How did you pick your first Ironman race location? (Page 2)

I did IMCdA as my first IM in 2009. 

I could get registered without being on site. 
I thought the venue would be good (and it was). 
It was on Father's day and about the longest day of the year, so a great chance at a daylight finish. 
It was late enough in the year that most of my long rides would be outside but before Midwest heat & humidity kicked in. 
I did want an M-dot experience for my first (have since done Vineman and B2B). 

We drove from Illinois to Idaho, enjoying the sights along the way, with my two youngest boys (who helped drive on their learner's permits).  About 4200 miles round trip, which is about the sum of my training the year prior to the race.  In fact, I tracked my monthly "progress" using a map and route to CdA and back.  

I haven't done any full Ironman, but I think the same process for picking my other big races applies here.

My first big triathlon was done in my home town.  It was a 70.3 and the starting line was 10 minute from my front door.  Big races for me usually mean traveling half way across the country for me.  I choose my first one to be close to home for several reasons

1) I was getting a lot of new gear for this race since it was my first race and so by not having any travel expenses I was able to upgrade gear with out spending more that I would on other races.

2) I want to have family and friends to be a part of my first race and if I traveled halfway across the country that would exclude most of them.  As it was, I was able to have many of the people that help get me to the starting line be involved in the event as spectators or volunteers.  Being able to stick your tongue out at one of your best friends who is wait to take your picture as surge up a hill makes the race a lot more memorable than just telling them about it a few days later.

3) I have been guilty of making wrong turns on big races more than once.  By doing a race close to home I was able to get familiar with the course before race day rather than getting in town the night before the race, checking-in, going to bed early, then trying to figure out where the course goes the next morning in the dark while I am also trying to get my gear set out and do warm ups, and not seeing most of the course it until you are in the race.

4) No climate acclimation required for race day.  I live at 300 feet above sea level in a hot humid climate.  I have done races at elevation over 8,000 feet as well as other significant changes from the climate that I train it.  You can race well in other climes but it is one more thing that you have to adjust and prepare for and for my first race I knew I was already going to be overwhelmed with all the little adjustments that you just don't know you are going to have to make until you do a race, so the simpler I could make it the better.

Other things that would have factored into my first race choice if I didn't have the option of a race in my hope town would be the location.  I have family in four different time zones.  It is hard to get to visit all of them as often as I would like so I try to choose races near my siblings so I can visit them on the trip. also there are places that close friends and family have visited of spend time in that I have either not visited or spent time in. For example one of my grandmothers grew up in Garden City, Utah on Bear Lake.  There is a 140.2 event there called the Bear Lake Brawl.  Even though I don't have any family in the area and it is a 20 hour drive from me that race is on my bucket list because I want to spend time in the area that my grandmother grew up.  She died in 1986 so it has been a while since I have done anything to build that bond with her but is something I would like to do.  Finally I would look at the size of the event.  I have done races with 2000 people and races with 200 people.  Both are just as good events, but different events.  I wasn't afraid of a mass swim start for my first race, but some people are and prefer to do a smaller race for their first one.  Others want their first race to be a big event because it motivates them to work harder.  Either way event size would be in the selection.  Hmm? the course...I really prefer races in the city with lots of people around than county races.  Others prefer to be out in the country.  Some people prefer challenging courses to really put their preparation to the test.  Other prefer the easiest course possible to make their time look a little better than what it really may have be for their first race.  If you worried about the distance I would say go for the easy course for the first one. My first race was personally a very difficult course. My second race was actually a very difficult course too.  I don't judge my performance based on time though and just as happy with a solid effort on a difficult course with a slower time as I am faster times on easier courses.