This Triathlon Was Truly Special! | Challenge Samarkand

James visits Uzbekistan for the inaugural Challenge Samarkand. The Central Asian country is a whole new triathlon destination and one of the most unique places to do a race. The ancient city of Samarkand was a key location on the Silk Road and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Area. James explores the city and experiences Uzbek culture before taking on this epic triathlon.
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[@gtn]

Where’s the best place you’ve ever done a triathlon? 🌏

[@lisapet160]

The best place I am now dreaming to do triathlon is Samarkand.

[@CarlosHernandez-bl4nd]

Ironcowboys Starvation extreme tri in Utah. Now that was Epic

[@martinsodyssey]

I've raced in the UAE, Marrakech, Ohio, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia... but it goes without saying a German race was the best, in a small town called Roth.

[@peachxblue]

I have only done triathlon in Pennsylvania, New York, and, like James, …Ohio. Time to branch out 😆

[@gregvassilakos]

Thank you for a great video! This is the sort of content GTN should be doing - having James, Mark, and Heather do triathlons. They don't need to be long course events. Olympic and even Sprint are fine. This together with triathlete interviews, bike checks, and training recommendations should be the core of this channel.

[@gtn]

Great to hear that you loved the video! We will always champion every corner of triathlon, as much as we love the big epic challenges we also love the shorter events too 🙌 What event should we cover next? James is itching to get back out there and soak up even more hot tech!

[@mattjhann]

@@gtn The Roc Scotland is a triathlon, but one that's a bit different, and has a gravel bike instead of a normal one. Should make for entertaining viewing! It's certainly on my list for next year.

[@jamiefuhrman403]

@@gtn have you ever done a winter triathlon? That would be such a fun challenge. Fat tire biking, trail running, and cross country skiing.

[@bencritterson640]

Don’t forget Fraser.

[@Doniyorbek_Turgunov]

Thanks for visiting our country James and GTN team! Looking forward to seeing GCN and GMBN teams next time, great places to discover together with the local clubs and followers👍🤝 See you soon 🙂☀️

[@leebrown3645]

Very tactful of James not to win the race, so that the other competitors stood a chance 😉 Samarkand looks like an incredible location for a race. One of the most enjoyable videos that the channel has put out in some time. Thanks for making it.👍

[@jcoterhals]

I really liked this video a lot, James! Cool to see you do a triathlon, but even cooler to see you do it in a country I know virtually nothing about. If it were up to me, you could extend the “sightseeing” part of the video the next time you go to a location like this.

[@gtn]

We loved visiting Uzbekistan, we were welcomed with open arms🙌 We hope we can get out to more new places soon! Do you know of any other races we should do?

[@SBoots29]

That looks like a really cool race and experience. Way to go James. Very lucky that you went there and thanks for showing.

[@gerardochaparro1639]

James: "And of course, not being particularly well prepared physically for this particular challenge" Also James: *finishes a middle distance in **4:34:47* 🤯🤯🤯

[@trailrunplanet]

Riding the bike leg in the small chainring too...

[@jamiefuhrman403]

Keep in mind he's a former pro. Even his out of shape is bound to be quite impressive.

[@zinashd2968]

I loved this video too! I really enjoy the combination of a little travel vlog and triathlon action. I personally like to find a triathlon when I'm on summer holidays. Super cool! Thanks and well done James! 🙂

[@Unhate]

amazing! the runners behind James shouted ‘Almaty, Kazakhstan’ in Russian. representing :)

[@peachxblue]

So cool, go James!! Samarkand looks beautiful, looks like a lovely race course and so cool to sightsee during it. I recently read a book by an Uzbek author, Hamid Ismailov, called “Gaia, Queen of Ants,” first Uzbek author I’d read, so I’ve been curious about the place ever since, thanks for sharing these images and your experience!

[@nizam_mr]

God job James, n all participants. Beautiful Wow. This is under Challenge series, like the Roth. Probably gonna give ideas to PTO for a race in this region too

[@mattarmstrong7605]

Challenge Salou was a blast and I can't recommend it enough. Salou is a gorgeous little beach town about an hour's drive south of Barcelona with nice restaurants & shopping, affordable beachfront accommodations, and just like Samarkand the race was on closed roads so I felt safe the whole day.

[@chrisstrider]

Fantastic video 😊 Great place, great people

[@ekaterinaelshina7185]

It was great seeing you in Samarkand, James! The race was great, indeed, and the local people are amazing too 😁

[@martinsodyssey]

As someone from the UK who has also done Ohio, i fully understand the way James said "Ohio", the way he did 😂

[@tehreemazaidi6339]

What an amazing and information video 👏

[@Nat-DAVID]

Whaoo that looks amazing!! so sad to be far from Samarkand because it looks amazing . Congrats James

[@gtn]

Do you think you would ever be tempted to take the trip? ✈🚂

[@far_out_travels]

Love your socks 🇿🇦

[@mikew6840]

Brilliant to see James in action again! 🇿🇦 Legend. Hope there’ll be more 😅

[@gtn]

Oh there will be more.... We're cooking up the next challenge as we speak 🍲

[@bikeanddogtrips]

i remember investigating the course for this race several months ago & then getting caught up in one of those youtube holes watching countless videos about samarkand when you posted a competition for someone to race there.

[@mattwideman3986]

Double thumbs up. Great video.

[@sebastienbrochard9812]

Thanks James for finally attending a triathlon on the triathlon channel! 😂 Great video! Great effort! I guess after that I'll stick to my mechanical shifters! 🤣😂 Next you go for a World Qualification!? More racing in exotic places! 😬

[@quovadis5172]

Well done James. 😊👍🏻 Hope you had fun. Regards from Olifantsfontein. 🐘

[@georgepompydu4673]

Well done James !

[@jasurpulatov4930]

James thanks for video. I saw myself running in the episode) come again to our country for triathlon 💪

[@gtn]

Awesome! Everyone we met had so much energy 🙌 Did you enjoy the race?

[@jasurpulatov4930]

@@gtn yes indeed. My first middle distance in my home country and with such honorable guests like you:) truly remarkable race.

[@paulegan3860]

Loved this! Forwarded to all my mates and we are going end of season 2024! Heathrow? What airline? I bet it’s cheap as chips out there?

[@microbiologistmpdahar4524]

It's great

[@jgduke63]

Great socks for the running. South African flag, I love it. Challenge Samarkand would be my choice, would it only not be so far (needing to travel by flight, Hotel making the costs higher than I can afford).

[@gtn]

Triathlon can be expensive, getting to these events is no easy job. That said they are 100% worth it in the end, if you can save and travel out to an event we would highly recommend it. We understand that this isn't an option for lots of people and there are so many great local events to keep the triathlon bug alive! 🙌When is your next race?

[@gregvassilakos]

I'm impressed by the barefoot bike mount and dismount!

[@gtn]

Once a pro... always a pro! Should we do a skills video with James? 🎬

[@P_Izenberg]

good time!

[@mmh-ho8cd]

I participated in that race too it was a very good experience I really enjoyed it 🙏🏽👏🏽❤️

[@gtn]

It was wan't it! When if you next race? Did you spoke James? 🔎

[@dennisvandegrift3457]

What device was he using in the bike to do commentary? This is great content! It's a race review, but reviewed during the actual event.

[@user-sg3dg6wx9q]

Very nice

[@356z]

Thats the music from alladin in kingdom hearts... you cant tell me otherwise

[@songofyesterday]

2/3 of the way into the run and my guy still has air to talk to the camera 😂

[@TomKroupa80]

Not well prepared with finish time 4:34. I am looking forward to be not well prepared like that:-)))

[@gtn]

Little humble grab from James 👀 He's still got it!

[@user-ix5vf8wu1i]

Looks amazing - what was the climate like? Looked hot!

[@jasurpulatov4930]

Early morning was quite colder, during the run course it was hotter

[@ipanema_triathlon]

🎉

[@jamiefuhrman403]

What was your bike setup James? Specifically what appears to be a monogrip at the end of the aerobars?

[@alisonwilks302]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@blubbblubb6239]

Really interesting to see such places! I've only spotted one female athlete in the vid... how is it for females to travel and do sports in that location?

[@FarrukhNasyrov]

absolutely no problems for ladies who want to travel and also do sports there. It's pretty much the same as in any other European country. It's a fantastic place and everyone is welcome to participate in sports. Many female athletes participated in the last Challenge Samarkand.

[@jamescunnamaGTN]

All of the filming for this was done by our female creator, Belinda. I'm sure she would agree, it is a safe, comfortable place for females to travel (and do sport).

[@BelindaHumphries]

I felt pretty safe! I would say the gender split of participants was fairly average for a middle distance tri, which obviously could still do with a lot of improvement!

[@marcuswills6569]

Waiting for the mechanical vs electric shifting argument to start 🤣

[@Milashka-vo4xk]

We was together in Samarkand challenge

[@dfateekh]

Do they have it yearly?

[@jasurpulatov4930]

Registration open for 2024

[@gtn]

This was the first year! One to watch in the future for sure 🙌

[@MrRamkulov]

Молодцы Узбеки, вложились в туризм, денег не пожалели.😂

[@Milashka-vo4xk]

Hello this is me Sara my dad is Farrukh do you remember me?

[@jonathanzappala]

“Even Ohio” I don’t know if I should be honored or slighted 😂. Well I don’t live in Cincinnati if that’s what that was in the b roll.

[@peachxblue]

And even, Ohio?! 0:08 lmao I am from the US, near Ohio, everyone feels this way about Ohio

[@geraldkiessling]

The batteries will be charged before check-in. 🙈 The rest of the video earns a "Super Nice"!

[@TamaEnergy]

Oh wow the medical check is what they all need