Sorry if it sounds harsh but experiencing triathlon where it all started is a reward for earning it. This applies to #4 below as well. You are absolutely correct that the vast majority of qualifiers don't stand a chance of being on the podium. But they earned the right to be there by working hard and making sacrifices to be the best they can be and qualifying by competing against everyone else. Kona is special to me because I earned the right to go there and suffer...and finish in the ass end of my AG.