Timberman Elite Age Group Wave ST Smackdown

Triathlon Forum
1

Now that the Timberman Participant List and Bib numbers are posted, I noticed that Keith is running an “Elite Age Group” wave that immediately follows the pro wave. I enquired about it and found out that it is open to any strong age grouper who wants to start earlier and race for overall ranking only. An exerpt from today’s Timberman update is at the bottom of this post.

On the downside, this wave is not eligible for Age Group awards. On the upside, however, it provides an opportunity to have clear water and low traffic roads. I know that my race experience will be much better starting in wave 2 than in wave 9. Therefore I decided to go for it and use my fear of embarrassment to race as fast as I can.

Another big upside is the chance to race head-to-head against others of a similar ability level regardless of age. That is, if they also decide to race in this wave.

Which brings me to this post. We have an opportunity to put together a ST Timberman smackdown within this wave. No complaints of dodging slower swimmers or accusations of others slingshotting through the masses to a faster bike split. No delusions of grandeur by placing in your 5 year age group. Just some real, gritty, open class racing for nothing but bragging rights.

So who’s with me? Murphy’s Law, I know you are out there and this is a great way to see if you have been swimming as much as I have been running. Hopefully there are others interested in taking part as well.

Mike

ELITE AGE GROUP WAVE FOR THE 70.3
In the past, because our prize money was below the $5000 limit imposed by
USAT, elite age groupers could rub elbows with the pros in the Elite/Pro
Swim wave. Timberman’s Prize purse is now $13,500. With this big increase,
however, is a requirement for a Pro Only wave, with the prize money
allocated ONLY to the pros. With so many top age groupers racing at
Timberman 70.3, we’ve added an Elite Age Group wave,that will immediately
follow the Pro Wave.

There are a few caveats for athletes racing (or wanting to race in this
wave), according to USAT:

  1. They are scored separately, within the wave. Then, the score
    emanating from that process is the one used in calculating their ranking
    within the age group for the USAT national ranking program.

  2. Participants in an open age group wave are NOT eligible for
    age group awards. The can vie for overall awards, but due to the special
    circumstances of competing in a special wave, can’t be eligible for age
    group recognition.

Athletes will stil be eligible for Ironman 70.3 World Championship
Qualifying slots WITHIN their age group.

So, essentially, if you wish to compete in this wave, you’ll be competing
for OVERALL race ranking, but no age group awards. For those of you already
registered for this wave and want to compete for age group awards, we can
switch you back to your age group wave. Please contact
Claire@endorfunsports.com to do this. In addition, if you’d like to be in
this wave but haven’t registered for it, please contact
Claire@endorfunsports.com as well.

2

I would, but I want to use the results in my USAT Rankings. That, and I live for delusions of grandeur.

3

I’m in…

I think Chris Ganter is in as well (just won the Elite AG in NYC) as well as Mac Brown, who next year won 2007 Age Group Triathlete of the year.

4

It DOES count for your USAT ranking…It DOESN’T count for age group awards on race day. BUT, it does count for Ironman 70.3 Champs slots in your age group. Confused yet???:slight_smile:

5

There are 2 reasons I decided not to go for the Elite wave.
OK, 3, the first being - I’m not Elite.

The other reasons are:

1 - my #1 goal for this season is AG podium at Timberman (I’d really like to win my ag, frankly, but I can’t control who else shows up)

2 - my swimming is “better”, but if I went off in the Elite wave, I’d have NOBODY to draft. You’d all drop me faster than H20fun hits update on the USAT rankings site.
At least in the melee of my AG wave, there’s bound to be somebody (or many somebodys) that I can latch onto some feet that are only going a little faster than I would otherwise.

3 - bonus reason - the only “good” thing about being a MOP swimmer and strong cyclist is the lovely ongoing LEGAL slingshot draft opportunities as I pass all those who beat me outta the water. All you farging Elite dudes can ride like I do, so I’d probably be all alone on the bike as well.
Blowing by people on the bike is very motivating, and ok, so I have an ego about it. I LIKE IT.
Let the accusations fly! Everybody I passed at Tupper can vouch for the fact that I wasn’t sitting on anybody’s wheel.

I couldn’t care less about getting a Q slot for Draftwater, so that part of being in the Elite wave does nada for me.

I am an AG poser wannabe. Man’s got to know his limitations.

6

Any chance we could make male 20-24 not wave 7? I never get why the faster age groups get to start behind all the (generally) slower age groups. It just makes a mess on course.

7

Yeah I was a bit surprised to see the young laydeeez are an earlier wave (5) than some of the typically faster age groups. I’m a confident swimmer, but it’s never pleasant getting swam up onto by aggressive dudes with nothing but winning on the brain.

8

There have been a bunch of threads on this topic before…As you also know, drafting has been a big topic on ST before as well. One of the reasons drafting becomes such a big issue is that all of the faster age groups are grouped together. We alternate different age groups, based on different factors, to try to avoid this. It worked, IMHO, extremely well last year. Very little drafting, and a clean race.

Just like last year, I also receive emails criticizing my choices. I believe someone actually called me “brave” by putting the male 30-34 in wave 7 or something.

I have 3 primary goals for my races:

  1. To make it fun and SAFE for EVERYONE…By putting what would be typically (I know, not ALL) slower age groups towards the front (and giving them a bigger gap before the next wave), they’re not all alone at the end of the day, when there is less crowd support, fewer athletes, etc on course. By putting the slowest age groups last, you’re basically giving them the double-whammy…they’re starting the race 50 mins later than the faster groups, AND they’re slower. So, the run is a very lonely place for them. I’d really like them to have a great experience as well, and make them feel important. YES, I KNOW not everyone in the older age groups is slower than the male 30-34’s:)

  2. To make it a clean race…we think we’re doing this, and helping with this, by alternating generally faster age group waves.

Everyone has a different opinion on this. However, in general, the criticisms ONLY come from those who feel like their wave should be first, not what is best for the overall race.

We spend alot of time thinking this through. It’ll never be perfect, and someone is ALWAYS unhappy with it. This year, we alternated some of the age groups, so they weren’t in the later waves like last year, and swapped them with some of the waves that were EARLIER last year. That way, it’s more fair…

Wish we could make everyone happy with the wave starts. As you know, it’s an impossibility. I know I’m not the brightest bulb, but I try real hard…:slight_smile:

9

Damn, this sounds like a good race. I had actually planned on doing it but waffled to long and the race sold out. Have a good one out there everybody, looking forward to checking the results of the Elite AG smackdown (and yours too ML)

10

Ian!

Shit man, I thought you were mad since I jokingly criticized your race strategy in an effort to slow you down a bit! But luckily j-mo reminded me that now you’re an overall winner, I have to go through your people to get a response :^P

Did you read the Mac Brown interview on insidetri.com? He’s pretty confident. Hopefully the training’s going well. I may head up to Lake Placid in September with a friend…is that something you or other STwitchers might be interested in? Maybe we can get j-mo out of Detroit. Oops, I mean Canada.

11

Yeah I did see that, I guess winning every AG race you enter will give you a bit of confidence, nothing a frame pump to the spokes won’t fix.
My training is going OK, not sure if I’ll be able to get down to LP in Sept. It depends on which weekend (the only one that may work is Sept. 15/16)

12

If I read this right, would doing the elite wave actually HURT your USAT ranking if your percentile finish in it is lower than it would be in your AG (which is almost certainly will be?)
.

13

Lavery-

FWIW I think you should race in the open/elite wave (although it’s probably too late). Because you are still eligible for a clearwater slot if you want one there’s really no reason not to, unless you want to get an age group award. i think you still get USAT ranking points too (at least I did in the last few years racing in the open wave).

14

If you do not believe in yourself, how to you expect others to?

I am well aware that that there is a good chance I get my butt handed to me in Kona, but I am hoping the training pays off.

Also, if Ian did not have a bad run at St. Croix I am well aware he would have beaten me by a HUGE margin.

If you know me at all, you know I am the last person to ever put down another athlete. I do not think I am better than anybody, only feel I will be in the mix for Kona.

Looking forward to Timberman . . .

15

I think you replied to the wrong poster.

16

Hey man!
No disrespect meant at all! If you’re the last guy to put down another athlete, Eganski and I are tied for the second last!!
But in all honesty you’re the guy to beat (unless there’s some stud hiding in Europe) in Kona, it should be fun trying to stay ahead after the swim knowing that you’ll be hunting me down.
Have a good one at Timberman.
BTW, it was a good article…reading about the other AG’ers is great, good motivation too :slight_smile:
Looking forward to Kona, I think M25-29 will be a good race!

17

ahhhhh… The Timberman etched bottle of maple syrup. Awesome and hard to get at Timberman. Top 3 in your age group Keith?

18

Top 5 each age group…LOTS O’ SYRUP!!!:slight_smile:
.

19

Never ever waffle too long on the idea of doing Timberman by giving up a chance to top that waffle with New England maple syrup in a custom etched glass bottle with the chance you could have placed in your age group. Plus you are missing out on beer, cool shirts, a music festival and BBQ. A pancake breakfast and a Sunday night lobsta and clam bake.

20

With the way Timberman has sold out faster and faster each year, I’d be surprised if registration is open for a month…