Picking an IM

AZ in the fall isn't happening... I'll let you know if there is "REAL" talk about it because nobody has spoken to any city of Tempe officials (I know them).

So the best you are getting is Silverman in Vegas for a fall IM Distance race!

Well that narrows it down some....

I'm interested to see what others have to say. I'm thinking about doing an IM at some point although mine might be 09 or 2010. I also have two kids playing soccer (9& almost 12) so summer is better for me to train and waiting a couple of years means the kids are older and able to stay home alone for longer periods when I have a long bike or run scheduled (right now, I have to work around my husband's schedule to get long workouts in). I pulled up web sites the other day to look at bike course elevations and that right there eliminated some for me. For my first one, I think I'd prefer a flatter course. Best of luck in deciding which one to do.

Ah... you just sold me a bit more on Kentucky. I HATE WIND! I'll take hills over wind ANY DAY.

Kentucky is looking good for 2008!

Too bad I probably need to register before the RR's are up on BT.

Honestly, I think geography trumps all other considerations. If the race is close to where you live, you save time and money on travel and you train in the exact same environmnet to ensure proper acclimitization. It's a no brainer.

In my opinion, yes. I live in Texas... we have a lot more wind than we do hills... and it sucks.

You see, with a hill... you know when it's going to end. You know exactly how far you have to go until you get to "rest". You know when the pain is going to stop.

With wind... well, you can't see it... and it comes and goes. Or even worse, it never lets up. It's this force pushing against you and you don't know when and if it's going to end.

Sure, you get a tailwind... but you also get downhills!

Kathy,
I've done LP and WI so I'll chime in with my perspective.
1. relative dates for training- I live where the weather is even crappier than you do(Birkierunner would like it for cross country skiing though w/ it being unsafe due to snowbanks, idiot drivers, and the cold to ride for months at a time. Therefore, I spent mucho trainer time this year. I was out of base and into build for LP by the time I could ride consistently outside. Not the case last year living in ME training for WI. I was doing my long rides outside on those 50 and rain weekends you already mentioned. On the other hand, most of my racing(Mooseman, Timberman, and WI) last year were under similar conditions.

2. never assume it's wind OR hills!!! they can and frequently do co-exist in my experience. 2 of the 3 IMs I've done have been 50s, raining, and windy all bloody day. They were LP 2003 and WI 2006. In general, LP hasn't had the heat that plagued the first few years of WI before my showing up and bringing the cold rain w/ me Ideal race conditions would be 60s to low 70s, calm to lt winds, overcast, and dry. LP has seen that or close, WI historically has not. I'm really hoping that there is always a first time though. I frequently train in LP and have ridden the course under calm wind conditions exactly once though.

3. the swim- Mirror Lake is smaller and more protected than Lake Monona so if the winds are blowing the swim is rougher in WI plus you don't get the oversized bathtub draft effect. It's such a minor part of the day that this shouldn't be a deal breaker unless someone is chasing the swim cutoff.

4. sightseeing while 'racing'- LP is prettier IMO but I'm partial to mountains and rivers. WI is nice but farms and hills are standard training terrain for me(when not in Placid). WI's run is more urban(read- better spectator support) and it was really cool running a lap around the field at Camp Randall, the U of W football stadium. Both bikes are pretty rural but WI has better spectator support on the bike too. It was 50s and raining but climbing one particular hill was like the Tour de France w/ the specators pushing in from both sides so you're climbing up through a corridor not much wider than your bike. Very cool!

5. costs/accomadations- LP is killing me w/ the 5 night minimum and the 199 plus tax per night. I'm paying more to be stumbling distance to the oval for my jockstraps but I got a place 5 minutes walk from the center of activity in WI for 139 a night and I got just the three nights I needed. We fly into Chicago and drive up to Madison to save on airfare.(Southwest into Midway) Plan on needing a rental car even if you fly into Madison though as the airport is a ways out and grocery stores are nowhere near downtown where the race is.

So which would I do again? Both- countdowns read 10 days and 59 days 2008- who knows? If any, will be through a slot picked up racing a 70.3 qualifier like CA-Oceanside or FL so I can putz on decision making while my other life stuff sorts itself out.

I am in the same boat trying to decide on next year when I am racing Redman this year and it won't be until Sept 22 after LP, Louisville and WI.

For me WI is the closest but Louisville also I could drive to for a long weekend training. The problem with Louisville is no one has done it yet so hard to find out anything about it.

Thanks Kathy for asking, and thanks all who posted with your anecdotes and experiences in this thread... it has been very hepful as I contemplate my own IM aspirations for next year.  I'm leaning towards a local IM-distance event near me, but FL sounds tempting after what was posted here.