Qualifying for Kona: The Road to Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii (Paperback)

~ Raymond Britt (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ironman Kona, Hawaii. Inspiring. Daunting. Stunning. Humbling. Exhilarating. The greatest triathlon in the world. The Ironman Triathlon World Championship. It all starts in Kona. Ask any triathlete why they took up the sport, and they will reply with one word: Kona. Ask if they want to compete there someday, and the answer will be: yes. Each year, more than 50,000 triathletes race for the chance of qualifying to compete in Kona. Competition is fierce and getting tougher each year, but if you want it bad enough, you can achieve the dream: you can earn the right to Race Kona. If you aspire to go to Kona, here's what you want to know: where can I qualify? What does it take to qualify? How can I do it with a full-time job and family? What kind of training plans are effective? what is it like to race and qualify? What is it like to race in Kona? Again and again and again? This book has it all, and more. Detail about racing, qualifying times. Thorough exploration of three racing seasons where the author qualified for Kona, including training plan strategies, details and results. Beyond theory: this book is defined by real data, real performance, time-tested training and racing perspective. Do you dream of qualifying for Kona? This book shows how the dream comes true.

About the Author

Raymond Britt is managing partner of WinSight Ventures, founder and publisher of RunTri.com, and a veteran of 29 Ironman Triathlons and 13 Boston Marathons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 218 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (January 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1450525040
• ISBN-13: 978-1450525046
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #369,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book if you are striving for Kona, or if you just want to be a better triathlete, March 1, 2010

By	Wolfgang Everett (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

There are many solid triathlon training books out there, but this one breaks new ground when it comes to delivering real information, real training and racing data, and real performance experiences. Not theory or generic training viewpoints, it's a practical guide of a Regular Triathlete's path to Kona.

From the basics (which races offer qualifying slots, how many, what times are required, by race, by division, e.g.) to the extensive detail for each of the three years in which the author qualified for Kona (training plans, strategy and details, race reports and analysis, e.g.) and essential tips for any triathlete (planning your training and racing season, how much training time, training log secrets and racing execution detailed advice), this book fully illustrate a compelling, practical and achievable approach to qualifying for Kona.

This book should be part of your triathlon library, even if Kona's not on your mind this year. The contents can help any triathlete improve their performance. But after you read it, it's likely that you may want to earn a slot to Kona more than ever. This book will help you believe you can make the dream come true.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Making the impossible seem possible, by the numbers, March 1, 2010

By	Robert A. Mina "Triathlete" (West Chester, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a triathlete for the past 16 years, I've always felt that Ironman Hawaii was the pinnacle of our sport. It's The Holy Grail sitting atop Mount Everest, only available to the talented few who had thousands of dollars, and thousands of hours, at their disposal. In my mind it was the playground for the truly dedicated who put family, job, and everything else second to qualifying.

But that's not true, and Ray does a masterful job of breaking down the impossible, and making it seem very much within reach if you have dedication, focus, and desire.

He's a guy who's done it - talked the talk, and walked the walk. Working full-time, traveling, and raising 4 children, Ray has managed to earn his ticket to Kona three times, while averaging his training volume in the 9-hour per week range; a far cry from the 15-20 hour weeks you read about in other guides.

Ray lays out the numbers in black-and-white: Here's what I did, when I did it, and how it worked.

It still takes hard work and absolute consistency, but Ray puts the recipe in the reader's hands.