IM RACE: do u travel with family or not?

moetai@gmail.com

Hello ALL

I would need your help with this

i'm going to IM AZ this nov and i'm debating with my wife on if we should make it a "family vacation" or not.

We went to Hawaii 70.3 in 2015 and it was ugly:

travelling with twin-babies and a teenager, between the double stroller, the 2 baby-car-seats and the bike......etc...

the thing is i would really love to have them around and on the side of the road to cheer me on (that is selfish, i know) but as my wife puts it, i'm neither focus 100% on my race nor on them the days before  as i try (and fail) to do both, spending a lot of nervous energy juggling with every thing.

So it seems that the logical way would be to make my "IM trips" on my own, and plan a great "family vacation" where i can be focused 100% on spending quality time with them...

any thoughts?

 

How do u guys do it?

thank you

Chris Davis

As one who has both raced and watched my wife race, I have seen both sides of the equation, and racing is far less stressful than sherpa duty. As a racer, fan support is HUGE, so I'm a fan of having my wife and kids around. But I'm mindful that it can be very stressful for my wife, and so I try to minimize the impact on her. So we've gotten in the habit of bringing a grandparent or four along for our races. We're very upfront with them about the fact that they're there to help out with the kids, which frees up the sherpa to help the racer, without getting overly stressed. And everyone is aware that the days leading up to the race, the racer needs to be focused on the race.

Mike Roberts

David,

Great question, one many of us have had to address.  When I did #1, kids were small. I was less than useless during race week, and wife was 100% into the race - gonna be on course from 7am to midnight, etc.  So without an aunt and two grandparents in tow to handle diapers, naps and creamed peas, no way it would have been a family event.  After that, either just the wife came (4 of them) or I went solo with friends (2 of them).  Not until the kids were teenagers and wanted to be part of the race (volunteer) did we again make it a family affair.  

If this race presents a rare opportunity to get the family to the States, then do it.  As long as your spouse is tough as nails and can manage all the stress and logistics that come with traveling internationally with little ones. But if trips to the States are pretty routine or no big deal, I would pick another week where you can be less selfish and concentrate your focus on the family instead of compression, hydration and salt intake. But that's just me. 

Brad Marcus

I've also been on both side of this, since my wife races IM too. I think you all make good points about this, but the one thing that no one has mentioned is the venue. I've been at races where my kids (now 10 and 12 yrs old) have been bored after 15 minutes and other places where there is lots of diversions. Last season we were in Mont Tremblant and I was forced on the sidelines due to injury. I was the sherpa and hung with the kids and they loved it - but IMMT is a great venue with LOTS to do. To me, the venue is an important part of the decision with kids or family members who get bored during a long day!

bob hiller

David, I agree with Chris and Mike that with young kids your wife will need help.  Going in, everyone needs to be on board with you being primarily responsible for doing all that is necessary to get the most out of all your hours of training for a great race.  When I did IM Hawaii in 1989, our 3 boys were 7, 4 and 9 months.  My mom and her husband also came, so they saved the day/week.  When I did IM Canada in Penticton in 1997, the boys were (almost) 15, 12 and 8.  Again, my mom and her husband came, but also my older brother and his wife.  They were helpful to wife, but at that those ages the boys could have (mostly) entertained themselves during the week and taken care of themselves during the race.   Finally, in 2014 at IMMT the 2 older boys and their girlfriends joined my wife and me.  Didn't need grandma anymore.  So we have come full circle, but along the way, other family members are either indispensable or very helpful.

Todd Glass

I agree with the other posters.  I think the age of the children and then venue are very important.  I have been doing IM's since before having kids all the way to having 12, 10 and 8 year olds.  if you ask them, they really like coming to the events, but they now recognize that it not a vacation.  They know there are vacations, and then there is trip to watch daddy race.   If you were doing a race where you didn't care about race execution , time or placing, it is easy to relax and blow off the race thing and have a vacation.  However, Ironman and triathlon seems to be much more than that for most of us.  Also, you need to think of where you are.  Most of my big races are a short to medium drive.  ie Low cost.  You however, have the cost of sigificant and long travel.   Don't forget it is far easier to have some sort of family time the days after you race as compared to before.  Good luck. 

cgres123

If it is far away I'd fly my wife in as driving is not her thing but I dig a road trip. I like to have her there but I know it is boring to her and not her thing. The next time I suspect she will go to a race with me is in Knoa as she would see me off and hit the beach which is he thing.

thekidduxc

There have been some great posts from the house. My perspective is a bit different.

I race not for myself but for my kids. I want to set an example to my kids that fitness is a way of life; I want to show them that dedication, hard work, and persistence is what counts in daily life. I recognize I can only teach them something like this with my actions and not solely my words. I can put my family as a priority over training, I can own/run a SME overseas, and still find time to put together 30 weeks of solid training. But I want them to see (if they are interested) race day as well. So if my kids are down for it I figure a way to make it work, even if it means potentially sacrificing some mental headspace.

I have 3 kids 6, 5, and 3.

Douglas Sutherland

I would err on the side of taking the family, unless you are a pro who is doing so many races per year that the 'race trip' becomes repetitive.

Paul Hough

Yes, but that's generally only my wife and teenage daughter. I've also brought my mother-in-law on two IM trips for massive SAUs. This summer's IM will just be my wife and I. Quality destination race + family = great time.