How to qualify for Kona?

Step One: Choose your parents wisely.

Every AG that has an entry in it gets a slot and the rest are allocated to the percentages as jeepfleeb stated.

If there is only one guy or girl in some AG and they do not take the slot, then that slot will be awarded to the AG with the highest number of entrants (almost always M35-39).  This is called the "rolldown" along with those that decide not to take the slot in their age group when their are multiple recipients.

Yes, as fleeb said, if you are a guy you need to typically be sub-10 to be comfortably in, but at Florida this year the "slowest" in my AG that go in was around 9:35 or so ..... and that was the 12th or 13th person in the age group to get a slot!!!  Some courses are fast while most in the US are very competitive.  Other courses are "slow" relative to others - Lake Placid and Wisc. are two that typically are up and just over the 10 hour mark for the average male qualifiers.

Yes, especially if you are in the M35-39 and are racing Lake Placid.  Make sure that is your focus and the thing you do the most of!!  Don't worry about the bike, it will be a joke - spend the least time on that.

So If you have to be able to go sub 10 to get into Kona, how come so many people finish WAY after that?  Over 1200 people finished after 10 hours at the last race.  Where are all those people coming from?

Hmm ,, I must have had it wrong then but for some reason I thought I heard you could qualify for kona at a 70.3 race, since there was a debate about it.. was it possible a few years ago??

Lots of great info in this thread

Kona Qualifying - What it takes

-ak-

This is the key to the question, I think.

The 70.3 races mentioned above DO have Kona slots. For instance, St. Croix and Buffalo Springs have slots for Kona 08. As the contracts for these races come up for renewal, they are being taken away because there are more IM races.

In regards to 70.3 World Championships, they had some Kona slots for 07 Kona, this year, there were no Kona slots for anyone. 

Hope that helps. 

And during the bike leg of the race, push it as hard as you can. Try to pass as many people as you can and finish it as fast as possible. Don't worry about the run, it will be a breeze compared to the bike leg. 

Don't expect 70.3 races with slots to be easier to get them either .... there are less available and even more competitive to get.

Top 6 places 30 - 34 at Eagleman:

1    21 CHRISTIAN WATERSTRAAT   33 LISLE IL              4:08:54.65 

2    26 MARK ROCHON             31 DOWNINGTOWN PA        4:12:09.05

3    47 JEROME HARRISON         33 WEST DUNDEE IL        4:18:46.00

4    48 JESSE SMITH             33 BEDMINSTER NJ         4:18:59.10

5    55 ALEXANDER SHERWOOD      32 TILLSON NY            4:20:28.05

6    57 LUKE HANNON             30 NEW YORK NY           4:20:50.40

Top 10 in 35 - 39:

    1    22 DAVID FORSEE            38 INDIANAPOLIS IN       4:09:46.30 
    2    29 VINNIE MONSEAU          38 MORGANTOWN WV         4:13:38.65
    3    30 MAX WUNDERLE            37 WEST SIMSBURY CT      4:13:50.55
    4    35 PATRICK DWYER           35 WALTHAM MA            4:14:34.00 
    5    36 DWAYNE SMITH            37 HANOVER PA            4:14:42.25
    6    40 ESPEN KATERAAS          37 WASHINGTON DC         4:16:52.10
    7    43 MARTY GAAL              35 CARY NC               4:17:53.35
    8    44 JEFF KAMMERZELT         35 WILMINGTON DE         4:18:25.20
    9    46 SCOTT WOLLARD           39 NEW YORK NY           4:18:30.50
   10    49 MARC KASE               39 CARDIFF CA            4:19:06.50

As you can guess ........ the field is just a bit competitive for those Kona slots ........

To clear up so there is no confusion, when weight lifting you should be focusing on your max bench press