Blue Devil Iron Distance anyone?

It is my goal IM distance race...either 2006 or 2007 (everyone needs a goal, right?). I like the idea of a small field, as well as the cancer research fundraising.

Glad to hear that it is well-supported and organized.

Over the past 30 days I’ve received many e-mails and calls expressing support for the race and offering constructive feedback and ideas. On Thursday night (11/10) our full race committee met to discuss our options and determine the fate of the race. Among other things, we discussed moving the race date to sometime in the spring, moving the race to another city/area, changing the race venue but keeping the race in the Raleigh/Durham area, and adding a half iron distance component to the race. However, in the end, we could not come up with an answer to our biggest obstacle – competing with WTC and the “Ironman” brand. WTC does an incredible job, and the “Ironman” brand has become a dominant name in the sport. We recognize that the overwhelming majority of people, who aspire to do an iron distance race, want to do an Ironman. Ironman races have the large race fields, the huge crowds, the media attention and support, the mega race expos and branded merchandising, the monstrous finish lines with stadium bleachers and big screen TVs. They have all the hoopla, bells and whistles and are able to create an outstanding atmosphere. They simply do a great job.

Over the past four years we have experienced declining participant numbers; 313 in 2002, 313 again in 2003, 230 in 2004, and 192 this year. We feel like we have produced a quality event and the post-race feedback each year has been very positive. The race committee (as a whole) feels that nothing can be done to overcome this major obstacle. We agree that the most obvious answer is to add a half iron distance race to the Blue Devil. If you look around the country, you’ll notice that a number of iron distance races that are not associated with WTC, are surviving because they have added a half iron distance race. Any of these race directors will tell you that they’re not making it with the iron distance race alone. Unfortunately we don’t have this option. We currently produce two half iron distance races in North Carolina (one in the spring and one in the fall) that are associated with different charities. We will not add a half iron distance race to the Blue Devil that would undoubtedly have a negative effect on these other races, and neither of these other races have any interest in splitting their profits with another charity.

We deeply appreciate the support we have received over the past four years from the thousands of volunteers who helped us make this race possible, AND we’re forever grateful to the folks who have raced the Blue Devil since 2002. Our race committee is continuing to explore non-triathlon related options for the future so that we might be able to continue the “spirit” of the Blue Devil.

Bill Scott
Race Director