Ironman in Perspective, part I

As previously mentioned, I have wanted for some time to write a blog about the different Ironmans I have visited. Minus Lake Placid, I have visited all the Ironman races in the continental US. I have participated in two...Ironman Coeur d'Alene (June 07) and Ironman Florida (November 08). But through friends, I have had a chance to spectate Ironman Florida twice (06 & 07), Ironman Wisconsin (Sept 07), Ironman Louisville (August 08) and Ironman Arizona (Nov 08).

Each race is different in many regards. Of course they are all 140.6 miles; however, there is no 'easy' Ironman. They are all challenging...from the winds in Tempe to the varying weather in Madison to the hills of Lake Placid, choosing an Ironman is not easy.

I have spent a lot of time in the past two years discussing the pros and cons of a number of Ironman races. I am an advocate for all of them. I do think they are all put on very well. So when selecting an Ironman, I encourage people to use four criteria. First, choose the Ironman that is closest to you to save money; second, choose the time of year you want to race and understand what the weather is like for the 5 months leading up to the race; third, choose where you want to travel...make it a destination race; fourth, select a race with terrain similar to where you train.

First. Convenience. You can't put a price tag on it. Well, actually you. For those of us in the southeast we are really blessed to have two Ironman races in close proximity and one could argue Wisconsin i totally drivable. All of us know are familiar with the absurd cost to our sport. An Ironman easily adds to that...and in a big way. Flights, 4 nights in hotel, shipping bike, rental car, finishers gear, food. Hands down, you have just added about $2000 for your trip. That on top of the $550 you paid just to register. For convenience sake, if you can drive to the race do it. It will save you on time and stress.

Second. Time of year matters. No one wants to race when it is super hot. But as Ironman races have repeatedly demonstrated, the tri-gods have their own plans for race day. What matters is when would you be doing your training. If you select an early year Ironman (CDA), then you will begin your training when it is cold out. Select a mid-year event (MOO or KY) and your biggest month will be in July during the hottest time of year. Select the end of season event and you have to wait all year for your race. Each has its pros and cons. It is important to understand your limitations and abilities to find the race that suits you best.

Third. Location. Some races are in more inviting locales than others. Panama City Beach is nice...just not in November. Coeur d'Alene and Lake Placid have course buried deep in the woods encompassed by beauty. At trip to Madison could include a few nights in Chicago. On my trip to CDA, I chose to go to Seattle for 3 nights and then up to Vancouver for 2 more. It was my first and only time to visit the great Northwest. The key is that if a destination race is important to you then go that route.

Fourth. Training. This is simple enough. If you live on the flats of Florida, Lake Placid might not be the best race for you. Live in the mountains and Florida will be more difficult than you imagine. You want to find a course that is similar to where you train. If you don't have access to hills, you might be taking on a greater challenge by taking on a hilly course

These are the four criteria which I find crucial to the decision of which Ironman to do. In my first, I employed the destination strategy. Atlanta is hilly enough to give me the base I needed to ride hills. For my second, I wanted the convenience of my own car and minimized the cost of the event.

Up next, I will try to break down each of the races from a number of different perspectives to demonstrate what one can expect from the experience.