[Idiom] Please explain the meaning of this phrase

[kwanbhan]

What does "to take some catching", as in the following sentence, mean?

Now that he has the swagger of multiple wins this season, he’s going to take some catching and I couldn’t be happier for him.

Please explain?
Thank you very much in advance

Kwanbhan:-?

 

[emsr2d2]

Welcome to the forum.

It's going to be very difficult for anyone to catch up with him. He is a long way in the lead or in the standings of a competition etc.

 

[Barb_D]

Welcome to Using English.
Thank you for using correct English when asking your question.

I believe - though more context would help - that it means "It will be hard to catch up with him." Perhaps he is #1 in some sort of list?

One other request for future posts: A lot of people need to know what a phrase means. Naming your thread with the phrase you're asking about would help. So, you could have called this one "take some catching." Thanks!

 

[emsr2d2]

We use the "take some verb+ing" quite a lot.

Felix Baumgartner holds the world record for the highest freefall and for breaking the sound barrier. That'll take some beating!

We are planning to make the biggest omelette in the world. It will contain 850 eggs. It's going to take some cooking!

 

[kwanbhan]

Thank you very much indeed. I am very lucky to have found this wonderful forum.

 

[billmcd]

Welcome to the forum.

It's going to be very difficult for anyone to catch up with him. He is a long way in the lead or in the standings of a competition etc.

I agree, but I think in AmE you would more often hear/read "it's" rather than "he's", because "it" refers to the effort of catching and you would also more often hear/read "catching up".