IM Florida 70.3 (Orlando)

Triathlon Forum
1

Greetings.

I am considering doing the 70.3 race in Orlando in May 2010 but there isn’t much info on the site about when registration opens.

Anybody have any info on when the race might open for applications this year (past experience is fine) and how long before it usually sells out?

Thanks in advance…

2

Last year’s race didn’t actually sell out until maybe 2 weeks before the race. In this economy, the race seems to be catering to mainly locals. My girlfriend and I signed up 3 weeks before the race without any issues. You can also email Tom Ziebart, the race director, about how close the race is to selling out

3

I registered in mid-october so would assume registration should open in early fall.

I don’t know if it filled but if it did it was pretty close to race day.

Good luck, it’s a great race.

4

Thanks to both posters.

Last thing…

Is it a good race for spectators? (wife and wee little kids…)

5

It’s okay for spectators. The swim is a big “U” and you can see the swimmers the entire time. Can’t make them out but they can be seen. I was not able to watch any of the bike. I don’t know if it is easily possible or not. I am not a local and didn’t know my way around that well. So it may be possible to watch the bike but I wasn’t. The run is a 3 loop course and there are places where you can go out a little on the run course and see the athletes twice on each lap. The run was fun to watch. Again I don’t know that area that well, but there was not much to do when the racers were out on the bike course. hope this helps a little.

6

I signed up 7/23 last year. Surprised its not open yet. This year (for those of us from the north) it was hot. My wife and kid’s (5 and 8) were very bored. The heat just took it out of them. At the race sight there is not a lot for the kids to do. The run is a 3 loop course so they did see a lot of hot people falling down from the heat. Other than race day the kids had a great time at the pool, disney, water parks etc. (we were in Orlando for 6 days). The bike was a lot of fun.

I doubt I would do the race again as I just can’t prepare to race in that heat that early in the season, but it was definitely worth doing once.

7

Two years ago we had all 4 kids out there & this year we only had the older two (7 & 9). It sucked for my wife the first time & it wasn’t much better this year. It will be brutally hot, and let’s be honest - watching daddy run by once every 30 minutes just isn’t that exciting. Do everyone a favor – book a room at the Lodge, let the fam hang at the pool during the race, and then take everyone to see the Mouse after. I’ll be following my own advice this year - the Lodge is a great hotel & easy to manage on race day.

8

I did the race the first year and the course has changed a bit but it isn’t terribly good for spectating…although I don’t think many races are that good. Like the others I recommend either staying on site so they can go back to their room once your on the bike or just have them drop you off. My wife came with me to IM Louisville and said she was never more bored in her life.
I think I am going to do Florida half IM again in 2010, it was fun to be able to go with my family to the parks…a lot more fun for everyone than going to LP or Louisville.

9

I did it this year. It was my first.

  • Very, very flat. Run and bike.
  • Very hot and humid. It is in May and just not use to it. I do races right now with same heat and not a problem. I am now use to it. But in early May I was not ready for the heat.
  • Not much to compare to but thought it was very well run.
  • Tons and tons of aid stations on the run. All well stocked and very nice volunteers. Amazing.
  • Big plus for me is that it gets me started training for the summer of sprint and oly races.
  • I am convinced the swim was long. I think 5 minutes long for me.
  • Lots of spectators during the run. Which was great. But the run is on grass and a loop you do three times. Some areas there is no shade. But the forum had me prepared for the run being worst than it actually was.

I will do it again because I want to improve my time at that race. Being the first I was too conservative and went too slow. My goal was just to finish. Did a 5:45 but I feel I should be able to do 5:15. I am 47 so have my doubts I will ever get under 5:00

10

Spectating at triathlons is generally not that interesting for non-triathletes as a general rule; this venue is no worse than most and because of the loops on the run, does offer the chance to see your racer more than once. It’s got to be hellishly boring for them regardless (plus they get to get up at a stupid hour too).

It does heat up, though I would not classify the weather as either extremely hot or extremely humid this year. Sure it was getting hot, and there is always humidity in Florida, but I didn’t think either were particularly bad (and I’m from the arid west and it didn’t really bother me). By the end of the race, temps were only in the mid 80’s and the humidity was reasonable. (Of course that was only this year’s weather!). The trail sections were definitely the most exposed and for some reason felt hotter than the rest of the course.

I would definitely get a room at the Wilderness Lodge and get some park passes. It’s a little more expensive but the convenience in my opinion is worth it.

While the 3 loop run course is a plus for the spectators, the negative is that you get 2600 people out on it by the end of the race and it got quite crowded - especially on the trail sections. If you are a faster runner you need to do a lot of weaving. I think they should make it a 2 loop course to relieve congestion or limit the field to something like 1800 people.

11

Would you guys say this is one of the fastest 70.3 courses on the East coast, if you can handle the heat?

12

IM 70.3 Florida is the BEST race in the IM 70.3 Series! Of course I’m biased as I’m the RD. We are going to improve the bike course again this next year with some brand new roads! The run course is another story, but I think we have done a great job of making due with what we have to work with. Your family will LOVE coming to Disney and they will have the time of their lives! Good luck with training and we will see you next May at Mickey’s House! Z

13

Tom great job on running an amazing race last year. Been in many, many races and never seen aid stations like these. I only have two suggestions

  1. Gatoraide or something besides soda for after race.
  2. Please do something about the heat :slight_smile:
14

I can for sure take care of your first request - I’ll do my best on the second. Z

15

could you maybe arrange for a cold front? :slight_smile:

hey this is Disney - the magic kingdom - this should be a piece of cake!

16

Tom- what is the registration status right now? how close to filling up is the race?

Thanks- clyde

17

We are over 1,500 and filling up FAST - I would not wait much longer. We closed last year in March and it looks like it will be filled up much earlier for next year’s race!

18

Tom, now that they are having an ironkids the same weekend, the whole family wants to go play and race. We are trying to figure out logistics ie how to get 4 bikes from CO before we sign up. How full are things and when do you anticipate it selling out(I know it is just an estimate)? Thanks in advance, Chris

19

Last year, IM 70.3 Florida filled up in late March. I think that we will fill up by early March this year. IronKids will not fill up then, but the adult race will be full. Z

20

Thanks for the info, hope to see you there.