I am setting my sights on doing Ironman Florida in 2008. It looks like other Ironman events have registration open for some time, but Florida fills up fast?
I was planning on going down to Florida (I’m in Iowa) this year to watch the race and to be there to sign up for next year’s race. Any suggestions? Any recommendations on things to see in Panama City? I’ll probably get there Thursday night and leave Monday morning, so that means that I will have Friday and Sunday to explore.
Also I’m new, this is my first post. I’ve done one sprint triathlon so far in my short tri career. I’ve got another next week, a half Ironman in August, and another sprint in September. I got addicted quickly.
I think IMFL is a great race. That being said, there really isn’t much to do there but race. The town and beach is fairly empty that time of year. I would suggest just planning on kicking it on the beach and maybe volunteering at the race. The beach is fantastic and the weather should be perfect. It’s a very nice treat for us northern athletes that time of the year.
I think IMFL is a great race. That being said, there really isn’t much to do there but race. The town and beach is fairly empty that time of year. I would suggest just planning on kicking it on the beach and maybe volunteering at the race. The beach is fantastic and the weather should be perfect. It’s a very nice treat for us northern athletes that time of the year.
i’d agree with this entirely. the volunteering part is a great idea for you to get yourself into the IMFL thing, too. as long as you’re fairly new to tris, i’d suggest just hanging out at the race site. friday is when a whole lot goes on and everyone is right there. maybe volunteer for a a bit on bike check-in, too. i doubt you need to sign up for long stints.
i’m a pretty strong non-florida type, stayed right at my beach condo/race site while there, and had a very good time. your proposed trip sounds just right, and you’ll feel right at home when you go down to race it. have lots of fun.
peggy
Great to hear that myself and the other 2 officers going down to florida with me won’t be the only Iowans at IMFL. If you see some people in Iowa State University tri outfits say hi, especially on the run, because I know I will need all the support I can get.
I think it would be fun to go do there a year in advance and watch the race and volunteer.
If you are in line to register, can you be turned away because it fills up? Are people in line given preference to registering over the internet?
What time does registration start and when should you be inline to register, to make sure you get in?
If you are in line to register, can you be turned away because it fills up? Are people in line given preference to registering over the internet?
What time does registration start and when should you be inline to register, to make sure you get in?
last year I got in line about 30-45 minutes before on site registration began (think it started at 0800) and i was probably the 20th person in line. a buddy of mine got there about 30 minutes after it started and got in with no problem. the line moved very quickly… take a check with an ID and they will give you a piece of paper with a number to sign up on line two or three weeks later. i dont think online reg started until 9 last year? but i do know it started an hour later then when the onsite started. hope this helps
former longtime PC resident here, most of the other guys are right, there aint a whole lot to do in PCB in Nov. Largely depends on weather, which is sketchy at best that time of year. i’d suggest staying right on the beach in one of the gazillion condos, which shouldn’t be too expensive that time of year. dunno what to tell you about registration, as last year i was camped out on the internet with 8 simultaneous browsers going as active.com crashed over and over. most of the touristy stuff will likely be closed in nov., but you could always go deep sea fishing or something depending on weather/gulf conditions.
i’m planning on racing, passing the fuck out, then getting hammered for a couple of days straight and being a general waste of life.
There is this club called Buck Wild that really lights up around 1 AM. Spinackers is an ok place to eat. There is also a superwalmart that I think is open 24/7 - and they have a huge custom airbrush t-shirt section.
Otherwise PCB is pretty lame - especially since this is the off season. The race is pretty lame to watch, too, since the bike is a single loop. But I’m guessing most IMs are not great spectator events. ITU with 5-6 loops on bike and run is where it’s at for watching.
Just be in line at reg time and you will be A-ok. Two years ago the line was mostly empty when reg opened. Last year it was lined up in advance of reg opening. Pretty much everyone in line gets in the race.