swbkrun Mentor Group II- CLOSED FOR BUSINESS!!! (Page 29)

Been reading a few threads about it, and you know I changed my tune on this.
Say for someone like Tracy who wanted to do Canada this year. If she was not really too interested in the whole volunteer/ experience the race atmosphere, I think she would be better off to do this. To travel up here, get roosm for a few nights,etc,etc. I would bet that cost over $1k. There are a few other perks with the membership , but to me that would be the biggest one.

I think I might be volunteering at LP this year with Suzy for a spot next year.

I guess that's next year for the following year...  We're still in 2010 for another couple months..

Edited by dalessit 2010-10-28 10:27 AM

WHAT??!?!?!   I thought you had no interest in going the full monty??  If you are doing LP I"ll have to tell my Doug.  He is trying to pick his IM for 2012 and LP is much closer. 

I'll be heading to Florida next weekend to volunteer for 2011.  Anyone want to join me?


A crazy thing happened while running this morning.  I was going on an easy run through the neighborhood and took Bella, my lab.  At 1.5 miles, we were turning around and she went across my path and kinda reared up trying to keep her balance and just fell over as if she were paralyzed.

She layed there for about 30 seconds and got up, so I took her to a house and called the wife to come get her.  The vet is running some tests and thinks it was a seizure.  Pretty strange and pretty scary at the time.

Let the games begin!  It is a very expensive "habit" or way of life, but like Trevor said.... It could be a lot worse!

Ha!! "I have no interest in going long." That is quite close to a direct quote from you!!!

I wish i could find your post about it. No interest.EVER.

Welcome to the fun club!!

I think you guys should make it an upstate NY vacation and come up the weekend before and do the Musselman Tri.  Sprint on Sat. the 16th and HIM distance on Sunday the 17th (can choose either or both).  Then spend some time on the NY Finger Lakes or head to the Adirondak's for a few days before going to LP.

To provide more evidence and make us all feel better......  read this: 

http://moneywatch.bnet.com/retirement-planning/blog/money-life/how-much-would-a-heart-attack-cost-you/799/


The Average Heart Attack total costs (direct & indirect) between $750,000 to $1,000,000!  That number shocked me! 

That would buy a lot of bikes, shoes, bibs, or entry fees! 

Our plan is still to be on the computer the second AZ opens up....type fast and pray hard.  If that doesn't work, pay the community fund fee.  $500 vs $1000, and it's a tax writeoff.

WTC is getting greedier and greedier.  I'm a big fan of capitalism.....and something is worth what a person is willing to pay.  But we're taking an already expensive sport here, and putting a huge premium on it.  And their rationale is weak.  The should simply leave it at 'we're doing this because we can. Pay up or don't.'  Not playing it off as a better option for the athletes, as they did on FB this morning.

Now, if that $1000 got me 10 minutes off my time, we'd be talking!

Out to try a quick run.....on the sore ankle, so it's gonna be short.....wearing ORANGE & BLACK!!!

Yikes!!!! My husband is on a big "we gotta be saving more for retirement" kick. He goes on these from time to time, but this time he's serious. I manage all day-to-day finances and he's suddenly all in my Quicken files and catagorizing this, that, and the other. And guess who spends the most money?? Not on fancy clothes or lunches out with the girls or mani-pedis or hair color... Yeah, that would be me, spending $$ on my training and on my dog. Doh!!! Honestly my sweet hubs never denies me any true NEED or even most WANTS. But I am gonna have to rein it in for awhile -- or get a job (easier said than done given his schedule and what the kids need from me). Was thinking of going full-time coach for IM next year, but have decided that ain't gonna happen... I'd rather have a nice scuba vacation when all is said and done. It's all good -- cuz I have my bike, my race is entered, and really, what more do I NEED?!! It doesn't cost money to spend time training, and that's the bottom line that gets us where we want to go, right?!

hmm, odd posting today.

I wrote something along the lines of I go back and forth between wanting to get faster vs. going longer. 

Still up for debate but Suzy is rather intimidating and she told me I had to do it...

Edited by dalessit 2010-10-28 11:48 AM

Interesting discussion about IMs and expenses. I'm lucky to live in Vegas that has at least 7 "official" triathlons and 4 or 5 Club Triathlon Fun races (non-supported, but you still get chip times, and pay $10 or $5). Dozens of run races, which I should add to my 2011 season now that I can do 10k without any problems. 

I do have a question though - why do you want to do M Dot branded races? Why not non-M-Dot races? I think the closest M-Dot races around Vegas would be IM AZ, IM St. George and Vineman 70.3. However, we do have Silverman - Half and Full and considered to be one of the hardest long distance course (and some of the course is what I've done).  There's three other races that offer the long course, but not the full Ironman distance.  They're so much cheaper than M-Dot races.  So why not do those type of races? You're still doing the distance, but does the brand matter to some of you?


Yes I know it's one of those subjects that's never ending discussion about, but I'm just curious about the MG's feelings.  

I'm definitely not interested in doing 140.6 distance, but a 70.3 is bouncing around in my head. Maybe not next year, but two years.  


I guess it's all depends on personal preferences.   

sorry - last post -

But I definitely will Volunteer for the 70.3 World Championship next year in Vegas. *winks*  I think this is by qualification only right? So I can't get in? 

This is the ultimate question that will only strengthen as the cost of IM registrations go up.  I think it can answered on several levels, first there is the atmosphere of an IM race.  From my experience they are better supported and larger crowd support (although running out of water at IMKY and medals at Augusta make me question that statement).  They are still the most popular races so participation numbers are high, that can be a positive or a negative. And there is a small amount of snob appeal if you feel more validated by saying I did an Ironman vs I did the iron distance.  Now that I have experience with 2 140.6 races I think the answer needs to be very personal on why you are going the distance to begin with.  Do you want to race the distance for distance sake - then shop around for the course and cost you want.  If you want to hear the announcer say, "Tracy Ahrens, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN" then you do the IM brand.  Personally I think it is only worth the money for the full distance.  I don't know if I'll choose IM70.3 over other halves purely based on branding.

Good point Tracy.  If I *do* ever decide on doing a 140.6 distance, it will be an Ironman. But at all the races, they would announce my name with maybe a tidbit, and I can't hear. So "hearing" my name makes no difference to me. However, if I have a casual conversation to someone that is clueless about triathlons, they may not understand what "full distance" is, but may understand what Ironman distance is.   I will not say, "I did an Ironman, if I did Silverman Full...because that's not the way it is. Just like calling copying "Xeroxing".  However, I think for M-Dot races, it's the environment as well - since you can follow an athlete online. I don't think you can really do that for other races unless I'm mistaken.   It's tough, but I'll see what happens when I volunteer for the 70.3 Las Vegas championship. They're going to be in for a big surprise with the climbing. LOL! 5000' isn't a joke. 

I just looked, and Silverman half distance is $185 -$250 registration.
Alot of the 70.3 races around $200-$250 down there arent they?
From what I know/see, the half distance are pretty close in prices.
its the full that usually cost a bit more. Like Tracy said, is about covering the distance, or is the experience as well?

For me, I want the experience. For my first, its going to be all about the experience. When I hit that course in August its going to be all about the experience. WTC does it well. I'm sure the Rev3 guys will start giving them a run if they havent already.

Lol, I would use the term convincing...

(i don't like to get Suzy mad...that's just me....then again, I think my mindset was somewhere near yours, Tony, when we were talking about 140.6 earlier this summer...and then look what happened)


btw, just got an email from Vineman 70.3, registration opens on Monday...in the past it has not filled up until the end of December, early January...i am wondering what will happen this year...i will probably sign up on Monday morning this year just to be safe.  I really do love/hate this race! 

Lots of IM chatter today....did you see that IM cancelled their program?  Big apology from the CEO. Personally, I don't understand his rationale for launching it, but they are a corporation and are in it to make $$ so I get that part.  If there are people out there willing to blow $1,000 for early registration so be it.  If I do decide to do LP '12 with Tony  , I'll be poised at my computer trying to register.

For 140.6 I like the hoopla that IM has to offer, from the registration process to the kick off dinner and final awards ceremony.  For 70.3, I care far less.  I've done both and the hassle factor of the IM events is higher and more expensive.  We have an $80 HIM that offers the ability to swim in a treacherous body of water, ride up a Cliff and then do an entire cross country run.  What could be better than that?

AND.......Ironman steps back!  Kinda interesting?  Wonder if they'll come at this from a different direction?

did I read the e-mail correctly?  Opens at MIDNIGHT?  The race is definitely on my radar, guess I better make a decision earlier rather than later.

That's the pits.  Sending good thoughts for a quick recovery.

However, that was a truly pathetic whine.  You'll need to work on that. 

that's a whine?! what a joke. You can do better than that!! :-)

That sucks. :-(  

Sending good vibes from Las Vegas in a Wayne Newton tune...