My Age Group

Ummm.....all those guys have been running and riding and swimming for years.  That's why they're as fast as they are.  That's also why you see some of the most competitive endurance athletes in those age groups. Just the nature of the sport.

Don't worry about place or comparing your time to others.  Worry about your goals.  You can't control who shows up on race day, you can't control the weather.  You CAN control your preparation leading up to the race; you CAN control your mental state, and nutrition, and what your goals are. 

Mike:

I'm in the 40-44 AG and I sometimes think the same thing!  I rationalize it like this: Those faster AGers have been doing it for awhile and I'm one of the few in my AG to get off the couch this year.  The rest of my AG is still on the couch and next year I'll beat a guy like me and the cycle will continue.  I am a total BoPer but I always think of all the people who didn't train or race that I "Beat"..not to mention keeping the old ticker healthy!  I know I'll never win my AG, nor be near the top for that matter, I train/race for my own personal/health reasons.  You should be proud of yourself for getting off the couch.  Congrats!

Tim

Hey Mike, I'm in a really competitive AG, too.  Female 30-34.  Last year I finished DFL in my AG.  I wasn't surprised, I didn't actually train for it.  But I started getting serious about my training in September and worked really hard through the off-season.  In my first race of the season this last Saturday, I finished 36 out of 39.  Ouch.  I was disappointed at first then I realized that I beat my previous race by 12 minutes!!  AND...I felt great at the end, not like I needed to sleep for a week.

The thing that has been tough for me is, as a runner, I'm solid MOP.  But as a triathlete, I'm BOP.  Why is that?  Because there are a ton of loons that will decide last minute to run a 5K or a 10K, a 1/2 mary or even a marathon without training for it.  We kick their a$$es on race day.   But not too many people decide, last minute, hey I'm going to do a triathlon!  So the people that step up on race day are prepared to be there.  Some better than others. 

It's interesting to see how we line up in our AG, but at the end of the day, it's more about how we can improve our performance and push ourselves to our limits. 

My SO always asks after a race..."Did you win"  I just laugh, I know he is joking, but it has never been about winning against other people to me...or placing for that matter, Its always been about me getting faster for me....I have been in the same situation, where I was 4th in my age group, out of like 200...but I finished the race!  And I got faster with practice.

"It's all about me...me me me...look I'm on fire, put me out"

The other thing you don't often see is the DNF guys, who just didn't have the skills, stamina or intestinal fortitude to finish. You do freaking triathlons(!!!), and the next one you do will be even better. I got into it three years ago, and I am just now, at 40, getting to a point where I feel comfortable with the whole idea...

It sounds like you and I decided we wanted to do this Triathlon thing when we entered the hardest Age Group.  Traditionally, Male 30 - 34 followed by 35 -39 is the most competitive.  I think it's because of experience and finances in general.  Like others have said, give it time and you'll go up the ranks.

If it makes you feel better, I got 8th overall in a race and that put me 3rd in the M30-34 A/G.  And that's just because one of the top 3 got pulled out of the A/G!!

Competition makes us faster...go with it.

that's a very good line.  Wish I'd thought of it.  Nicely done.