The odds are around 3-4% if I remember correctly. I'd recommend paying for the passport club entry. I threw my name in the hat for the first time last year, and got in. Good luck!

2004 lottery (U.S.) had 2300 names in the hat for 150 slots. Remember the Pa$$port Club gets 100 slots first, then 50 slots go to the remaining entries (plus Pa$$port members not selected in the first go around). Non-U.S. lottery is separate, with 50 slots available (don't recall how many signed up for that).

It's like anything else: you pays your money and you takes your chances. Good luck.

How important are the essay questions? I feel like I'm applying to an Ivy league school. Does it have to interesting and literate? Or will any old thing do?

---

Doug in Michigan

I got in through the lottery in my first attempt in 1997.

I started in 1997 and I'm 0-9.

hang in there...I got in on my 10th entry.

---

________________________________________________________________________
"that which does not destroy me will only make me stronger" Frederick Nietzsche
andrew peabody
http://BREAKAWAYMULTISPORT.COM

Important. Make it as interesting and literate as possible. It is not a "lottery" as in completely random.

Some folks get in on their first try, I got in on my 7th try. Keep your hopes up, be persistent, but don't count on getting in or you'll be disappointed. I volunteered for several years running before I finally got a lottery slot. I highly recommend this. Being a part of the race by volunteering is perhaps the next best thing to actually being in the race. It also prepares you for when you are finally in, since you will know the logistics, atmosphere, etc. Besides, volunteering can't hurt the "karma factor" in the lottery :-) Good luck,

Ken

Why not just train a little harder?

A little? Keep in mind that for a 35-39M, it took around a 9:45 at IMFL to qualify for Kona this year via rolldown to ~10th spot. Not a large portion of guys even have that kind of POTENTIAL, let alone time to reach it.

Sheesh.

---

**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

Damn right....there are a lot of guys like myself who are plenty fast and train very hard who will never get in the traditional way. Possibly when I turn 45 or maybe 50 it gets a little easier. But turning 40 next year really does nothing for my chances. So..lottery it is....

---

Doug in Michigan

Sure. Maybe I'm just old school then. People may be fast and hat off to them, but if your not fast enough, then you don't get through.

I had a non-triathlete friend who got in on the lottery TWO YEARS IN A ROW! He was a runner who just decided to give it a go! I told him to try Powerball instead! He stopped applying for the Kona lottery because he was afraid of getting in AGAIN and he wasn't too crazy about the cycling............

I think they should make it policy that you can only get in one time per 5 year AG.

I know I'll take heat for that idea, but it's just an idea........don't slam me.

---

"In order to arrive at what you are not, you must move throught the way in which you are not."
T.S. Elliot

[reply]I had a non-triathlete friend who got in on the lottery TWO YEARS IN A ROW! He was a runner who just decided to give it a go! I told him to try Powerball instead! He stopped applying for the Kona lottery because he was afraid of getting in AGAIN and he wasn't too crazy about the cycling............

I think they should make it policy that you can only get in one time per 5 year AG.

I know I'll take heat for that idea, but it's just an idea........don't slam me.[/reply]

I got in the lottery 3 years 1991,1993 and 1995 after starting to try in 1989. qualified 97,98,03,05 though but still put in lottery in years I really want to go.

I heard a rumor that you stand better chance of getting in if you are not from one of the "highly triathlon populated states". Like Florida, California, etc. I've heard the odds are better if you live in Idoho or Montana, etc. Had to do with expanding the brand to those areas where Ironman is not as popular.

Not sure if I believe it or not, but would like to hear what states you lottery winners live in.

Spin-Ho - You had me laughing out loud at work on the comments about your friend.

He didn't do the lottery because he was afraid of getting in for the 3rd time in a row. HAHAHA


Will he write me an essay?

Exactly Campbell. I also turn 40 next year , work 50 hours a week and train , intelligently , year round. I think that the chances of me qualifying are virtually impossible ( if I plan on staying married and employed anyway ).

I entered the lottery ( I am outside of the US ) in Feb. this year , for the first time and got selected. Kona was a truly memorable experience that I am still flying on :)

For what it's worth I just entered the lottery again 2 days ago.

---

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn

Good point. Maybe I should take my money that I'll spend on the lottery, give it to you, and let you give me a fool-proof training plan.

Plus, Roberto, what if we *all* train just a little harder? Then the bar will be raised for everyone, and that won't be enough! ;-)

I WAS anti-lotto until I went there this year. It's NOT all about the championship, but rather has SOME inclusion beyond it. By extension from your idea, you could argue that age groups should be dropped and Kona slots just given to the absolute fastest people. Not that you're saying that, though.

A lotto friend went 11:XX in the 30-34M, which I thought justified his spot. Another went in the mid-12s. Not bad.

---

**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

It is true that the "lottery" is not totally random. They will ensure that at least one person is picked from each of the 50 states so I guess you do statistically stand a slightly better chance of getting a spot if you live in Montana vs California.

Completely and utterly not true. Go to Ironman's site and I believe they spell this out in their guide. This may have been true at some point in the past but it is not so now. Best of luck.

I could write you a plan, but then it's the athlete's attitude to the plan that matters. And I'm guessing you don't like me ;)

You're right, I wasn't saying that. And so what if everyone trains harder and the standard gets higher. Good.

I don't dislike you because we have different opinions. I'm not going to personalize this beyond saying that I doubt I could ever earn a spot to Kona - and as long as the lottery is an option, it will remain my best option. I just think you over simplified the point. Don't get mad at people trying to get in through the lottery. If it is there, people will use that route.

I'm sure if you knew of a tax loop hole, you wouldn't use it because "it just isn't right" and you know you should just "earn more money"

;) right back at you!