Not sure if this has been done before, but I want to get some info for 2006. Can anyone rank the NA Ironman or chose the one they like most and why?
it’s been done in some form or another here, but i’m bored and uninspired at work today, so here goes. i’ve only done 2 imna events and the chasm between them is wide. very wide.
- placid. scenery is unmatched. quaint but thriving little olympic town. lot’s of great local places to eat that don’t start with mc. hilly but fair course. great support. a lake with lane lines!!!
2 (and by 2, i mean dead last). florida. panama city is redneck hell. hotels suck. restaurants suck. course is flat and boring. ocean is big and scary.
Great post and I would like to see all Ironman distance races ranked here, not just M-Dot races.
Dave in VA
I’ve only done Lake Placid and I will be doing Coeur d’Alene at the end of the month. I do have several Ironfriends, though, who have done most or all of the IMNA races, and anecdotally here is what I hear:
- Placid/Canada coin toss (tie break probably goes to Canada because it has a longer tradition)
- Cd’A
- Wisconsin
- Arizona
- Florida
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Canada
-
Wisconsin
-
Florida (I liked my condo, food was easy to find, Ocean swimming is the best)
-
Lake Placid
Oh yeah, and to your point re: gathering some info for 2006, if you have any interest in doing either Lake Placid or Canada, do your homework and make arrangements to register through someone who is actually going to Placid or Canada for the 2005 race. I’m not sure if Canada even offers online registration, and I believe Lake Placid has sold out within the first couple of days of online registration for the last couple of years and may even be approaching the popularity of Canada where you pretty much need to get someone to sign you up on site the day after the race to get in or you won’t get in. Just food for thought. Both are immensley popular races and therefore are tough to get into.
haven’t done Canada yet (but will in august) but it seems to be a unanimous pick for #1 in NA
.
Done Canada, Florida, Moo
- Canada (if include non NA then NZ is right up there) I am a bit bias as its my local IM but the town really comes out in force the entire race week. Being local there is a bit of a party atmosphere as we know a lot of people either racing of cheering.
2 Florida - its not the race itself that gets it in to my 2 spot but I got to drive around Florida. Bit of an eye opener but very interesting. Never encountered a real Us red neck before! Course is boring but suits me, great beach, cheap food and accomodation
3 MOO - only last because Madison, though a very nice town, is much bigger than the normal IM type locale. I think race week tends to lose some of its flavour because of it.
What does MOO stand for?
Dave in VA
Cow. WI is the dairy state
Francois you’re suiting up for IMC? Are you going to go to Seattle, back home, and then all the way back up to Canada?
it depends what my work schedule looks like. I don’t have definitive dates yet for Seattle but if I stay until the 20th or so, then I will drive directly to Penticton
Well, if you go and you need a ride I have an extra seat. My wife is flying over on Friday before the race so I’m heading up by myself as of now. I’ll be leaving late on Tuesday the 23rd or early Wednesday the 24th from Seattle. Probably drive back sometime Monday but might extend until Tuesday in case I win the race 
- Placid, scenery is great, coures is great, the olympic setting is really cool, weather is usually good, the lake is great. Since I have not done Canada, way in front for #1
2 Wisconsin. Madison is a fun little town and the college kids really come out. The bike course kind of smells like shit at some points, fun though.
3 Also did IM Cal in 2001 which would be 2 if it was still around, but I’ll let it go since it’s gone now.
DEAD LAST IM Florida. Lame ass course, no where to eat hotels are run down, panhandle of Florida sucks. Got food poisoning before the race and didn’t miss it all that much.
Would do all these races again except Florida
actually, if I drive I may have my car…although nothing is sure yet (except that I race). I will let you know. but thanks a lot for the offer.
No problem. It’s a beautiful drive from Seattle for sure…
I like IMC because there are 80 to 100 people I know who do it every year. It’s nice running into people I train with along the course throughout the day. Many of the volunteers are people I know as are a pile of spectators. The “small town local race” feeling of IMC is something that I can’t get in any other race.
I’ ve been to every IMNA races for the past three - five years (except Canada). I would rank them this way -
#1 - Lake Placid - best course, great town - great crowd!
#2 - Ironman Wisconsin - The best spectators - nice course - end of year!
#3 - Ironman CDA - great town - great swim start - nice course
#4 - Ironman Arizona - great venue - early season race
#5 - Ironman Florida - flat course - end of season.
“#3 - Ironman CDA - great swim start -”
Only if you are watching from the Gatorade tent, not if your getting your ass kicked down in it.
Dave
About IMC, I’d appreciate feedback on what the run looks like (profile wise)…I have a pretty good idea about the bike course, having two climbs very similar to Richter and Yellow Lake, minutes away from my home.