Ironman 2021

Hey Porfirio, I'm also a 2x Ironman (2011 and 2015 for me), and thinking about coming back to it next year (when I'll be 41). The limited social opportunities of the pandemic have me feeling like this is a good time for it. Curious how you're thinking about registering... I think Coeur d'Alene is my top choice. They haven't opened it yet, but once they do I'll be torn between wanting to commit and secure a spot with wondering if the race will even happen.

Thanks for you thoughts. Yeah man, I starting (1st world problem) worrying that 2021 will also be a no race go. My olympic in Illinois was cancelled & they put me in the 2021 race. Hoping this falls through. Damn covid!

I would be wary of #1 Sinking lots of $$ into race entry and travel arrangements when the races may not happen. Personally I have serious doubts if Ironman will survive this financially. #2 If you're going to be a new parent (if I understood your post correctly), that's going to be a huge time sink plus no doubt compromise quality if sleep and recovery. Plus, related to that, #3 Health of you and your family. It may not be the best time for IM training, especially if Covid is still a thing when you begin training. IM training can compromise your immunity anyway, and being around an infant and new mom at that time, during a pandemic.....As a guy your age, you are no longer in the lowest risk category for Covid. It would make me think twice, and three times, and more. Also, I'd make sure your partner is on board with this. Everyone has ways of working it out, but I could see a new mom maybe being less than enthused about the timing.

Edited by Hot Runner 2020-08-12 5:49 PM

Take it from someone with huge experience in doing something stupid in the year their child was born. I did it 3x and still hear about it 30 years later. Even I wouldn't try IM.

If the kiddo is to arrive after the race....maybe.

if he arrives before: very bad idea.

$6k for a TT bike is a lot of money. Divorce lawyers, alimony and child support are even more expensive :-)

Thanks everyone... not having any more kids so all good there (not that that would have stopped me... I logged hundreds of miles with my kid in the "Bob").

Lisac957... Yeah, I'm the same, being registered for races really keeps me motivated as well.

Stay safe friends.

ok, I get it, you did the IMs pre-dad.....make sense

Then by all means sign up :-)

I think late season races have a chance IF you can get cancellation/bankruptcy insurance.

Ditto on the insurance. I wouldn't enter if they aren't offering it! Plus wait to make any travel bookings till we know more about vaccines, how the winter goes, etc. Definitely would not enter an overseas or Canadian race at this point. And maybe have a backup event that's not IM brand, or a way to do a DIY event and be okay if it ends up being something like that.

I have now lost two full seasons worth of racing between injury (2019) and Covid cancellations (2020) and not sure I'll ever see any of that $$$ back, or a 2021 race actually happen. Personally I am just going into maintenance mode until at least the end of year/appearance of vaccine (?) before even thinking about goals/plans for 2021.

Ditto this. I need to have something on the calendar to keep me going. Not planning any Tri's for 2021, unless a local sprint is a go and I can register same week. I'm planning on working on some biking PR's and new routes. If no races materialize, I can still get it done.

You & me... we go some serious 1st world problems.

Double post

Edited by HaydenHunter 2020-09-17 1:45 PM

I am out two entry fees for IM 70.3s this year...one on my own and one as part of a relay team. The Coeur d'Alene Ironman 70.3 will not return until 2022 (next year's race is a once every three years full Ironman) so my options for deferral to next year do not include Coeur d'Alene. So at this point I am out a bit of money...not happy about a travel race as my only option to recoup.

By the way, I am on the mailing list for the 2021 Cd'A 140.6 (having volunteered at the last event) and the email I received just a couple of days ago said that only "a handful of entries remain". It's gonna sell out, so those who wait will likely not be able to race Cd'A next year.

Edited by HaydenHunter 2020-09-17 1:44 PM

Yup. I'm not dropping any investment until we get a vaccine (whenever that is).

Just signed up for Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz in Sept. 2021 as one of the deferment options from my 2020 Coeur d'Alene 70.3 entry.

I am not wild about spending a couple thousand bucks minimum to get down there and do that race as opposed to doing my hometown race in Cd'A. Maybe I will warm up to the idea. But I lived in Northern California for 20 years and have visited many times for work and play since moving to Idaho 21 years ago. So the thrill is gone, so to speak.

Edited by HaydenHunter 2020-10-13 11:39 PM

Been following this a bit as I was thinking next year might be might chance to finally try an IM (finally got in some good bike miles this year!).

But most curious about the doubts on Ironman surviving? I certainly get how or why that would happen (I work for a minor league baseball team, we're feeling as bad as anyone), just wondering what you/people are hearing on that front.

Edited by Schack 2020-10-22 9:42 AM

No, I have not heard anything specific about IM Corp. But as I recall they were having financial difficulties in the past even pre-Covid. They sold out to Wanda, a Chinese holding company, a few years ago, and then Wanda sold them off not long before Covid hit. As an athlete, I've had bad luck already with having to pull out of several IM events due to injury and getting little back (even with their race insurance, which in my opinion is overpriced, you still don't get that much back, and without it, so little it's almost an insult). The process of delaying and then cancelling races and putting people into alternatives was very chaotic. I honestly don't know what 2021 races, if any, I'm registered for! Maybe two of the alternatives I was given, one, or none? Long story!

Plus, to be honest, I'm not an optimist. I went through SARS in China and saw the level of organization and discipline that's needed to get on top of an epidemic. We just don't have that here. IM and its races may well get going next year in some other countries; I just don't see that here on a wide scale. Even if all goes well with vaccine development, production, and rollout, and things are stable (which is a very big IF), I don't see the situation improving to the point where it will be safe/feasible in most places to have big IM type events in this country in 2021, at least through the summer. And I don't think other countries will welcome us until our health situation is under better control. That includes 70.3 Worlds (which is usually my competitive goal), Kona, etc. And I think the financial impact of that on IM Corp. is going to be pretty major, if not fatal.

Personally, I would not sink any $$ into IM Corp. races or related travel at this time, nor am I going to set any goals related to Worlds or Kona qualification. Just trying to stay healthy, sane, and keep baseline fitness as best I can, and hoping that at least by summer I can start doing some local events and group rides, etc. Others may feel differently or have different situations with family, local regulations, tolerance for health risks, finances, etc.

Edited by Hot Runner 2020-10-22 9:49 PM

I think it's a great opportunity to smaller companies, who have been organizing ironman distance races (just can't use IM name). Those are (and have been) much, much cheaper. I am a huge fan of those, mostly because I do not like huge crowds, the whole corp scenery - I like smaller, local, more firendly events. No confetti, no fancy stuff, but good atmosphere (and really good beers!) Since those companies have less overhead than IM, they are more likely to survive. Will they be open for 2021 season? That probably does not depend on them. But if all things goe well with managing the health crisis in this country, if I have to choose between races, I will definitely not go with IM brand.

I too am starting to lose sight of getting back to "normal".

I'm not even sure how I WOULD train at this point. It is 29 degrees in Wisconsin and the local pool is closed for the foreseeable future.

Working on a new plan:

Register and train for DesMoines 70.3 - assume I would have to cram the swim training late in the program, do core work early.
Have a plan "B" - Half Marathon near that weekend
Have a plan "C" - Go out and run the 13.1 and try to PR if everything is cancelled, just to impress my Strava peeps

BTW - picked up the Peloton app and a new Bowflex C6 (highly recommend) to get through the winter and hope to use both quite a bit.

I pulled the trigger on IMFL last week, and coupled with two deferred 70.3's and an early season marathon, I guess my plate runneth over. I'll take this one event at a time but this is quite a bit more racing than I've done in a while. All three of the IM events are driving distance and assuming hotel reservations can be cancelled, I really won't have much to lose if events don't go off.

Ciagle odbierasz niechciane polaczenia ? Tracisz czas na rozmowy które nie maja sensu?
Zobacz kto do Ciebie dzwonil i sprawdz kto telefonowal korzystajac z naszej wyszukiwarki .

I'm signed up for CDA 2021, maybe seeya there.