Ironman Brand

I decided to spend the extra money and do an Ironman branded race.  If the difference in price was $500 or more, I might have decided to do a non-branded race, but I really wanted the Ironman experience. 

Also, as a middle of the packer, I wanted the field size of Ironman as I like to race with lots of people and not feel alone. 

I registered for IMFL 09 and all of my back-up races were non-branded races.

As far as if you are an "Ironman" if you finish a non-branded race / having to explain the difference, etc., I think that the distance is the distance.  140.6 makes you an ironman because you did the iron distance. 

If I complete a race with a distance of 140.6, I don't give a sh*t what you call it, but I'll be satisfied either way.  I have my sights on an independent race, but I like smaller races.  I don't need the brand name or the extra cost involved.

Of course with all that being said, I may have done IMWI in 2009 if I would've known I could've signed up online, but since I thought it would've sold out on site I didn't consider it and was shocked when I hit Active and could've had a spot the day after the race.  Of course I didn't have the $$$ at the time nor could I get in touch with the wife to consider charging it and changing our summer plans around, so I'm sticking with my indy race.

The cost of the entry fee is but a small portion of the actual cost of doing an IM distance race.

All the training, equipement, coaches, clothing, sports nutrition, bike repairs, parts, tune ups, travel, ect all add up at least for me much more than the registration fee. We have a line item in our budget for tris and a separate one for IM.  It will cost you much more than you expect I would guess.

For my first IM I wanted the bling, hype, overpriced stuff to buy, to celebrate what I did. Being a BOPer I also didn't want to be in the back alone out there on the run.

I did both an Ironman brand IM race this year and a non Ironman brand race. Non Ironman race I did as a relay, there were less than 85 participants, I had a great time doing it as a relay, I would not do it as my A race. The vibe was so different. We never got any offiicial pictures, stuff was a bit off..bike was short a lot, it was a totally different experience. I could sleep at home and compete in the race so it would be so much less money. If the situation arose where cost was a huge consideration that made branded IM races out of the question, I would do it but I would choose to do it.

Race fees may be one of the cheaper parts of doing an ironman. 

Unless you live in town where they hold the race, you'll have hotel rooms (and for M-dot races, that's usually a minimum of 4 nights and often 5).  This is where you'll potentially save on non-M-dot races, since it may be 2 nights in a hotel.  Airfare versus driving can also have a big impact.  In our case, we're taking 2 weeks to drive to Coeur D'Alene and back for the race and this is our chance to hit Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and a few other sites in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. 

What is your motiviation for doing this distance?

If it is a desire to have a lot of fellow participants and a big, showy affair, go for the IM brand.

If you just desire to do the distance, there are plenty of well run IM distance events out there ad they are much cheaper too.

From what I hear,many hotels at an IM event require 4 nights stay and their prices go up a bit.  I've stayed at the host hotels and they definitely require 4 nights.

At a non-branded race you don't have to deal with that added expense. 

In my opinion, the atmosphere is a little friendlier at the smaller races.

I've done Vineman and have heard good things about Silverman, Redman, and Beach to Battleship.

Like others have said, the entry fee is but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cost.

I perfer the bigger races as they tend to be very well supported, have cool tee-shirts and other mechanise, have pre and post race dinners and you very well may read about your race in Triahlete Magazine and see it aired on VS on TV....however, they generally act as if there were only pros racing and give only a slight mention of the other 2,000 particpants.  :-)

We have a local marathon in my town but for me, it just doesn't carry the lure of the big marathons like NYC, Boston, Marine Corp, Disney and the Chicago Marathon.  Certainly smaller marathons are every bit as challenging as small/local marathons but the experience of running with 25,000 other runners is unque.

~Mike

Not conflicted here.  I just did IMAZ, my second iron branded race, did California 70.3.  I've also done 2 non branded halfs, and intend to do two more next year.

If I did Great Floridian, Beach 2 Beach, Silverman, etc etc etc....  I would still say that I did an ironman triathlon.  I don't know anyone that frankly cares if I do an mdot or independent, and honestly i's only us type A tri types that would even notice, so who really cares.

Ironman  is a very personal and often difficult journey, so you need to think about your motivation for doing it.  Is it so others can call you a "Ironman"?  Honestly, if your motivation is to do an MDot because you thnk others will think less of you...    To be truthful, I am more in awe of people that do Silverman than people that do IMAZ.

I've done both an IM and non-brand.  I did Lake Placid in 07 and Beach 2 Battleship in 08 and I think the whole thing comes down to what you want in a race and how much you're willing to pay for the experience.  If you want the crowds and bling go with IM and if you like a more low key event choose a non-brand race.  As far as support, I didn't see any difference.  Both races had a pre-race and post-race meal, both provided excellent support on the course, both had professional photographers and both sold over price "mementos".   Even though there were only 400 people at B2B, I was never alone on the course.

IMFL and B2B were held on the same day and some differences I noticed from reading the race reports:  No drafting at B2B, you didn't get plowed under on the swim at B2B, the swim at B2B was a little hokey due to the current, B2B cost less than 1/2 of IMFL, and there were more people at the finish of IMFL.

Another difference I saw between the events was the involvement of the host city/town.  The race took over Lake Placid but didn't in Wilmington.  I don't think this was caused by IMNA vs. Independent but more a function of the size of the town.  Lake Placid and IMCDA are in small towns, which also effects the availability of hotels and the cost.  I think the IMs in big towns you don't see the high hotel costs.

As far as explaining the difference in races, people in the triathlon world know the difference and you don't have to explain anything.  People who don't do triathlons don't know, don't care and their eyes glaze over when you try to explain the difference.  They usually don't even know that there are different distances. 

I think it all comes down to whether you like big crowds and all the bling outside the race.  I don't like big crowds or big races but I'm glad I did Lake Placid first to see the circus atmosphere.  In the future I'll probably do more IM races but if I had a choice I would prefer to do something like Silverman.

Ernie

 And don't forget the Ironman cologne either!! ;-)

Good post.  Nice to hear from someone who did both.  

From your avatar I suspect you are a little more partial toward m-dot?  :-)

For me, the funest part of the experience was the day before the race....with 2,000 athletes walking around with very cool bikes and...well, I guess you said it best, the 'circus' before the race. 

~Mike

oh and an Ironman coaster, playing cards, dog leash, t-shirts of the event and THEN finisher t-shirts

Good post.  Nice to hear from someone who did both.  

From your avatar I suspect you are a little more partial toward m-dot?  :-)

For me, the funest part of the experience was the day before the race....with 2,000 athletes walking around with very cool bikes and...well, I guess you said it best, the 'circus' before the race. 

~Mike

First you have to ask yourself 'why are you doing this?' - if its for others to call you an IM, then I think you are doing it for the wrong reasons. If its to prove something to yourself or to celebrate an accomplishment - losing weight, finishing school, etc, then do what feels right to you.

GFT is $199 until tomorrow - 11/30. I've done 9 IMS, with 2 of them being GFT and I'm going back in 09 for my 10th IM. Its a great race, the venue is nice, the course is fair, and the volunteers are great. To me there is no difference in a branded m-dot and an independant IM.

Like many have said above this it comes down to you and what you are looking for. I have now done both with the non (Redman 07) as my first and IMAZ last weekend.

140.6 is 140.6 regardless, so after that it comes down to the "extras"

At Redman they had a few "mementos" for sale where as AZ I could have made my wardrobe for the next year.

As far as cost I will agree the race entry fee is the tip of the iceberg but race weekend is much cheaper at an non branded. For Redman I stayed at the host hotel which was very nice but with only day of registration and hoopla I only needed to stay two nights vs the 3-5 nights usually mandatory at IM Brand.

 So more to think about for you.

for all of the people that say the race doesn't matter.... Get you best friend and drive to the pool.  Have all the gear need for an IM in the car.  At the pool parking lot get you T1 transistion ready.  Swim 1.2 miles (of course with a swim cap and a velcro strap) then in TI get on the bike and bike to your 10 mile loop and get started for 112 miles...(do it in a park so theres no stoplights) (Tell your freind to drive to the park and setup T2 for you)... ok now you are done with the bike, rack your bike and change in T2... continue that loop and have your freind drive to the end of your marathon... (To make a big finnish) have your freind set up two cones with IM flags on the top of them.

 Wow what a day... A real non branded IM... and what a nice friend.

That's a poor comparison. Have you done an IM and a independant IM? Not a 70.3, but an IM? When you are out there at mile 18, 20, 22 - usually you are alone, and sorry to say that's the same at any IM race, IM Brand or not. Making a comparison to swimming in a pool, riding and running in a park is silly.

Have you ever done a triathlon?