I was 1:29 for the half. I probably had some more in me, but this was only my 3rd triathlon and I’m still trying to find my run pace. I can do 1:29 at an easy effort in training, and I picked it up for a 6:40 final mile split in this race. Maybe I need to run a bit harder next time.
If you qualified for Worlds on only your 3rd tri, you have some pretty good talent. I’d pick a race and just say “I’m gonna risk blowing up and see what happens.” Explore your limits and if you blow up, you blow up…but you get a huge insight into what you may be capable of.
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So you’re saying I just have to maintain my watts/kilo for another 30 years to qualify? Yatta!
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I qualified with 3.6w/kg. I used the Best Bike Split to help me in the race, and it really helped me pace the bike. And i got to the run with fresh legs and did my best 70.3 half marathin at the time.
I also tried to make the best aerodinamic modifications to my bike without losing power.
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Amongst the fast triathletes and TTers I know, they all spend enough time on their TT bikes that FTP is very similar to their road position. In a couple of cases they ride their TT bikes almost exclusively and put out a few more watts in that position.
There are certainly plenty of people who can’t put out as many watts in the TT position, but they’re not generally the ones qualifying for Kona and Worlds. They’re the ones who either don’t spend enough time riding their TT bike, don’t have a good TT position and/or haven’t addressed the strength/flexibility limiters that are stopping them from riding in a good TT position.
30-34 cat
Swim 34’
Bike 2:30
Run 1:39
70.3 Fortaleza
Final time 4:48
Last slot o my caregory
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Depends massively on the AG - as I think a couple of guys have said. I qualified in the 25-29 AG in 2015, at that time i recall my stand alone Half Marathon was about 1:18, swim for 1900 was somewhere around 29mins and then my w/kg was around 4-4.1 (282w at 69kg). Now because I am quite light obviously the hiller the run and bike the better (i qualified at 70.3 Exmoor in the UK which is very hard on the Bike and Run)
Now, if i was going to qualify today into the 30-34 I would probably find it tough going to qualify with my current stats 4.4w/kg and a 1:12 half marathon in a Full IM or 70.3. BUT again you never know, depends on the course and who shows up on the day!
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I agree, sometimes it just matters who shows up and even though you post ripper splits, if theres a bunch of studs that show up then your numbers don’t matter. However, I think if you are consistently doing decent times and they are being pushed lower, its a matter of time before you qualify.
I had roll down slot from my last 70.3 but I let it go because flying to NZ from Canada just sounds like a ton of money.
AG: 25-29
Swim: 35 (was long and lots of contact)
Ride 2:11 (was slightly short, flat)
Run: 1:33 (flat with 1 huge hill)
7-AG 24-OA
Time: 4:24
Stand alone HM is 1:25, although I ran it sick so I think I am in the 1:20-1:23 range. Marathon is 3:14 although I think its closer to 3:05 as I battled cramps and have (hopefully) addressed the salt issue.
Had an injury going in and decided to hold back. Weather that day was also cold in the morning so I mentally checked out and wore a jacket on the bike… so aero advantage was non-existent. Definitely think I left 4-5 minutes out on the course at least but I am happy with the performance. My TR FTP going into the race was likely around 4.0, might have dropped a bit. That’s 4.0 in TT from ramp test. I typically push 3.2-3.4 on 70.3 races and hope to push a 3.0 on my next Ironman. Currently pushing 4.2W/kg now and feeling strong, hope it holds for the summer!
I would think thats easily 70.3 qualification times, and perhaps full assuming you can translate the half marathon to a full marathon time? Post a 5-5:15 hour bike and run sub 3 would do it. 1:12 HM is easily a sub 3 open, would think like a 2:4x open?
I think i might be ok as long as a bunch of Fast Germans don’t show up! I did IM Wales in 2017 in the sideways rain and wind and missed out by about 60s on Kona - so I’m not far off.
Since then i have a 2:37 marathon - again is better. But it seems we have some crazy fast guys in the 30-34 in Europe and often only 3/4 slots so again its back to picking your races and playing to your strengths
I have moved away from the longer stuff and gone to shorter stuff, but on reflection i would say that the key to a good IM is as always a super strong bike. being able to bike fast that is a fairly moderate % of FTP will get you a slot. So push your FTP high, ride learn to ride at 70% of it for 5h and stay as aero as possible. The run will be a piece of cake provided you fuel properly.
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Really? Did almost that at Floripa last year and I was over 40th I guess.
I think it also depends on the type of course. On age group level, i’m quite sure that overall standings would look different between a dead flat and a hillier course(Say Galveston 70.3 vs Waco 70.3) if you take the same group of people with the same fitness level. The 1st and 2nd place have less chances of changing because theses guys are usually at almost-pro level(at least on my age group M35-39) and go fast no matter what but 3rd/4th and beyond would all be scrambled between races.
I’ll add to the suggestion that qualifying for 70.3 Worlds will be noticeably easier than Kona, especially when it comes to roll downs (there are also way more slots available since they split the men and women up to separate days). I qualified for Nice with a little over 4w/kg FTP in M35-39, but needed a roll down to get it (finished 4th with 2 AG slots and none of the podium took theirs).
I was also at Waco… and in the same AG. I was just under 4w/kg but hadn’t spent much time on my TT so was more TT FTP was probably closer to 3.6-3.7… My bike split was decent but not quite the sub 230 I was aiming for.
Running is my strength so I was able to make up quite a bit going from 30th off the bike to 7th after the run… (Then into 8th after someone finished just under me afterwards.)
Unlike you, I’m a terrible swim. I hadnt swam in nearly two years so went in with just wanting to do well on the bike and have a good run. Coming in top 10 was a bit of a surprise for me… Has motivated me to start swimming again.
It was definitely a bit long… I measured just over 13.3 but still managed a good finish time of 1:31.16.
My open HM PB is 1:22 which I ran at the end of 2018… I’m running the Dallas Half this weekend and hoping to go sub 1:20.
I’m at 3.6w/kg and have qualified for Kona 4 times and 70.3 worlds twice. I’ve had the fastest AG bike split at Ironman Australia in 2016 and last weekend out rode a former top Aussie pro and TDF rider in a local Olympic tri. Your bike split is determined by your fitness, ability to pace and importantly your set up and position.
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Wow man, that’s impressive. What’s your raw FTP, you must have a crazy high w/cda with those stats?
Respect
‘Only’ 260w in aero. On paper it’s nothing special. I don’t spend time coasting and I like to flow and keep my momentum. Save, save save for that run.
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Did you look at the profile picture? 
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I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time, I always thought those pads were for my elbows, not my chin!
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This is the same Wes we interviewed in Kona. If you go back 2 years you can find his episode and get tons of details.
Man is a beast!
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