14 Hour Cut off Time Question..

I assume you mean a 14 hour finish time cut off for Ironman...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironman_Triathlon

(see last sentences in the History section)

and I think that would be unnecessarily harsh on the part of the WTC, given that:

At one time there was no cut-off time, then a 15 hour time limit - for these events the normal time limit is now 17 hours. Some iron distance races (not sanctioned by the WTC corporation, but using the same standard distances) have different cut-off times.

I think it'd drive a lot of people away from the Ironman(TM) events, but it could have the positive effect of more iron distance race participation.   To me, that'd be a positive.

It'd be negative in the sense that slower athletes may be jeered and dismissed as having done a slower time, equivalent distance race while only elite level triathletes get the brand-name Ironman finish. 

I think rumors are bad. They usually get people arguing about what is best and many times never come true.

Must not be a widespread rumor.  Hadn't heard that one anywhere.

So without having done anything near an IM myself, this is my question.  How many people who now do sub 14 hr IM's started out doing over 14 hr IM's?  How many people learned invaluable things from their first races that they couldn't have possibly simulated in training?

I don't see how limiting it further timewise in any way affects the faster folks.

Please cite your source for this rumor or stop trolling. 

Word.

Which is not the WTC, and it's labeled on that page as 'GOSSIP'.

You're welcome. 

I wouldn't call this trolling, but it's close.  I'm downloading the podcast "source" now and will have a listen.

The spirit of it here is for discussion, or at least that's how I interpreted, not scare-mongering or ****-stirring (pardon the french).   I think it's fine to discuss it and we should have opinions on such issues as they could change the course of our sport, the way our races are held, and the image of Ironman finishers both past and future.

Carry on.  Talk about it.  This is a discussion forum after all.  Then Let WTC know if it really matters to you. 

"In Internet terminology, a troll is a person who enters an established community such as an online discussion forum and intentionally tries to cause disruption, most often in the form of posting inflammatory, off-topic, or otherwise inappropriate messages."

Off-topic?  No, but certainly inflammatory and divisive and the intention of the OP seems questionable.

Do we really need to rehash the Marathon cutoff time limit thread? 

I think some of you guys are seriously over-reacting. 

I was staggeringly shocked when a blogger I followed to her IM-Wisconsin race was pulled off the course due to a cut-off time that she had *not* been told about.  (IronWil of throughth3wall.com)  Such cut-offs, even the discussion of such time limits, are of great interest to future IM'ers like myself.  The speculation and rumor/gossip aspect of it doesn't make it less discussion-worthy. 

If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to.  Skip the thread.  Easy!

Maybe you've seen this topic a few too many times, but it's new to me. 

CD,

He called it a RUMOR and not a fact.  Then posted a simple and harmless question for discussion.

Time to close you eyes and go find that happy place in Kona and your sub-14 hour finish.

Thank you.

If that's not your intention, then I withdraw the 'troll' moniker. 

It just strikes me as a bit suspicious when a new user suddenly starts posting inflammatory topics.  My past experiences lead me to view such actions as deliberate attempts to 'stir the pot' rather than elicit an actually meaningful discussion of the topic.

Regarding the cutoff time lowering, if they did that, they would be effectively chopping off many of the older age groups from being able to compete.  I just don't see that happening as the backlash against WTC would be immense.  No more Frank Farrar.  No more Sister Madonna.  No more Jim McTeague (sp).

If this is being proposed as a solution to the over-popularity of IM races ( selling out in under an hour now ), it's not going to be very effective.  In actuality, if you enforce a narrower distribution curve of talent on IM distance races the courses are only going to get *MORE* crowded not less.

Supply is smaller than demand.  The 'market' will respond.  We already saw the addition of IM Louisville.  I suspect we'll see more.  And there are serveral "Independant" IM distance races, which provide similar levels of support, and I foresee greater popularity for them.