Clyde-Athena and KONA

I can't answer for the governing bodies of Ironman, but it might be related to discussions about whether there should or should not be Clyd/Ath divisions, what constitutes one.  Why is someone over 200 lbs given a spot but someone 199 is cut off and needs to qualify by age.  I too would like to do Kona, but I'm realistic in the fact that I will never meet a qualifying place at the IM length.

Do I think there should be Clyd/Ath groups?  No.  Kona is for the top athletes in the world.  If I can't qualify as one of the best, I need not go.

Clyd/Ath groups have been slowly been fading away from major races.  Its kinda sad, they give us cool names. 

I too would love to qualify for Kona, however there seems to be a push for the Clyd/Ath groups to go away.  We would have a better chance of winning a lotery spot then getting them to add Clyd/Ath groups to Kona. 

and no I do not think there should be one.

from what I've seen (very limited) the Clyde catagory seems to be pretty much an honor system; I've never been asked to weigh in (I have at mountain bike races however), for many of us it's probably obvious that we qualify. I have to wonder though: what's the difference between weighing 199 and 201 - my weight fluctuates more than 2# day to day.

If there was a clyde class at Kona, I suspect everyone who qualified would weigh exactly 200#, and depending on the rules, there may well be a push to qualify early in the year and loose weight before the actual race. In more low-key races I've seen rules like "sandbagging isn't cool." (yes, that was an actual rule at a race I did), but for an international race that everyone in the world wants to do, I just don't see any way to define a clyde category that would be fair. To anyone.

Yeah, they basically phased them out for the official Ironman Races.

Normally, I really don't care at all if there is a C/A division or not.  However, in this case, I am a little selfish and want it.  I might have a chance for Kona if they did.  Come on, it's KONA!!!  I have to be bit selfish...

As a side note, I can only recall on a couple races they had me step on a scale quickly to see if I was over 200.  It was at packet pickup and had my street clothes on!  That's how "official" it was.  Most of the time it's the honor system.

St Anthony's has a scale at check in.  If you race Cl/A (I have never done so) you have to pass thru the weigh-in station.

There is zero wrong with a clyde and athena class so I don't view it as selfish at all.  Many people admire well rounded athletes just as much or more than those at the peak of one single game.  I like to be muscular but Mr. Universe muscular is comical and grotesque to some.  Likewise, endurance sports take a lot of heart and mental toughness but to some there is no desire to be a 150lb man.  Nothing wrong with being capable of a little of everything. 

There used to be IM clyde/athena categories (until last year) but there were never Kona slots for that category, which I agreed with (as a Clyde who races in that category when available).  If you really want Kona, get faster.  But even with c/a categories you would not get there

And trust me, as someone said above, clydes at Kona would be 6'4" and 201.   i.e., ripped 

Edited by ChrisM 2009-09-18 12:27 AM