After reading the IM survey - seems like everyone bashes IM Florida. Does anyone like it?
I’m considering it as it fits my program/schedule the best. Weather here can be bad until at least June (it snowed here yesterday!) and Sept/Oct are slow months at work for me…
I also like flat courses - though I think I’d like a little climbing/rollers on the bike just to stretch…
Dave
I do. I like the ocean swim, the bike course suits me and except for 7 or 8 miles of rough stuff is not THAT boring), and well, the run course does seem to be accurately measured 
(the run course kind of sucks no way around that).
I like the timing of the race as much as anything. I’ll be doing it for the third time this year. 2006 I am planning on heading to Western Australia which is the same time of year.
I’ve been to IMCDA twice, IMFL twice, and a non-MDot once. During the race there really isn’t all that much time to look around at the scenery. I love the CDA area but the week before the race you really can’t be doing a lot of sight-seeing anyway.
Compared to some of the other races it has its deficiencies as others have mentioned but I have done it a few times and it was not near as bad as some have made it to be. The end of year timing was good for me, I live where it is flat, windy, and hot so the course matches well for my preparation, it is off season so nice condos are available cheap, and I like the Ocean swim - not too crowded on the second loop. I still rate Canada and IMMOO higher but remember Canada is a pain to get registered.
It’s my 1st pick…only b/c I enjoy all those annoying things.
Ocean Swim - IM’s were made for salt water. Nothing like it outside Kona in NA…
Redneck Riveria - Plenty of cheap eats and condos on the beach.
Waffle House - Need I say more?
Tropical - Something about palm trees makes it a nice trip
1ish Loop bike
Inside transition area
Inside banquets
It’s gets dark early…better hurry up!
For the AGers, its fast…for the Pros, doesn’t appear that way
It was my 1st…so I’ll always remember it dearly.
I enjoyed IMFLA. Good location for me. I wasnt in it for the scenery. Loved the swim. Enjoyed most of the bike. I like 2 lap runs as I set a goal for each turnaround. Essentially every turnaround was a victory.
My only issue was the host hotel. It was awful. All the rooms smelled horrible. We spent 1 night then went down to the holiday Inn and were treated like royalty. We even had wireless internet.
IMF '04 was my first IM, IMAZ '05 my second and I have volunteered for Madison and signed up for '05. After racing AZ I like FL a lot more. Florida has there shit together. Very well run. Yes the town sucks, but you’re there to race. My only suggestion would be to get a condo with a kitchen as the restaurants aren’t too good. Oh, and never sign up for a 1st year IM. AZ sucked. Madison has better fan support than FL, but tougher course.
Ask the 2000+ athletes who filled the race up within 9 hours…
Yawn. Lake Placid sucks. MOO Sucks.
Scenery? Gimmee a break folks. How much “scenery” do you take in on race day?
I like PCB. VERY nice white sand beach. Super easy to find a place and CHEAP because it’s off-season. If you stayed at a dive, that’s your fault for not researching and looking. I will bet $$$$$$$$ I could find a flea bag rental in Madison and LP.
Many things to do in PCB.
Go to the home page of IMMOO and look at the bike photo. In the middle of nowhere with cow shit and corn fields. Sounds sooo scenic and fun. NOT! So where’s all your crowds for the apparenlty many lonley people on the page?
Lake Placid. So what. Do the hills make it a “better” Ironman. I don’t think so.
As far as IMFL being a PB course what’s the big deal? How many of us have our PBs on the hilliest, windiest course we do? The course is what it is.
I’ll take Florida in November over NY or WI anyday.
Go ahead, flame away. Placid and MOO SUCK!!!
yes I did, the flat course and late season date suits me.
My friend was hit by a car during the bike portion 3 years ago and was almost killed. Cars were backed up from the race and the driver overcorrected and hit my friend. He now has titanium rods in his back but is coming back to somewhat normal. I will never do this race.
I was at IMFL as a spectator last year:
Positives:
Fast course, but the flatness of the course can wear you down and be deceptivly hard. Note that race winner Tom Evans was a few minutes SLOWER at IMFL than at IMC
Inexpensive accomodation/food
Outstanding beach. I have been to beaches all over the world and the Panama City Beach is one of the great ones that I have been to.
Negatives:
Timing for most - but for you a positive
Hard to get to
Really nothing to see or do in the area unless shopping at the World’s biggest Wal-Mart is something on your life-list to do!
Get a couple of K away from the host hotel and no one even knows about the race
It’s shoulder season so many places are closed or boarded up. Town feels a bit empty and a bit like a ghost town. This can be a positive if you like walking/sitting on the beach in quiet peaceful surroundings.
Panaman City Beach is in transition rigth now from teen-age/college party place to upscale condo retirement place. There is construction everywhere up and down the beach road.
The flat course is harder than you think
Fleck
Why blame IMFL? Why not hate cars, or bad drivers?
I was thinking the same thing. I was all excited about signing up for 2006 until I read the top 10 posts. The fact is, I live in Chicago (flat, crappy training weather until June) so it seemed like the best option for a 1st IM. I think I’m still going to sign up. After all, I’m sure the pain will be so excruciating that the scenery will be the last thing on my mind.
I’ve done it twice because its so close, and haven’t had a chance to do any other IMs yet.
It sold out in less than one day this past year, nothing like Canada but faster than what I remember for the other races. I think the time of year and fast course have a lot to do with its popularity.
Maybe if I ever get up to Madison or Lake Placid I’ll see the light and realize how much IMFL sucks, but in the meantime I would love to go back someday.
Well, it sounds a little mixed. With the IM ranking post, I was, “YIKES!” IMFL will be my first IM. This thread eases my trepidations about it. From reading the other thread (and confirmed with this one), I asked my wife to look into getting other accomodations. Yes, we’re booked into the host hotel; me, the wife and our two kids. Hopefully, we can get in elsewhere, away from what sounds like a skanky hotel.
Hey, to hijack, just a little. I think there should be a west coast IM with a Pacific Ocean swim. The area I’m thinking might be real fine for it is Pismo Beach. There’s a back road from Arroyo Grande to San Luis Obispo that would be an awesome part of the bike course (add some pitch with Noyes Road), then to Morro Bay, Shell Beach, etc.
You realize there have been fatalities at other Ironman races, don’t you? I’m sorry for you friend (I think I remember the accident scene if it was the 2002 or 2003 race), but does he think the accident was somehow unique to the race he was doing?
Its a nice first, or only time, IM.
There is always the Great Floridian
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Yes, we’re booked into the host hotel; me, the wife and our two kids. Hopefully, we can get in elsewhere, away from what sounds like a skanky hotel.
If memory serves me (this was in 2001) we stayed right beside the Broadwalk hotel which was the host hotel, the accomodation was fine,as was the hotel on the other side of ours. The latter was in fact a better deal in terms of cost and size of the room. No one complained about the host hotel if I recall correctly. I would stay as close to the race hq as possible as not a lot else is going on once you stray too far.
IMF has been and will remain a popular place for 1st timers, beginners and those looking for a p.r. for the reason that the course is perceived to be easy. My problem with IMF is that it is a draft fest. I think WTC should pull all of the age group Hawaii slots at IMF and only give pro slots. It is usually one of the more intriguing pro races combining athletes who would be outside of the money at Hawaii with the DNS/DNF group. I don’t think pulling age group slots would hurt the popularity of the race one bit.