Will Ironman (WTC) allow me to compete?

The RDs are Paul Huddle and Roch Frey.  They run multisports.com.  Maybe try emailing them, or even calling.  My masters coach called about tri coaching, and Huddle answered the phone...  Never know.  I bet if you contact a WTC phone monkey, the answer would be no, as they'd be bound to follow the rules.  The RDs might be able to make an exception.

One of the problems is likely liability and insurance. Something magical about that day you turn 18, you are suddenly able to make decisions you couldn't make the previous day  

Would I let you race?  why not, sure.  Go for it.  

BTW, the date will be the Sunday before Thanksgiving, that you can count on.  So about the 20th. 

Simply stating this would not do it justice, so I feel the need to shout.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! THIS WAS VERY, VERY HELPUL!

You are a gentleman and a scholar, sir.
 

Hmph!  Who knew?  And Tim, anything goes in my fantasy tri world.  No one sues no one.    

By the way rainyday, if you do Silverman over IMAZ your harda$$ factor will be doubled.   

And welcome to BT 

WHAT?!??! You are CLEARLY new to the forums ....














... and yet you already know how to pick the winners, so to speak. WELCOME and good luck with IMAZ plans.

Sure, I'd let you do it. Then again, I'm the idiot around here who is like, what, no training? SURE, do it! Have a horrendous tropical illness? GO FOR IT! Doctor told you not to do anything? Surely that doesn't include walking, swimming, and a recumbent bike, right?

from a legal standpoint...I suppose they could have your legal guardian sign off on it.  Not sure if they already have a form already drafted to do so...or how much effort that would take.

But I doubt they would simply just "slide it under the rug" or "look the other way"

Good luck...

and x2 about silverman...may not have the glamour of a WTC Ironman...but anyone in the know will give you as much if not much more respect for finishing silverman as your first.

Honestly, I kind of wonder if they would even NOTICE that he's a few days shy of being 18. I mean, why point it out? Obviously you would hate to be told "no" at the last moment and lose your invested time and money.

I'm not sure why your parents can't sign for you to do the race. I think you need to have your parents approach the RD's and go from there. It needs to be made very clear up front that they are supporting you in this and are taking responsibility for you entering the race.

Good luck!

What's right ain't always legal, and what's legal ain't always right.

Will the bars let you drink if you are "just a week from your 21st birthday"? Can you vote because you're "mere days away" from 18?

And, as an aside, if you were my kid (or my athlete), no. I wouldn't. I think that's too young to be doing a marathon (esp. for young men), let alone an IM.

I don't think that's an apples to apples comparison - drinking and voting are laws.  The age requirement for an IM is a rule from a private company.

I've seen the "to young" thing tossed around quite a bit with regards to endurance sports. I assume that is because many are still growing, but wouldn't that vary from athlete to athlete?

I for example had reached my current height 5'7" and stopped growing by about 14 years old.

I would not let you compete nor would I recommend or encourage IM events to someone that is your age.

Shane

Second this.  They have the rule in place for safety's sake.  If I were you, I'd plan on going to IMAZ (or whichever you pick) and volunteering in 2011, then register for 2012. 

My thirteen year old daughter is friends with a couple kids in her running club who do half and full marathons.  It makes me nervous.  Kids, in general, aren't equipped to handle that kind of stress.  They don't what they're capable of, nor do they understand their limitations.  They don't have the ability to gauge what's happening in their bodies and make good decisions based on their current condition as well as the conditions around them.  Combine that with a sense of invincibility and you can have some really dangerous situations on those long courses where you can go miles without seeing another racer, volunteer or official.

OP, you're 16 right now and you've done some serious events which tells me you're not a typical high school kid.  You know how to work hard and are determined enough to go the distance.  That's great.  It makes me nervous for you anyway.  If you were my kid the only way I'd let you do it would be if you did your training under the supervision of an experienced coach and with a specific race plan focused on finishing more than competing.

You're not my kid though and your parents know you and have a much better idea of what you're capable of than I do.  If they support you doing this it makes sense to call the RD and see if they're willing to budge for you.  Regardless of which event you end up doing I hope you keep us updated on your progress.

Let me ask a different way...


What about being 26 vs. 22 vs. 18 vs. 14 makes someone more prepared for endurance sports? Is someone's age really the important factor? Or should you really be looking at more discrete factors such as maturity, both physical and mental? Are you concerned with growth plates? Bone density? Muscular development? Then evaluate them!

I'm 33, am I ready for endurance sports? Most here would answer that I should have a physician evaluate my health and determine if my body and cardiovascular system can handle it. Even at my age.

Why not have a physician evaluate the individual and determine if they are ready?

If the rules are 18 and over, I can't imagine they will let you.  It's not anything to do with you, but it is a liability for them.

Random question(s):

Why an IM at 18?

Why not run cross country or track or something?

I wonder if active has an automatic parameter that kicks out anyone below 18 and doesn't let them register....

Whoa whoa whoa....let's not go crazy here....

I can think of far more dangerous things I was doing at age 18 than an Ironman.

I also know if I had it in my head to do one and people said no, that would've just made me more determined.  Rainydaytri: at least you're here on BT.  Read all the info here, learn the risks and then talk to your doctor and coach and make an informed decision.

Experience; endurance is something that is built over decades not in a few seasons.  I would have the same answer for someone who is in their first or second year of endruance sport, regardless of age.



So if you are WTC, how are you going to vet this?



The largest injury risk in endurance sport is doing too much too soon; whether the too much is volume or intensity, most athletes who become injured early in their athletic career have done a poor job of managing training load.

Shane

Not sure if the above was in sarcasm...but yes it does require you to enter your birthdate upon registering.  So you would have to blatantly lie.  WTC would also require your USAT membership ID# or a one day pass, so you would have to lie to them too when signinng up for that as well.

No, but I see what you mean.  I guess I should have been clearer.  The active app page requires an entry for DOB.   I am assuming a truthful answer to that entry.  My question was whether active stops the registration right there and says something like you are ineligible for entry.



please, allow him his youthful naivete

IM Cozumel  is a week later...

What do they put you thru in the military when you are 18yo?  short distances and low intencity work outs?

You are the only one that knows whether you are ready or not (assuming you are smart)

Good luck in your quest