First IM event in a couple weeks. Just wondering which is a better event to bring the family - Welcome Dinner or Awards Banquet or both…
For a first timer I would go to both. If you need to choose, take them to the awards. There will be video from the race and they might get to see you in it. If the awards start to drag on you can always leave.
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Thanks Gary! I am personally going to both events.
Wasn’t sure what the events were like, and wanted know if one was definately better than the other. Do these events sell out, or can you buy tickets at the door?
You can usually buy tickets at the door. I’m guessing you are talking about Florida or Arizona.
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personally, i would definitely say the welcome banquet…especially for your first one. emotions are running high then. they’ve sacrificed a lot so you can be there. it’s a great way for them to get some perspective on what it’s all been for.
The banquet is pretty cool and worth going to once. They bring up the youngest, oldest, most inspiring athletes, etc. and it’s pretty cool to talk to other people who have gone through the same training. Maybe your family can meet some other families who can relate, too.
personally, i would definitely say the welcome banquet…especially for your first one. emotions are running high then. they’ve sacrificed a lot so you can be there. it’s a great way for them to get some perspective on what it’s all been for.
Which is why I say bring them to neither. When Ironman begins to recognize the sacrifices that family members make so you can train like crazy for this event they will stop charging $30.00/person for these events. See Rev3 for a family friendly environment. They will get a plasic fork and plate at the awards breakfast banquet…definitely not worth the money unless you have money to throw away.
For your first IM, I’d go to both, but dragging the family along is going to depend on THEM. I have very young kids, and no longer drag them to the banquets. It’s just downright boring for someone on the “outside” that isn’t doing the race and hasn’t spent the countless days, weeks, months training for it. If you had to pick though, the Welcome Banquet would be the one to bring them to.
For you however, you will get a sense of kindred spirit once Mike Reilly starts doing the ego-boosting pep talk to everyone getting ready to race, ESPECIALLY first-timers. It’s fun to go to both Welcome and Awards for you, but probably not for your family unless they specifically WANT to be there. Plus, it ain’t cheap to bring them along to these things!
Might as well do both b/c chances are that you’ll do neither in future IM’s unless you podium/KQ. Both really are overpriced and have subpar food IMO.
jamie
personally, i would definitely say the welcome banquet…especially for your first one. emotions are running high then. they’ve sacrificed a lot so you can be there. it’s a great way for them to get some perspective on what it’s all been for.
Which is why I say bring them to neither. When Ironman begins to recognize the sacrifices that family members make so you can train like crazy for this event they will stop charging $30.00/person for these events. See Rev3 for a family friendly environment. They will get a plasic fork and plate at the awards breakfast banquet…definitely not worth the money unless you have money to throw away.
how many IMs have you done?
2 of them…3rd one coming in Tempe in 2.5 weeks. Since my wife and friends are coming with me I’ll skip the banquets…even the awards one if I get an award unless they allow her to come watch the ceremony without buying the $30.00 breakfast. In St. George they wouldn’t allow anyone in to even watch the awards unless they paid the $30.00 for plastic fork and plate. Being that Arizona awards are outdoors maybe they will let her watch awards without buying their breakfast. The thing about Madison is they were giving thanks to the spaghetti company that donated the pasta yet they were still charging family and friends 30.00.
30 a person (adult) is a fair bit, but you can easily spend that on a dinner going out.
Yes - the food is a bit OCBish, but there is entertainment and it is part of the experience.
The Hawaii banquets are even more expensive, but IMO they are worth the extra cost because they go all out with the entertainment.
yeh, i completely get your decision to not want to pay $30/head for friends and family to go. with that being said, this will be your third and this will be the OPs FIRST.
i still say, provided you don’t have a family of 10, pay for the welcome banquet for your first one. if you decide after that that one is enough, don’t do it again. …but, for your first, it’s a must do.
IMO, this event isn’t about the food.
When the welcome dinner is going on it’s a great time to get into the restaurants that are usually packed around the race site.
Pretty espensive for banquet food…have never been to one.
Thanks for the info!
I was definitely leaning towards bringing them to the Welcome Dinner. Only 2 tickets, and I think they’ll enjoy the pep rally…
Bottom line: your famliy has been through enough. Let them spend their time doing what they want to do. If they chose one of the pre- or post- events, great. But I wouldn’t drag my family to either one unless they insisted they wanted to be there.
The welcome dinner… but…only if they want to go.