“Participating” in the NOLA 70.3. Just got the “spectator VIP” email. Got the wife and kiddos coming down, and while it isn’t cheap ($100/adult $60/kiddo) I’d do it if it’s worth it. Says some food and drinks provided…blah blah blah…
Anyone done it have opinions?
Got it free for two IM’s. Didn’t use it after the first one as it wasn’t worth the time.
Think it depends on the venue. With the new course at NOLA it seems they’ll basically just be hanging out in a big parking lot, not sure how they set it up for the recent out and back change as far as vendors.
I did it for IM Canada and was worth it for a couple reasons specific to that race
Since it’s just me and my wife going and she is not participating in the IM, I figured it’s worth it since she will be solo. Even if she goes back to the hotel until the finish, I feel it’s a more comfortable option than just hanging around wherever you can find a spot. And as a good friend of mine suggested who is an avid IM, do whatever you can to make the family comfortable at these events.
Friend who sherpa’ed me at Louisville last year said it wasn’t worth it. No one bothered to set up the coffee in the morning so there was none, the “lunch” they said they would provide turned out to be just some potato chips and cookies, and the finishing VIP area was so crowded they ended up not being better off to see me finish.
The upside was the ironman throw blanket they gave VIP spectators, but not worth the $100+ IMO
I figured for a few hours they could go goof off at the aquarium or some crap like that…and if that’s the case it wouldn’t be worth it. But if it was “neat” or if it was at least worth the food/view/entertainment then I’d spring for it. Coming from Alaska…a few hundred bucks isn’t anything…especially if the family isn’t miserable because of it.
So far, no one with experience of it at the NOLA 70.3? Hopefully someone who has done this one before will chime in.
I have done the “new course” except out run finished somewhere else (a much better somewhere else, but anyway…) your family will be stuck in what is in essence a large concrete parking lot,waiting for you to pop thru two times then finish. I went and looked at the vip benefits and I suppose if they are going to stay and wait for you they might as well have a hopefully comfortable place to hang. Certainly doesn’t seem like anything neat other than providing shade food and a seat
Unless they built something in the last 18 months, there is nothing, and I mean nothing, at the race site. Other than what WTC sets up they will be sitting in a parking lot.
Adding that they didn’t have a vip program in 2014 so this might be a brand new thing