I have some questions regarding the whole pro/AGer split deal as I am now (I believe) eligable to take out a pro/elite liscense.
First question: One of my races is from September of last year. All three races took place within 12 months, but after mid-September they will no longer have taken place within the most recent 12 month period. If I don’t take out the pro card before september will I still be eligable to do so later this year (Oct/Nov), or possibly next summer?
Second question (multiple part): Once I have the pro card can I still race in races with no pro/elite field? Can I accept AG prizes if there is no pro/elite field (not a big concern)? If no to either of the previous, is this effective once I have the liscense or only after I race as a pro for the first time?
Third question: Is this a good idea or will I embarrass myself? I am a good athlete, but not yet a good triathlete.
PRs 1500m swim - 20:54 (during tri), 21mid in pool no
wetsuit
40K bike - (actually 24miles) - 1:02 (during tri,
includes T1 & T2), no stand alone
attempts.
10K Run - 32:27 (stand alone), 37:4X (during tri,
100 + degree temps)
Olympic Distance Tri - 2:04.xx (only one of two ever completed, 100+ degree temperatures)
Final Question: So far I am much better at sprint distance races. Are there any sprint races with pro fields or prize money in the Pacific Northwest?
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More info woul dbe nice such as how long you have been in the sport, how old you are, how much time you can devote to training. That being said there are two levels of pro’s that i see. one is the guys that can come out and win a race and those that can win races depending on who shows up. While a 2:04 is a nice time its not gonna win races. in many races it wont even win a decent ag. You have good run speed but not yet off the bike. good swim speed but not yet fast enough. same with the bike. my thoughts are this, if you are in a place where you can train enough and young enough to make that leap to pro then why not. it will let you race with the big dogs and you will get faster. If you dont or cant spend the time needed then stay as an ag’er
When you went 2:04…what did the winner do? Was the winner a pro? Yes, if there is no pro field you can race age and win prizes. happens all of the time…embarrass yourself as a pro, personally i think you would, i also think its bullshit you come posting here full knowing 2:04 is a great oly time, calling yourself not a “good” triathlete…you want to turn pro yet dont consider yourself a good traithlete? btw…my p.r is 2:05 (in 95 degree temp)and the thought of me turning pro is a joke.
Question Number 3 first. Depends on your motivation.
If you want to do it to race the big dogs and enter some high level races like Chicago, LA, or St. Anthony’s you might be able to squeak in the top 10 with times like that depending on the year. Generally speaking though, your times are a bit soft to do well.
If you want to do it to make a living or sound ‘cool’ by saying that you’re a professional athlete, then I think that there’s quite a bit of work to do.
This is my 2nd year being a “pro”. I use the term loosely as I’ve certainly made more money at local races with prize money than at bigger races with higher prize purses. Probably $1500 locally and $0 at the big races. I probably should have made the jump 4-5 years ago for the experience, but didn’t.
One of the things to realize is that it’s possible to do well at a local sprint or olympic having a mediocre to bad day. If you have a mediocre to bad day when you start with the likes of Hunter, Craig Walton/Alexander, Matt Reed, Doug Friman, Mark Fretta, or a host of others, you end up 15th or 20th instead of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. And, instead of getting beaten by 30" to a minute you are about 8 minutes back and spent $500+ on a trip that gained you not much other than the experience of racing with the big guys. Can you stomach that? If so, give it a shot.
To answer your other questions. I believe that pro cards run January 1 (or whenever you get it) through December 31 of that year. Your finishes from this year would qualify you for next year. You can race in whatever races you want. Awards generally depend on the race director. If the awards are only for first overall (and you don’t win) or are age group only, a good gesture might be to request to be taken out of the age group awards if the race director does not do so.
Thank you for your help. I ask mainly because I was somewhat suprised that I earned (subject to verification) the card so early, my goal was the end of the year and I have several more races lined up in accordance with that goal. I want the pro card, but I don’t feel I’m yet up to that level of racing (and don’t want to be ineligable for races I already paid for) - that said I didn’t want to not take it and end up with a bunch of 9th place finishes the rest of the season or an injury and have to start over again.
to the person that I seemed to have insulted, I didn’t mean 2:04 was not a good time, just that it is not as good as my shorter races or stand alone times would suggest (hence not a good triathlete) - I have been humbled by how hard it is to actually put together a good race (one DNF and one blow up in three olympic distance trys) vs just be fast in training.
I will probaly take out the card, but not race pro until I can hit 1:57 or so on fair courses (hopefully next year).
For the record, when I went 2:04 the winner went 1:59 high. He was a not a pro, but a top national AGer who has gone sub 1:55 on several courses including the one we raced on. I was fourth. I was very happy with this race, just wanted to qualify that I think I could go faster under better conditions (but probaly not do better against the competition that day).
Forget about the USAT criteria…if you can’t consistently go 1:50 to 1:55 including a sub 34 min run regardless or course, you are just fast age group material. Do yourself a favour and race age group
it sounds like you have the potential to “go pro”, but there are a decent number of elite AGs out there who can go sub 2:00. I would like to do it at some point too, but I do not look at it as a source of income. I would like to compete on that level. I just have to work at running.
In terms of swimming, I would say you have a lot of work to do. My background is swimming (16:20) LCM 1500m. I can say that many of the pros (at the olympic distance level) could probably swim 18:45 for a 1500 LCM swim, absolutely no wetsuit. Almost all of them can do a 40K (24.8 miles, not 24) on the bike under an hour. 24 miles in 1:02 although solid is 1:04:04 for 24.8 miles. I know chicago is actually 25.3, so you would be looking at a 1:05 mid split for the bike…not elite. You are a good runner, especially as an AG athlete, but it is not at the elite level. With that said, if I could run a 37, then I would be really happy, but that would put me in the 1:55 range.
keep the idea out there. remember that there are sponsorship opportunities for high level AGers. I suggest keeping your day job to keep you on a tight schedule and really focus on making the gains that are needed in order to make it to the next level.
there are very few pros who actually make money in this sport. take levi maxwell for example. he is another aussie triathlete who dropped everything to come to san diego to train to make it in the sport. the dude is super fast, but he has had to live with michellie jones and her husband in order to get by. he is probably 18:00, 58:00, 33:00, and he is now just coming into his own. there are many many other “no name pros” who can go a very fast 1:55-2:00 who you never hear of.
-If I take out the card I can still race the rest of my season as an AGer.
-I would be at best a poser “pro” (agreed)
-Its very hard to make a living as a “pro” and I am not near fast enough (also, agreed - I have a full time career as an engineer that I enjoy and am not planning on leaving anytime soon)
What I really want is not to actually be a professional athlete, simply toe the line against the best and give them my best shot - not just on the same day, but actually in the same race. I know that 9 out of 10 days I would lose, but…
The real concern I had is that I can’t afford to travel to races, and there are only so many races within driving distance. When the pros show up I want to be able to go for it, but I also want to be able to race more than once a year, which it appears I can.
Depends on what you consider “PAcific Northwest”. Portland? Spokane? Cour de’Laine (or however that one’s spelled). The only pro race I know of in the Seattle area is the Baker’s race in Bellingham.
Take the card. The only thing you have to lose is your pride if you get spanked in a few races. If you meet the USAT criteria then you earned your pro status, and hence are not a poseur. For anyone who would call you a poseur, my response is that you learn a lot more from losing than winning, so not being afraid to go for it with the pros, says something about your character.
The only reason not to go pro is that with your times, you may get gapped a bit in a pro race, which won’t really help you mature as a racer. Getting in some more races at the front of the AG field may be worth it for experience, especially if you really don’t stand to make any money as a pro.
Also not, at least around here most larger races are offering elite starts, where AG can race with the pros for overall prizes only, so most of the top AG can get a crack at the big guns. Timberman does that, so if you want to take on Mike Lovato, you can and you don’t need a pro card.
