Race selection advice for 2014

GMAN 19030

My only "must do" event for 2014 is Ironman Mont-Tremblant.

I'm thinking about the following scenarios:

Scenario 1

1. Ironman Los Cabos 03/30/2014
2. Ironman Canada July 2014 (dependent on when in July) or the yet to be announced Ironman North or South Carolina in September 2014 (dependent on when in September).  Basically I'd like 5 weeks away from IMMT in either direction.  IMMT should be Aug 17th so in my perfect world IMC would be July 13th and IM NC/SC would be Sept 21st.
3. Ironman Mont-Tremblant Aug 2014

Scenario 2

1. Texas 70.3 04/06/2014
2. NOLA 70.3 04/13/2014 or Kemah Olympic 04/27/2014 or both (then shut it down for a month)
3. IMMT Aug 2014
4. Either IMC or IM NC/SC depending on date

Scenario 3

1. Ironman Coeur D'Alene 06/29/2014
2. IMMT Aug 2014
3. Either IM NC/SC (depending on Sept date) or IMFL or IMAZ

My preference is scenario 1 but the Mexico trip will be the most expensive and most logistically challenging.

Scenario 2 is the logistically easiest.  Galveston (Texas 70.3) and Kemah are more or less hometown races for me and NOLA is a 5 hour drive.  I don't like that WTC moved NOLA one week away from Galveston but they didn't consult me first.   A week between 70.3's might be stretching it.  I've done an Oly and 70.3 a week apart on two occasions and it worked great but a 70.3 is obviously a bit more to recover from.  I do recover quickly for a dude in his mid-40's.

Scenario 3 is the best in terms of train once and race several times (especially if IM NC/SC is in late Sept) but the swim at IMCdA scares the shit out of me so it's a pie in the sky thought (see: http://members.endurancenation.us/F...fault.aspx ).  I don't like cold water.  That water is cold.  I'm not sure sub-60 water temps is gonna work for this guy.  Beautiful looking course though.

Dino Sarti

CDA was rad this year. The swim was great, but we may have gotten lucky. CDA is a gorgeous mild course.

Al Truscott

Unless they're gonna change it, Ironman Canada has for 30+ years been pretty much the last Sunday in August.

 IM CDA has been run 11 years; I did the first nine. The water twice has been less than 60F, and is usually between 62-67. FWIW, I'm going back to do my tenth run at the third iteration of that courser in 2014.

You're OK with training through the summer Texas heat? If not, Cabo and FLorAZ as a split season sounds best to me. But if the logistics of Mexico are too difficult, and if you can stand the May/June weather there for training, the CDA & FL/AZ is a good alternate. Why do you want to stack all those IMs so close in the fall - MT, Ca, NC? Don't let you eyes get bigger than your stomach, as we tell our kids who want to ea a whole chocolate cake.

GMAN 19030

Al, they're moving IMC to mid-July. That's a done deal from what I heard as I emailed WTC and they told me the event would probably be July 13th but nothing was set in stone. They want to move it away from the Challenge race (same day) and IMMT (week before).

The Texas heat sucks but I've mitigated that by waking up at the ass crack of dawn to get my workouts in before it's a thousand degrees out. It has worked out so far as I'm doing IMC in 7 1/2 weeks.

I'd rather train once and race two or three times (with adequate recovery yet to be experienced - I get the X Factor there but you never know until you try) than have to do it all over again six months later. Train, race an IM, recover for a couple of weeks, train for a couple of weeks, race again... and repeat. I have a buddy who does this and has been quite effective at it. He's slightly more "gifted" than I am but I recover better than he does. He did IMTX (May), IMNY (Aug), and IMWI (Sept) last year. This year his trifecta is IMCdA (June), IMC (Aug) and IMTahoe (Sept).

I can always shitcan a race if I'm not feeling it.

robin sarner

I have signed up for texas so far. Mexico races not bad logistically if you use tribike transport. Thanks for the new iron canada date info.

GMAN 19030

I sent a follow up email about the IMC date for 2014. Odds are the date is set in stone by now.

GMAN 19030

Here are the contracted dates going forward for IM Canada:



07/27/2014

07/26/2015

07/24/2016

07/30/2017

There's no way I'm going to be able to do IMC next year as it will be three weeks before IMMT. I'm going to have to see when the new IM NC/SC will be. I hope it's Sept 21st or 28th.

robin sarner

by the by, new Cabo bike course faster and flatter.    But I can find no elevation change quotes.

GMAN 19030

Just at the pool and  saw my buddy I mentioned earlier.  Haven't seen him since he did IMCDA and he's doing IMCDA again next year.



Scenario 3 is looking like a strong contender right now.  I have a feeling I'm gonna regret this when they tell me the water temp is 58 degrees come June 29, 2014.

Maybe that extra week compared to previous years will make a difference, right??? 

Al Truscott

I just checked with my Magic Eight Ball, and it says "ALL SIGNS POINT TO YES"

Paul Hough

At Bob, from what I've seen, the late June time makes a world of difference from mid June on the water temperature! Three IMs in one year is a manly amount. I am doubling this year for the second time and it gives me pause!

GMAN 19030

Okay, I signed up for IMCDA.  Another of my "I will never do _____________________" things I've gone back on.  I'm going to start a thread about the triathlon things I have said I will never do and have done anyway.  It's a long list.



So I have Couer D'Alene on June 29th and Mont-Tremblant on August 17th.  That leaves one race to be determined.  Los Cabos on March 30th or the new IM NC/SC in September.  I will wait for the IM NC/SC announcement.  I hope Cabo doesn't sell out before then.

Paul Hough

Cabo did not sell out this year. And although they made the bike and run easier for next year, it will be hard to change the word on the street until after next year's edition.

Paul Hough

Cabo did not sell out this year. And although they made the bike and run easier for next year, it will be hard to change the word on the street until after next year's edition.

GMAN 19030

Looks like my little brother wants to come down from Boston to do Galveston again... which is April 6th. That would rule Cabo out.