See you in 2022

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blog

1. I didn’t hear much of an update there.

2. Call me pedantic, but the fact that he didn’t finish with “stay healthy” or something along those lines (“good luck” doesn’t quite carry the same meaning to me coming from him right now) lowered my opinion of IM.

3. After the rollover races I’m registered for finally happen, I don’t see myself doing an IM race any time soon. But that doesn’t have much to do with this “update.”

He did basically say European races and North american running races will be rescheduled. Sounds like he is hoping that North American 70.3/Ironman races will go ahead, which is a lot easier to arrange than running races as there will only be 1,000-2,000 competitors. Be interesting to see what happens in a few weeks, 70.3 Texas is only 8 weeks away, people have previously talked about 6 weeks being the time races will get cancelled, so may find out more then.

So much is going to depend on the local communities. We will most likely be in better shape in the early summer than we were for IM Florida and that race went on with minimal issues.

Early season races are gong to be hard to get in but I would bet that some late summer and fall races will happen. As numbers improve, there will be a strong push to return to normal in all areas, not just racing.

It probably would have behooved him to explain a bit behind why around their insurance policies and what happens to the org if they cancel > or < 30d away from race date.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I'm really surprised that they didin't disable comments when they posted that laughably tone deaf video.

They probably should have ran that past a few people before pushing the send button.

See you in 202x where x>1.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

What he should have said is, SNAFU.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Do people demand that the TSA is removed despite being proven to be nothing but a security theater 20 years after 9/11? This should give you a hint as to what the new normal might look like. Remember that the slice of the population that votes in large numbers in the local elections also happens to be the one bearing most of the risk of dying from covid.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

One person in comments used credit card company to get his money back. I've heard of a few people successfully getting their money back this way. They also mentioned knowing somebody who won in small claims court. I'd love to know if WTC paid on that judgement.

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The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.

You might have to a bit more direct with me because I'm not understanding how your points relate to what I said.

US daily new cases are about the same right now as they were when Ironman Florida was held and they are improving quickly. It may look a bit different, but I believe there will be a significant amount of racing this year.

I’ve not read other comments, but judging by what’s here I assume I may be the only one not put off by it all. They’re in a situation where they know things are going to loosen up, in some places sooner than others, but can’t do anything actionable because nothing is set and even when things have appeared set they still change. I also don’t need them to tell me to stay safe/healthy again, as it’s already been said hundreds of times.

Completely tone deaf and continues their legacy of horrific (non) communication.

Can't even get a damn email from Ironman answered after 7 months of waiting (from both local race and corporate), so frankly I didn't expect much, even from their CEO. Frankly, this message fell below even that low bar.

Also, WTF is with that shaky camera. Get a damn tripod. CEO of a billion dollar company and it looks like it was filmed on a camcorder.

I didn't see much there myself in the video to complain about, as it was pretty stock answers for how they have to respond in a pandemic. Which is pretty much the only thing going right now, they are "stuck" imo just as much as the racers are when it comes to local covid orders and restrictions affecting the races.

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

I hope you're right. I honestly do.

Perhaps Trump was correct when he said that corona will be gone by Easter. He just failed to mention that he was talking about Easter of 2021 :)

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

All I took away from that is he would really like people to stop emailing asking if their race is going to be canceled.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

I know someone who got a refund. A European race cancelled to next year to the weekend of his daughters wedding.

He featured in a paper by a well known adviser for customers rights. He received a full refund.

If my European race is cancelled again I will be using charge back. I am on deployment next year.

I'll be unable to race one of my 2020 deferrals due to my own wedding... IM gave be the big "F*ck You," and sent me on my way when I asked for a transfer into another, earlier race.

I've done one Ironman branded race in 7 years of racing, with 2 more lined up this year. I've made it this far without supporting them, and I'd be happy to continue to funnel my money to local and alternative race organizers. I haven't done any Challenge races yet, but I certainly plan to.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

It’s kind of shocking. A “brand” as big as Ironman should have a PR Company drafting that message and if the CEO doesn’t have the comfort to deliver it there has to be someone in the organization that does like maybe hire Mike Reilly.

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Dave Jewell
Free Run Speed

The most frustrating thing is that he acknowledges that people are unhappy about the late cancellations but does not do anything about it or offer any solutions.

A really poor "update" from a CEO of a large company.

I successfully got a refund via my credit card for a 70.3 race last year under their travel policy which was expanded to include any canceled travel due to Covid. I was really surprised that an IM race qualified for this refund, but it this "event" was the only reason why I was going to travel (the logic was that if I flew to NYC to see a Broadway show, that would qualify. So the race was considered to be an event).

Prior to going the credit card route, I tried to get a refund using my race insurance. I qualified for their Covid Policy, had all the documentation, only to be told that the insurance policy was voided b/c the race was postponed.

You can only do a charge back on your credit card within a certain period, around 90 days I think from purchase date. Even if it was within that period your bank may refer to the Ironman t&c's and say no. If it's not possible to race, I understand that would be really frustrating, hopefully they would give reasonable deferal options, but if everyone got a refund, Ironman may not even exist anymore.

Just the general slowtwitch anti WTC slant in the comments! Same people that say: RACE LOCAL, IM SUCKS; but also never race or volunteer local.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.