17.5 seconds.

I don't think it will be a Florida sellout because it's going to be a much harder course but it won't be open in June 2014.

Agreed. No way this race will be open past the end of 2013.

So, you think it will be open for a few months? No way. This race will sell out before end of Sept. Possibly will sell out within a week. I don't think it will sell out in a day, though.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

No, just making it clear to the OP that if he wants to race he needs to jump on this one. I guess I could be clear and just tell him to book hotels now ; )

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I will sign up the day it opens, as soon as I can.

I think this is going to be a very appealing race...the bike sounds easier than some (Wisconsin, Lake Placid); it is close to major population centers; the swim could be easier if there is a current, and you have a late Sept race date, giving people all summer to train and get ready. If registration goes much over a day and a half, I will be surprised.

Spot

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

I think 24 hours as the fastest. Doubt it willbe open more than a week.

Atl & NC have a large population of athletes to feed it.

Exactly. I'd jump all over this one if IMOO wasn't in my backyard.

So now WTC has:

Boulder
Louisville
Wisconsin
Lake Tahoe
Chattanooga

These will all be within 7 weeks of each other, seems that WTC might be close to the fine line of first day sellouts? Although I think many are severely underestimating Lake Tahoe and that will become the new StG, while Louisville might be dropped/moved/or switched to a 70.3

Maybe this continual expansion from WTC is a good thing and will thin out races a bit and make registration not a year in advance commitment.

Just out of curiosity, why does everyone think this race will sell out so quickly when IM Lou doesn't sell out until a few weeks before the race? The two are in similar geographic areas and within a month or so of each other. I personally think Chattanooga has a greater appeal and I'm considering signing up, but I won't be in a position to pull the trigger on registering anytime soon. I certainly hope it doesn't sell out quickly, but I guess I'll always have IM Lou as a backup plan.

I agree with you about Tahoe. As a flatlander, there are a lot of ways I can prepare for hills, but there is no way to get ready for the elevation impact. And the swim might be very ugly if folks go into O2 debt after the first 200 yards. If we hear a lot of horror stories after this year, it will probably not last very long.

Chattanooga will sell out fast ... a few days at most. It may not be that far from Louisville but the locations are very different and while it may get warm, it is not going to be a sauna like Louisville. However, I suspect it will have an impact on IMFL registration and expect that will now take several hours to sell out instead of a couple of minutes.

why does everyone think this race will sell out so quickly when IM Lou doesn't sell out until a few weeks before the race?

Two words: heat / humidity

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

Don't be real hasty to rule out heat and humidity in Chattanooga in Sept. Sometimes our summers drag out pretty long down here. I agree it probably will not be as bad as Louisville generally is (I think Louisville is going to be much nicer this year) but there is a good chance late Sept in Chattanooga will still be a little toasty. I have lived in the area all my life and the weather is very unpredictable.

#1. As mentioned above, the heat/humidity shouldn't be as bad in Chattanooga.
#2. Chattanooga has a much better chance to be wetsuit legal.
#3. Also, the water quality may be better (although, as a 2xLouisville finisher, I don't think the Ohio River is too bad).
#4. There was a perceived notion that people didn't sign up for Louisville because it wasn't a mass start. With the new rolling starts, most IMs aren't going to be mass starts anymore.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Oh, I'm not ruling it out, just that I think that there is much, much higher chance of humid heat in Louisville in August than Chattanooga in late Sept. IIRC, Louisville was pretty nice last year, but in 2010 it was brutal. My guess is that a lot of people stay away from Louisville for that reason.

Spot

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

I agree. But I have heard alot of talk about how the weather will be perfect. It "might" be perfect, but then again.

Not to derail the thread but let me just say as a Chattanooga local how odd it is to see the word Ironman associated with it. I've done IMLOU, CDA, Florida and Cozumel and I never thought our town would get an Ironman. I am of course thrilled to have the venue here and I think a lot of athletes will be surprised at how great the course and city will be for it.

Has anyone considered that being an inaugural event, there will not be anyone/any volunteers who get to sign up "early" (as is the case with Florida)?

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't there be >3000 spots available when registration opens, as opposed to often less than half of that with some of the other 'more desirable' races.

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"The best things in life are the people we love, the places we've been, and the memories we've made along the way."

Last year (2012) Louisville was brutal. The weather was nearly the same as 2010. 2011 was the mild year.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Swimming at elevation is really not that hard if you pace and breath!!!!

Assuming folks can control their pace in the swim, the second climb up brockway will be interesting to see how many are walking. Sure wish they would broadcast
various cameras live from the course so folks can see what is really going on. Would not be that hard to do.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I would if they'd announce the host hotel. I contacted WTC and have heard nothing. I also contacted the Chattanooga visitor's bureau and they say it hasn't been determined yet.

Anyone able to recommend a 2 BR 2 bath with kitchen near the proposed finish line?

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member CupCake Cartel

Where is the proposed finish line?