Maryland is basically on the Eagleman course you can find lots of info, race reports on Eagleman.

Dead flat bike, sea nettles on the swim, no hotels walking distance to swim start and if you could you would be going through a bad neighborhood. Hotels are hard to come by for MD due to limited hotel choices in town or the next town over.

I've done IMLP and Chesepeakman and they are about as different as they can be....hills vs absolutely flat; mirror lake vs. choptank, and more.

I've done Placid, not worried about jellyfish at all at Maryland but good to know.

So the swim at Maryland is choppy??

Well, if your concern is KQ, what difference does it make. Everyone has to deal with the same conditions.

Every athlete have strengths and weakness, understanding as much of the details especially in an IM matter, that's why I'm asking.

Look at map of Eagleman or IMMD to see swim, swim is protected. There can be a current in addition to the sea nettles. I'm a slow swimmer and find it is the slowest IM swim I've done (LP, Canada, FL and MD) but may be fewer bodies when it was Chesepeakman.

I would be surprised if IMMD is still around next year, particularly given the severe lack of hotel accomodations.

It's on the 2015 calendar

well, the swim can be tough if the current or tide is against you. I take it you are not a strong swimmer. Neither am I...and this was my worse swim ever.

The bike is flat, but windy and boring.

The run is flat, but boring.

EM is always hot, but IMM is in a different time of year, so the weather may be favorable.

You swim in the Choptank river. That says it all. Can be choppy and against the current, but not always. I've done both Eagleman and IMLP. You couldn't pick two more different courses.

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Brian
“Eat and Drink, spin the legs and you’re going to effin push (today).” A Howe

I think IMM is a better race to qualify for Kona if you are at that level. Here is why. 1 - First year race that came on to the circuit late. 2 - Only about 1300 people registered so far 3 - Timing is optimal because of how close it is to Kona 2014 and Worlds 70.3 2014 which means people racing those event won't be at IMM. In short, if you someone who seriously believes they are capable of competing for a Kona slot and you are in a favorable AG with lots of slots this is your race. If you race this and don't qualify sit down and seriously ask yourself - Are you Kona Material or are you just dreaming?

Just keeping it real!

I live in the Maryland area. I've done Eagleman 2x and Florida 2x. Sept in Cambridge can be hot/humid or nice/somewhat cool. If it's hot/humid, expect no shade for the run. It can make the run tough. Florida's run weather is about as perfect as you are going to get anywhere. Both run courses are dead flat.

Eagleman's bike is dead flat. There are no hills in Cambridge. Florida's bike ride is dead flat, except 2-3 non-issue "hills." You can ride aero up these "hills" with zero issues.

Florida, because of the ocean, is a more buoyant swim and the water is crystal clear. Eagleman is murky.

If I had to choose between Fl and Md, I would choose FL. The tie breaker between the two is the weather. Fl has been cool on the bike and run the 2x that I did it. Md's weather in Sept is more of a wild card.

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My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

You missed the 2015 part.

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