I don't know that IM Whistler would exist if it weren't for the fact that the full and the half are put together (I don't know if either race would sell out or even be profitable)

I was spectating last weekend and the tail end of the 70.3 crowd were just starting the bike when the pros were entering their second lap. With the speed differential it was a sub-optimal scenario. Especially on the little hill where i was watching where there were people 3-5 abreast passing on the climb.

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I do the same thing as them, just slower

Crowded bike course is a fair point

But you do remember two days ago was 94 degrees no? I swam a 1 and biked a 6:30 and walked a shit ton along with a huge number of full athletes. Yes there were half’s as well but by my acccoint mostly fulls

For me I thought the bike course was actually less crowded when I went thru than I expected. So really didn’t have an issue. I could see how pros and those looking to qualify may feel differently

Did you get your slot?

Yes. I did

Edit.... nevermind

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blog

I agree with the OP.

I finish in and around 10 hours. On a two lap bike with 70.3 racers, I deal with back markers the entire second lap, both from avoiding their unpredictable cycling and overhearing them moaning about how hard it is. Makes it tough to stay focused.

On the run, it doesn't bother me.

But I do feel the finish line experience is not the same. Crossing with a 10 hour time and someone just getting under the cut-off for the 70.3. Maybe it's my ego and I'm shallow, but I prefer doing IM only events.

I always prefer races where everyone is doing the same distance but I'm not out there trying to make a living putting on races. I understand why it needs to be that way sometimes.

Seems like there's a better place for this rant.

THIS

First, congrats on the KQ ... outstanding! Second, I also prefer the IM be stand-a-lone. However, I just had my first experience with a combined event at IM & 70.3 Haugesund, Norway on 1 July 2018 and it was no issue. The difference between Canada and Haugesund is that the latter only had a combined ~1200 athletes (registered) for both races. This was the 7th year for the 70.3, but the 1st for the Ironman and there were only 524 finishers. We started one hour ahead of the 70.3 and I was getting passed on the bike by a lot of the faster riders from the half (but I'm 60). The bike was a single loop so after about 52 miles we turned a different direction and that was the last we saw of the half although the bike course was never crowded. And there simply weren't enough total athletes for any significant cross-over between fast Ironman runners and slow 70.3 runners.

If you hadn't KQ'd I would have said you picked the wrong race, but I would still encourage anyone to consider Ironman Norway ... it was the most singularly spectacular bike course I've ridden in 11 different IM venues (13 IMs total), and unique in so many ways.

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am not sure if I should be upset with you or send you a bouquet of flowers. My wife commented 2 weeks ago, “Honey (me) I think you should sign up for Norway’s Ironman, it sounds really beautiful. “ I am thinking, huh, I still have to climb 8,000 feet at Whistler and finish the run and you want me to do another Ironman (my 23rd).

Seriously, your note was great, thank you. Super motivating and you may have changed my mind about doing a combined race. I read your note to her and she wants to do the half and me to do the Ironman.

We live in Seattle and 4.5 hours away and have not been to Whistler. Unbelievably spectacular. We will be back to visit the area again and that is why we love the sport. New location, new experiences and that is the attraction to and why Norway is so intriguing. Thank you again for your thoughtful note.

See post #10 in this thread: https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...an%20norway#p6669658

I thought 70.3 finishers were "Ironman" too.

I am considering IMCA for 2019. I can see how it might be problematic with both the IM and 70.3 happening together for racers.

My husband needs a break from the full IMs and wants to do halves next year. So it would work great having him do the 70.3 and me do the full IM.

Wondering how difficult it would be to have the full IM on Saturday and the 70.3 on Sunday. I know this would make it difficult with two days of racing for the towns (road closures, etc). Just an idea. I know some venues have had a race on a Sat and a race on a Sunday (I did Chatt worlds last Sept and there was the women's race on Sat and Men's on Sunday).

I have looked at IM Norway and they are doing a half and full the same day but have different bike courses for each race. That might be too difficult in the Whistler area?

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Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

In case you need some more selling for your wife... Haugesund reminded me of Seattle. We built a vacation around Ironman 70.3 Haugesund in 2015. The city is located near the North Sea with marine access by the Karmsundet strait. Haugesund sits at 59+ degrees latitude, Seattle is only at 47+ degrees latitude, the weather and lighting conditions were similar. Daylight came early and darkness came late in both cities during June and July. When living in Seattle we experienced anything from grey skies, fog, rain, and sunshine all in the same day. We got all that in Haugesund as the race started under cloudy conditions with temps in the low 60’s F.

One thing Haugesund didn’t share with Seattle was the population and traffic density. The whole metropolitan area is about 36,000 people. While there, do a “Norway in a Nutshell” sight-seeing tour where you travel by train, bus, and boats. We sailed through fjords, peered over water falls, and experienced some of Mother Natures’ most spectacular creations on the planet.

Race day check-in was easy. Walked out to the hotel parking lot, stepped onto a bus, and ate a Clif Bar during the 10 minute ride to the transition area beside the swim start. The transition area sat atop a soccer field, or futbol pitch with separate male and female transition areas. The field was artificial turf with loose fake dirt like material underneath. This was the softest and smoothest surface ever to do a run warm up on for a race. Another unique experience in the transition area was the relatively high percentage of competitors wearing blue jeans for warm-ups. All the spandex and poly blends only came out during the actual race. If organizations rated transition areas like hotels, then the one in Haugesund would receive a top 5 Star Rating.

The spectator area allowed a great view of the easy to navigate though unusual swim course layout. We swam in potentially the most unique swim course of any triathlon in the world, an upside down block letter capital “U”. Each swim wave started with the sound from a blow of a genuine Viking Horn. Nothing canned about that. I heard the sound at the start of the race and my first reaction was, “I gotta get me one of those things!”

While the competitors spoke infrequently the spectators were non-relenting in their cheers of encouragement. My youngest daughter grew annoyed as the Norwegian home crowd yelled “Hei ho’s!” That sound I will never forget for its uniqueness.

The course was great. People in Haugesund were friendly. Everyone associated with the city wanted to help put on a great race for all the competitors and their family and friends. Everyone one seemed to possess a unique ability to speak English with us based on strictly on sight. Only once all week someone talked to me in Norwegian first before quickly switching over to flawless English. The race was voted the second best Ironman 70.3 in the world according to one poll. The Ironman 70.3 Haugesund or IM race should be on any triathlete's bucket list for a destination race.

Congrats on the KQ. You may have a different opinion after doing that race of a combine IM/70.3. Everything occurs quicker and with more concentration of competitors in the same real estate there compared to other races. Frankly, more people racing together these days creates more comradery among the competitors and makes for a stronger sport.


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There is no way. Hard enough essentially blocking almost all access to and from Whistler for one day. Two days?

The bike courses are not exactly the same at Whistler (half is a little short), and start times are Full at 6 am half at 7:20. The half goes all the way up Callaghan and the full only 2 ish miles. I did not have any personal issues with bike crowding as I was ahead of the half racers on the first loop and only felt a bit of a crowd on the second loop. Third loop was much much less. The only real problem I see from crowding is Alta Lake Road and while I didn't see much around me, it looked more crowded behind me as I was going the other way.