the big four...they alone built this sport which is triathlon! he is the finest example of champions! great men who were adversaries, who are now getting older...but it looks like they have become brothers

I was influenced by these men, wow! Thank you for posting and sharing,

I was fortunate enough to encounter ST outside the Desert Princess hotel the day before that duathlon. He was waiting for some photographer to do a photo shoot. Scott was incredibly generous with his time that day. He even told the photographer to wait his turn while we finished our conversation. Legends earn their reputations.

1987 triathlon in Berkeley hills, short course race. Molina at the time lives close by. He is blasting away on bike to easily win race, reaches for water bottle, hits a bump, crashes hard, tears up body. If I recall correctly, drops out. But, if I recall correctly, his little brother, a self-promoter, does quite well, takes 3d?

Met Mark Allen for a sec at 1990 Ironman. What struck me was how polite he is, nice manners. And w a feeling of kindness. The perfecto triathlete body-of all time. Yes, and as well the perfect athletes body of any sport, triathlon or otherwise.

Wow, what a thrill! Thanks Bob.

Hey Bob , came into the sport back in Miami July 1985 , at the height of the big 4 with my $220 bike , good old days

Molina is a pimp. His demeanor has never changed. Will never forget his Hilton Head USTS 86 bike. For a racer back in the day, his intimidation out of the gate was insane.

I followed these guys races over the years and without a doubt. Molina, Tinley, Allen and Scott were fierce animals in competition. Each one set a high bar for the sport. This was a great interview. Thank you for bringing them back together.Bob.👍

I so remember doing Gold Coast, 89 IM with these guys! What sn epic time. Too bad I just couldn't swim. Great to be a part of it all and race as a duathlete in the desert vs those triathletes!

Met Mike Pigg for a few min at a half Ironman? in central California after the race. I was standing around trying to figure where I had finished. Pigg came over. Oh he was excited. Bouncing w energy. He teaches out his hand and says, If I remember right, “hi, I am Mike Pigg. I just took 3d. This was my first race.” He was elated w his placing. but happy in this lovely, humble way. B c you could see he had been scared, worried whether he was good enough to compete in a top field. This race showed him that he could, was good enough. And he knew then that he was only going to get better, would move. He first knew at that moment after rhat race he was already now contender, a factor, and elated b c it was a sport he was in love w and wanted to compete in for years. You.cd see a person blooming that day. A bubbling happy person seeing he had a future

Oh it was exciting time for triathlon, and these 4, along w Mike Pigg starting few years after them, but able to beat them at times, made for glorious years. What a great sport. What superb 4 racers.

This is absolutely amazing - it is like Christmas in May for me Bob! I remember my edition of Triathlete magazine with Dave crossing the finish line. I was hooked the first time I saw that epic battle with Dave and Mark. To watch Molina - Pigg and Tinley duke it out was racing like I have never seen before. Throw in a punk named Lance Armstrong at you have a USTS for the ages. I seriously wish I knew this was going to happen, I would have flown out to be in the audience! Bob, are the posters available by chance? Would love to get a few if possible. Awesome questions, priceless feedback. One thing that kept running through my head while watching each speak - each were absolute animals - fierce competitors - examples of class both on and off the race course. They sit next to each other, well dressed, kind and full of compliments; however, complete beast mode at the starting line. A huge thanks to all four of you (plus many others - Pigg, Glah, Mackel and many more plus the women) for paving the road for the sport of triathlon for today's pros. Thanks for doing this Bob.

Short conversation once by phone in 1987 w Dave Scott when he was in Davis. What struck me was his politeness, and his innate wish to try to figure out a problem, go into coaching mode, help w a solution. He is great observer of other athletes and what they need to work on, a naturally gifted coach.

This was great! Thanks for posting.

respect legends!

Hmmm, so Jon Howard perhaps drafted a press van to win Ironman. Ouch. If true

1987 worlds toughest triathlon in California sierras. Molina wins. Goes to tent to relax. Has two Carl Junior hamburgers.

A key dsc here in this video is Mark and Dave talking about the 1989 Ironman, our sports greatest race in its history Two missed points: 1) Mark, better on hills, as we know, put a move on Dave on the last hill. But Dave is a better downhill runner than Mark. Dave cd have come back on the downhill, but did not. Mark only got about 25 sec on that hill. He won the race however by a min. Mark bested Dave on the downhill too, bewilderingly. This means Dave lost it mentally. He gave up on that downhill. Mark thus best Dave that day not just physically and tactically, he beat him mentally too. It wd seem Dave, toughest competitor ever in history of Ironman, gave up some that day, did not race to the finish line.it appears. But it is estimate by me, but I don’t know for sure. But do know it was a one min win 2) the race for 3d that day. Wow. About 12? min behind mark and Dave, 3 racers come in, all 3 about 10 sec! between them-Welch, Glough, Finn guy Pauli kuiri? That is secondary race for 3d i wd like v much to see but never have seen any video on this part of that marvelous race day

The Phil Maffetone factor is missed in this video. Mark was great athlete, but he was getting beat. Not up to Dave’s level. Beaten physically and mentally, race after race. Mark met Phil. Phil taught Mark two things: train at a far slower pace and far lower heart rate-build your base, tremendously; and, limit severely rhe carbs eat meat and fish and fats. It took Mark a yr to re configure everything. He did. And then after a yr under Phil’s direction he starting beating Dave, routinely. Maffetone effect doesn’t stop w Mark. Mark started training w Pigg. Mark taught Pigg Phil’s rules. And then, for a brief time, Pigg, using Mark/Phil’s ways, beat Mark in some races. W o Phil, and Phil’s way, don’t think Mark wd have become the best male triathlete in history. A mark metamorphosis under Phil.