I went looking for this information and couldn't find it.....could you provide an example? The athlete guide/event schedule typically isn't published until~4 weeks before the race, so that's not very helpful if you're making travel plans 3+ months in advance. Just curious, as I'm finding myself in a position where I'll be flying to a lot more races than I did in the past.

You can pretty reliably look at last year's athlete guide to get a good idea as to what to expect.

For instance, with IMLP, I know that there's going to be an athlete welcome thing on Thursday night, check in will end Friday, bike check-in starts at 10:00 AM Saturday and will be an absolute gongshow at that point, and that the race will pretty reliably start for AGers at 6:40 Sunday.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

Here’s the interesting part. The logistics of a full course yes I can see it hard. But that’s negated when you then create looped courses. Then the only “logistics” is dealing with enough groups of volunteers to fulfill the 17 hours+ needed to cover the event. But that’s made easier when you cut the requirements in half or thirds like IM Santa Rosa does- 2 lap bike, 3 lap run.

I just find it hard when 1 event (70.3) can do day before and have same amount of air stations but 140.6 needs extra day. Again I’m willing to bet it has far more to do with the permits and how IM deals with the city and how the money is divided etc.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

You're missing a few areas that exist solely at 140.6 events:

• Change tents (two shifts)
• Transition workers on race day (three shifts)
• Aid stations (multiple shifts)

Along with the additional logistics of a bunch more tents, additional snow fencing, bag racks, etc. It is peanuts, by comparison, to produce a 70.3. Not having to dedicate staff and volunteer resources to handle athlete check-in is a huge relief before the 20+ hour day that is working on race day.

I'm not disputing that there are financial considerations at play. But the 70.3 comparison is, in my mind, a wrong one to make. They're completely different animals to execute.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

I just got into WTC events, but I'm still not seeing the "greed" from Ironman here. They're making it overall easier on as an athlete by you getting into town earlier. Instead of being the random that is gonna drive twelve hours through the night and be a late check in the day before. No way is that good for your body.

The cost of doing business with counties and cities is they want more tourism dollars. No one wants to tax their own people. This has nothing to do with Ironman gouging you, they're not getting anymore money from you.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

The self-entitlement by some people is amazing. Have the whole race schedule tailored around your personal schedule because you don’t want to abide by the rules that have been in place year after year.

There are so many moving parts around organizing a race of that magnitude I don’t blame WTC one bit for having an early check-in. It’s clear those complaining aren’t race directors.

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

I don't have a dog in this fight, but just wanted to say thanks for providing an insider's view of what it takes to put on these events. I find it interesting how many people keep referring to 70.3s when the dude who has actually done this is trying to explain how they aren't comparable.

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

Ryan,
Nobody is disputing the additional race day logistics and resource allocations.

The issue that myself, Brooks, and others have is with athlete check-in two days before. There's no difference between 2,500 athletes checking in for a 70.3 or a 140.6. Same number of people, same forms to fill out, etc. It's a 100% identical process. Why can a 70.3 be done the day before but an is IM two days before?

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

They only put the athletes guide out a few weeks ago. Before that that just say refer to last years guide. In last years guide, they had Friday check in. I drove down from Oregon with the plan to check in Friday. Luckily I caught the unannounced change from last years guide when I was verifying check in times.

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Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite (yes, but I am not ready for a woman straight away) -Stephen Roche's reply when asked whether he was okay after collapsing at the finish in the La Plagne stage of the 1987 Tour

It's because of those additional items that you can't dedicate the same staff/volunteer resources that you otherwise would to athlete check-in. And as you know, it is a more involved process to check-in for a 140.6 versus a 70.3 -- forms are longer, more detailed, additional waivers, weigh-in, etc.

This all said -- I don't dispute that there's a financial consideration that is tied to proving economic benefit -- so you're at least, in theory, guaranteeing an additional hotel room night.

But I think you're downplaying the staffing considerations that are otherwise spent on Saturday fully walking through race-day logistics for Sunday and preparation -- work that for a 70.3, can often be executed by a much smaller staff and after expo closes for the day.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

Athlete check in for AKxtri last year was Thursday and Friday 9am-2pm or something like that. I only had the Friday off from work so rolled in 1pm on the Friday thinking smooth sailing. There was a 30-40 ppl still checking in, milling about. I started filling out paper work and sweating because it was hot in the conference room.

They tell me I needed to show my mountain run bag with first aid, high vis, whistle, bear spray etc. I thought this got checked at start of mountain section but I guess not. NO stress, run to the truck to get stuff...

Stand in line they tell me I need the printed waiver from for ALL of my support crew. My wife who was 'team captain' was there but mountain run assist guy was en route and not gonna be there until 4pm. I thought he could sign waiver before mountain section later but I was wrong... panic mode setting in.

I call buddy who just left work 1 min before, tell him to turn around and go find proper waiver and then sign it and then scan it then send it to me via email. I'll print it. So lucky he was near work still...

OMG where I am I gonna get a printer. No printer on site. dash into downtown Seward looking for a computer store someone told me about a block away. The place was decrepit and the computers were literally green screen old school. Guy working there was covered in cob webs. I've got 10 minutes. Find the internet, find the right web page, what the heck is my email password? get the printer to work. Oh God above! can you make this printer work. Guy working there is adjusting his glasses and looking at connection cords. I am losing it deep inside, maintaining cool on the outside. (if pacing in circles sweating means keeping it cool)

Thinking of all the hours training, planning and now this. So dumb on my part. I take full responsibility. Stupid! Stupid! (hitting self)

The paper waiver prints with signature. I sprint out door leaving wife to pay the $2 fee. I get to conference room, the doors are closed, they are packing up, guy doesn't want to let me in. I wave to lady who was helping me in a very motherly condescending sort of way. I got a good lecture about prior proper planning preventing piss poor performance and I deserved it. I was the last guy, put some grey hairs on my head. /blog

...does the "packet pickup via mail" that IMMD offered for, I think, $25, address the volunteer workload while allowing folks to get to the race site later?

It might, although I wouldn't at all be surprised if USAT frowned upon that procedure (what with the whole "show proper identification at packet pickup and your USAT card" thing).

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

I think they still had to show ID to get their bracelet, or something like that. There was a 2 hour window for them to show up at transition to accomplish the "final check in" during bike racking.

I’m kinda surprised that IM doesn’t have online check-in available yet. Then your chip and packet are waiting fir you when you rack your bike. Or something like that. If the airlines can do it....

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

So does the OP get to race?

This took a massive turn and All I wanted to hear is WTC made an exception and let the OP race, because I’ve found they usually do what’s right by the customer when presented w extenuating circumstances like this

Oh yes, I can race. They made an exception.