Is that a final word? It was to be my A race next year. aw p@@p!

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Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

"there simpliy are not enough Ironnman triathletes in the midwest to justify two races within weeks of eachother at this point in time"

Suggesting the supply af races (at two!) is much greater than demand. Yet IMWI sold out in what, 48hrs? The long raging discussions here about INMA vs. non-IMNA events had me believing that there was a significant unmet demand for well-run IM distance races in the US. By all accounts here the UltraMax races fit that description. This item seems to suggest that the Ironman branding/marketing is actually the more important factor... who would have guessed?

A shame for those who were planning on the race, it would seem now that the IMNA spots will be in yet higher demand.

Ken

Why are all the independent iron distance races suffering, but the m-dot races fill up a year in advance within hours? Do people not know about these other races, or do they want the branded race much more? Sounds like the Bluedevil is under the same pressure and next year might suffer the same fate. After all the discussion of crowding in the m-dot races, I was looking at Bluedevil as my top alternative, but it might not be around in 2006. It's really sad to see these races go.

D.

Bummer. I wanted to go back and redeem myself. The race was top notch in support and course design. I entered a week or two before and paid $295 with no additional credit card fees or Active.com fees. For your efforts, you received a a small sleeve dry release t shirt, a long sleeve dry release, beach towel, and a pre race dinner and brunch afterward. That seems like a lot of bang for the buck compared to what I have heard about some, not all, IM races. I don't want to start another IM bashing thread, since there are enough of those floating around, but if you are not realistically going to qualify for Hawaii, or if you just want the feeling of racing without a mass pack of people around you like you are doing the MS 150, then support the smaller races.

I am registered for IMAZ, and the pics of the pack of bikers from IM Wisconsin is what bothers me the most.

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56-11...the only way to fly

Yeah ... how 'bout it?

demise of the Springhfield Iron Horse Race

My 2004 A-Race.

The Ultramax Iron Distance Race

My 2005 A-Race.

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Anybody have a race that they wish would get cancelled in 2006? Let me know and I'll make it my A-Race. yeah ... I know, Boo-Hoo. Gimme a moment.

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I am looking it IMC and beggin my wife with "Puss In Boots Eyes".

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

You guys should come up to Ottawa Canada. We're putting on the "Canadian" Iron Distance Event.

http://www.somersault.ca/2sept3.html

This is a PB course and a great excuse to visit us in the Capital of Canada.

dev

without a doubt IM branding/marketing is a major factor, but supply/demand is a factor as well....IMW filled up in 48 hrs, but that includes athletes from all over the country/world....Ultramax intended to be the "Midwest" Iron Distance race, but IMW filled that void, with its branding and marketing -- and probably its location, which is closer to many major metro areas (Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Twin Cities, Michigan, Ohio, etc.) trumping anyting Ultramax could offer...There clearly is a supply and demand issue both in the too much/not enough context, but as I stated in my original post, there are very few triathletes in comparison to other sports and a fine line between an inadequate number of races and race saturation....If there were enough athletes wanting to do a Iron race in the midwest who didn't care about the IM brand Ultramax would be fine, but clearly there are not enough of those athletes around, at least in the Midwest.

As a side note to give people an idea of the amount of athelete by me (suburban Chicago): I just vistied SOCAL, I saw more people riding in two hours along the coast by my hotel in Carlsbad than I did the entire spring, summer and fall combined on the five or six routes I normally ride in my 'hood....

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"We will either find a way, or make one." -- Hannibal, General of the Carthaginian Army

"without a doubt IM branding/marketing is a major factor, but supply/demand is a factor as well....IMW filled up in 48 hrs, but that includes athletes from all over the country/world"

And as another example, the unknown, unmapped, but IMNA branded IMAZ sold out in something like 3 days, but left a gaping hole at IMCDA, which then took over a month to fill. So even for the IMNA races, the demand is limited, in part by geography.

Ken

That's a shame - I've heard nothing but good things about the UltraMax races. I was also saddened by the cancellation of IronHorse last year - it's usually my kick-off race, and despite the problems of the past, Paul and Mel and their crew really busted their butts to put on a great event. Part of the problem is that there were just too many new races introduced around the same time - Aurora High Cliffs 1/2 IM; Wisconsin Dells Tinman 1/2 IM, Baraboo WI 1/2 IM. It's great that the sport is growing at such a rate, but the RD's are just killing each other by not spreading the events out more.

without a doubt IM branding/marketing is a major factor

Amazing. Here I thought it was about the achievement of the distance, and it's really is about the logo/name/tattoo/label. Once again, I am wrong.

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

CDA actually took 3 months to fill, but you make a good point.

Interesting.

We do seem to be into a phase of feast or famine in some ways.

The success of the branded IM races and the IMNA events has been extraordinary. The demand still far exceeds the number of spaces (roughly 6 X 2000 spots) that IMNA has currently available. Not sure where this will all end and I do wonder where we are in the cycle.

There are other races that struggle to get by or get enough numbers to make it worth while.

I must admit that in my area( Southern Ontario) we are spoiled rotton with two great multisport series and a number of outstanding one-off single events. Many events operate at close to maximum. A strange phenomenon in a part of North America that is buried in snow for 4 - 6 months a year! Southern Ontario - Triathlon Hot-Bed! Breeding/proving ground for Lori Bowden, Simon Whitfield, Lisa Bentley, Sharon Donnelly and others. Who knew? The fact of the matter is the template for great races in this area was set by non-other than IMNA President Graham Fraser years ago when he ran the TriSport series, that is now run by his brother Mitch. He put on great races and more importantly he treated is as a business - which meant making the botton line count AND treating your customers( participants and sponsors)very well.

My sense is that there is still more room for 1/2 IM events or as Dan E. has noted, events similar to this in length that offer courses that are truely an adventure not a Tour de Suburb that you get at more than a few races.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

terrible shame. i did the innaugural race in 2002 and thought it was one of the best run races i have ever been a part of. a couple of people have done ultramax over the last 2 years at my recommendation and said the same things. if i were to participate in another im-distance race it would most likely not be an mdot one. i like the smaller group (i did imoo last year) and it feels a bit more welcoming. ultramax and the like will be missed in the near future when people get sick of the imna prices and forseeable lotteries for entry.

geoff

Hey devashish paul:

I am thinking about coming up for the ironman du in Ottawa. Is there anyway I can email you off line to ask specific questions? I am new to forum.

email me at dpaul@semiconductor.com and I will fill you in on "The Canadian". Expect a "small race festival" atmosphere, not IMNA !

I don't get it! Here is what you get in an IM branded race:

- Loss of the use of your money for 364 Days.

- Expos with only pre-approved vendors charging premium prices because there is a no-competition-guarantee.

- Dangerous swim starts.

- Constant drafting on the bikes due to overcrowding.

We must know that if we don't support the smaller IM races we are going to lose them! IMNA is in the practice of trying to drive off the competition. I don't want to only have one choice for IM races - IMNA.

Don't complain about the Wal Marts and IMNA's of the world and then support them! Have a soul and a conscience - race the races with a soul!

Source, please.

Source = E-mail from Ultramax Race Director. Posted Below.....

Special Ultramax Events Announcement
November 2004

Race production company Ultramax Events, will produce seven exciting events in Missouri during the 2005 season. The decision was made to not host the full iron-distance Ultramax Triathlon in 2005, and to focus energy on expanding on the great success of the 2004 U.S. Half Triathlon Championship.

The Ultramax Triathlon premiered in 2002 at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri and moved to Smithville, MO (just outside of Kansas City) in 2004. The race has always been popular with those that traveled to test themselves against the iron-distance course, ranking 20th among US triathlons in its first year, and 11th in 2003.

The small number of Ultramax finishers made the event very personal and extremely inspiring. However, that small number of racers just does not justify the logistics, costs and amount of work required to produce a full iron-distance event.

Ultramax (like each of Ultramax Events’ seven races) is very unique in the fact that it is 100% charity focused. This factor is one of the primary reasons behind the decision not to host the full iron-distance event in 2005. “We would hold the event for a few racers if we could, but our primary job is to raise money for the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation. We simply can’t host races that don’t contribute to making the Foundation’s sight saving programs successful,” said Ultramax Events Race Director, Mark Livesay.

“Unfortunately, the launch of the Ultramax Triathlon came in 2002, the very same year that Ironman™ Wisconsin was introduced to the triathlon world,” explained Livesay. “We set out to serve our racers by offering an iron-distance event in their backyard…as it turned out we were not the only ones that set out to fill the long course void in the Midwest.”

Most long course triathletes today realize that Ironman™ has created an outstanding phenomenon and has secured a tremendous hold on the iron-distance market. “I’ve raced in Ironman events and been to Kona, so I fully understand the Ironman draw,” offers Livesay. “Although almost unreachable for all but a small number of age-group athletes, the dream to go to the World Championships is one all age-groupers have in common. It is a very compelling and driving force.”

With an Ironman™ race now easily accessed by Midwest athletes, and the only place to qualify for Kona, Livesay and his team have decided to focus on filling another need within the sport of triathlon…a "true qualifying half iron-distance championship".

Hosting the Ultramax triathlon for the past three years allowed Ultramax Events to build a strong race organization and gain the national respect needed to launch a national Half Championship event. In 2005, the organization will concentrate efforts on producing its seven established multi-sport events.

The US Half Triathlon Championship was introduced as a new concept in 2004. The event has been expanded for 2005. In addition, the U.S. Half Championship has increased the number of qualifying events at which athletes can qualify (by finishing in the top 25% of their age-group), and has reinstated the time qualification aspect (which allows athletes to qualify at any half or full iron-distance event using Boston Marathon-like time standards). In 2005, the event will again feature a very limited 250 general entry category (non-qualifying slots).

“The U.S. Half Championship in its first year attracted athletes from 34 states and received tremendous feedback,” Livesay said, “we have every reason to believe this event will be even bigger and better in 2005.”

Livesay concluded, “We are very excited about the upcoming 2005 season. Ultramax Events is extremely focused on becoming triathlon’s next generation, and we are planning to produce seven of the very best triathlons in the nation. We are committed to the highest level of event production. I feel that shows in all we do.”

Ultramax Events 2005 Race Season

• Shakespeare’s Pizza MaxTrax Duathlon – Columbia, MO - April 17, 2005
• Merrill Lynch Race for Sight Triathlon – Columbia, MO - May 1, 2005
• St. Louis Halfmax Triathlon – Innsbrook Resort – June 5, 2005
• Max-O-Mania – Innsbrook Resort – July 29, 30, 31, 2005
• St. Louis Quartermax Triathlon – July 31, 2005
• MiniMax Kids Triathlon & Splash-n-Dash – Kansas City, MO - September 24, 2005
• U.S. Half Triathlon Championship – Kansas City, MO - September 25, 2005

Expanded Race details will be available January 1, 2005 on the www.ultramaxtri.com website. Registration will open for all events on January 1st…. If you have any questions please contact us directly at info@ultramaxtri.com.

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Past event updates archived online here! Ultramax Triathlon
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"We will either find a way, or make one." -- Hannibal, General of the Carthaginian Army

[reply] Do people not know about these other races, or do they want the branded race much more?
D.[/reply]

I'm a newbie and had no idea about these races. I think discovering/searching for races is far more difficult that it should/could be.

I had that question about The Grand Columbian. I've built a financial model which leverages the successful half iron to support the full iron. I am committed to doing the iron distance through at least 2006 and providing a IMNA alternative even if only 10 people sign up (although max will be about 300 particpants to ensure its a quality event). www.thegrandcolumbian.com. I also would like to congratulate Mark on a good race, great rep and a very tough decision.

That's a shame. I haven't done an iron distance race and I was planning on doing Ultramax as my first. I specifically wanted to do a non-IMNA race to avoid the overcrowded conditions. Does anyone know how many people they needed to make Ultramax feasable? Perhaps if there is enough interest they will reconsider.

Don