Help me break my IMNA addiction

Triathlon Forum
1

I signed up for IMWI again next year. Fourth year in a row. I’m sick of their fees, the crowds, the sponsors, the cost. I was even kind of bored during the race this year (lost its zing for me) so I’m even sick of the course. I promised myself that I wouldn’t, but the race is in my backyard so it’s really hard for me to pass up. I feel so weak and worthless for signing up again.

I am also doing Silverman in Nevada this year, but two IM’s in a year are rare for me (only in 2003 did I do two and that was tough since I also do a few marathons a year). So doing two is not really an option for me. After I sign up for IMWI that pretty much sums up my IM distance race season.

I wanted to skip at least one year of IMNA races so that I could do some other races like Vineman, Duke, GFT, etc. etc. etc. Heck, I’d even love to go back to Roth (my favorite all time race) or even try out the new distance in Nice, etc. etc. Non-IMNA races that I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

How do I break this stranglehold IMNA has on me? It’s worse than crack. Can anyone just say no???

Hi, my name is tritnow and I’m…

2

The next races on my list are the Greate Columbian and Duke. They have priority over anything else. Duke because my brother lives down in NC and I can stay for free :slight_smile: and the Columbian because the course looks unreal. There are so many other great races around I can’t see why people don’t want to do them. IMNA puts on great races but expand your mind folks!

3

Repeat after me… “Just say no, Just say no, Just say no”. It’s really that simple.

4

send in your withdraw notice get your $200 back then sign up for an IM distnace race that is somewhere you want to visit and sight see. To appease any feelings of guilt, go volunteer at IMWI, since it’s in your backyard.

5

If you get your $200 back, its only $100 more for full entry into The Grand Columbian. We had a great event this year. Perfect weather (50-75 degrees) tons of enthusiasm

6

It’s really simple.

You sit down and you do a “cost analysis” (geek word … just see how much everything cost) of an IMNA race v. a non-IMNA race, and the answer is obvious.

You get basically the same stuff, minus 1000 competitiors and a jumbotron (AFAIK) for hundreds less.

The real drawback is after you do a non-IMNA race, you can’t get an M-Dot tattoo. smirk

It all depends on what you want out of a race/venue. I, personally, just want to do the distance and have reasonable hydration on the course. I don’t need large amounts of competitors/spectators … or to be able to say “I did such-n-such race”.

If race fees were the only cost it wouldn’t be so bad … but the hotels and travel (with family) PLUS the already high race fees is too much. I choose the lesser expensive races out of principle. It’s like the same reason I don’t pay $800 for a dog.

7

survival of the shawagunks, or maybe shawangunks.

8

I for one thought that Moo sucked compared to IMLP…just do LP once…Moo will be in the shadows.

9

Yeah, but, if you’re a midwesterner LP can break your wallet.

10

here’s a novel idea. Instead of an Ironman, why not plan a season that includes several Olympic distance tri’s leading up to a half IM to peak for. Instead of slogging through all of those long miles, do some shorter stuff and work on your speed and strength for a year. Then come back to the Ironman distance for 2007.

11

What always amazes me is that races like The Columbian only manage to bring in 70-80 people. I just don’t understand this. Why is it that more people don’t do courses like this that are non M-dot?

Anybody know how many are signed up for Silverman?

Other results
Duke Blue Devil 177
GFT 395-400

Then for some reason IMWI sells out in 5hrs with 2000 plus?

~Matt

12

The updated list of the last year’s iron races is here but doesn’t include the IMW from last week yet.

http://www.xtri.com/results/im-biggest.asp

13

I know, it is totally and completely ridiculous that these other races don’t get more registrants. They are smaller, better, and cheaper than IMNA races. I’m guilty and I admit it. I want to break free from IMNA and I swear I’m going to do it next year. In the beginning it was marketing (seems like a better race, or a must-do race), then it became a race to improve on, now it is a bad habit. Going cold turkey is the only way.

We must start an intervention group. The 12 Steps to IMNA Recovery:

STEP#1:. “We admitted we were powerless over IMNA – that our ability not to register had become unmanageable.”

STEP#2: “Came to believe that Non-IMNA races greater than ourselves and could restore us to sanity.”

STEP#3: “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Non-IMNA Races”

STEP#4: “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of our IM race strategy.”

STEP#5: “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs from registering for IMNA races.”

**STEP#6: **“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these IMNA races from our yearly schedule.”

STEP#7: “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings, including bad swimming and running techniques.”

STEP#8: “Made a list of all persons we had harmed by entering IMNA races, and became willing to make amends to them all.”

STEP#9: “Made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”

STEP#10: “Continued to take a personal inventory of our race equipment and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.”

STEP#11: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our race times and conscious contact with Non-IMNA races”

**STEP#12: **“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to triathletes, and to practice these principles.”

14

IMNA is a prime example of sucessful Brand marketing.
The M-Dot logo alone is one of the best I’ve seen in a while. Its become "The Franchise " !

Everyone wants that IM Finishers Medal and T Shirt.

Its the NASCAR of Multi-sport.

15

70 -80 people for the columbian ?? !!

that is pretty sad, really. i mean, there is a local mtn bike endurance race that literally runs off a borrowed folding card table and a yellow legal pad for scoring with a starting line scratched in the dirt with a shoe that pulls more than that.

here is a question, why does a race with less draw than your local fireman’s potato sack picnic race even warrant mention on a world-wide board such as this ?

everytime somebody brings these races up, they should also mention that they have got to be very lonely ghost events, out on the road.

16

I just don’t understand this. Why is it that more people don’t do courses like this that are non M-dot?

It’s America. We fight for the privilage to over-pay for brand-name labels …we do it every aspect of our lives.

Even though it is obvious, I agree … it still does not make sense.

For me, paying a lot more than you have to doesn’t make sense.

17

I just don’t understand this. Why is it that more people don’t do courses like this that are non M-dot?

People are a bunch of lemmings.

18

For me, I just wanted to do one M-Dot ™ race to see how it compared and if the differences were worth any amount of the price premium. Now I can safely say, no, the differences are not worth the premium.

So I am comfortable with supporting my local races from now on and I have no more lingering questions.

OK, maybe just one- IF I stay healthy in this sport long enough to turn in some Kona qualifying times, I MAY consider a bid to go to the Big Island someday. It’s a big IF though.

Consider your priorities for the sport and for your life and ask how the M-Dot figures. If it figures very little (like you don’t realistically want to qualify for Kona for instance) there’s your answer. It’s a big beautiful world out there. IM is just a tiny slice.

19

Cathy I agree.

When I look at the WF OLY experience with 3000 people and all the issues with 5 hours of start times, etc., compared to lets say the CM where it is much smaller, I love the smaller races. Even at the Half VM it had 3 horus of wave starts. At CM we were able to talk to Brad kerns, an AG female IMW winner, etc. People are much more friendly is seems at the smaller races I do.

Okay, now that I think of it, No folks need to sign up for CM next year. I want to be the only one so I can win it all myself. :o)

I had no idea what M-dot meant until this thread.

Just like some have a life team dream for IMH. No thanks.

Dave

20

Since there’s only 70-80 folks that did The Grand Columbian and since the winning time was 10:40’ish, Wouldn’t there be at least some draw based on the idea of “Hey I could win this thing” or “Hey I could place in my AG”

~Matt
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