Help pick my 2016 ironman

cldavis

I just finished IMFL and vowed never to do another, but somehow I have talked myself into another one.  I'm looking at Maryland, Louisville, or trying to get into Arizona.  I prefer flat courses.  Any advice and/or suggestions would be great.  Thanks

Nate Parady

Mainly, i have focused on the time of year I want to train or specifically the location. Last two races I have done have been in Maryland because its only a 2 hour drive for me.

Why not IMTX? Its local to you? would you be able to train for it during end of winter early spring months?

cldavis

Nate - thanks for the feedback, IMTX is sold out for 2016 & my husband is doing 2017. I actually prefer to travel though. My concerns with Maryland is that all the accommodations in Cambridge are already full. Do you like the course?

Paul Hough

Well, the bike at Louisville is anything but flat. Sounds like you want Maryland.

Rich Stanbaugh

Christina - if you can get your head around windy - Cozumel. Flat flat flat and the most beautiful IM swim I can imagine. It is hot and most likely windy. If you can wrap your head around the wind - it is a great race!

steve Beyer

Course is totally flat at IMMD.

Although accomadations in Cambridge will be filled, a number of people this year found some in the time leading up to the race by vacancies that opened up. Alternatively, there are a number of options available in surrounding towns(15-30 mins), if that's not a turn-off.

I really would give a major thumbs-up for IMMD....volunteers were awesome, and the run course is SUPER spectator friendly, I think I was able to see my daughter 7-8 times with little moving around on her part. Come on....join us 2016 "crabbies"!!

Nate Parady

The IMMD Course is great...The bike is flat, but the wind, my god the wind, can be brutal. The IM expo is not exactly easy to get in and out of which makes the admin part a little harder. Especially compared to IMFL which may actually be the easiest admin if you stayed at the condos near the expo.

thekidduxc

IM South Africa isn't flat, but it's a great destination and one of the more serene bike courses on the circuit. (Yes, this is a completely selfish plug to get more EN peeps at my race)!

Ed Eovino

Eric Miller and I will be doing Louisville... You and your husband should both sign up! Congrats on a great race in Fl... Watched you kill it all day...

Bill Manard

I'll +1 Cozumel, having done the 70.3 this year. The wind keeps the bike from being easy, but it is flat. The swim is beautiful and fast (the IM course is entirely down-current). The run is hot and exposed. Cozumel is also an inexpensive safe destination.

Shaughn Simmons

Cozumel is a great choice and a challenging IM.  The wind on the bike will break you down for the run so you will need to be very disciplined.  Great family IM destination.  Swim is the most beautiful, clear swim you can find and I believe they have now fixed the swim course in terms of the HUGE current issues we faced in 2012 when they had to pull 300+ from the water given they could not make it back in due to the current.

Look forward to following you guys in 2016.  Sincere congratulations on a very well manage IMFL performance!

SS

Paul Hough

Thanks for setting the record straight Shaughn! Everyone needs to know that the swim in 2012 was epic! I recall seeing video after of people who 30 mins after the start were still swimming at the start! So the correct statement is that Cozumel's swim is NOW with the current. I've done Coz twice and it is my families favorite race destination.

Chris Davis

@Ed, I'd LOVE to do Louisville with you guys, but the Davis household would absolutely explode if Christina and I tried to race/train on the same schedule. I'm talking Lord of the Flies levels of deterioration.

However, it looks like I get to start looking for an early season race in 2016 (a year in which Christina swore that neither of us were going to race). I might try to get a new bike or something out of this change of events too.

Ed Eovino

@Chris... It's amazing you guys can both compete having the two boys! I figured it be too much for both of you at the same time. Christina... don't rule it out though...We'd still love to have you!

Jess Withrow

I LOVED IMLou... Maybe I just have fond memories since it was my first IM in 2011 and it wasn't brutally hot that day like it generally was when they had it in August! I didn't find the bike course to be particularly hilly - lots of rollers and you carry a lot of speed up them if you're riding EN-style. The out and back was really the only section that I'd consider "hilly" for someone who isn't used to riding hills, and even that is totally manageable. Run course is pretty much flat, and the finish line is amazing. I'd go back in a heartbeat!