13:38 the new 11:15?

M60-64
Arizona 10:56:42 Austria 11:57:53 Canada 12:29:23 Coeur d'Alene 12:13:10 Florida 10:45:02 France 9:55:48 Germany 10:58:42 Lake Placid 13:55:54 Louisville 11:26:58 New Zealand 13:26:35 St George 13:38:29 South Africa 10:38:23 Switzerland 10:36:56 Wisconsin 12:16:05 UK 11:05:12

Back in 2004, a sign hung on my refrigerator door for 360 days. It was pretty binary. Said: 11:15. That was the time necessary for me to qualify (Q) for Kona at Ironman Canada. That number came as a result of my finisher analysis from the previous 10 years of that spectacular event in Penticton, British Columbia. I thought I had it nailed. My PR to that point was 11:02, and I had spent a solid decade in long course training. My swim still sucked, but both bike and run were getting stronger, a combination, I hoped, would help accomplish the mission.

The above data is from Ray Britt's comprehensive site Runtri.com. It lists 15 IM events around the planet with the last Kona Q time, M60-64. That means that if an event offers five Kona slots, this one listed is the last, or slowest of the qualifiers in that AG. It's like the old saying that I don't need to be the fastest, just fast enough. Not faster than the hungry bear, just faster than YOU.

There are some interesting commentaries we can parse from this list. Take a look at the European times. Pretty quick. I am fairly confident that if I taped a 13:55 memo on the new Kenmore I could Q at Placid in 2012. the year I age up. That monstrous course out in St. George even allows a 13.38. Guy could take a break at the last aid station and thank the volunteers.

With two years of focused training, even around my RCV travel schedule, I think this is do-able. Who knows, I might even do a couple of laps in the pool in preparation.

Make no mistake, the Q goal is a biggie. For lot's of people in our sport it is everything. Get to Kona. I have seen grown men cry and women weep at this accomplishment or the failure thereof. I have been so, so close, several times. I have also had the good fortune and opportunity to work the gem of the Ironman crown a dozen times now. It is magical. There is nothing like it. Kona stands alone as a world-class championship event. I get to go back again this October for another visit with Madame Pele, WTC, CompuTrainer and the best 1,500 age-groupers and Pros in the world.

I won't be racing. I will be working.

And that's OK.

For now.

The finish line in Kona, 2008. An LE photo.