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Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality?
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lightheir
Jun 20, 12 20:22
Post #1 of 17
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Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality?
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So take the hypothetical guy who comes in at exactly top 10% of his AG in a well attended Olympic distance (or other type distance) triathlon in California. Yes, that's similar to me, I admit it.
If he races in a similar sized race in a different part of the country, such as the East Coast, Midwest, or South, or wherever, would he do exactly the same?
Just curious from folks who have raced at a similar fitness level in similar parts of the country.
3Aims
Jun 20, 12 20:31
Post #2 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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You could look at regional and national rankings (show race stats) to get an idea. It really depends. Most of us in the Sunbelt love hot and humid races, but hate altitude and hills. And those that love hills and cool weather hate hot and humid races. All I know is I feel really fast when racing local races and feel really slow when I race national races (HIM/IM).
tigerpaws
Jun 21, 12 4:13
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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I was a big fish in a little pond in Indiana/midwestern races. Then ~ '95 I moved down here to Florida. OH MY I immediately found out how NOT good I was. The competition down here was unreal. Up north you maybe had to beat 1 or 2 guys to win your AG. Down here it was hilarious multiply the competition x 10. Southern Indiana is nice rolling hill country, not hilly, but not flat. Horrible roads so I thought going to flat land with perfect surfaces I would shred the bike. Turns out I was the meat in the grinder.
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Daremo
Jun 21, 12 4:19
Post #4 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [tigerpaws]
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The Mid-Atlantic has a whole bunch of really strong athletes. Lots of money, lots of time, great varried terrain for training, some tough courses. Maybe not the same depth as So Cal or Colorado, but not far off.
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h2ofun
Jun 21, 12 4:40
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [tigerpaws]
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tigerpaws wrote:
I was a big fish in a little pond in Indiana/midwestern races. Then ~ '95 I moved down here to Florida. OH MY I immediately found out how NOT good I was. The competition down here was unreal. Up north you maybe had to beat 1 or 2 guys to win your AG. Down here it was hilarious multiply the competition x 10. Southern Indiana is nice rolling hill country, not hilly, but not flat. Horrible roads so I thought going to flat land with perfect surfaces I would shred the bike. Turns out I was the meat in the grinder.
That is why, to me, the USAT ranking system is a better tool.
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RunFatboyRun
Jun 21, 12 5:12
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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Well, I've been watching American Ninja Warrior regionals on NBC, and the one with Colorado in it seems to have the strongest contenders.
They must train with all the triathletes in CO
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Bmanners
Jun 21, 12 5:21
Post #7 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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It also depends on the race you choose and who shows up. Friends are doing a race this saturday and asked me to do it with them. philly is on Saturday also. I expect all the "good" competition to be at Philly. I am going just for a fast motivated training day and because it is 20 minutes from where i have a graduation party after. I will probably qualify for nationals at this race also. So take anywhere in the US where there is a little USAT race and a bigger presrigous USAT race going on at the same time and you have a few people at bothe races qualifying for Nationals but totally different fitness levels.
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TriBri00
Jun 21, 12 18:39
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [Daremo]
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All I know is that the guy who my AG (40-44) at eagleman went 4:06 and was 9th overall, including the Pros. There are some fast guys in the MidAtlantic region.
Brian
dennis
Jun 21, 12 18:47
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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Race Texas, Missouri, kansas, Ilinois, Arkansas overall I see little difference. It also seems like the really good ones do not race often.
JustinNorCal
Jun 21, 12 18:51
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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I am going to say that Boulder, NorCal, Socal and Tucson are the meccas. Want top 20 here in NorCal at a local olympic race you have to go sub 2:10 on rolling courses.
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mmrocker13
Jun 21, 12 19:38
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [dennis]
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dennis wrote:
Race Texas, Missouri, kansas, Ilinois, Arkansas overall I see little difference. It also seems like the really good ones do not race often.
come up here to mn...the good ones race every weekend, sometimes twice. depends on where you are, of course...but we have some stellar folks up here. (esp. if you're female)
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tri_yoda
Jun 21, 12 19:50
Post #12 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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Probably not, as long as you are comparing apples to apples. I.e. if you take a race with 500 in one region and compare it to a race in another region with 500 athletes, I doubt there is a big difference at the pointy end. When you are talking about smaller races (200-300 people) anywhere, it is a real crapshoot about who shows up and how deep the race will be.
I live in upstate NY and in my local area (within 30 miles of where I live), there are two multiple time Kona qualifiers (one of whom podiumed in AG at Nats last year), one single time kona qualifier, and another guy (former NCAA D1 AA swimmer) who can beat all of them in an Olympic and I am just talking about people in my AG. But, sure if they all went to a race in Norcal they would get their asses kicked;)
Daremo
Jun 22, 12 4:11
Post #13 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [tri_yoda]
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Same thing with running. Some local 5k's here (Maryland) you will get 5 or 6 guys that are running in the 15's. Others you get the winner only in the 18's. Just depends on who wants to play that day and how prestigious the race.
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gregn
Jun 22, 12 4:28
Post #14 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [Daremo]
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5-6 guys running 15s around here? I thought Ferndale-Linthicum was no longer contested!
Bryancd
Jun 22, 12 4:42
Post #15 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [JustinNorCal]
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JustinNorCal wrote:
I am going to say that Boulder, NorCal, Socal and Tucson are the meccas. Want top 20 here in NorCal at a local olympic race you have to go sub 2:10 on rolling courses.
From an AG perspective, I would say Phoenix metro has Tucson beat. :)
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B.McMaster
Jun 22, 12 4:57
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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Depends. Does he perform the same in extreme heat as he does in the hills. Can he swim equally well in high surf as he can in nice flat lakes. I think the conditions are to drastically different to make a comparison for the 10% age grouper. Top 1% or 2%, the the conditions are probably less of a factor in the comparison.
jackmott
Jun 22, 12 5:00
Post #17 of 17
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Re: Is there a significant difference in regional competition quality? [lightheir]
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you will do a bit better everywhere but Boulder.
abandon all hope ye who enter there
lightheir wrote:
So take the hypothetical guy who comes in at exactly top 10% of his AG in a well attended Olympic distance (or other type distance) triathlon in California. Yes, that's similar to me, I admit it.
If he races in a similar sized race in a different part of the country, such as the East Coast, Midwest, or South, or wherever, would he do exactly the same?
Just curious from folks who have raced at a similar fitness level in similar parts of the country.
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