Anti-M-Dot: Brainstorming with Rev Three RD
I reached out to the Rev 3 Race Director (Charlie) after the past few weeks of M-Dot Mayhem (read: IM Access --> Miami 70.3 --> End of Janus) to see what sort of positive forces they were trying to bring to bear on our wonderful sport. It was a great conversation, they are excited to have entities like EN promote their races...so it remains to be seen what we do.
Some options (but still open):
- Pick a Rev3 Half Iron as a key race, say Quassy, that could be an A race for some and part of race prep for others (aka IMUSA). This would also work with their newest South Carolina event for IM FL and IM AZ.
- Pick a Full Iron Distance race that they run as a target event.
We will do what you guys are most behind...best case we actually have a Team presence at the event...worst case it's just a bunch of EN peeps connecting and having fun. Either way you get in a great race....thoughts????
Thansk in advance!
Patrick
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Actually, Patrick, I think the combined acts of EN making some contact with the org, and you making a soft-launch endorsement post both go a long way to generate nation-wide support. Keep framing these events as a genuinely valuable race experience, and not just an "alternative to MDot" and the numbers will follow.
Other ways to inflate team presence:
-are there any influencers on the team who could commit to one of these, and use their natural talent to get numbers on board?
-Can EN / rev3 subsidize the entry fee of an EN race captain / champion of the cause? Think 'micro-sponsor' where it's a two way street: sponsored athlete then sets up challenges, side bets, smack talk, camps, etc etc
-can you feature a race report or race review interview of Rev3 racers from the team as a featurette in the newsletter?
...
I know this isn't exactly what you're looking for in your post, but I really want to see independent races or series succeed in general. Glad you made the contact, and hopefully you negotiated rights to mile 18 in their ultradistance events.
I can't vote on anything for 2011 since my dance card is already full on most of the Rev3 dates. But I hope the team rallies around this idea and we can make it even bigger in 2012
Try reading this thread, that should get you started on understanding the undercurrent
http://members.endurancenation.us/C...fault.aspx
I wouldl love to shaft the man, but the man has the only tickets in town to two of the four big dances (WTC IM and IM70.3 World Championships and ITU Short Course and Long Course World Championships). Trying to get these events helps motivate me even though I've been peeved at WTC as well.
If your goal is to finish an iron distance, then Rev3 is definitely an alternative, as is any quality independent. On a related note, check yesterday's TriJuice annoucement that the Grand Columbian ultradistance is being resurrected along with another even longer race. I've been watching the Challenge series grow and hope they come to the U.S. soon. It would be cool if they would link up with Rev3 or some of the other independents and develop a qualifying system for Roth. Then what-the-hell, just say Roth is the World Championship and let the market decide.
Thanks, Nemo. I'm gettin' the jist.
I'd be happy to get involved in organizing a Quassy recon weekend a few weeks out (maybe end of April or so?) to ride the course, get the lay of the land...
A few of her relatives volunteered this year & had a great experience.
Just checked out the Quassy site- they have an Olympic distance race on saturday and the half on sunday. For those that may not want to do a half, but still be there.
My goal for 2011 is to take things slow, no pressure- to allow my body to heal and get strong again. Quassy may give me that opportunity to be part of team EN and do one race or another. Liking that!
I signed up for IM WI for a couple reasons. The first is that it fits me geographically and temporally. And that might have been enough to seal the deal regardless.
But there was a second big factor, and that was knowing that there would be a big EN presence, Rich was racing, etc etc etc. So, if I'm representative, having an EN presence known well in advance would make a difference to a measurable number of peeps.
Now, I am looking at my early season HIM race. Again for geographical and temporal reasons (and also, it looks like there will be a big EN presence), KS 70.3 looks attractive...but since I don't have to sign up immediately, I have held off. There's another race the same weekend in Minnesota I may do instead. I have no special incentive to do WTC race for the half. Even if I "miracled" a 70.3 championship spot (we can't call it clearwater any more!), I wouldn't do it in 2011 because the date conflicts with WI. If there was another race within a doable distance (= no plane flight) that worked for me, I'd be open to it. I suspect I am not alone.
Take home message: I would guess that the strategy for incorporating Rev3 would be to go to the half-distance first, because most of us who are doing the full distance are already committed to whatever race in 2011. Then look to 2012 for the full.
I'd certainly be game for Quassy. Had been planning on Patriot to stay on a flat course and give myself a few extra weeks to recover after TOC but with EN presence at Quassy and it being a short drive it would become hard to pass up. Water temps... hell of a lot warmer than Mooseman for sure. Haven't raced it but read somewhere that the water temp at Quassy Half this past year was 77 degrees.
Would love nothing more than to see Rev 3 offer a June IM to compete against / provide another option to IMCDA . I'd be in for that no question
http://endurancenation.us.dnnmax.com/Community/Forums/tabid/101/aff/32/aft/2784/afv/topic/afnp/54866/Default.aspx
@ Nemo- if you came up to baltimore, we could drive up to CT together, and pick up others along the way?
Quassy is in CT???? What planet am I on? Never clicked into that detail. Could be a fun weekend!
I've ridden in CT, and when they say challenging, they mean it.
Right, Aaron? 
VERY Tempting! I gotta mapquest the route and figure out how long I'd be in the car.
Wilmington to Hartford (round trip) = $240
That said, I have already mentally committed to an independent iron event for 2012. I was leaning towards Vineman, but realized just yesterday that because the races are less expensive, I could probably do Vineman AND Rev 3 Sandusky in 2012.
I always do Patriot Half Iron in June, but would be willing to go to Quassy, just 2 weeks before in order to be part of the EN presence.
Totally support the EN plan to branch out to independent iron events. GO TEAM!
I think this is a great idea, but I agree with William that the EN presence at WTC races is a huge motivator for me to do a WTC race over an off-brand. The EN presence at IMWI this year was awesome, and I'm sure next year will be a great year too.
Despite that, I'm still not sure if I will do a full Iron-distance next year but I've decided that if I do, it will be an off-brand. The full M-dot experience was fantastic for my first Iron and the EN experience still makes it enticing, but I may defer from another IM-distance WTC race until I think I have a prayer at a Kona slot, so another few years yet.
@Rick,
I'm considering Cedar Point full for 2011. The fact that it is on the same day as IMWI is actually a postivie to me, that means we can participate in the IMWI race group and all be on the same page for training. If in the future we could also get a large EN presence at the race itself that would be fantastic, but the virtual community aspect of being on the same plan for an IM-distance race on the same day as all of the IMWI peeps is a big plus for Cedar Point.