Subject: RE: Should the cut off time be changed for IM?NO For all you speed snobs they have this little race (I think its in Hawaii) every year that you have to qualify for, although they allow some of us not gifted slow people in as well just to add a little variety. I also might point out a little article in a tri magazine doccumenting that the first place and last place overall finishers at Kona last year were both coached by the same person. The last place finisher is actually a pretty fast guy and qualified (AKA was not a lotery slot person) but had a bad day nutritionally and was darn close to DNFing. This kind of underscores the fact that ANYONE can have a bad day out there. The difference between having a bad and being fast is that you had a bad day but finish VS have a bad day and you are slow and you potentially DNF. Are you trying to just make it unobtainable for people? Don't want to stand around til midnight? I've done IMFL twice. I'm a decent swimmer and biker but I can't run worth a darn. I would NOT say "just finishing" is easy. Neither of my marathons did I have a 14:53 pace on the run I was much slower. If you have the talent to RACE an IM and finish God Bless you but don't take the possiblity of particpating in an IM away from those of us who want to achieve that goal but don't have the genetic ability to be fast (dont tell me I need to train more blah blah balh I train hard go look at my blog). There are many of us on BT who put in the hours and the training and do our best with every workout but will never be super stars. In our current society where obesity reigns WHY would you want to discourage people from taking steps to a happier healthier fitter lifestyle by making it all even harder to obtain? Just to say I'm better? Sorry people not good enough. Look at the big picture and remember this thread (where it seems I may be preaching to the choir) when you do have a bad day and are thankful to "just" finish your IM for whatever reason. |