14 Hour Cut off Time Question.. (Page 4)

Got it - I read that after I posted, my mistake and apologies Chris. I think Leadville 100 trail race has some different levels of finishing times. Anything under 25 hours is a gold buckle and anything under 28 is a silver or something. That's a pretty extreme sport though. I agree that some 'elites' want to say that their 11:30 is better than a 16:30 but I think you get that distinction when people ask and you tell them your time. For some the goal is just to finish and that's fine. As long as you are training to be healthy and live an active lifestyle, I am all for it. If you are constantly injured and complaining about your workouts, not sure why you would do it.

actually the 17 hours is midnight from a 7 AM start. If the race had started at 9AM, the cut off would be 15 hours. ;-)

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Notmyrealname is a duplicate account. I have no idea why the second account was created. The user doesn't log training here, he's only posted in one thread prior to this and it was in the off topic forum. The user has been banned.

We don't often ban people, but creating a second account to troll is a sure way to make it happen. Posting an unpopular opinion is one thing. Blatantly violating the rules of the board is another.

If you have an opinion, state it.  If people don't agree with you, that's fine.  If people don't like you because of it, that's life.  Stick to your guns and say what you mean.

BTW, I don't mean YOU.  Just a figurative you.

Thanks for jumping in Marmadaddy/Mike to get rid of the troll-like account.

I stayed away from this thread for a while, but can see that it's still a hot topic.  Such topics are good for the board.   Let's just all remember that the cut-offs were and still are rumors and not actual plans or directives from the WTC/IM race directors.   They may want to hear from you if you feel that cut-offs at IM events will change your approach to them, or if qualifer races would limit involvement unduly. 

If anyone has a contact or good way to connect with someone at the WTC, that could be helpful here. 

-Sunny

As far as why 17 hours is a "magical" number why are there 18 holes in golf?  Sure, if the game had been created with 16 holes or 20 holes it would still be the same game.  The fact is that it has 18 and I doubt people who play it want to change that.  100 yds on a football (American) field.  3 strikes and you're out.  Yes, some things change over time but other things don't and I for one want certain things to be the same about IM when I eventually do one as they were all along.  Yes, some things will be different - most notably me! - but I don't want this particular thing to change.  They can change the course but I don't want them to change what order we do the events in.  They can change the rules for bike specs but I still want drafting to be illegal.  They can change the rules about special needs bags but I don't want them to change how they handle assistance for the athletes.

The point is that the only thing magical about 17 hours is the history that it has with those of us who aspire to, and have done, Ironman races.  Yet, to me, that is the most important reason.  It may seem arbitrary and silly to others, that's fine. 

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New topic:  I think that Kona is the model that they want to make all Ironmen follow.  Create layers of having to qualify or bring in money one way or another to get into the race - through lottery, auction, fundraising, whatever.  As popularity of the sport increases it gives them the ability to make these races harder to get into because demand is exceeding supply.  Not saying I agree with it, just that it makes sense as a business plan.

You do realize that there was no cut-off time originally.  That started in Oct. '82 and then it was 18.5 hours.  Now it's generally 17 (and with a 7am start does mean you have to finish the same day you start).  But it was an artificial creation and it's not even universal.  Only the distance remains the same.  The "magic", if there is any, is in the numbers 2.4/112/26.2--140.6 not in the time it takes.

Yeah, I read Iron Will.  That doesn't change the fact that for the length of time that I've been aspiring to do an Ironman 17 hours has been an important number.  My point is that it is a personal thing and that is why it is important.  People have strong opinions about the designated hitter in baseball and other rule changes.  To say that a rule was set up by people who picked one number (in this case 17) and not another number doesn't mean that over time that rule doesn't take on an importance or meaning for people.  That's my point.

No, I didn't think that John Collins came down from the mountain top with a smoldering tablet inscribed by God himself that stated the time cutoff should be 17 hours.