Thank you darling.

So tell me this. Last August, I got 3rd woman OA in a duathlon. Last October I got 2nd woman OA in a 10km road race. Last September I came last in my AG in a duathlon. So which one is more valuable? Probably the OA's right? Nope, I consider the last place in AG to be my best race of the year.

I've come across it all over the world. So it's ME. I should have known. Pfew...
Thank you Joe for the fun we had here and all I learned. :)

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Poor Martin, probably had no idea what he was starting.....

It's not Martin's fault. Mostly mine and Uli's.

It's just that whenever I come across a mentality like that, I simply cannot let it go until I understand it. Even though I know that in the end, I will never understand it and nothing will be resolved.

Well, Carrie, I mean Cassie, I really admire you for each and every of those races. You rock!
Sincerely,
Uli

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Why? You just solved it. It's my fault.

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Bragging about getting 2nd in your age group when there are only 3 entered is pretty lame.

But if I ever get on the podium in an IM or 1/2 IM where there could be 200+ in my age group, freaking right I am going to brag. That would imply I was one in shape mofo. OK, maybe not Uli-shape, so perhaps I wouldn't brag after all....

If you consider a juxtaposition of his justification and your edification, it becomes quite clear.

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

Is the AG the best way to classify the non-pros, maybe maybe not, but its a lot easier than maintaining a category based on performance system ala cycling.

You're the only participant in this thread so far who seems to have understood this. AG is just a proxy for performance-based ranking.

But you missed something, at least for US-based racers. USAT is already providing "performance-based categorization" for the majority of active triathletes in north america via its ranking system. Rather than hard divisions based on a limited number of points for the first N finishers, its a percentage system based on relative performance.

I would very, very, very much like to see triathlon (even if its just in the US) move toward categories broken down this way. Not sure what the divisions should be - maybe 15%, maybe 20% chunks? Rather than racing your AG peers, you'd be racing those whose performance was roughly (e.g.) 10% above or below yours. Each year, you'd get re-ranked, and the following year you might move up or down. The USAT ranking system is quite sophisticated, though just as with AG breakdowns, necessarily imperfect. I still think it would be better than the age-based system, and also better than the standard cycling categorization too. Note that if you agree on the gender handicap, you can effectively eliminate the fixed gender split too. There are plenty of female racers who would consistently out-perform me. They can race in a category that includes them, and their male peers too. Neither gender would have an advantage, because the USAT ranking system has already handicapped/biased all the rankings for the women. Or not ... this is just a detail of how it could work.

"And first place in the 40-50% category goes to ..."

Whoa, doode, like totally fucking awesome, man.

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I'm proud to now be an age grouper. From '95-'03 I did race as a pro. My life was training, sleeping, and eating. Now 5 years later I have an amazing family(2 kids), 2 company's, a foundation for childhood cancer, and THEN if there is time I fit in training. I train only 10-15 hrs now down from 20-30hrs but I'm still in good shape but triathlon is not my life it is my favorite thing to for exercise. I am that guy who is going to try to win the 35-39 age group in Lake Placid and Kona. I know it will take the race of my life especially in Kona. I also know at Ironman Lake Placid I could be top 10 on a good day. Many friends say you should be pro but I reply "I'm not a PRO". I'm a Dad, Husband, Coach, Trainer, and then triathlete. A Pro might be a Dad and Husband but then should have triathlon right after, it is his job. But being an age grouper doesn't change anything. I wasn't making any money as a pro anyway so I'm still trying to do my very best. And yes this weekend I did win the Triple T beating a handful of PROS but all I was trying to do was push myself as hard as my body would let me go.

SO the long and short is focus on just doing your best becuase the rest doesn't really mean anything. I might go 8:59:00 in Kona and come second in the 35-39 age group. If I did that I would be on cloud nine. Placing is for your ego, performance is for you heart.

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Richard Pady
http://www.healthyresults.ca - http://www.race4kids.ca
Indoor Rider (weekly indoor riding videos)

And I thought I was nerdy enough to have known every Pro back then. :(

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I bet you you don't know 1000's of pros from the 90's.

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Richard Pady
http://www.healthyresults.ca - http://www.race4kids.ca
Indoor Rider (weekly indoor riding videos)

Obviously not.

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I think what you're missing uli is that most of the guys that are placing in their AG are doing so as a by-product of chasing a high overall place.

AG win isn't the primary goal. Cracking the top 10 overall, or top 5, or podium is. The AG win is nice, but largely irrelevant.

I would say 'totally irrelevant' but from my observation that does not seem to be the case.
Need any name and shame blogs that show exclusively AG placings?


Just kidding.

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I think you've missed a key component. I'm really only racing against
myself. it's just that the rest of you were kind enough to pay money to race
against me to allow me a barometer of my performance. ;)

I keep training hard and racing with the insane goal of one day being
able to be in the top 50%.

I just don't understand why everyone is spending so much money to keep me
down. Especially in this economy.

-Jot

See! We can be friends. I stopped racing tris!

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Only because you sucked! Did you even win your AG at Kona???

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The Triathlon Squad

Like us on Facebook!!!

They should give out awards at tri's like they do at my son's basketball games..."Best effort", "Best Leadership", "Most Improved" ...and by age group. Then they could wrap up the awards ceremony with "Is there anyone that did not get an award?"

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

Answer the question, you retired sandbagger!

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The Triathlon Squad

Like us on Facebook!!!

Kiss my ass you...you....! DAMN!

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I sponsor that. mzungo.org special category.

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