I've never been a big fan of the lottery but at least those people have jumped through the hoops to get there.

I just can't understand why it's ok for someone famous to get in just because they are famous.
Maybe there should be a reality show and/or race for those types to see who gets to go to Kona.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

I guess I see the validity in that point. Watch, next yr...

Who Wants to Be An Ironmanaire?! Starring Regis Philbin and Macca.

It's just annoying to see people like Hines Ward who is just doing it for Chocolate milk promotion, I can see Gordon doing it for a promotional opportunity. But hey at least it promotes the sport as well right?

this is true... I like running... I know the NYC PRs of oprah , p diddy and lance but I couldnt name anyone thats been top ten without guessing ryan hall or rod dixon, alison roe or radcliff

still wonder if ramsey gets money to namedrop kona every year though - never hear of him riding or in the pool

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There are so many lottery and sponsor spots in Kona that a few celebrity spots won't make any difference..


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Did he say Kona? I just watched it and he said IMNZ, though he's not in the results.

Maurice,

i agree, but then at least we're attracting a higher class of celeb to kona these days. i remember when our NFL players were retired (daryl haley) and our actors were from the background of baywatch (alexandra paul).

so allowing gordon ramsey in would be perfectly consistent with their existing values, but a step up in terms of PR.

kudos, kona.

next, could you find a way to stick the ironman logo on some slightly less crap products?

-mike

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____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

From his Twitter:

When I think of Hawaii its got to be Kona ! C U on OCT 12th IRONMAN

Personally, I could care less what celeb does Kona. bring the stars and the spotlight. If I qualify, I'll be there. If I don't, I'll enter the lottery and keep plugging away at the legacy. A few celebs entering the race and decreasing my chances by that quantity doesn't make one difference to me.

Triathletes have to be the biggest group of people in the world who act like a bunch of bad a55es, but care more about other people than any other sport I have ever been involved with.

Careful, Alexandra is not too shabby of an athlete. Certainly, she's no Chrissie, but I think she was around 13 hours in early 2000's. Very respectable. She has also done a bunch of long-distance (10km+) swim races.

never said she wasn't a good athlete.

but time was she had the highest star power at kona.

with gordon ramsey around, well . . . now WTC's hitting the big time!

-mike

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____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

100% he said Kona


At last count it was 409 spot in 2011 race they did not qualify.

I got this from a WTC employee. Sadly due to blowing to hell, most of them beat me in 2011

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Jumped through hoops to win the Kona lottery? Does clicking on a link, filling in some data and a credit card number constitute some sort of hardship these days?

I can just see the 2013 NBC special interest story now:

"But not everybody makes it to Kona on the back of hard work and dedication. For some, the journey to get there takes them to places most could not endure. Timothy Allen is one such competitor. Timothy's Ironman journey has been a harrowing nightmare of online entry and waiting. Endless waiting. On the morning of the first of March Timothy woke up to an unbearable horror. He realised that entry to the Kona lottery was closing and he had not yet entered. With just a twelve hour window many would have simply given up when they stepped on that piece of Leggo. For others, being unable to remember the password to unlock their computer would have been too much. But not for a man such as Timothy. Will today make all the effort worthwhile? For one who has already been through so much just to get to the start line you could easily forgive a sense that his mission was already complete. For Tim though, failure is not an option he wishes to contemplate."

my understanding is he is a decent runner 3:20 range.

PB 3:35, from 2006ish I think.

Although his times in London will have been disrupted by TV work, interviews en route etc as he ran for charity.

Other than falling into the sea in Iceland a few years ago and nearly drowning, and his Dad having briefly worked at a pool, I dunno if he can swim.

He owns a nice Giant road bike and has been fitted on it:

http://www.freespeed.co.uk/...the-f-word/#more-708

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´Get the most aero and light bike you can get. With the aero advantage you can be saving minutes and with the weight advantage you can be saving seconds. In a race against the clock both matter.´

BMANX

https://twitter.com/...326219190272/photo/1

His twitter feed confirms it.

She's also married to Ian Murray, who runs TriathlonTrainingSeries.com and Head Coach of LA Tri Club. Believe me, she didn't coast into any Kona appearances.

Also, Ramsey's been into triathlon for at least a year-1 1/2. I met him at Triathlon Lab last year when I was getting my bike worked on and he was picking his up. I remember he said he was doing FL, not sure if it was the half or the full.

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_________________________________________________
When all is said and done. More is usually said than done
Ba Ba Booey

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_________________________________________________
When all is said and done. More is usually said than done
Ba Ba Booey

Sure she did. She wouldn't have been in Kona if she wasn't a celeb. Just like the biggest losers, Ramsey, Haley, etc. Just because shes done some tris and is pretty good doesn't change that. I don't mind the celebs being in the race, but

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Styrrell

Bit of true information for all of you. Gordon Ramsay has never even competed in a sprint distance triathlon. Rumour is that he just likes wearing a tri suit. Look forward to watching him in Kona, he can't back out now unless he has another mysterious 'injury'.

Its not out of the question with a sponsor slot. Joe Bastianich who does Master Chef with Ramsay completed Kona in 2011.

[quote stikman

I can just see the 2013 NBC special interest story now:

"But not everybody makes it to Kona on the back of hard work and dedication. For some, the journey to get there takes them to places most could not endure. Timothy Allen is one such competitor. Timothy's Ironman journey has been a harrowing nightmare of online entry and waiting. Endless waiting. On the morning of the first of March Timothy woke up to an unbearable horror. He realised that entry to the Kona lottery was closing and he had not yet entered. With just a twelve hour window many would have simply given up when they stepped on that piece of Leggo. For others, being unable to remember the password to unlock their computer would have been too much. But not for a man such as Timothy. Will today make all the effort worthwhile? For one who has already been through so much just to get to the start line you could easily forgive a sense that his mission was already complete. For Tim though, failure is not an option he wishes to contemplate."[/quote]
That is classic, well done. The whole time I read that I could hear the voice of the NBC announcer.

It looks like he's really going to do it. I've googled for triathlon results, but couldn't find anything. Very curious how he will perform.

Click below for some pictures of Gordon practicing dressing for a triathlon.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...ensive-training.html

funny


what about a guest celebrity or lottery slot in the olympics? ....

" ....and over at the track this morning we have the first heat of the men's 200 meters ... 10 of the world's best plus we have Kevin Spacey in lane 11... doesn't he look ready? he obviously put weeks into preparing for this ..."

WelshinPhilly wrote:

AmaDablam wrote:

Celebs at Kona? Bollocks. SHUT IT DOWN!

Well played.

Fixed it.

Also, don`t forget without the celebs and sob/inspirational stories, there`s no TV, no TV revenue, less ad revenue, reduced pro purse, etc.

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Head down, thumbs up, give'r
@barrettdj