Well another Ironman has passed and a flood of posts hits the forum decrying the drafting, crowds, costs, etc. My question is why do people enter them if they don’t like the current state of affairs? They are not the only game in town. Next week is Pineman in OH. Also their are maybe six other IM distance races in North America (Duke bluedevil, Kansas, Wisconsin, Quebec etc). Most of these you can enter a month ahead of time, the courses and support are top notch and the price, if you include travel and accommadations are half the IMNA races.
I’ve done 2 none IMNA races and loved them. The only reasons I can see to do one of the majors is
A) Hawaii qualifying - not an issue for 90% of the people who enter the races.
B) Wanting all the big time Hoopla - In which case you can complain about the crowds.
This year I ran the Boston marathon, I loved the race, but would never try to PR there. The crowds just aren’t conducive to it.
Well…I think most people are hypocrits (kinda like the drafting thread). They claim to distance themselves from being part of the IM boom, but yet won’t support the smaller races.
I think people just like to complain…
IMO, people just need to learn to enjoy THEMSELVES. If you need a gun start with 2,000 people and a bleacher filled finish line to make you feel important, you have bigger issues than going 140miles.
Kinda like some people I know that go to small races just to place. This is silliness. Your success should be yours, not some else’s benchmark. At least that is what drove Roger Bannister.
Everything is inside of you. Go do it this weekend…
“If you need a gun start with 2,000 people and a bleacher filled finish line to make you feel important, you have bigger issues than going 140miles”
I don’t think it’s a matter of needing that stuff to feel important. I think it’s more a matter of it just being cool. I did Eagleman for the first time this year and it was by far the biggest race (# of participants) I’ve ever done. It was simply cool being part of something so big. The hype of the IMNA races along with the crowds and cheering has got to be a giant rush.
Tell me it wouldn’t be great passing over a finish line with hundreds of cheering people?
It is definately cool, but unless you are in the Olympics or similar you can’t have it both ways. Either small events with little crowds and hoopla or big events with crowds on the courses. We have the choice of either and most chose the big, expensive crowded races and then complain about how big, expensive and crowded they are.