Which Ironman? IMFL or B2B?
Guys,
I need some advice. I am really enjoying the endurance lifestyle and have enjoyed my first season of racing and training. Because I am your typical "Type A" personality the iron distance race is pulling at me like a moth to a flame. I would like to get your collective expertise on how I should plan for my first ironman.
My plan throughout the fall has been to be on the computer Sunday the minute IMFL 2011 registration opens up and get a slot for that race. My in-laws have a condo in Panama City on the ocean (at the Summit if anyone ever needs a great rental place) and everything has been lined up for that event. My training/riding buddy had agreed to sign up as well. He has done two 1/2 distance races this year and is a dyed in the wool runner having completed over 60 marathons and multiple ultra marathons. Well on our ride this past weekend he tells me he is backing out of IMFL because he just doesn't feel he has the base to pull off a full ironman race. That really set me back a bit because frankly he is far more experienced of an endurance athlete than I am.
I haven't completed a half distance race yet. I have the first one on the docket for next May. The White Lake 1/2. Am I being naive thinking that I can do an ironman and signing up for it now before I have ever done a 1/2?
Now I am really questioning if I should sign up for IMFL 2011 and should instead consider busting it all offseason and training for the 1/2 in May and then making a decision about a full and opting for Beach to Battleship 2011 instead. The B2B option really seems like the smarter way to do this but intellectual smart doesn't always win out over emotional smart....
So here is my question for y'all....
Should I stick with my original plan and sign up for IMFL 2011 now or should I wait until I complete my first 1/2 next May and then opt for Beach to Battleship 2011?
Does doing an official "Ironman" race make that much of a difference in overall experience? Is B2B a good race?
Comments
However - if it were me, I'd sign up for IMFL since you have a year and will also have the coaches attending as well as other EN racers. It would just be that much more fun. Might also want to consider doing Eagleman 70.3 in June. If will likely be hot(which may help for IMFL) and it is also a flat course with a salt water swim. I think there will also be an EN group there.....My 2cents....
I think your decision comes down to whether you want to do an "Ironman" branded race or not. I've done IMFL twice and I think its a great first IM race. Never done B2B but know folks that have and they spoke highly of it, except the BOP folks who said the support thinned considerably. If you're gonna be out there for 13+ hours ( I have no idea), you'll still have lots of partying going on around the IMFL course, not sure about B2B. Having said that, the SetUp guys do a great job...plus, you'll probably have a faster time at B2B as you swim with current. Some blazing swim times are common.
Be sure to follow EN guidance on scheduling your year....a November race requires patience so that you don't burnout.
Good luck.
Bill
Hi Dusty,
FWIW, I've done 3 Ironman races and have NEVER done a HIM.
(Well, I did one but ended up in the med tent after the bike in near anaphalaxis due to multiple bee stings, but that's for antoher day.) Granted, in total, I have done likely 70-80+ shorter race distances since I started in the sport in the early '90s, and one HIM Aquabike. I did have a ton of experience under my belt. Rich will tell you it's not necessary to do a HIM in prep for, or on your way to, an IM--apples and oranges in terms of how you train for it and race it. The HIM is a great way to test the waters and your reaction to LC course racing, but it's not a necessary precursor. Just throwing that in the mix for you.
Here's my take: you'll have to define your goals. Do you want to simply complete the distance or do you want to "race"? For most of us it's not that difficult to go the distance in the time allotted; the EN OS will crack you into plenty good enough shape if that's all you're concerned with. Once we start wanting to "race", well, that's when the fun begins!
The official IM races are big, noisy, over-crowded circuses with all the bells and whistles; I've always felt like a rock star. The indies have their own special charm, especially if crowded conditions bug you.
And, did you get your slot?
Hi guys,
Nope didn't get an IMFL slot. Talked about it with the wife and decided to take the two 1/2 iron approach for 2011 with an eye towards the full in 2012. This also allows me to earn some significant SAU's as the wife wants us to run the Disney marathon together in January 2012 so I won't be coming off an Ironman race trying to race a marathon 7/8 weeks later.
I have zero doubt that I could be ready to complete the race in a years time but I don't want to stumble across the line just before the deadline. I want to perform at my best. I am going to do the White Lake 1/2 in May as planned and this PM I signed up for the Augusta 70.3 race in September.
The advice that everyone gave me was extremely helpful in my decision! Now the choice will be if I want to do IMFL in 2012 or a different IM race earlier in the year. I definitely want to do a WTC race just for all the hoopla and such.
In all honesty what it really came down to is that I didn't want to be sporting the EN gear and not kicking @ss and IMFL next year. Don't want to give RnP a reason to give me a swift kick for not representing the haus correctly! :-)
Hey Dusty, per JT's comment above - I'm doing B2B Full in 4 days. (ANYONE ELSE?) Look for my post-race RR sometime next week. Maybe it'll help your decision making process. More people have become aware of this Full Distance race which is not WTC Ironman or Rev3 brand but has recieved some good reviews. Think this will be its 3rd year.
Its my first iron distance race and I choose it because its probably one of the "easiest iron races" (if there is such a thing) out there in terms of the course (FLAT) and # of participants (750 vs. 2500). And I wanted to do an "easy one" before IMLP in 2011. Believe me, 4 years ago when I got started in tris I never though I would be doing a full this soon - and this is w/o having going thru an EN OS yet !!
Good luck this weekend! I'll look forward to reading your race report.
dusty
okay, so I have had a slight change in plans for 2011. I'm in for IMFL after all. Long story made short a guy at work and I were talking about training and endurance events about 8 weeks ago and he asked me to do a 24 hour adventure race with him. I said "sure, as soon as you do an Ironman with me." He knew I was thinking about IMFL in 2011.
Fast forward a couple weeks....This past Tuesday I get an email from him saying "I got my IMFL spot, did you get yours?" I thought he was pulling my leg and didn't believe him until he sent me his confirmation email! So here I am, not having a spot at a sold-out race and a guy has signed up who HAS. NEVER. DONE. A. TRIATHLON expecting me to do it with him.
Well, I'm now signed up for the race. Had to buy a Foundation spot (that sucked!) but keeping my word was worth more than the $. (oh, I burned some major SAU's on this whole deal...)
I'm hoping that he will join EN because he is going to need this type of focus to get through the next year. I did tell him that I wasn't the least bit worried about being able to complete the race physically because of the EN plans. I just have to do my part and put in the work!
So anyone have a better "how I signed up for my first Ironman" story?