I keep trying, but haven’t “won” the lottery yet. I feel like I keep flunking the “test”. Another round is coming up, so this question is for those who have gotten in by lottery, or for those in the know:
What are the “right” answers", or how did you answer the following?
Specific “athletic accomplishments”?
What have you “overcome” to participate?
Number of previous Ironman races?
Personal achievements?
Triathlon achievements?
And, I love this one: Why are you seeking to do this?
I’m not going to lie or make something up, but sometimes I wonder whether I’m giving too much, or too little information. I have no idea what they want - short or long answers. I realize the odds are not in my favor, but my IM results say it may be my best odds. I could go on ad nauseum about acedemic achievement, a list of orthopedic problems I have overcome (which may require too much space!), the local races I’ve done well at, but I’m not sure whether they even want to hear about that stuff.
I don’t know, I’ve heard that it isn’t a straight out draw, that they actually do look at what you put down. I always do Passport Club, for what it is worth.
This is only my two cents worth but I suggest that you do not pursue a lottery spot any longer. It is a big investment for an event where you may feel as though you are being treated like a second class citizen in comparison to those that qualified. I must qualify this by saying that I have not been to the big dance but I have friends that attended both as lottery entries and qualifiers and the the reviews I’ve heard suggest this conclusion. This makes it hearsay evidence so you must take my comments with a spoon full of sugar.
Seperate finishers list for lottery folks, so I am told.
I do not mean to be stirring up sh**t here and I am feeling a little defensive so you will have to forgive me.
In conversation friends expressed a feeling of not belonging and that they where part of a side show. This is likely due in part to the individuals personality (very competitve and pridefull).
Seperate finishers list for lottery folks, so I am told.<<
You were told wrong. There is not way to determine who is there how, unless you (1) look up the participant on the lottery list that came out on April 15th or (2) ask the person.
On race day, there are some people with colored bibs—PROS, media stories and Big Island residents. That’s it.
I have to agree with you. I’ve done Hawaii 3x and had no idea who qualified and who got in thru the lottery. There were no separate results. At the starting line, everyone was equal.
I too wonder if it is a straight up lottery, or do they review the “applications”. For example, are they looking for people who are going to use their participation to raise money for a cause, or does that hurt your chances? Should you list, in addition to the other endurance events you have done, the times? I wonder this because are they looking for people to spread out the field, or does it hurt if you have actually been close to qualifying (as I have) and they want lottery spots to go to folks who likely wound not ever qualify.
I would be curious to hear if there are people who got a lottery spot their very first try. I hear stories of people who have been trying for 20 years.
I’ve heard of people getting in their very first try - there was even a person on TV who did that, and then chose a cause. I have also heard of people getting in by lottery multiple times. They must have the “right” answers.
While I would go if I got in by lottery anyway, it is good to hear that you don’t get a scarlet letter…
I started putting in for lottery back in 1989 finally in 1991 I got in… Then in 93 and again in 95 I got in 3 times.
Of course back then you had to qualify at olympic distance races and half ironman there weren’t many ironman races just one in north america that was canada…
Some said back then they tried to get entries from each state I was from Arkansas so not sure if that made a difference or not don’t think it does these days
it’s closer to a real random lottery I was told by a friend of mine who used to work for wtc. The questionare is used more for finding special cases in addition to the lottery spots (just what I was told don’t know if it’s true or not)
Now my first one in 1991 I felt a little intimidated mainly because I didn’t quite look like the majority of folks(body mainly) but I was glad to be there… I’ve put in several times over the years…for the lottery still do from time to time.
While I did get in hawaii first 3 times by lottery since then I’ve qualyfied 4 times 3 at canada and once at florida.
There was nothing “special” on the lottery applications when I was selected (2001 and 2004), pretty much the same thing each year I’ve entered, which has been most since probably the mid 1990’s.
I’m sure there’s more than pure luck associated with the picks, but my guess is that for the most part it is…after that, there are sponsor slots, etc., that get doled out and as others have already stated, no one is the wiser race week or race day as to whom qualified versus being picked in the lottery.
And I’ve never, ever heard of a “separate finisher’s list” for lottery participants. No doubt through the years someone has put one together, but I’ve never seen one…
It is a LOTTERY. It is not a reveiwed application screening for worthiness.
Ah, but if it truly is a lottery, then why does one have to complete a rather extensive application when applying? Surely, if that information is irrelevent for the lottery selection, but needed afterwards for some potential human interest story or what not, there is plenty of time after the lottery candidates are selected to collect the information from just the lottery winners.
The lottery application process has always smelled fishy to me from the first time I viewed it.
It is a big investment for an event where you may feel as though you are being treated like a second class citizen in comparison to those that qualified.
Been there 13 times as a spectator. Know lots of lottery winners. I even know a lucky guy that has gone twice with lottery spots. I have never heard anyone say such a thing.
Your friends may be going on a perception, but its certainly not a reality. Or perhaps they read too many of the ST elitists who feel lottery athletes are not “worthy”. They wouldn’t meet too many people who feel that way in Kona. Its the athletes who are not able to “qualify” that are resentful of lottery winners. They aren’t in Hawaii.
I don’t think the questionnaire has anything to do with you getting “chosen” in the lottery. Those same questions are on the qualified athlete’s applications. They are just looking for good stories for publicity and to use at the race. The announcers have access to the information at the finish line for “color” if they have time to fill.
So, how did you answer the questions? Maybe you did something right. Had you done IM before? Did you do long or short answers? How did you answer each?
**So, how did you answer the questions? Maybe you did something right. Had you done IM before? Did you do long or short answers? How did you answer each? **
Don’t remember all the questions right this second, but just told the truth—been in the sport a long time, some of the races I had done previous, etc. Nothing really special. Before IMH I had done IMC twice—well, one finish and one DNF—and other assorted races, including the Boston Marathon…but who knows what might “weight” any lottery application over any other.
I believe most of the “special interest” stories we see are not necessarily lottery folks, if that makes sense…though I do seem to remember Lokelani McMichael’s name showing up a few years in a row on the lottery winner’s list…but I’ll give her a pass.
