You all have inspired me. Long term goal is to qualify in 2022 so that I can be there and race with you all. I love the TT journey and think I will love this one even more.
Btw, talking about kona qualifying on your first time at that distance is throwing a but of shade toward those that have. Qualifying is a pie in the sky goal, good luck but there are a lot of lessons that may not be figured out without dedicating 100% towards tri training a significant portion of the year.
There was no option in the poll to choose nobody Kona qualifies. Itās really really hard to be at the front. You guys are good athletes but Iāll be surprised if you guys are in the top 25 of your AG
The third question is literally asking who has the best shot to KQ. I think all 3 will do really well, but they face tough competition in their AG. I think even posing that question isā¦I wonāt say ādisrespectfulā, but maybe just ill informed?
Case in point, ātriathlon tarenā gets ragged on a lot. But his career is triathlon, he has all the gear, and all the coaching/mentors/etc to guide him in his training and racing. His first full was a 9:41, which is an incredible debut race.
That time at IMFL would have gotten him 19th in 35-39AG. Ouch.
Thatās very impressive, and Id second that Ouch.
A little online stalking and his impressive 9:41 placed him 52nd in Division, M35 at Roth, and to be fair he was sub 5 for the HIM two years prior in 2017.
From the way Nate has talked about KQ over the years, I can see why it might seem to be - can I say naive rather than disrespectful? - but he knows the challenge heās setting and heās putting nearly two years timescale on it, so the guys can be as fit for it as perhaps theyāll ever be, and then the dice fall where they may.
Itās already egged on @tribuddha (and me if Iām honest) so cant be all bad?
Check out coach cox for KQ timesā¦sub 10 on a tough course gives you a chance in some age groups.
All of the podcast guys have the requisite genetic potential, mindset, lifestyle, and career where KQ is achievable and I donāt see any reason why they canāt have it as a stretch goal. Itās two years from now, where they plan to spend a large amount of their time focusing on it and training for it.
Iām trying to imagine a scenario where setting a personal goal in an individual sport where there is essentially zero interaction with other competitors would be disrespectful in some way. Literally everything in triathlon is ultimately within their control and the Kona qualifying times are pretty well known.
They have access to the best gear, the best nutrition, the best coaching minds, and high level athletes who have been there before to talk to as a part of the journey, which already gives them a leg up on people.
I want to be clear like Iāve said above in this thread, on the podcast, and in private: I donāt think any of us will KQ during this challenge.
The KQ athletes weāve interviewed are insane and are on a different level than us.
Itās still cool to have the dream and a goal though. KQ is a life long goal of mine and Id like to dedicate many years to try to do it one day.
I do think that our PM Brandon Neid can qualify on his first Ironman though. He is an ex pro ITU triathlete who is a cat 1, 5.2 watt/kg cyclist and ran at cal poly in college. Heās actually a better runner than a cyclist (and can swim too).
Heās good at hitting goals and as long as he doesnāt have bad luck my money is on him.
Iām looking forward to following your journey, and Iām convinced Chad will tweak the tri plans as a consequenceā¦
My post looks like it came across as critical instead of supportive - the odds are against you, sure, but it will be thrilling to see where your respective best performances might get you.