Feel free to include some PB’s as well. Open 10k, open half marathon, open marathon.
I guess agegroup and weight also would be interesting.
I’m asking because I’m curious about my current running fitness compared to qualifiers. Planning to do a “project Kona” in a year or two, would be nice to know aproximately how fast/slow I am today!
Cheers
Friend of mine who KQ’d in the 25-29-bracket:
Open 10k: 36
Half: 1:19 (this was a training run at marathon pace, unfortunately he got sick for the marathon)
Mary: 2:47
He is at least equally strong on the bike. If not stronger. Rather weak swim but cracked out a 57 min when he KQ’ed.
KQ time: 9:08
KQ’d in '11 with a VO2max of about 62/63. That’s around 165-170 lbs @ 6’1. About 57-59 in winter ( i get fat).
AG 30-34. Pr’s for runnning are long time ago when i wasn’t tri-ing, 34.26, 1.16.40. Marathon PR is in an irondistance (2.58 in '10). KQ with a 8.55 at IM Germany. Did a 9.14 @ IMH.
Vo2 is not a useful comparable to go by for just too many variables person to person. One is it is a highly variable determinate.
If you really must compare look at finish times then compare your current times then record your data to monitor improvement
I have no idea. I’m 5’11" and my FTP was about 315W last year when I qualified.
The thing is, there’s an effceincy element to all 3 disciplines. So VO2max is the size of your engine. But you need to be aerodynamic and have good swim mechanics and have good run mechanics to use the motor.
The difference between good run economy and poor run economy could be 30’ in a IM run. On the bike, 15-20’ from a OK position to a very good one. In the swim 15’ from a poor stroke to a very good stroke mechanics. 20’ for excellent mechanics.
So I can take an athlete with the same VO2max and go from a guy that wins the AG with lets say and 8:50 at IMAZ … to a 10:30 outside the top 20 in the AG if you assume he makes a mistake on pacing or nutrition, or lack of specific fitness.
VO2 max is 47. Haven’t KQ’d in a while but I have 4 sub 9 IM’s with 8:39 PR. I think VO2 max is not a great predictor for IM success.
Best VO2max test result from college was 81 ml/kg/min. Best half marathon is 1:22:xx, don’t have reliable race results for other distances. M25-29, but qualified twice in M18-24, 10:18 in Lake Placid and 9:24 in Florida. Weighed around 132 +/- 1 lbs for both.
You’ll get some good info I suspect, but for the most part it will be not that helpful.
Why? There are way to many variable in racing this sort of distance. Ounce you get beyond the 6 - 7 hr mark, pretty much everything goes out the window!
Experience helps a HUGE amount. That’s why a long term view of both training and racing as you ramp up, over the course of years, and years is the best approach. There is the odd over-night sensation, or those often false stories of athletes who changed this one thing in their training and poof - the KQ happened. For 99% of people it’s putting in consistent moderately long and hard work year after year after year.
KQ’d each year 2012-2015. VO2max something like 55 bike, 62 run. ~170lbs on a good day, M40-44. Open marathon PB is 2:53; half mary and 10K PBs come from tris, they are 1:19 and :34 respectively.
Thanks for all your replies. I certainly agree that VO2 max is not a precise measurement of the IM abilities of an athlete, but it is still an interesting number. Anyway, I guess my 73 VO2 max indicates that my engine is big enough, but unfortunately you need more than a big engine to KQ…
My PB´s are 36.02 for 10k, 1.22.37 half marathon, and 2.56.50 marathon. I weigh 66kg (about 145 pounds), and my ftp is around 280. Based on these number, and given the right amount and quality of training, will i be able to qualify? 
**Anyway, I guess my 73 VO2 max indicates that my engine is big enough, but unfortunately you need more than a big engine to KQ… **
Indeed. All you need to know is that the Ironman distance has crushed, many of the best prepared and absolutely fittest people on the planet!
Completing it is one thing. Being competitive at it, is a whole other ball-game!
Generally speaking the ones who do best at it, that really are competitive, have the consistently largest volume of training over many years, with lots of racing (at all distances) under their belts.
Feel free to include some PB’s as well. Open 10k, open half marathon, open marathon.
I guess agegroup and weight also would be interesting.
I’m asking because I’m curious about my current running fitness compared to qualifiers. Planning to do a “project Kona” in a year or two, would be nice to know aproximately how fast/slow I am today!
Cheers
I’m definitely on the slow end of running speed of Kona qualifiers. It took me 6 attempts, and I got the 5th of 5 slots when I finally did qualify. Plus I’m a stronger swimmer (~55 min 2.4 mi) and biker (FTP of 292 W, 3.9 W/kg) than runner (3:00 marathon, 1:24 half, who cares about 10k, 5k.) But that was M40-44, and this year, I’m 45! I’m hoping it will get a little easier.
who cares about 10k, 5k
It’s more important and telling than you think.
Don’t underestimate the value in getting the 10K/5K time down as low as you can go - for stand-alone marthon performance and for Ironman run performance.
This may not apply to you, but a common problem I see with many taking the IM distance more seriously, is that they get early on into a bit of an LSD rut - mostly because they have gone almost immediately to racing at IM. After a few IM races, if performance improvements are not forthcoming from volume increases, it might be better to look the other way with the training - get faster at the shorter stuff!
YMMV!
OK, I was a little to flippant with the 10k/5k. In full disclosure, I race all distances (although fewer and fewer sprints over the years) in a season leading up to a full Ironman. As such, I get in my share of “speed” work. But, I’m not convinced that it has a positive impact during that particular IM build on execution for that race. My belief is that it is, however, beneficial to the long-term evolution over multiple seasons. In fact, I’m more competitve at the International and 70.3 distances than 140.6.
I don’t race Ironman yet but I’ve done 4:13 for HIM, low 33 open 10k and ~300 ftp when well trained
I’ve tested VO2 at 79 running and 64 biking (untrained)
BUT there are several people who have already posted that would smoke me in an Ironman despite a lower VO2. Like others have said, Ironman seems to be an experience game
72 vo2 max
KQ’d twice.
6ft 2in 150lbs
VO2 max is not super important though. Your “Project Kona” should start with a good coach and an aero position.
Don’t mean to be rude, but how old are you? Gender?
VO2 max is 47. Haven’t KQ’d in a while but I have 4 sub 9 IM’s with 8:39 PR. I think VO2 max is not a great predictor for IM success.
To be very blunt, I think whoever measured your VO2 max was either not competent or had defective equipment. What sort of 10k time could you run when you were measured at a 47ml/kg?
Thanks,
Hugh
VO2 max is 47. Haven’t KQ’d in a while but I have 4 sub 9 IM’s with 8:39 PR. I think VO2 max is not a great predictor for IM success.
To be very blunt, I think whoever measured your VO2 max was either not competent or had defective equipment. What sort of 10k time could you run when you were measured at a 47ml/kg?
Thanks,
Hugh
THIS! VO2max is certainly not the end-all be-all predictor, but nobody is going sub 9 with a 47 ml/kg/min max.
I was measured frequently through college. My fitness was completely different at that point (20 years ago) than it is now and was very specific for swimming. Testing back then was completed in a 37 meter donut shaped pool. Blood gases were measured along with a number of other variables. Additionally, I’ve done many different protocols since that time both running and cycling. The highest predictor number I’ve gotten was 51 based upon the US Marine 3 mile PFT. That was done without a tester or other equipment outside of what I had on my person. I think VO2 is predicted much higher than reality for most people. 47 is right on for me. I know you were not trying to be condescending and neither am I. However, this number has never held me back in the pool or in triathlon. I’m not sure that I’ve ever run faster than 35 minutes for a 10k.