1. event distances offered

2. distance from my home if I can drive there the morning of or an interesting place that I can take my family to for a weekend

3. reputation of event organizer

4. time of year/weather/coldness of water/hotness of run

5. interesting course - I like a challenging bike, but not killer hills and an interesting run

6. closed bike and run course or guarantee that course will be safe (goes with #3)

7. single loop bike and run for 1/2 im or less

Good luck with it.

D.

1. price, I am poor man this year.
2. location, no more than a 2 hr drive from central michigan.
3. Swim venue, I hate dragging my arms through weeds, given the drop in water levels in previous years this may start to become more common.
4. Bike, moderately challengeing, especially on sprint or oly courses.
5. Run, good mix of trail and road, well stocked aid stations, and a cool towel at the end.

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Jim

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

A big thing for me is the races that my club does. There are several local races that gives us club points for a certain series. Club discounts may also get whole groups of people to sign up.

jaretj

I agree with Dawn's list. I would say that beside the distance of the race is how close it is. I wish I could jump on a plane to wherever to race but just isn't realistic. Beyond that I would say that the race is well organized. I would rather travel a little to race a organized event then do one down the street that is in chaos.

oh, reasonably clean water. There are events here in a reservoir that I think is just too sick, but that just may be me:)

Hello Jim

I'm in MI so for me closeness isn't an issue. If its in MI I prefer to do the Mi challenge races. I also much prefer Saturday races to Sunday races. Good course is a given. Low cost. No conflicts with other events. Good prizes. Of all of these the MI challenge and Saturday are my biggest.



Styrrell

In no particluar order, here's a few things I look at when picking my races:

- course length: has to be olympic at a minimum, but focusing on longer courses now...1/2 and full IM's.

- race reputation/size: I was interested in signing up for the full Vineman in '05, but when I realized there were only ~200 finishers the year before, I changed my mind. I don't like the venues with few competitors for some reason. It feels more like a gathering than an event.

- price: expensive race fees suck. I know races cost money, but when cash is tight, it makes for an extremely short season.

- location: travel costs must be minimal for me, since I threw all my money into the registration fees.

1. 1/2 IM or longer that qualifies me for IM Cheeseland (I was on the road the day of regsitration and didn't get back until 11PM....too late).

2. Considering the above and the fact that I only want to race 4X max in 2005 including my IM.

3. I'll make an exception if you let me chase fisherman around the lake while I'm in my kayak again in 2005. Then I'll be happy to volunteer, as long as there is no conflict with Steelhead.

Rocketboy

All good points so far. I'll be passing them all along and adding a couple of my own.

I did not notice sanctioning as a major item so far. We will sanction again.

RB...hate to say it but there is a direct conflict with Tom Z's event but since we have an International distance, and adding a Sprint, and even a 5K, we're hoping anyone not ready for, or up for, the 1/2IM that weekend will head over our way. (You really want to do that draft happy WI race?) Otherwise....I'm ready to get you an electric jet ski so you can run down anyone with treble hooks leaving no fumes behind.

BTW arthroscopic on the torn miniscus is scheduled in a week and a half.

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern