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2013-11-06 11:56 AM
in reply to: KSH

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Subject: RE: Non-WTC IM races
Originally posted by KSH
BOTH of my IM's have been WTC branded, only because I know there will be 2,000+ participants. I'm slow at the IM distance (finishing in 15-16 hours) and I don't want to be out there, alone in the dark. If I go do an IM with only 160 people, I will be alone most of the race. That sounds depressing to me.


While I'm not fast I personally am the opposite of you -- I do NOT want the huge huge huge crowd, mostly because I'm not a strong swimmer. As some point out, I'm a decent swimmer, so may be a better way to put it would be that I'm not a CONFIDENT swimmer.

I did Beach to Battleship in 2009 when only like 300 people did it. It was small and not crowded but there were enough people to keep me from getting lonely. Then last year we did IMAZ and it was all that it was cracked up to be -- large crowds and great aid stations and all that. Then this year the wife did Beach to Battleship and, let me tell you, what a change from 2009. When i crossed the finish line four years ago, there were some people there, but not a HUGE crowd and very little fanfare. The little race ain't so little anymore -- they had what I consider everything M-Dot had, without the M-Dot price. Smaller 140.6s should take a lesson from B2B because they do it up right while charging $200 less.

So I'm going to sign up for Challenge Atlantic City next year. It has about half the people IMAZ did (1,600, roughly) but way more than B2B. It's about $100 less expensive but I'm guessing it will be very well done since the RD is a legend and it's a Challenge race. In a couple more years, I may do a Rev3 and/or a HITS race. I'm all about variety!!!


2013-11-06 1:37 PM
in reply to: mr2tony

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Subject: RE: Non-WTC IM races

Originally posted by mr2tony
Originally posted by KSH BOTH of my IM's have been WTC branded, only because I know there will be 2,000+ participants. I'm slow at the IM distance (finishing in 15-16 hours) and I don't want to be out there, alone in the dark. If I go do an IM with only 160 people, I will be alone most of the race. That sounds depressing to me.
While I'm not fast I personally am the opposite of you -- I do NOT want the huge huge huge crowd, mostly because I'm not a strong swimmer. As some point out, I'm a decent swimmer, so may be a better way to put it would be that I'm not a CONFIDENT swimmer. I did Beach to Battleship in 2009 when only like 300 people did it. It was small and not crowded but there were enough people to keep me from getting lonely. Then last year we did IMAZ and it was all that it was cracked up to be -- large crowds and great aid stations and all that. Then this year the wife did Beach to Battleship and, let me tell you, what a change from 2009. When i crossed the finish line four years ago, there were some people there, but not a HUGE crowd and very little fanfare. The little race ain't so little anymore -- they had what I consider everything M-Dot had, without the M-Dot price. Smaller 140.6s should take a lesson from B2B because they do it up right while charging $200 less. So I'm going to sign up for Challenge Atlantic City next year. It has about half the people IMAZ did (1,600, roughly) but way more than B2B. It's about $100 less expensive but I'm guessing it will be very well done since the RD is a legend and it's a Challenge race. In a couple more years, I may do a Rev3 and/or a HITS race. I'm all about variety!!!

Your experience at B2B sounds a lot like Vineman full distance.  I've done four WTC 70.3's and Vineman had all the fanfare and organization that the WTC races did.  It was a great experience.

2013-11-06 9:23 PM
in reply to: popsracer

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Subject: RE: Non-WTC IM races
I've done one non-branded race (full Vineman) and it was great. They had other races going at the same time, so there were always people out there. When I looked for a race, I wanted one with 500+ people. I've seen some as low as 13 that I almost signed up for until I saw that. While I don't like huge crowds, I'm there for some sort of experience. I train alone and the race is social time to enjoy it. That..and trying to follow a bike route after biking 5 hours is pretty hard looking at signs. I rather just follow someone up ahead in the distance because my mind is shot at that pont. I want to be with other athletes who are giving it all as well. I signed up for IMWI for next year but the cost is pretty stupid and likely only to get stupider. I have a stupid goal of knocking off 90 minutes from my time and trying to KQ but honestly, that ain't happened. All future races will likely be non-IM branded ones unless I see myself as qualifying somehow.

One thing that did get me was that added cost of flying to CA, shipping my bike out there, and paying CA prices for hotels and food. IMWI should actually be slightly cheaper overall or about the same price since I will be driving and it will depend on the price of gas for the total trip cost. I do know one thing though, I will never by flying my bike out again. I freaked out about it the whole time and never got it back to fit perfect, that and my plane home got delayed for 5 hours. Driving 8-9 hours doesn't sound too bad after that experience.
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