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Any issues with your first IM being overseas?
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 2010-08-01 7:13 PM |
Expert  1159    Charlotte, NC |  Subject: Any issues with your first IM being overseas?I am planning on doing my first full IM race next year and was thinking about Wisconsin. However, a friend of mine (and experienced IM participant) is doing Switzerland and has tried to convince me to join him. Can anyone think of any issues with my first IM being overseas in general and Switzerland in particular? My concern is just about overall comfort - I know doing my first Ironman even here will be a little nerve-racking and I was thinking foreign events may just add another layer of issues. Is that a valid concern or am I over-thinking this? Thanks in advance. |
| 2010-08-01 8:46 PM in reply to: #3017156 |
Regular 209 Flagstaff | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? A number of my friends have done Ironman Western Australia as their first and they loved it. As long as your passport is in order it should be fine. Of course, it probably costs a bit more to get to Switzerland (with a bike) than Wisconsin. :-) |
| 2010-08-01 11:59 PM in reply to: #3017156 |
Expert 1773 San Gabriel Valley, California | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? Some of the European IMs have shorter cutoff times than the ones in the US, just in case that matters to you. I was thinking about doing Frankfurt because my husband's brother and family live there, but there is a 15 hour cutoff and I just can't do it. I understand that some are 16 hours. I don't know if there are any that are 17, like here. |
| 2010-08-02 5:11 AM in reply to: #3017156 |
Champion 19812  MA | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? How do you handle uncertainty and are you adaptable? If you aren't good with those two things, I'd do one closer to home. Language barriers, food differences, long travel to get there, are all issues that you will have to deal with. |
| 2010-08-02 6:44 AM in reply to: #3017583 |
Champion 5529 Nashville, TN | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? KathyG - 2010-08-02 6:11 AM How do you handle uncertainty and are you adaptable? If you aren't good with those two things, I'd do one closer to home. Language barriers, food differences, long travel to get there, are all issues that you will have to deal with. x2 My first thoughts were dealing with the stress of traveling with a bike, not being able to consume my typical diet worth of food and the anxiety of long travel. As Kathy said, if you can deal with those types of things, I say go for it. Just be prepared to adapt a number of times in the trip. |
| 2010-08-08 4:22 AM in reply to: #3017156 |
Extreme Veteran 523 Brambleton, VA | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? I think it will make the experience more memorable/special. Just arrive by the tuesday/wednesday before the race to get over jet lag. IM Switzerland is a great race. It should be 25C and sunny, but be repared for 13C and rain. Good luck |
| 2010-08-09 10:47 AM in reply to: #3017156 |
Pro 4675 Wisconsin near the Twin Cities metro | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ |
| 2010-08-09 11:07 AM in reply to: #3017156 |
Extreme Veteran 490 London | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? A timely thread as I'm based in the UK but doing HIM Switzerland and IM Regensburg (Germany) as my first long course events. Ok it's a bit closer for me but same issues with language etc. Other than that I can't really see any major problems. Good tip on the cut off times though! I'll have to check them out. |
| 2010-08-09 1:07 PM in reply to: #3017156 |
Master 2020 | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? I went to a Chicago Triathlon Club meeting this last year where the speaker told us about a couple of the Ironman that he had done overseas. One note that he did mention was to put new tires on the bike before going over or cleaning your tires to make them almost perfect. He said that his bike was held by customs at some country because he had dirt and gunk on his tires and they wanted to make that whatever was on them held no germ or parasite that could run amuck in their environment. I have never thought of it but I guess it makes sense.
Edited by jhouse4 2010-08-09 1:07 PM |
| 2010-08-09 1:14 PM in reply to: #3017156 |
Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? How well traveled are you? If you've been to Europe you have a better feel for what to expect than going to a different country for the fist time. However, I've been to Switzerland and it is not that different than the US. And an IM is an IM....140.6 miles. The Switzerland IM is an M-dot event so I would not expect to see anything unusual. The other thing is the added cost of a trans-Atantic flight and having to ship your bike. I'm actually thinking about IM Austria 2012....with either the Austria HIM or Switzerland IM as my fall back plan if I can't get into Austria 2012. ~Mike Edited by Rogillio 2010-08-09 1:18 PM |
| 2010-08-10 9:33 PM in reply to: #3017156 |
| Member 22 | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? I travelled to the US for a tri and homeland security smashed the locks off my bike case to check the contents. Not sure how common this is, but in future I would sellotape a spare key to the outside of the case for them to use. |
| 2010-08-11 6:00 AM in reply to: #3017156 |
Veteran 486 Newcastle, England | Subject: RE: Any issues with your first IM being overseas? Switzerland is a great race - did it lasty year Germany only had a 15hr cut off this year but still a great race and the twice i have done it have both been non-wetsuit swims Next year i am doing Regensburg in Germany |
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