We all use these acronyms fairly frequently so Im just interested to hear whether we have similar understandings of what they mean.
As it relates to your racing group, PRO or AG what does front, middle or back of pack actually mean?
I have seen this debated many times.
For me, FOP is top 10%, BOP is bot 10%, MOP is middle 80%.
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Top 10% of the field? So the pack is the field?
I’d probably change it to 20% 60% 20% but I guess as the field widens the percentages change.
In a field of 100 if you’re in the top 20, I’d consider you FOP. In a field of 1000 if you’re 199th I’d probably consider you MOP so your 10 80 10 is logical.
As it relates to how I personally think of it, FOP are the people in the top 10 of a big IM event or 70.3 with a lot of competitors. BOP would be anyone who pushes 6 hours for a half or 14 hours+ for an IM. MOP is everyone else.
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I always looked at my AG.
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For me:
- FOP AGers are WC slots contenders
- BOP AGers are “barely finishers”
- MOP AGers are everyone in between
I then also differentiate Elite AGers, who work max 50% of the standard week, often race with sponsors and could be BOP Pro.
Saying 6+ is BOP for a 70.3 is just incorrect. In my 65-69 the average (and therefore MOP) time for a 70.3 is 6:32 (Average Half Ironman Time: Breakdown of Ironman 70.3 Times Across All Categories). Even the average for all participants in 70.3’s is 5:51, so 6 is still basically MOP for all participants if you use time. Even at 2023 70.3 worlds there were ninety 65-69yo males and you would have made the top 30 if you broke 6 hours, top 11 breaking 5:30.
I think the 10 80 10 seems most logical.
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Basing this off of time really isn’t a great metric. As you know, every course is different and 10hr at one race isn’t the same as 10hrs somewhere else.
10% 80% 10% is probably my thinking if categorizing on AG and not total race #s. If you have 200 racers in your AG I think top 20 is pretty FOP though I could argue it’s more like top 5% is true FOP. I would be considered FOP at IM CA this year but I sure don’t feel FOP considering the guy that won the whole race beat me by an hour and the guy that won my AG beat me by 45minutes (so in a completely different tier)
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The thread title includes “As it relates to you”, so it’s just my perspective not a fact.
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FOP is me plus everyone in front of me.
MOP is everyone behind me but in front of my slowest friend.
BOP is everyone behind my slowest friend
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Brilliant. Precise, well argued, and scientifically sound. Thread can be closed.
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My only refinement would be which side of the line my slowest friend is on:
Bomop if they are new and need encouragement.
or
fobop if they are 3 steps behind me and deserve no coddling.
Very true!..my bad
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I see it as behavioural as well as percentile based.
My experience has been that FOP swimming is concentrated on getting to the end as fast as possible. But MOP swimming is more focussed on fighting as much as possible. It’s worth staying swim fit to avoid being in the main pack.
Similarly on the bike - a lot more drafting in MOP, though that’s partly because of a higher concentration of athletes.
MoP - Everyone between FoP and BoP
FoP - Finish times within 20% of the race winner
BoP- Finish times that are more than double the race winner
Podium
MOP
Last 10%
I was BOP when I started. I made my way to MOP many years ago. I even got an invite to the local “invite only” race by getting a top 5 AG in a local event. I still thought of myself as MOP. After many years off, an injury and getting out of shape again, I’m BOP. A MOP triathlete is still in way better shape than 90% of the population. That is reason enough for me. I finally realized I’m really racing myself. I based this next seasons goals based on results from last season and getting faster / stronger. In 12 months I went 15 minutes faster in a local sprint with a 20 mile bike. I plan to take off another 15 minutes next year too. That will put me solidly MOP again.
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I think it varies a little as well from local vs big wtc races. I’d say top 10 percent for local races and top 15 percent for wtc events.
You’re calling something incorrect on a subjective discussion?
Like the poster you’re responding to, I look at it from the whole field perspective and generally 65-69 athletes are BOP.
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