I’ve produced a potentially interesting spreadsheet for the AJ Bell London Triathlon (2015) – Standard Distance. It’s based on THIS year’s official results.
(Here) is the modified spreadsheet results – it’s sorted by Age Group.
You will see a new column showing your time expressed as a percentage of the Age Group (AG) Winner’s time. So 110% is AG winner’s time plus 10%.
Whilst I think this is the biggest triathlon of it’s kind, it was NOT a qualifier race for the GB age Group teams. However many athletes who are in those team did compete. The race is VERY large and as such we might assume it’s a reasonable sample size from which to get a range of abilities
If it were a qualifier race then ‘all’ you have to do is finish within 115% of the AG winner’s time to achieve a qualifying time for the World Age Group Championship and 120% is the figure for the European Age Group Championship.
If you meet the 115% criteria I’ve shown you as an GREEN colour. The rationale being that a more competitive race might lower your %age time BUT you would still be within 120%…probably.
However it’s not quite so straightforward in reality. For starters the ‘proper’ age group qualification races attract a much smaller but, on the whole, of a high standard. So your percentage ‘score’ WILL PROBABLY be lessened. Furthermore there are usually only 20 places available per age group, often with well over 50 applicants. The reality is that to qualify you will OFTEN need a MUCH better score in the more competitive age groups (Ages 35-55 ish).
So, the spreadsheet shows those in GREEN who I think may have qualified based on their 2015 performance (in a qualifying race). Keep at it and achieve something else to tell the grandkids about one day.
One reason here might be that people over 35 have no other competition where they can compete at the highest level as the reality is that at over 35 no-one would, for example, EVER get near the Brownlee-levels of performance. So the Age Group competitions at those ages really are for the crème-de-la-crème (or so they all tell me 🙂 )
So in, say, the 20-25 age group the elite athletes will probably not be competing so you percentage time is calculated from a slower winner. Put against that, however, I was amazed by the demographics of the AJ Bell London Triathlon; LOTS more younger adults than in the Age Group events. Very good to see.
The older Age Groups (over 55s) in the 2015 results are still correctly by 5 year AG band. They are still in 5 year age bands in the BTF race, I think, up to 80. Don’t be fooled though – there are still people in these age groups who will, for example, running 10km in under 40 minutes. These will make YOUR times harder to be within the 120% – HOWEVER because of lower numbers of potential competitors normally ‘all’ the older age group entrants have to realistically do is to hit the 120% or 115% mark.
Please ask if you have any questions as I am keen to promote the wider sport in**@*********er.com
Happy racing and training.
Last Updated on 13 January 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
