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B2B vs IM
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I read the 9 page thread on B2B 2014. For those who have done an Ironman/WTC race and Beach to Battleship....how would you compare the two? Positives and Negatives. Thanks
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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3X B2B finisher, 1x Challenge finisher and 5x Ironman finisher. Next one is probably going to be B2B again.

What I like about it:

Cheaper registration
Not having to register one year in advance.
Cheaper hotel without 4-5 nights minimum stay. Easy to book a $50 room.
Great support on the run.
No drafting.
Fast swim, even when the tide is not at its best.
Nice swag. (I love the pajama, long shirt, beach towel, etc., compared to hat and t-shirt)
Fun to pass a lot of slower people doing the half

What I like less about it:
It can be lonely on the bike.
Unpredictable weather. (can be cold, wet and windy)
Confusion with the turnaround on the run. (first loop turnaround is further away than second loop and some people don't go far enough on first loop)
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Re: B2B vs IM [laro] [ In reply to ]
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I did B2B in 2011 as my first iron distance race and have raced mostly WTC races since then. I had a great time and really enjoyed the race. However, it was very chilly that year (40's and scattered rain with strong winds). I made the mistake of only wearing my trisuit, and nearly had a DNF because of being so cold on the bike. I was saved when the sun appeared somewhere around the 70-80 mile mark - I was in a pretty dark place at that point. As was already said, the accommodations are cheap and plentiful in the area.

The beach start is fun and it can be a very fast swim (I swam 47 min compared to around a 1:05 without a current). The bike course is very flat and the only real hills to speak of are a few bridges. The run has been changed since when I raced, so I can't really speak on that.

The support for the race was good and there were plenty of volunteers on race day. The pasta dinner was nice and the food was great, but that may have changed in the last few years.

Overall, it was a great first race, and I'd recommend it.

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Re: B2B vs IM [natethomas] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks...this would be my 4th IM distance race if I did it....would be for 2016. I like the idea of doing something different than a WTC race, weather does look like a crap shoot....but then again...thats the case for every race!
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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Did the B2B half last year and in for the full this year as my first iron distance.

B2B is a perfect race if you are a poor swimmer and do most of your bike training on a trainer.

I have only done one WTC event (Raleigh 70.3) but I did not think the atmosphere was all that different.
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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I've done B2B twice, as well as several IM events. The 'feel' of B2B is very similar to an IM. With the full and half combined, there are around 1700 athletes so it has that big event feel with lots of athletes and crowd support. Everything was very well done both times that I did B2B - event set up, expo, course marking, management, officiating. It gets a bit lonely on the bike, but spectator support on the run is good. The weather is a bit of a crap shoot. I did it in 2011 as my first full as well and the cold, strong headwind for the first 70 miles on the bike was tough, but conditions were good for the run, other than a bit windy. I did it again in 2013 and the weather was good. It was still a bit cool early on the bike, but when you're racing all day you have to expect some changes in weather from the early morning to afternoon.

It's nice to be able to sign up later and at much less cost with B2B compared to an IM. It's also the closest full distance race to home for me which is part of what makes it appealing for me. The run course and T2 area was changed a couple years ago (moved across the river from the battleship) which significantly improved logistics and course congestion around T2. The bike and run are pretty much completely flat. I'm not crazy about the current assisted swim, but it makes for a good choice for weaker swimmers or a good PR course. Overall it's a nice race. I would recommend it and would certainly do it again.
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Re: B2B vs IM [dkidwell] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks...I have yet to run across someone who had bad things to say about it. Any suggestions on the best place to stay (close to transition/finish)?
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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I would recommend staying near the finish in the downtown area. I was in the host hotel in 2013 (Hilton?) which was nice. It was right next to the finish which made it easy to get to and from everything in that area. With separate transition areas, you still have to haul your bike out to T1 the day before, but logistically I think it's easier being near T2/Finish rather than the start/T1. In 2011 I stayed in a hotel midway between the start and finish which kind of sucked because I had to drive to get to and from either area.
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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I've done B2B and 2xIM.
B2B is a great race. As mentioned, the weather can be factor, but I think that's the only drawback.
The organizers really go out of their way to throw a good event. That's going to be important now that more and more 140.6s pop up during that time frame.
The swag is usually pretty darn good, the post event activities are adequate for families, and the course is not bad.
The swim is cool in that it's in a channel, so you get to see all kinds of boats docked, people on the boardwalks and walkways, etc.
The bike is FLAT, can be windy, but is not bad.
The run is well supported, shaded, scenic, and has improved in the past few years.
Lastly, it's definitely not as big as an Ironman. Feels big b/c of the 70.3 and 140.6, but it's not huge.
Highly recommend this race!
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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I've done Ironman and B2B Half at least twice. You're not missing anything at all doing B2B. And you'll be saving tons of money. My biggest gripe with the race was the coooooold, but they made it earlier in the year which somewhat helped.
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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Just curious, does anyone think IM has considered purchasing the BB event.
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Re: B2B vs IM [winchester] [ In reply to ]
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I did B2B last year and my wife did IM Augusta.

Expo/info/pre-race activities: B2B
Swim (both current assisted): IM Augusta faster current, guaranteed every year over B2B which has slack tide some years. Water temps were both 67F, air temp B2B 45F and IM Augusta 70F
T1: IM Augusta
Bike: B2B flatter course by 1200 feet, cooler temps, great support, better road surfaces
T2: B2B everyone get to throw their bike to a volunteer
Run: IM Augusta, 2 laps in city very compacted and people everywhere, B2B after 2 miles it becomes a ghost town on the winding trail
Post race: B2B
City: Augusta but Wilmington is close

Best hotel is Best Western downtown. They open up breakfast at early, is 200 feet from convention center. they have an walkway over the boardwalk to see the run part of race and was 2 blocks from Hilton at 1/2 the price.

The only difference between B2B and IM is the name.
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Re: B2B vs IM [winchester] [ In reply to ]
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winchester wrote:
Just curious, does anyone think IM has considered purchasing the BB event.

My guess would be that they try to kill it. Augusta 70.3, potential new Hilton Head 70.3, Ironman Maryland and Ironman Chattanooga all potentially pull from B2B. The last three are new (or potentially new) in the last two years so it is death by many cuts. I would hate for it to happen because B2B is a great race.

Oh and IM Louisville now in Oct hurts too.


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John Behme
Charlotte, NC
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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I like the fact that it's an independent IM and the ease of registering and lower cost. The organization is fine.

It WAS freakin cold out there.

But I won't be back. I wouldn't do an Ironman where the bike was 30 miles short, nor would I do one where you were followed by a wind machine blowing you from behind on the bike, so I don't feel the need to do one where the swim is effectively a kilometer short.

OH, the use of HEED on the course meant I needed to carry my own liquid calories. Not a huge deal but you need to be aware and practice with heed ahead of time.
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Re: B2B vs IM [jbnc77] [ In reply to ]
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jbnc77 wrote:
I would hate for it to happen because B2B is a great race.

Oh and IM Louisville now in Oct hurts too.

And, ironically, both of us are signed up for Louisville...
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Re: B2B vs IM [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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James Haycraft wrote:
jbnc77 wrote:
I would hate for it to happen because B2B is a great race.

Oh and IM Louisville now in Oct hurts too.


And, ironically, both of us are signed up for Louisville...

If all of my buds were doing B2B I would be in, but they are WTC wankers and wanted IM Chatty and IM Lou. Sigh...

Louisville is my Kona. I *heart* Louisville.


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John Behme
Charlotte, NC
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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the only thing keeping from doing B2B is that it can be pretty cold... but I could be talked into it Mike.
Last edited by: Clempson: Feb 20, 15 10:30
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Re: B2B vs IM [Clempson] [ In reply to ]
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Clempson wrote:
the only thing keeping from doing B2B is that it can be pretty cold... but I could be talked into it Mike.

Sounds good! We will talk soon.
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Re: B2B vs IM [NeverEnough] [ In reply to ]
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The only thing I dislike about B2B is that it's a lonely road if you're a 12+ hour finisher
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Re: B2B vs IM [TylerJ] [ In reply to ]
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How are the winds usually?
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Re: B2B vs IM [Annelizabethrun] [ In reply to ]
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I've had people discount the achievement of B2B 140.6 because of the assisted swim with the current. Has anyone experienced this? And how much time does it knock off?
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Re: B2B vs IM [znerd] [ In reply to ]
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znerd wrote:
I've had people discount the achievement of B2B 140.6 because of the assisted swim with the current. Has anyone experienced this? And how much time does it knock off?

Those people are idiots.
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Re: B2B vs IM [M~] [ In reply to ]
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M~ wrote:
znerd wrote:
I've had people discount the achievement of B2B 140.6 because of the assisted swim with the current. Has anyone experienced this? And how much time does it knock off?


Those people are idiots.

Probably the same people that come on and whine about IM Chattanooga.
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Re: B2B vs IM [M~] [ In reply to ]
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M~ wrote:
znerd wrote:
I've had people discount the achievement of B2B 140.6 because of the assisted swim with the current. Has anyone experienced this? And how much time does it knock off?


Those people are idiots.

Agreed. Those people are idiots.

It depends on exactly when you are swimming with relation to the tides. This year I swam 51 minutes which is about 10-13 minutes faster than I might normally do a non-current assisted swim. However once you are out of the water, any possible thoughts of an "easy day" get thrown out. You are still out there for a full-distance race and a 10 minute boost at the beginning isn't going to make any real difference.

At least this year, winds were out of the north at around 15mph steady. The first 56 miles of the race pretty much rolls due north. So although flat, you are in for a tough first half of the ride. The back half the ride does provide some relief from the wind (assuming the wind pattern is reasonably consistent year to year I guess). I know that the winds this year kinda stole some of my speed and demoralized me a bit.

The run is very well supported. You will see people out there all along the course. Since the course is two loops of a 6.5mi out-n-back it isn't like you are running far out of civilization, and there are always plenty of spectators. This year it started to get warm towards the end, however in past years it can be quite cold. Having the concurrent half distance going on, I was getting off the bike among the BOP half racers, and although I was towards the front of the full race, there were plenty of people sharing the course with me as they were working on their half run, so that was quite nice. It can be lonely with nobody around otherwise.

You would be hard-pressed to *really* tell the difference between an IM event and B2B in terms of quality. These guys put on a world class race. Also the pajama pants at the finish line are pretty much the best "finishers gift" ever.
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Re: B2B vs IM [znerd] [ In reply to ]
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I've done B2B 4x, three half and one full distance. Depending on wind, timing with incoming tide, my experience has been that the swim is 10-20% faster. So, a 1:20 full swim time becomes a 1:04-1:12. It's a great race venue and it has nothing to do with a quicker swim time. It's a wonderful ocean inlet swim, bike on flat, generally back country roads, and a run through a downtown city/river district and a shaded park setting.

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