WHen did you know you were ready for an IM? (Page 2)

Costs:
Entrance Fees: Registration fee plus active fee.
Travel: I went up 3 time to Lake Placid prior to race. Once the year before so I register. Twice this year to train on the course. That includes hotels, food, gas, ect.
Coach: I have had a coach last 4 seasons so this was a constant but still a cost.
Food: You want to train with food/drink they have on the race course. I bought 4 boxes of 24 of Powerbar Gels. Long rides and runs take lots of gels, Gatorade Endurance and other food. Lava Salts
Clothing: Of course needed new tri clothes, bought new Oomph! tri shorts for race
Bike stuff: tubular tire spare plus a spare of spare, tubes, tires for training
Wetsuit: Lost weight and mine was to big so bought a new one
Bike Stuff: New bike fit to be sure I was comfortable, new aerobottle, new saddle to make those long rides comfy, other assorted stuff..tune ups. I think bike stuff was about $750.
Running shoes: Two pairs of Newtons at $175 plus shipping each.
Nutrition help:Saw someone for nutrition plan and a couple of months of coaching about it.
Races: Running and tri races to practice for IM.

IM Week:

Hotel:IMLP is expensive for hotels. Many rent condos that can cost $2.5-4.5K for the week. We stayed at less expensive 1950's type hotel but it still adds up
Finisher stuff: I bought lots and it was expensive but worth every penny. Photos $125
Food/Entertainment while at race site for a week: We have 5 kids 4 of which came with. We ate often at hotel but still went out some and it adds up.

I'm sure there is more but that is the main stuff. My husband could give a line by line accounting, but I'm not asking him.  

LOL

Don't forget medical bills and the new race wheels we always seem to need for an IM

Then there is the emotional cost.  For you and loved ones.  It's a roller coaster journey fo sho

so basically we are all nuts for even doing this?

I have the money (for now)...and I "think" I have the time. I certainly have the support.  With that said, I suppose this is my plan (which will get amended I'm sure)

Oct 2008 Half Marathon 

Dec 2008 Marathon

Jan-Mar 2009 do an Oly every 6 weeks or so

April 2009 HIM

August 2009 HIM

Dec 2009 Marathon (same as previous year to compare)

Sign up for a IM 6-12 months out which should be roughly the 1st qtr of 2010.

Well, I don't KNOW that I'm ready.  I doubt very much that knowledge has much to do with it, which is the theme of many of the replies.  But I signed up for one.  And to react to another post, I BELIEVE that I can finish, and finish well.  Two years ago I KNEW that I was going to TRY it as soon as possible.  At that time, I was lying on an examination table with electrodes stuck to various places on my body, so it wasn't a good time to train.  Now, I'm training, and this time next year, I plan to be telling folks about how I finished IMKY.  I've got some things to do between now and then, however...