All my races have been wet suit swims which were faster than the pool. How did your pool times compare to either the honu 70.3 or the big show in Kona?
The one and only time I did Kona 10 years ago, I think I was swimming around 63min in the pool on a good day, did 64 in Kona. Kona time may vary a bit depending on where you seed yourself. I got knocked around alot at Kona and stayed out of a pack on the return, so I mostly swam the second half on my own. Would have been faster to get in a pack.
You’ve done a 2.4 mile time trial in a pool?? Hats off to you.
Did Kona last year in 66. My pool swims were 60-62.
10 years ago… but about the same as the pool. I swam 61 at IMFL wetsuit, and then 66 at Kona. Kona is no wetsuit, but the water seems very heavy - you float almost like you are wearing one. And I am not a real swimmer, so not wetsuit probably dropped my feet, creating more drag.
4 X Kona finisher; generally about 4-8 minutes slower than a wet suited IM swim for me. So much depends on currents and chop in Kona. Some years it’s pretty bad, some not.
My experience is that I’m roughly 10% slower than my threshold pace at Kona, which is the only race in recent memory (8 years or so) that I’ve raced without a wetsuit. I’m pretty close (give or take a second) to threshold pace for 1.2M in a wettie.
Thanks - 10% slower than the pool sounds like a reasonable estimate based on answers so far. I’m doing the Honu 70.3. All of my early season swims are masters sessions with lots of drills and IM work. So for interest, I swam 2k free without stopping. My time was 32 minutes. Guess I’ll have to look for a good draft and calm waters to be happy with my time!
The Honu swim course is much more subject to issues with currents, winds, and sun in your eyes than the Kona course. But everyone swims the same conditions, so time by itself doesn’t really matter.
Kona swim course is remarkably similar to a 25 yard pool time. (Non drafting and no speed suit in the pool, swum at same intensity as race).
50 meter pool time should be slower due to fewer wall push offs.
I’ve done Kona for the past seven years and every year my pool time is within a minute of what I swim at Kona
Did Kona last yr. My time was 4 min slower than in Whistler. A big difference besides wetsuit is NOOOO. Separation. In a typical IM, the field gets very spread out after a few 100 yds. At Kona it’s as assholes and elbows for 2.4 mi