As I continue to contemplate driving from Ontario to B.C. for IMC, I need to know that this is NOT the stupidest thought I have ever entertained. I have suffered from driving 16 hours straight from Knoxville to work after a near-meltdown at Atomicman 1/2 a couple of years ago, and I remember it taking about five days to begin feeling half human again. For IMC, I would have limitless time going and about six days to return. This seems feasible…yes? Who out there have done , uh, marathon drives to and from IMs?
I have few friends who have driven from Ottawa to Ironman Florida and back. I believe the one way drive is over 22 hours. They also kicked ass !
Dev
I’ve done 2 big drives to get to IM races. For my first one in 1999 I drove from Ontario to Penticton (with my wife and 2 children aged 7 and 3 at the time). We took our time going out and spent 2 nights in Regina, Saskatchewan and 2 nights in Canmore, Alberta to break up the trip and give me some time to put in some light training. The trip took 7 days. Coming back we did it in 4.
I am a teacher so when I did IM Florida in 2003 it was more of a marathon. I left school on Tuesday afternoon and drove for 24 hours (could be done faster but not with wife and 2 children!). I did all of the driving except for about 4 hours. Got into Panama City about 2:00 on Wednesday, raced Saturday (9:27 and got my desired Kona slot), went to the awards on Sunday and left at 10:00pm eastern time after the awards and drove back home. Got home at 10:00pm on Monday night and was at school entering my midterm marks by 7:45 the next morning. The drive home was really tough since pulling an allnighter driving after doing an IM required a more than a few cans of Red Bull 
Allan, that commando trip to Ironman Florida sounds even studlier than your Hawaii qual time of 9:27. Very impressive !
Hey, did the Winnipeg to Panama City beach drive twice. First time in a motor home, took our time in 2 full days very sweet experience except the DNF in 2000. A long 30hr drive home. Fixed the problem and finshed in 2004 with again the 30hr drive. Loved both, the Motor Home in 2000 was a deff high light of my travelling minus the DNF.
Might do it again this year but the wife wants to fly??
Gotta love Road trips…
t~
I’ve done the Ottawa to Regina trip several times… 26 hours straight. add 14 to Penticton, and your looking at 40 hours driving, assuming Ottawa as your start point and taking the shortcut through WI, MN, ND. That’s a LOT of driving…
If your starting from Toronto Area it’s faster, you can cut through michigan and chicago, north through WI. Don’t speed in WI EVER. The highways cops are all over the place…
DO IT! 
I love long road trips. As long as you stop to stretch and get a few taper workouts… why not?!
Uh, I can drive the 4.5 hours to Toronto, stay at the in-laws’, and leave the next morning; does that help?
Yes, I too love(d?) road trips. I did one in '03 where I drove to K.C. and did Shawnee Mission Tri., then drove out to the Rockies for a couple of days, and on the way home did Cleveland Metro Bank Tri. All that good stuff in just eleven days! But maybe I’m getting older now (56) and wiser (scary thought!), because I’m feeling somewhat daunted by this. Gotta stop being a big baby, I guess. So thanks, people, for the encouragement!