70.3+ months in advance, especially if they sell out, anything less OD, sprints etc usually that weak, see how I'm travelling, any injuries, weather etc and if all good I'll sign up on the tuesday/wednesday unless any dangeer of selling out.

9-12 months in advance. I am already thinking about 2018...

My big races 70.3 and full distance I signup as soon as I can. I don't wait. By the time they open for signup, I've long since decided on what races I'm doing. All shorter ones races I signup a month or weeks out. Sometimes week before. Unless I know I'm doing them ahead and they have an early signup discount

It depends on the race, and the advantages of signing up early vs the risk of not getting in, etc. Generally, the bigger and farther away the event is the earlier I register, but lately I've been migrating towards last minute decisions. For example, last month I made a pop decision and signed up for IMTX 10 days earlier. I checked flight and hotel availability first then registered, then booked the airfare, room, rental car and bike transport. Snap, snap and that was that. I am going to be in the vicinity of IM70.3 Gulf Coast next week and might do walk-up registration at the expo if I feel decent and the weather looks promising.

Depends... destination race or world's... 9-10 months out. The closer to home the later I leave it.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

x2. For a Sprint/Oly local race I might sign up a week or two before as long as I know I'm good for it.

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just your average age grouper . no one special . no scientific knowledge . just having fun.

Depends. If I know I want to do the race, I'll sign up the day it opens. If I'm unsure, I wait. Distance of the race does not impact when I sign up.

I do get burned from time to time with a DNS, but I like having the commitment.

The way races are these days nothing sells out. None of the IM sells out and the 1/2IM don't much either. I just signed up this morning for a local sprint and will sign up for Raleigh 70.3 today 4 weeks out.

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2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz

Quote:

How far in advance do you sign up for races?

It's almost always 50 meters or less from the start line. Sometimes, though, it's as far away as my house whenever I do online registration.

These days right about the time it is to taper. I figure its unlikely I will get injured during a taper. A few years ago I had a friend I did races with and I would sign up alot earlier so we could coordinate our schedules.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

I'm about an hour away from Raleigh NC. I've done the 70.3 all 4 years of the race. I want to keep the streak alive, but I've suffered in the heat/humidity on the run more times than not. Fortunately, the race is still open, so I may do walk up registration during race week IF the weather forecast looks promising.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I'm always surprised when people whine in shock that a particular race hasn't sold out. That is exactly how I want it...enough sales to keep the race alive, but not so many that you have to register ridiculously early when so much - including the weather - is unknown. The flexibility to register at the last minute is a Godsend for athletes.

I agree. If a race has the capacity for 2500, certainly selling 2300 slots every year will keep the race alive. Leave those last 200 spots available for people who want to wait.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

THIS!! The non-sellouts also help keep registration fees in check.

IM WI general entry is sold out for this year. Race date is Sept 10.

However, for the most part I agree with you. A vast majority of races do not sell out.

Most local races here fill up slowly, so I don't rush them. There have been a few where I registered the morning of the race. I have learned the hard way that trail races fill up faster than triathlons, so it does depend on the event.

in 2015 i waited till 1 week before an IM race to sign up. Just in case i got hurt or sick etc. Then 3 days before the race i got the stomach flu and missed the race. In 2016 i signed up race week for the same race - all good. Given the current status of my fav IM race (whistler) i dont see any reason to sign up early... This year i will sign up as late as they will allow me to. (same goes for pretty much all other smaller races).

My A and B races I schedule and sign up for during my annual training planning. My C races I wait until it gets closer so I can see how I feel. My C races tend to be my tuneup races.