I am a university student and have been doing triathlon for 4.5 years, always with the intention of doing an ironman. But now I have this opportunity to go on a semester or two abroad in the US in 2010. This is when I had planned to do ironman, now I’m not sure which one to do.
Opinions about which one to do?
Sign up for a North American Iron Man and do both! I bet most U.S. colleges are easier than where ever you are from so you will have plenty of time to study ***and ***train. 
Many also have tri. teams you can join. I don’t see this as an either/or scenario.
I say do study abroad. In adult life after college, it is much, much easier to train for an Ironman than to do an extended trip abroad. Do it while you are in college and Ironman will always be there whenever you have a fulltime job and decide that you don’t want to have a social life for 6 months.
Do both the study abroard and the Ironman. I am planning both for 2010.
This summer will be my third season training for triathlons and, if everything works as planned, I will do my third year of law school in France from August 09-May 10. I am looking to do my first Ironman in the summer of 2010… as a dual celebration of finishing law school+ (the program in France will enable me to finish both my J.D. and L.L.M. in three years) and of my 40th birthday (which will be a few months later). Perhaps I am being naive, but I don’t see why studying abroad while training is any different than studying here while training.
I think now is the perfect time in our lives to do both. Good luck.
You have the rest of your life to do an Ironman.
Study abroad and enjoy yourself.
I have to agree with everyone else. Do the study abroad. If you can fit the IM in on top of that great, if not, wait and do it later. IM will most likely always be there.
The 40 or so triathlons I have done have been fun. The once in a lifetime study abroad experience I had in college was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
Sign up for a North American Iron Man and do both! I bet most U.S. colleges are easier than where ever you are from so you will have plenty of time to study ***and ***train. Many also have tri. teams you can join. I don’t see this as an either/or scenario.
Are you sure about that? The US has the two top universities in the world, were you aware of that?
To the OP, do the semester abroad, that chance is priceless. Ironman will always be here to do one later.
Sign up for a North American Iron Man and do both! I bet most U.S. colleges are easier than where ever you are from so you will have plenty of time to study ***and ***train. Many also have tri. teams you can join. I don’t see this as an either/or scenario.
Are you sure about that? The US has the two top universities in the world, were you aware of that?
To the OP, do the semester abroad, that chance is priceless. Ironman will always be here to do one later.
What are the top two universities in the world? I would say Harvard and Princeton but that would be a guess.
To me, not even a question. Go overseas. Ironman will always be there. You have a chance of a lifetime. Take it.
Go for studying abroad. I took a semester overseas in college and it was a much more meaningful experience than Ironman was for me. And, as others have pointed out, you can always do the Ironman later.
dude, how is this even a question in your mind? You DAMN WELL take the chance to study overseas, you can do an IM anytime. Don’t throw this chance away.
AP
Like others have said, study abroad. I am still wishing I could find some way to work in a quarter to study abroad, but it just doesn’t work in my schedule.
Just out of curiosity, where in the US are you considering studying?
Get the heck out of dodge and go abroad. You can workout anywhere and most likely find an ironman overseas too.
My meeting with the study abroad people gave me these options:
State University of New York at Stony Brook
University of Arizona
University of California (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz)
University of Hawai’i
Oregon State University
University of Texas (Arlington)
University of Virginia
University of Washington
Ofcourse I need to apply to them so it’s not definite yet. Any advice on which ones to go for???
California somewhere is tempting but I have already been there so maybe I should try state. I did love it though.
I am from NZ btw
Best academics would be Cal-Berkeley, and Virginia. If you end up back in the States after graduation or looking to work for a US-based company, they’re more likely to mean something come hiring time.
From a tri standpoint, California Davis is extremely bike friendly and has solid academics.
Go for California, I love it (just, don’t select Riverside).
Hawai’i is a paradise but you have to take a plane if you want to know more places.
Well, I am a student at the University of California in San Diego, so my opinion is a little biased
But of the UC schools, I would say that Berkeley, Los Angeles, and San Diego are the best academically. Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz are big on partying. Davis, Irvine, and Riverside are just kind of blah: bad location, mediocre academics, mediocre parties.
I would probably go for the University of Hawaii, but that’s just because I love Hawaii, I don’t really know much about the school.
I don’t really know much about any of the other schools, but I am sure they are all good options. The major differences really, in my opinion, are the different lifestyles of the different states. In all truth, you’ll probably be happy no matter where you end up, as they’re all decent schools.
UC Berkeley is perennially the best and fastest team at the USAT collegiate nationals. Great academics, fast college tri team. NO brainer.
My opinion: Study abroad and do only low-key tri training. Training for an ironman will really limit your ability to be flexible and make the most of your study abroad experience.
My opinions of the universities you listed:
I’ve heard rumors that Oregon State is really hurting for money.
As someone working at Univ of Hawaii, I can unequivocally say the place is a dump. And given you’re from NZ it’s probably the place you’re most likely to visit anyway.
UT at Arlington isn’t the main campus. Next.
UC system is great, although Cali is in some serious budget trouble. Since you’ve spent time in Cali, go somewhere else.
Stony Brook is a top-notch research institution. Way different vibe than you’d get in Cali. Would allow you relatively easy/quick access to NYC, New England, and the rest of the East Coast.
Never been to Tucson (Univ of Arizona), but expect it to be very hot and dry.
Univ of Virginia is an excellent public school. Hard for folks from other states to get in. Charlottesville is a quintessential American college town. I happen to love college towns, so that is a definite plus in my view. The Southeast has a great music scene, and you’ll get a lot of chances to see top-notch live music in small venues.
Univ of Washington. No way I could live in Seattle over the winter. Summer, sure. Winter, no way. Also, big city campus. Not a plus in my book.