Subject: RE: Which Ironman location would you do first?there are so many factors to consider. When I chose my first 140.6, I chose a local non-IM-branded race. It was less expensive, both for the race and for the travel/lodging (i.e. could drive, fewer days of lodging required). Since it was local, I could also train directly on the course. For my second IM, I did Lanzarote. One of my sisters lives there and so we made a big family reunion and vacation out of it. I definitely felt a lot of pressure to deliver a finish on that day and was a bit scared, both because all of my family was there and because the course is a difficult one. There is certainly something to be said for destination races though since it also is typically part of a vacation. My last IM was in New Zealand, which was a great venue, but it did rain the whole day so I felt bad for my wife who selflessly supported me. If you do travel for a race, a lot of your time, is going to be heavily determined by the race schedule (e.g. registration, check-in, transitions setup, course preview, last few workouts, what type of meals). If you have family, then they have to be on board with all of that too. In any case, good luck and let us know what you decide and why. |