I’ll probably be a one and out person if I ever make it as planned for my first IM distance race in 2008. At 48 yrs, I’m not sure the pounding of long training weeks is that great for my body. I think I would really like to see how fast I get get my Oly time, or look for some unusual races like Alcatraz or Triple T. I would like to make it to Boston once. Please please please.
Ok. I’ll play. IMWI 2006 was my 1st IM.
Been doing tris for 4 years. IMWI was my 16th tri. I choose IMWI because it’s close to home.
I did an IM because of the challenge and, yes, the bragging rights.
I WANT to do another IM, BUT I may not given how much it took from me physically. 2 months after and I still can’t bike or run because my hip is so messed up. Not because I didn’t train smart. I’m just biomechanically challenged 
I can’t imagine not doing another tri. I love this sport too much. It’s a big part of who I am. But, next year I’ll stick with HIMs. I feel I can RACE that distance. I think IM will always be just a bit more than this bod can handle.
I agree with DT. For example, when guys are work see an 11 hour finisher, they might think…oh man, that guy is totally fit, no way I could do an Ironman…whereas when they see a 14.30 guy finishing 9 months after getting off the couch and building to that Ironman, they can make the leap to doing it themselves.
On another note, the beauty of the 40-44 age group is that it is filled with a ton of dudes with a mid life crisis and instead of ditching their families, buying sports cars and getting a 22 year girlfriend, they lose 30 lbs, get a $5000 bike (cheaper than the $50,000 car), train their asses off, serve as role models to their kids (keep their families together), and get to play on the same field as world champions. At the same time there is no shortage of lifers with a 20 year base who can kick the ass of the local 25 year old stud!
Bottom line, triathlon needs a mix of both types of athletes for the sport to thrive!
don’t worry about it too much i averaged almost 2-3 mph less then normal at Boulder peak this year. Still can’t figure it out… although i think it had something to do with the sleep medicine the night before.
Grant
Hi Cathy, I’m posting from another perspective of “one and out”. That being racing at Kona. I’m not sure that I’d want to race there again. It was nice to do it once, but I am not sure I have the drive nor interest to do 2 Ironmans in a year again (at least any time soon). I am quite willing to do other races of all distances including Ironman, but Kona means 2 in a year which is a big time committment (as well as monetary).
Dev
If you choose WI or FL as your qualifier, you only have to do 1 IM per year. Also, you could qualify at an 70.3. So many options.
mmmm, I'm signed up for IMLou, and will probably be one and out as far as IM distance. Just too much time, money, and focus on one event. Background; always been decently fit and have competed almost continuously, just in different sports, tennis, MTB, some shorter tris. Even faked it through a HIM. I really signed up so that I'd have to take the size of the event seriously, as the general fitness I carry would not be sufficient to get through an IM. I imagine I'll miss the variety-o-crap schedule that I usually run and be happy to get back to that after the one IM.
Oh yeah, I chose IMLou due to timing and availability.
– I wonder how many of them signed up to do the race as a “check it off my list” kind of thing? I have no idea, but would be curious to hear from first-timer IMers about:
Years in the sport
Number of other tris done
Will you do another IM (or IM-distance) race
If not, why not
What made you choose the IM race you did –
+++++++++++++++++
I would be interested in seeing these numbers too, but not likely you’ll reach the group most qualified to give the input here.
We churned out 100+ brand spanking new triathletes this past July 12th, and I’d like to believe that some of those will go on to tackle IM distance.
My personal thoughts are that it’s a more reasonable approach to work up to IM dist over a period of years, but it’'s do-able as a one off deal. Silly, yes, but can be done.
Would be great to hear from more of the “one and done” crowd…
Years in the sport
21 years
Number of other tris done
220 plus triathlon, 3 sport multi sport events…not including duathlons I have done…
Will you do another IM (or IM-distance) race
nope, retired from the distance…did IMC in 1999 and IMMOO in 2002
If not, why not
I find the IM training boring and a grind…2 hours on a road bike and I am ready to get off and do something else…I like my social life and balance…I dont like my saturday taken up with a all day training ride…Love the sprints, HARD, FAST, and INTENSE!..thats where its at for me…
What made you choose the IM race you did
IMC…great reputation so I decided it was worthy of my effort…IMMOO…it was new and close…friends were doing it so I jumped on board…but 2 IM’s is enough for me…I split my time between Triathlon, Orienteering, and Adventure racing now…if I go long it will be in an Adventure Race…a newer challenge…
I suppose, to me, it would be even more interesting to learn why people stick with the same exact challenge over-and-over, rather than taking on new challenges.
Once you do 140.6 a few times I don’t really see the point to try and subtract some minutes off an already-completed challenge. Certainly that is only my opinion, whatever works for the individual, etc., etc…
For some of us, that improvement is stilling coming in big chunks of time (like 2 hours) with hopefully more very large jumps to go. Plus the travel involved and the people. And no desire to ride a bike 200 miles in a day. Besides, who says you can’t stick with the same challenge and add others in? But like someone wise said, “Ironman isn’t for everyone.” Which is the beauty of the sport–there are lots of options, something for everyone.
Years in sport - 4
Number of tris done - 33
IM distance - IMFL '04
I caught the IM bug in my second year, several of my friend were doing it too.
After hurting my knee during the IM, I decided to switch to HIM distance and felt much better.
2 HIM’s in '05, 3 + Muskoka in '06 with mixed results, mainly from poor pacing on the bike. Signed up for IMMoo in '07, looked for a race relatively close and wanted to do it with a bunch of friends, so far I’ve got about 10 in my group. I now feel stong enough to handle the volume of training required (in my mind) to complete the distance in a respectable time.
jaretj
IMFL First Timer:
4 years in sport.
20+ tris done.
I will do another IM, but not for 2-3 years. This is to be fair to my family (4 children 6 & under) and I don’t want to go back until I can go 11:30 or better at IMLP.
I chose Florida primarily due to timing (late in season) and went 12:46.
Arch
With marathons being so popular its only natural that something like IM will attract a number “check that off my list” types.
I was attracted to Tri because of the challenge of IM “If they can do it, so can I” and have subsequently stuck with it.
IMFL 06’ first timer:
This was my fourth season of doing any physical activity, IMFL was my 23rd tri I think. I don’t know if I will do another IM. The whole summer and fall to focus on going long was tough plus I missed a lot of sprints in the area. Plus like trirunt said, that bike ride @ IMFL was tough on me, I don’t know if it was the wind or the cold, or all the clothes I had on. I trained to ride around 5:45-6:00 but was out there an hour longer, and I thought it would never end. I have been to IMFL to watch or volunteer for four yrs. since it is so close to my home (90mi). If I do another it will be here, its so close and I will want revenge on that bike course !!!
Dev…
IMOO 9-06
Kona 10-07
Qualify at IMOO and you don’t have to do 2X Ironman in one year!
I haven’t read all the posts, but I’ll add something anyway.
I was one and out…by accident…but I may be back.
I did about 12 triathlons (including Laguna Phuket twice, Peterborough 1/2…). I did the first Ironman France as my first Ironman attempt. My time was “bad”: 14 1/2 hours, but I had a lot of excuses (the hills, the heat). I had a GREAT time. Loved every minute of it.
BUT, I now have two kids, I started and completed a Ph.D. in the last couple of years. I’ve done a couple of Marathons, kept up some swimming and riding on the trainer. I just haven’t gotten back to a race (so close last summer).
But I will.
And I have added to the sport. My students still enjoy hearing my stories. I had an e-mail from a former student just the other day who, now in university, just completed his fourth triathlon. Told his club coach that he credits his hs English teacher (me) as his inspiration to start the sport.
My daughter (now 7) finished third in her age group in a tri this past summer (2nd in the swim…including the boys!).
I read. I train. I encourage. I think I contribute.
Not really trying to congratulate myself but to suggest, as many people have, that everyone has different motivations/reasons/excuses/plans/hopes and everyone contributes in their own way.
Of course, I know I am largely preaching to the choir.
IMFL 2007 will be my first IM. I got into the sport about three years ago. I’ve done half a dozen races including 1/2IM. I’m doing Florida due to the location, time of the year and relative good temps and flat course.
I don’t know if I will do antother IM after this. My wife an I are planning on starting a family right after FL and IM takes a lot more time than the shorter races. In fact before I made the decision to do the race I had to have a very candid conversation with Mrs bigsky about the amount of time I would be commiting to training. After all, I’m going to FL to race not just to finish. I figure that if I can learn how to run a respectable marathon I’ve got a punchers chance of getting a slot at Kona. In which case I’m in for at least two IMs.
No matter what happens at my first IM I think that I’m a lifer. I love the racing and the community, and I love the fact that the sport keeps me healthy in body and spirit.
While I think that it is a shame that many will do just one IM and leave the sport, I am hopeful that many more will discover what so many of us have and stay.
Perhaps instead of being more exclusive and eliteist the sport should offer more support by way of forums like this (only connected to NASports so 1st timers coudl get help if needed - or even log in some qualifying events like a .5IM race or a couple of olys)
I know a lot of 40-somethings with kids who did it between 12 and 14 hours and said they would not do it again until their children were grown because they didn’t realize beforehand or underestimated the time away from their families that it would take to train sufficiently.
That’s not really “one and out”, but maybe “one and out for now”.
Thats me, except Im a 30something. I did my 3rd IM this year at IMOO. I have a 3yr old and 2yr old, so it was difficult with family life and I didnt have optimal training time. I wont do another IM until I can put in enough training to do well and it doesnt affect time with my family. In the meantime I will continue to do sprints, oly’s and 1/2’s. But I definately want to do more IM’s!
<< On another note, the beauty of the 40-44 age group is that it is filled with a ton of dudes with a mid life crisis and instead of ditching their families, buying sports cars and getting a 22 year girlfriend, they lose 30 lbs, get a $5000 bike (cheaper than the $50,000 car), train their asses off, serve as role models to their kids (keep their families together), and get to play on the same field as world champions >>
Hey - I resemble this remark!!! 
(but it was 15 lbs and a $4k bike, all in)
I’m with Dev about the whole Kona thing. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. I have nearly nonexistant interest in going back there again, and I may never do another IM period to even have another shot at qualifying. 2 IM’s in < 3mos sucks. (unless you are named Joe, in which case it’s too long in between I had planned on being “one and done” for IM, but the whole Kona/World Champs/excuse to go to Hawaii thing was too much to ignore, and we went.
So it was “two and done”
IM requires too much sacrifice in all other areas of life to do well. I chose to do those things this year, and now I choose not to do them again for the forseeable future. I can race HIM and under, on a fraction of the training and still do reasonably well, so that’s the plan for '07 and beyond. Plus, I’d really love to start doing some of my other hobbies again (climbing, hiking, paddling, mtb’ing, ARing, etc) and having my life totally focused on IM precludes that stuff.
As was said, I seriously doubt there are gonna be an ST posters or lurkers who have done an IM and then quit the sport entirely. I’m sure there is a certain % of an IM field who do that, but almost by definition those folks wouldn’t be in ST.
Really interesting thread. My own thoughts are that the “do one IM, check it off and move on” people are probably more responsible for the growth of Ironman than the ‘die-hards’.
In recent years, it seems that IM has largely replaced the marathon as the ultimate endurance challenge. Due to the large number of people doing the IM distance, I think the perspective of the masses has changed a lot from “that’s a race for crazies” to “I know a guy at work who did that, maybe if I devote a year to training…”.
Now, a percentage of these folks will ‘catch the bug’ and really enjoy the process of training and decide to start setting time goals and preparing for the next race. But, on the whole, in my experience, these folks do not make up the majority of IM competitors. I think we need to thank the ‘average joe’s’ in large part for the growth of the sport.
As for me:
First (& only) IM (so far)*: IMFL 2004
Years in the sport (prior to first IM): 7
No of other tris done (prior to first IM): Approx. 20
Will you do another IM?: I’m trying. I attempted the Great Floridian in 2003 but DNF’d. I did IMNZ this year but (as we all know) it doesn’t really count since they had to shorten it due to weather 
But yes, I will definitely be back for more!!
What made you choose that IM: Primarily location (used to live in FL)
Thanks for an interesting thread. In case there’s any doubt, I am definitely one who got bit by the bug
Cheers,
Alan
One clarification Dev…
Based on the way qualifications go today as we know it, you could race and qualify for Kona at IM Wisconsin or FL. This would mean training for the IM over the entire summer, which I know you have issues with since you like to race other distances and at other races. But the possibility is there if you chose to race at a different event other than Lake Placid. Meaning, race IM WI in 2008 and qualify for Kona 2009.
Just saying!