Dev - would love to see you come down and race IMMD. I'll see you there (on course) if so!!

Probably about the same that vacation in Houston TX in May, about 2500 with advance signups.

I just think there is very little interest in this race. IM events are destination events. Aside from being close to Baltimore this race has nothing over any other IM. I admit my view is tainted by my Eagleman experience which was awful for my family and me. But if 1200 sign up...i hope they do have a good experience.

I treat my IM races like vacations. Who wants to vacation in Maryland?
---------
I thnk a nice vacation area is a draw but Lake Tahoe is a nice vacation spot and it's still not sold out.

---

Train safe & smart
Bob

Lots of people seem like to take a DC vacation...the museums and monuments I guess. I live here and don't see the hype.

I have no idea on how many people will finally sign up but it being right on the I-95 corridor and with the bulk of training for us northern folks being summer it should do fine next year. I'm in this year and if it's less crowded than a typical IM that will be okay

I don't think Ironman is positioning IM Maryland as a destination race. It's located within a four hour drive of NYC metro, 2.5 hours from Philly, and 90 minutes from Baltimore/ Washington. I live in Central DE about an hour from Philly and 90 minutes from the course. My parents live in Ocean City, MD an hour from the course. As someone on a limited budget who can't travel to races, Challenge AC and IM MD are very attractive options for me. Talking to others in the area, IM MD is going to give the east coasters an opportunity to do two IM's in a season because the travel expenses will be minimal compared to other venues.

I can very much see IM MD getting the same rep as Eagleman where all the fast East Coast guys show up since it's so close.

Okay...I think another IM within 5 hours of me is a grand idea. I would love to see one in a nice locale in, say, Pennsylvania, or Virgina. I am sure even parts of Maryland and Delaware are nice. But, I have done Eagleman. Inspite of the wretched experience with that race, I have been trying to find Chessyman reviews, because, hey, who isn't considering a new IM within a drive. SO, here is what I read constantly about that race (all of which is consistent with my own Eagleman experience).

Terrible logistics. I remember taking a shuttle to the start. BUt then we could not take our bikes in the shuttles back to our cars. Nothing to do in that town. Makes a dull day for families.

Miserable swim. Jelly fish. Gross water.

Boring bike. Water over roads. Torn up roads. WIND.

Hot run until it gets dark when you are eaten alive by bugs. And its not three loops. Its six out and backs on a dull strip of farm land.

Ironman dumps races that cannot provide a good experience (ie, NYC). They are smart. Either the reviews of Chessy are wrong, or this race is not going to be around very long as an IM.

So, I hope IM fixes the race. Because I would like to do an IM in that area...but not that race

WTC/Ironman has something chessy doesn't - money and clout. I'm guessing Chessy couldn't really flex any muscle with Cambridge or pay for much traffic control because of their budget. WTC will have that and I can guaranty you to run will not be 6 loops. Not a chance. They're not going to put their name behind something that is going to really flop (outside of their control). Think how cheap logistics will be in cambridge compared to NYC. NYC was doomed to fail based on cost of logistics alone unless 10,000+ were to do the race.

You know what they say about opinions..................

I find it funny on ST with all the bashing about WTC - races in wrong locations for "me", flat courses, wind, jellyfish, fee's, on and on. You all take this way to seriously, don't sign up. Me, I'm happy to have an IM in my backyard - no travel, no airlines, jacked up hotel rates, etc. Just go race without all the other hassles, sounds good to me. My bet is a few people in Philly, Balt, DC, NY, Richmond, all with short driving distance feel the same way.

That probably has more to do with the toughness of the course/altitude/temps vs being a great spot to vacation in.

Seems the most popular IM's that sell out the quickest are not the hardest IM's you could do on the calendar.

---

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Here's some well-informed, but not official poop. all should be considered subject to change. 700 registered on day 1. However, not expected to reach full 1700 open registrants (but who knows?). 3loop bike. No single transition zone, not like ChesMan, no high school T-zone. All T in Great Marsh Park, like EM. Likely a shuttle to a small nearby town for spectators to watch along the bike route. Great Downtown finish. Jellyfish, hey it's called Ironman, they might be there, might not. tough it out or try another race. Bet on wetsuit legal...but don't bet your life. Mid-atlantic weather is highly variable.

I am NOT affiliated with the race or WTC.

I am not doing IM Maryland because I don't really want to do another IM and I really wish the triathlon world was less IM-centric and there were more great Olympic Distance races.

But with that said, I'm not sure why everyone is bashing the location. I have done Eagleman (10 years ago) and Chessy (6 years ago). I think it is an awesome location, especially if you can get a room at the Hyatt. Good food that is specific to the location (especially if you like crabs), very scenic rural course, challenging swim, smell of salt water in the air. What is not to love? I even enjoyed reading about the location in James Michener's "Chesapeake." I have done a lot of the great races in the world (IM Austria, Alcatraz, SOS, Laguna Phuket, St. Croix, Lake Placid) and I put Chessy right up there as one of my favorite races ever.

I wonder if they'll find another 10 Kona spots to add to see if they can get closer to a sell out.

cracks me up when people say things about how WTC is positioning this race or how it conflicts with other WTC races that weekend. They had no say in those things...this year.

As far as I know, Lake Placid is the only IM to sell out before it went online (for 2009). It's not exactly easy. I think time of year has a lot to do with it too.

If I have things playing out in my life like they have been recently...I'll be signing up if its still open. Have to wait a few weeks. If its still open, I'm in. Why not...its 2 hours away. Besides I'm not convinced its going to stick around for 2015.

I really wish they'd make it one big loop bike course and go out towards Assateague. Could be a fantastic course!

One reason is that there simply isn't any hotels there. Cambridge is a small town in the Maryland eastern shore. It isn't a tourist town or a vacation destination. It's a place that people drive through to get to the beach that is an hour+ away. They could have sold 400 slots on day 1 and you still would have problems finding a hotel nearby. Add on top of that, WTC probably has a hold on a bunch of rooms for their own staff and sponsors.

---

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

Cambridge doesn't have too many good hotels, but Easton is about 15-20 min away and almost as enjoyable, bigger and fancier, but hard to beat downtown Cambridge. You can try bed & breakfasts in Cambridge too, we have more than a couple. WTC was smart, they hired CTA's Cambridge race leader - he helped make the IMMD deal get done in one week...a huge accomplishment. He has run Eagleman and the ChesMan festival for years. This will be a good race. BTW, I think I got the bike loops mixed up with the run loops, I hear 3 for the run, but not sure if the bike will have loops per se. Again, this stuff from me is 'informed rumor', but figured it was more and better info than the thread had hold of yet, so I offered it.
Hope it helps.
PS - if u stay in Easton, look up Rise-Up Coffee, in Cambridge, don't miss Ocean Odyssey or Bay Country Bakery, you won't be sorry

I got a room at the Easton Hampton Inn. Was hoping and may still try and get on in Cambridge. The last couple hours of an Ironman are always fun but there is not much of chance I will back to race site if hotel is 15 miles away.

---

All I Wanted Was A Pepsi, Just One Pepsi

Team Zoot, Team Zoot Mid-Atlantic

I'd be really surprised if this race has only one year. WTC typically commits a lot longer. At any rate, I'm planning on doing it next year, so I hope I'm right!

-Robert

---

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

Any update on where registration stands? Things seem to have gone silent on this race.

I am betting a lot of people took the same advice srussell gave me and chose not to sign up. Funny how I was accused of WTC bashing when I suggested the race might have problems. What I said was that I doubt the race will sruvive unless WTC does things differently. Pretty cool to say "its Ironman, such up the jelly fish." But the reality is that most people are looking for an "easy" ironman. Tahoe and St George have proven that the hard core Ironman that you "tough guys" want just does not fit with a business model that is designed for selling our a race with 3000 entries. So, if IMMD has perfect temps, no jelly fish, no wind and everyone PRs, the race is a sell out the next year. If there are jellys, nettles, flooded roads, soul crushing winds, and mind melting heat...the race will not be around long. Now, here is the part that you with poor reading comprehension need to pay close attention to. This is not bashing WTC. This is actually a recognition that WTC brilliantly positions its races in a way to appeal to the greatest number of potential competitors. I know that is considered a terrible thing here on ST where the make believe sport of triathlon is revered as hollowed ground. But WTC is a brilliant organization. They will know when to pull the plug.

BTW...three run "loops" from great marsh park sounds like six out and backs on the Eagleman run course. Enjoy.

Super silent is a good sign to those of us waiting to transfer. I have family in Annapolis so I hope to be transferring my IMFL slot to MD. Then I get to enjoy Halloween with my kids too. Then again, if I don't get a teaching job I can just do both....