That doesn't surprise me. Take a look at M35-39 from any race, and the 5th place finisher is usually top 25 overall, including pros. But, the numbers (and therefore majority of KQ slots) are 40-44 and 45-49 (the guys with the money!) The 30-39 crowd just needs to convince more of their slower friends to come out and race so that they have more than 3-4 slots to aim for in their AG.

Not quite...

This is the result of almost all races going to 50 (or even 30) slots. While there are 4 in 35-39, I think 5 in 40-44 and 4 in 45-49 is typical.

The older system of 75 slots would have resulted in far more slots for 30-49 males. Because of the guarantee of 1 slot per any AG finisher, and the unequal general distribution of slots, this situation of very high placings in M30-49 will be shut out fairly often.

It's the new (better) way...

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Founder of THE TRIATHLON COLLECTIVE (Closed Facebook Group). A SBR discussion group without the white noise/trolling!

If you are excluding pros, then that person didn't finish 12th overall.......

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I don't know who you're thinking about, but 21st overall was 5th in 35-39 and was beaten by 9 pros.

And, that AG had 11.9% of participants but received 4 slots or 8.0% of slots. Hardly the pro-rated distribution that is expected. Had they received 5 slots they would have gotten 10.0% of slots, at least closer to their 11.9% participation. 6 slots would have been 12.0%, closest yet to their 11.9% participation.

21st overall. Exactly.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Then that person was 21st OA :)

I agree that the distribution sucks, but for Kona, and 70.3 worlds in the AG ranks - you need to plan to be top 1 or 2 in your AG to have a "guaranteed" shot in the prime age groups. Outside of the prime age groups - you just have to cowboy up and win.

Pros don't take Kona slots and pros race a different race. It has been harped on again and again on this forum that the pros are an entirely different race.

So, I'll rephrase my question. Amongst the field that is eligible to receive the Kona slots available for distribution at a 140.6 event, has anyone ever placed better than 12th overall and not had the option to take a slot?

Maybe maybe not, but at IMLOU, outside of the pro race *no one* races the same race.

Yup... plus keep in mind that the guy that 4th or 5th in 35-29 is about 100th at Kona in 35-39, so they are cannon fodder out there.

21st overall is a little skewed too because it wasn't a very large or deep pro field and pro tend to race tactically, so you might overbike and hope you can hang on, because finishing 6th vs 7th is irrelevant other than KPR if only the top 5 pay out. So you'll see a lot of BOP pros blow up on the run trying to get 5th with the hope of having a break through race. Plus some are training more and harder than when they were age groupers and race a lot more, I imagine that can be hard to adjust to. Amateurs have hte luxury of peaking for 1 or 2 races in a season. A pro may need to race well at 7-8 races in a year including 2-3 IM and only really peak for one race. Get injured or overreach, and that goes out the window.

Not to take anything away from the winner of 35-39, but he was 9th overall. It was an outstanding performance, but there's a good list of guys even faster than him that are doing 70.3 worlds, or Kona and prefer not to do an IM that close to their "A" races. In a more typical field he's probably 2nd in his age group. Same as IMWI and other Fall IM's. The other popular thing I've seen among top AG's is to race Kona every other year if you have a favorite Fall or late summer IM.

But that's just my perspective.

Best you can do it get as fit & fast as possible and execute and hope for the best. Unless you win your age group and are within 5-6% of the winner's time (i.e. more than fast enough to get your Elite "card"), you're going to get swallowed up at Kona. For men, that's probably at least 8:50-9:00... on a flatter course, sun 9:10-9:20 on a harder course (terrain or conditions) like Louisville.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

They guys with the money? Did I miss something? I'm almost 42 does that mean I just need to earn more instead of training?

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

Yes in fact it does!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/141259815162

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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -- A fake Albert Einstein "quote"

By option, are you including roll down as an option? If not, I have seen and experienced much lower overall amateur finishes not earn a guaranteed slot. Lot of fast guys out there now!

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http://toddbyers.blogspot.com/ | @ToddByers

Yes, automatic or rolldown. What is the best placed overall finisher in the amateur race to not be presented with the option of going to Kona? At IMLou it was 12th. Let's see a case of a better placed finisher who did not receive the option to go to Kona based on that performance, if that case exists.

AG is spread to thin an needs to go!!

let cat 1 people KQ : https://www.change.org/...rical-ability-system and perhaps just do 10 year AG after 50. Eventually phase out AG

Do you have more money at 42 then you did at 30? (If you don't, you're definitely doing something wrong.) I know I sure do: I was in grad school until I was 27, so my disposable income increased by a huge amount. I suppose that will come crashing down in a few years unless the kids find some scholarship money....