doctor who is dealing with the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, Skipper says he took advice both from her and her colleagues before embarking on the long effort.

My girlfriend is a doctor fighting it and she says it’s ok. Spoken to some of her colleagues as well who don’t have a problem. Maybe you need to understand the difference between when to social distance and when to isolate.

— Joe Skipper (@Noaveragejoe88) March 27, 2020

He also indicated that should rules change around the lockdown, he’ll adhere to those.

Will I took all my food with me for the ride, stopped once for water, took precautions with what I touched and how I did it etc. If government guidelines change and we aren’t allowed outside I’ll stick to it but at the moment they said you can exercise. There’s no time limit

— Joe Skipper (@Noaveragejoe88) March 27, 2020

Exactly and want to add if guidelines change and they say we have to stay in I will totally adhere to that.

— Joe Skipper (@Noaveragejoe88) March 27, 2020

A long effort like Skipper’s ride is certainly well within his fitness capabilities, but stretches the concept many health professionals are promoting that we should not be “going to the well” during the pandemic in order to maintain our immune system.

When it comes to the immune system, remember the old adage, you can’t really boost your immune system in the short term, but you sure can suppress it.

Here are a few concepts that will help: pic.twitter.com/4yrsJgaNDw

— Steve Magness (@stevemagness) March 20, 2020

The challenge for athletes like Skipper will be figuring out those limits. Fresh off two Ironman-record setting performances, he’s obviously in spectacular shape, so yesterday’s ride might not have been as taxing as it would be for most triathletes.

As the weather gets nicer, many Canadian triathletes will soon be looking to head outside. Those who embark on 325 km rides might want to hold off on posting those to Strava.