2014 IM Chattanooga Official Sign In Thread

Brenda Ross

Welcome to the IM Chattanooga Sign In Thread!

Please use this thread to introduce yourself to your fellow teammates, telling us a little bit about you, your goals for the race, etc!

Jenniferlyn Kryvicky

Hello all! I will not be racing this year, but will be driving down to support the race and volunteer in order to sign up for 2015.

Cannot wait to cheer for Ian!

kjc777

I swore after all I did last year including IMLP I would not do another 140.6 this year. But something came over me on the day registration opened and, oh well, here I am! Chattanooga here we come!!

gcharbeneau

Have not raced 140.6 since Kona 2011. Hoping to crush it and try to win my age group. Looking forward to meeting all the team mates either watching or racing this event. Cheers, Greg

rlh2000

Hi All! This will be my second 140.6 since I did Wisconsin in September. I did it on subpar training so I'm looking forward to a good training year leading to a great race in Chattanooga. Hoping to have a pretty big PR, but I'll be happy crossing that line regardless. This race is special to me since the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is the charity partner. Been dealing with Crohn's for 10 years now, so this is a very personal connection.

Looking forward to the camp in August and then the big day in September! Woo hoo!

David Ambrose

Chattanooga here I come. Goals are top 10% AG, and have fun.

jodigreg

This will be my fifth ironman, and my second with EN. I am excited to be racing with friends from home and fellow ENers.  I am planning on going to camp, so I am hoping to rock the course once race day gets here. Of course, that term is relative...middle of age group or something like that. Hoping Greg Charbeneau qualifies for Kona so I can go and watch!

pmcgahan

This is day one for me as a full member of EN. I will be doing IM Chatt this year. It will be my first IM. I've done 3 HIM's, but flatted in 2 of them. For me, I will need to work on the bike this year. Good luck everyone.

Gaudir8

I am in 55-59 AG. I live in Atlanta and will live on the bike course likely every week if anyone wants to join me starting around March 1st.

This will be my 10th Ironman if I am fully recovered from a bike wreck I had in Kona in 2010. A motorcycle course marshal did a u turn in front of me while I was going about 30 mph and I t-boned his motorcycle. Pretty good head injuries and a broken shoulder. I am just now getting back to the swim after 4 years off. BUT feeling good and optimistic.

I love this sport and have a soft spot in my heart for the first time IM person. All of this can be quite intimidating so I will gladly talk your ear off if you need help.

I  have a place in Blue Ridge, GA (90 miles from IMCHOO) near the home to the famed Six Gaps Mountain ride (11k of climbing in about 80 miles). Doing Six Gap will make IMCHOO seem like IMFL! I told the Coaches that I would be happy to host a ride up there anytime this summer if any of you are game for it. We could hit Six Gap and then the IMCHOO route or tie it in with the IMCHOO camp if folks want to come early. 

I could likely accommodate 10 overnight guests or 20 if you don't mine sleeping on the floor and sofas! Hah! It could be a very fun weekend. Also Lake Blue Ridge is supposedly the cleanest lake in the Southeast. The water is like coming out of a bath tub it is so clean. We could get some great open water swims in as well

One more thing.I am hearing from locals in CHOO that the run course is very difficult. A common comment about the courses is a fast bike and could be a 5 to 6 hour marathon if you overcook the bike.

I plan to know every mile of this course so I will try to keep you updated. I am hoping to go 11 or better-there now I have said it!

gcharbeneau

Posted By David Ambrose on 07 Jan 2014 10:05 PM
Chattanooga here I come. Goals are top 10% AG, and have fun.

I could be so lucky to qualify again! Looking forward to seeing your positive gains posted on team EN and your visit in Feb. bring your bike and running shoes!

jodigreg

To Ray, I live in South Ga and would love to take you up on riding either in Chatt or 6 gap with you. I would bring along a new EN member too. Let me know when! Jodi Harbin

Gaudir8

@Jodi Where are you in South GA? I live in the metropolis of Americus for a year back in the 80's. That was the SOUTH!.Let me know some dates that will work for you and we can plan the rides.

jodigreg

@Ray:I live in Valdosta. Yep, hot and flat. I escape to Vogel State Park a few times a year to camp,bike and run. I have officially done 3 gap twice, but have ridden all of 6 gap at one time or another. I also have run the 50K Duncan Ridge Trail up there. I love those mountains! Given a few weeks notice, I can come up for a ride. Weekends would be the best time, but I do have some commitments with my daughter who is running track and visiting colleges. Hopefully others will be interested in joining. My new EN friend is also from Valdosta. She will likely come with me. I'd say we are back of the packers. And certainly weak on hills. We both are signed up for IM Choo. She has done 2 ironmans and I have done 4.

Gaudir8

@Jodi it is so beautiful up there isn't it? Doesn't matter how fast you are! I get to do more climbs then!! Lets see how the weather goes and let me know . I ride the Gaps at least once a week once the weather gets a little better.

Carl

In....just to hang with Ambrose. IT'S ON!!!!!!!!

I will be around for the camp also.  Ambrose hope you are their so we can pace each other.  

looking to have a great time and good race.

gcharbeneau

Posted By Jodi Harbin on 20 Jan 2014 04:37 PM
@Ray:I live in Valdosta. Yep, hot and flat. I escape to Vogel State Park a few times a year to camp,bike and run. I have officially done 3 gap twice, but have ridden all of 6 gap at one time or another. I also have run the 50K Duncan Ridge Trail up there. I love those mountains! Given a few weeks notice, I can come up for a ride. Weekends would be the best time, but I do have some commitments with my daughter who is running track and visiting colleges. Hopefully others will be interested in joining. My new EN friend is also from Valdosta. She will likely come with me. I'd say we are back of the packers. And certainly weak on hills. We both are signed up for IM Choo. She has done 2 ironmans and I have done 4.

Jodi AKA ROCKSTAR!

Gaudir8

Hey Choo folks! There is a ride in Chattanooga on 5.3 Called the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge. A small portion of the ride is on the IMCHOO course but this ride has about 9k of climbing!  I am in and hope others will do it as well. I would love to meet up with you there if so. Let me know.  

 

http://www.chattbike.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=49

bc4ua

Wasn't planning on doing another full, but when Chatt opened up, it was a no-brainer. Love the city.

I live in Huntsville, so the thought of driving 1.5 hours to get to race site is really appealing.

jodigreg

Does anyone know what hotel is the host hotel for ironman Chatt camp?

TH3 FRB

Posted By Jodi Harbin on 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM

Does anyone know what hotel is the host hotel for ironman Chatt camp?

I haven't heard anything official but there is an unofficial movement to congregate at the Hampton Inn downtown.  I know myself and a couple others already have it booked.  I'm happy to split my room if anyone is interested - 2 queens @ $95/night.

TH3 FRB

I prefer to be on an every other year IM schedule because I go 100% all-in and it means making a lot of small sacrifices along the way and generally not enjoying the rest of life as much as I might otherwise.  That makes Chattanooga a good IM because it's a Kona qualifier for the following year. Obviously that would mean racing IM in back to back years but it's definitely better than craming 2 in a single season.  Of course I don't just assume I'll KQ but that's the goal.  I don't like to set goals that aren't mostly within my own control but I have to be honest here - I want to go back to Kona and I'd like to be top 5 podium in my new 40-44 AG at ChooChoo while I'm at it.  All of that is just a by-product of the goal that I can actually control - having the best race I'm capable of on the day and making smart decisions if things don't go perfectly. A new PR to go along with my new age group would be a nice bonus.

Carl

Well be driving in from Iowa for the Camp. Joel we will be booking the Hotel you recommended. Thanks.

TH3 FRB

Excellent - looking forward to getting some miles in on the course and meeting some EN folks.

morpheus

Which hotel for the camp weekend?

TH3 FRB

Hampton Inn Downtown

Carl

Hampton Inn Downtown it is

Coach Rich

Hey folks,

Sorry, a little late to this thread. Looks like the call is for the Hampton Inn for the camp, so let me contact them and see if they can accommodate us. I'll then circle back here hopefully with a block discount rate on the rooms.

And I'll also be at the race, to do our race weekend thing, including theatre style Four Keys talk, assuming I can find a suitable venue. 

Coach Rich

Ok, after a quick check of the Hampton Inn website, I see that their room for rent accommodates 30 people. I'd rather have space for 40-50, as I typically get 25-40 people at these camps and I'd rather have the extra space. I've asked Anne to research venues for me. 

Now...can anyone recommend a venue near the expo area for the Four Keys talk? I'll have Anne look into also but figured I could also begin to leverage you guys for local knowledge, etc. 

TH3 FRB

The Double Tree has 11,000sqft of meeting space and $95 govt rate rooms for anyone that can do that.

Coach Rich

Cool, will look into the DT

Trish Marshall

Hi peeps...the Hampton Inn DT is booked for race weekend. I am planning on volunteering with some friends and need a couple rooms. Any advice for other lodging that is convenient to the race site? Never been to Choo Choo...looks like all the losing on Chestnut is booked as well.

Any and all info is appreciated! Looking forward to cheering you all on!