I was eager to sign up for the inaugural race in Ottawa, but on the priority registration Ironman site, I noticed that the Flex90 options (split payment and deferral protection) were not available upon payment. Oddly, ‘best price and entry benefits’ are advertised for April 22. Several of us will have to wait and see what pans out or if the Flex90 program is not available for 2025.
Additionally, The Nirvana options on the priority registration are also listed as a day short, having everyone checkout on race day. For example ‘4 nights’ checking in on Wednesday, the last ‘night’ is Saturday. August 3rd is Sunday and probably the most important night for race finish hotel proximity.
It almost sounds as though they had to rush this out after an internet leak. 😄
I’m curious to hear what the early registration numbers are before Monday. Every long course triathlete I know in the area has already signed up.
I’m curious to know what the “Max” registration number will be. Will they cut it off 2-2.5k for the first year to make sure it goes smoothly? Or will they take as many as they can and then about 3 months before the race announce they are at “90% full so register now” or something like that.
With the roads closed for the bike course and a staggered swim start I would think they could handle quite a few people.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe asked if he can put a relay together and run the marathon haha
Dev,
Don’t underestimate the role that Mayor Mark Suttcliffe most likely played behind the scenes, to make this all happen. When you have a Mayor who is a keen runner and multi time Marathon-Finisher himself, even writing a great book on his own journey to the Boston Marathon a few years ago.
Road closures that are required for this kind of Event, and the permits needed, when first pitched to larger City Municipalities are often met with “No way” from City bureaucrats, and you work from there . . but having a Mayor who is supportive can be all the difference, and rare!
Overall this is great to see. There is a proud and rich heritage of Triathlon in Ottawa and a legacy going all the way back to the earliest days of the sport in Canada in the early to mid 1980’s!
For someone who may be deciding between this race and say, Chattanooga next year, which race would you lean towards and why?
I’m equally comfortable in S/B/R, solidly MOP female. I don’t mind hot weather, and I am equidistant from each race.
I can’t comment on Chattanooga as I have not been there.
Fly into Ottawa, take taxi-uber downtown and you don’t need anything else. Lots to do and see downtown. The only downside is the swim venue is around 8km from downtown, but you can bike there on your tri bike with a backpack if you want to do practice swims, if not there is public swim at uOttawa 1km from T2/finish line. From downtown, you can bike everywhere on the bike paths which run parallel to the bike course, and frankly I mainly ride the roads on the parkways in Ottawa versus bike paths anyway most days, as I would rather deal with cars going straight than dog walkers and roller bladers on the bike paths.
Here is an overhead view of downtown area where bike course goes by 5x and run finish is. (It is also the infamous site of the trucker blockade from Covid19 lockdowns):
This is a normal Sunday bike closure on the parkways which is part of the race course, and beside it you see the bike path where you can ride when there is traffic on the road
The swim venue is largely right of this pier in a protected cove from all wind directions other than North West
Here is a google maps view. The swim is between what is labelled Ottawa city rafting, Brittannia Beach, Brittannia Yacht club
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe asked if he can put a relay together and run the marathon haha
Dev,
Don’t underestimate the role that Mayor Mark Suttcliffe most likely played behind the scenes, to make this all happen. When you have a Mayor who is a keen runner and multi time Marathon-Finisher himself, even writing a great book on his own journey to the Boston Marathon a few years ago.
Road closures that are required for this kind of Event, and the permits needed, when first pitched to larger City Municipalities are often met with “No way” from City bureaucrats, and you work from there . . but having a Mayor who is supportive can be all the difference, and rare!
Overall this is great to see. There is a proud and rich heritage of Triathlon in Ottawa and a legacy going all the way back to the earliest days of the sport in Canada in the early to mid 1980’s!
Fun fact, Sutcliffe is vehemently against the current practice of closing a road along the canal (part of the bike course) on Sundays for bikes, etc.
Beautiful pics. You may have already answered earlier in the thread, but have you signed up?
The excitement from the local Ottawa community alone might be enough to get me to do this event.
I’m hoping that Ironman will offer bus transport to the swim start from the T2/Finish area. Most/all races with split transitions do this, I believe… especially since some of the roads around Brittania will have to be closed.
I’m hoping that Ironman will offer bus transport to the swim start from the T2/Finish area. Most/all races with split transitions do this, I believe… especially since some of the roads around Brittania will have to be closed.
I was told there would be shuttle buses T2/finish to swim start T1. In fact at Brittannia Beach there are barely 400 parking spots in the entire place, so I can’t see them allowing any onsite parking on race day anyway
Beautiful pics. You may have already answered earlier in the thread, but have you signed up?
The excitement from the local Ottawa community alone might be enough to get me to do this event.
It is a great city to live and do sport. Which is why I live here and did not move to San Jose CA where my previous company was based. My startup (which I started) is based here, because of all of the above. As for signging up, a group of us who did Kona together in 2006 were pondering it. I have not done a full IM since 2015, and I am barely squeeking by in olympic and halfs off mainly master swim training, jogging to pool or transition runs after swimming or bike commuting/1 hrs trainer rides and 1 hrs runs on weekends. With that I can finish half IM’s (heading to St. George in 2.5 weeks). But from there to full IM is a big lift and I have a all the families of employees working at my company relying on me to actually have energy to work and not be drained from IM training, and the risk is if I sign up, I will do too much too long too hard and burn the candle at every end.
I may sign up and just do what I am doing till June 1, 2025 and then at that point decide if my body and life can take a 6 week build or if I will break myself doing that. If I think I can do 6 weeks and get to the point that I can jog the entire run and not walk most of the marathon, then it would be nice to do since I will be in 60-64 and the swim start is literally a 10km ride from my house!!! It really is tempting for sure!
I’m hoping that Ironman will offer bus transport to the swim start from the T2/Finish area. Most/all races with split transitions do this, I believe… especially since some of the roads around Brittania will have to be closed.
I was told there would be shuttle buses T2/finish to swim start T1. In fact at Brittannia Beach there are barely 400 parking spots in the entire place, so I can’t see them allowing any onsite parking on race day anyway
Ok, that makes total sense…good to hear. Hopefully there are still ways for families/supporters to get there and cheer.
I’m hoping that Ironman will offer bus transport to the swim start from the T2/Finish area. Most/all races with split transitions do this, I believe… especially since some of the roads around Brittania will have to be closed.
I was told there would be shuttle buses T2/finish to swim start T1. In fact at Brittannia Beach there are barely 400 parking spots in the entire place, so I can’t see them allowing any onsite parking on race day anyway
Ok, that makes total sense…good to hear. Hopefully there are still ways for families/supporters to get there and cheer.
there is no need for anyone not racing or volunteering to be at the swim start. Everyone will look the same anyway…
