I’m talking long course (1/2 IM and full IM).
How many years of training in triathlon does it take?
What do you need to be during the years leading up to it?
How many years do you need to be doing long course for?
Can anyone qualify if they put their mind to it and give it enough years in the sport?
And lastly, what are the 1-2 main tips/advice that will get you there/have got you there?
Thanks.
Trying this year, my 3rd season.
Have to be born with talent or train…a lot.
A good coach is a good way to start.
That being said, look at your age group at the races you want to race. See who qualified for the championships and what were their times? Were there a lot of slots open for that race? Was there a large roll down? Are your times even close enough to the qualifiers times to warrant going after a slot?
I’m flying across the US just to race this particualr race to qualify for Clearwater. I’ve trained my butt off and I’m ready to execute. I’m in the perfect Age Group to qualify as we have the most amount of slots and a very large roll down.
I’ll let you know what it takes in 4 weeks.
My wife qualified for the ITU World’s Long Course in Australia in 2006 and we both qualified for the ITU World’s Sprint in Vancouver in 2008 but didn’t go because she won a Kona lottery spot that year. Winning a lottery is the easiest way to go to the world’s IM championship, but your chances are slim. Its said that you have a higher % chance of getting into Harvard than qualifying for Kona.
Your questions can’t really be answered. It really depends on who shows up to race that day and whether or not you have a decent day. I believe that there may also be roll backs? If some people decide not to go then that bumps you up. I know that applies to the ITU events but not sure about Kona?
1/2 IM is very easy to qualify.
IM is more difficult and it depends on your talent. Some people manage to qualify easily with little triathlon background, others may train 20hours/week for years and still not manage to qualify…
Check the times of those that qualify in a particular race and you will have an idea wether it is feasible for you or not.
Good luck 
1-Get a coach(unless you REALLY know what you`re doing, wich is not my case…).
2-Train your ass out, I mean really out and follow religiously your plan.
3-Listen to your body(i.e:wound, rest, nutrition)
4-Repeat #2 instead of looting on ST(!)
I got my Kona slot(not a roll down…) at my 1st Ironman(Cozumel) ever with only 3 HIM`s done before. It was also my 1st Marathon ever. 9:53:xx, 33th overall. 7 months of coached training before Cozumel after 20 years doing almost nothing. Cycling & Swimming background(as a kid) and no running at all before june 09.
Good luck!
jf
Sure with enough years anyone can qualify. I plan on qualifying for Kona when I am 75.
Define “Triathlon World Champs”? Some are easier than others…
Go Fast!!! Oh yea, depending on wheter it is a WTC world Championship or an ITU depends on the difficulty.
I agree, that needs to be defined.
The USAT Long course world champs is much more difficult to qualify for than WTC’s Clearwater race.
For Kona, these days this is pretty much the same question as what does it take to finish top 5 in your AG at an Ironman qualifier.
Assuming you do everything right (train smart, have dedicated training, execute your race well …)
0 to 1 years if you have major talent. (could turn pro)
1 to 3 years if you have very good talent
3 to 5 years if you have above average talent
5 to never years if you have average or lower talent. (or you better win the lottery)
Of course, time to qualify can slide down if you have an athletic background with good results in one of the three sports. (which probably means you have some talent anyway)
.
Depends on your AG! If there are only 1-2 slots (like mine…) then it’s entirely a function of who shows up and has a good day. I know other AGs are more competitive, but having 8 slots with almost inevitable rolldown is a lot more forgiving.
And yeah- train smart, eat right, follow a plan, evaluate your plan, execute, etc etc. Genes and prior experiences do help a lot, so it doesn’t always take years to do it.
You thank your parents for the genes?
Sure with enough years anyone can qualify. I plan on qualifying for Kona when I am 75.
I freaking spit water on my keyboard lmao. With that said if you threaten my 75 kona slot I will be forced to punch you in the neck at T1 with my 5 point palm exploding heart technique, taught from Pow-Mei
You thank your parents for the genes?
That was me, qualified at my first IM less than 10 month from my first triathlon. My Mom was an AG world record holder in the 80’s.
Thats great!!! Nothing wrong with using the talents one was born with to the max. Congrads.
You thank your parents for the genes?
Yes!
I qualified for the USAT long course world championships in 09, with a decent time at Musselman. I made the reserve list and a spot dropped to me. I had no idea the race was a qualifier for anything. So was very surprised when I got the email.
Pick your races and train.
oh, it was my 2nd year of racing.
When you get older there are less people in AG but they are usually the tough ones.
In o4 I was lucky enough to win my AG (60-64) at age 59 but 4 yrs later that AG was
won with a 4:50 and that was the first or second yr the ager up rule was in affect.
Also as you get older you have less slots/AG
My answers:
Lastly, 1-2 main tips/advice are: See #4 above. Good luck, you can do it.
The USAT Long course world champs is much more difficult to qualify for than WTC’s Clearwater race<<<<<<
Clarification. The USAT does not itself host a world championship long course race. They host a “national” championship HIM race that is called “halfmax” (with joint sponsorship entities), which qualifies you for the ITU Long Distance World Championships (this year in Immenstadt, Germany - last year in Perth, Australia and in 2008 in Almere, Netherlands).
The WTC world championship in Clearwater is the WTC sponsored race. Not the same as the ITU race. You are not racing “officially” for your country in this race. When you qualify for the ITU world’s, you race under the heading of your country. It’s pretty fun, actually.
I think it is MUCH easier to qualify for the WTC long distance world championships than it is for the WTC Clearwater race. While there are more WTC 70.3 races that you can use to qualify you for Clearwater, there are relatively few slots available in each age group. Often, you have to finish in or near the top 3 in your age group at a WTC 70.3 race to get a slot at
Clearwater.
On the other hand, to qualify for the ITU Worlds, while you generally have only ONE race (the Halfmax Championship - this year in Myrtle Beach) to qualify. there are 10 slots per age group and this makes it pretty easy to qualify (at least if you are outside of the 30-40 age range). In the younger or older age groups, there aren’t that many more racers than slots (at least based on the last two Halfmax races, both of which I participated in). So 10 slots per age group makes it easier to qualify.
To emphasize the point, I’ve qualified twice in the last two years for ITU World’s, and have yet to finish high enough in my age group to qualify for Clearwater. But I think I can manage a 2nd or 3rd place finish in my age group at the Orlando 70.3 this year, which would give me a shot (only 2 slots were awarded in my age group last year). But there is not a lot of room for error.
If I go to Myrtle Beach, I would have no problem making the top 10 in my age group and getting an ITU slot for 2011 Worlds in Las Vegas (again based on the last two years Halfmax finishes). Lots more room for error in this race.
Obviously, you need to train, and have some talent - but those points have been addressed by other posters.
Best of luck and go for it!