Hi,
When you choose an ironman race for the season ahead do you always go back to the same race trying to achieve a better time or would you pick a harder race to try a new experience in a different country (knowing that you possibly might not beat you PB).
Just curious as to what people think on this issue.
Regards
new experience in a different country. I’ll likely never do a domestic IM.
-K
Why not?
Just curious.
Why?
Go to an oversold, overpriced (hotels, etc.) place somewhere in the US I don’t really have an interest in visiting, or go somewhere cool in the world (NZ, Brazil, Australia, Europe)…don’t even have to think about it.
As to the original question—I’ve been to IMNZ in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 because I love NZ and have friends there. In 2006 though, I’ll be going to Brazil.
clm
I think you go for whatever will excite you the most for the upcoming year. In my case, with a wife and 2 young children, I look forward to a week in Lake Placid each year. We stay at the same hotel where the kids can play on the beach. We know where to pick up diapers, get a massage, eat dinner both with toddlers and with candlelight for 2. Someday, I’ll likely go abroad and do something like Germany, UK, etc, but right now this mix of Ironman and family vacation is perfect for me.
I just signed up for New Zealand on Monday - any recommendations on good things to do, how long I should stay, etc.
Both domestic and international IM’s are good. I’ve done Lake Placid and I’m doing it again next year, because I love the race, the town, and the hotel we stay in. But I’ve also raced in South Africa and Austria which were awesome experiences, and beautiful race courses. (Austria also has the added bonus of being the course to set your best time on, which is good and bad - its good because you race faster, but its bad because you don’t know if your fitness improved, or the course was just faster). After signing up for Lake Placid, I decided I want to travel for an IM also, so I signed up for New Zealand, which everyone says great things about.
OK, I’m hardly worthy to answer this question having only just completed my first IM in LP this year. However, I chose the new experience over the attempt at a faster time for next year for two reasons:
I like to link my racing with travel so it’s nice to visit new places and have new adventures each time; and
Registration for IMLP was already closed but IMCdA was still open. 
But I’m not ruling out returning to LP someday.
John
After racing in Hawaii last fall I was really anxious to go back but now I’m thinking that I’d rather pick some IM races to travel to in places that I’ve never been. I may do LP next year just because it is close but I’m thinking that I’d like to race in the UK or maybe Austria or Switzerland before I go back to Kona just to make it a big family trip.
You will have an awesome time!
I like to leave on the Friday prior, arriving on Monday (lose a day), spend a day/night in Auckland, then on the Monday or Tuesday drive down to Taupo. Race on Saturday, party on Sunday night, then head out on Monday to tour. If you can do at least a week after and fly down to the South Island, that would be great. Two weeks after would be better. 
Here’s some info I put together since I get asked a lot:
New experience.
I just did the Vikingman in Denmark, the day before the World LC champs. Amazing race, much more rewarding (I thought) than another IMNA race.
I choose IM races based on environment and competition. I like the fact that certain races make it hard to draft on the bike, like Canada and Lake Placid. But you have the wonderfully beautiful races like NZ and others. Thus I go for the new experiences overseas unless I have a to get revenge, such as IM CDA.
Great clm, thanks a lot. I know it will be YEARS before I can even dream of going to NZ, but I went ahead and read your info page anyway. Now I HAVE to go!! Like I said, thanks a lot (highly sarcastic voice). My girl is going to be angry with you when I tell her.
-C
Definitely the experience. I did IMFL first, then IMUSA. I’m planning to do IM France next year. I have Switzerland, Austria, UK, and NZ on the menu for follow-on years. It’s not like going to win the damn race or anything, so it’s all about the experience for me.
Great clm, thanks a lot. I know it will be YEARS before I can even dream of going to NZ, but I went ahead and read your info page anyway. Now I HAVE to go!! Like I said, thanks a lot (highly sarcastic voice). My girl is going to be angry with you when I tell her.
-C
HAHAHA
I didn’t mention I work for the NZ Tourism Board???
Your girl will be THRILLED with you when she gets there.
It costs a great dealof money for each one, so I try to vary where I race. For me it has been St Croix, Florida, Germany, Canada, California, UK, Caribbean… also they are usually holidays. The only down side is you really cannot compare times, but hey! Who cares
Weeman
I think there is another reason to travel to your Ironman races besides going somewhere new. If you are away from home you tend to immerse yourself more in the whole Ironman experience. I think a big part of the downfall of IM Cal was the fact that most of the competitors slept in their own beds the night before the race. I have really enjoyed being away from everything at home and just being able to focus on the race and related activities.
More to your question, I think there are too many great races in great places not to branch out and go to as many as possible. I’ve been to Canada, Lake Placid, Utah, & Idaho. Each has it’s own charm and beauty (except Utah). After having traveled to a few races, I’ve done IMCDA the past 3 years and will be back in '06. You can’t really compare your time from year to year since conditions change and sometimes the courses are modified. Each race is a single experiment and will never be duplicated. Time and money are keeping me from exploring Europe and other places, but they are on my list.
Gary Mc
I thikn Tom talked about racing domestic vs racing interenational and the basic premise was that considering the US $ conversion, he could generally go anywhere in the world for pretty much the same amount of money for racing in the US. So he chooses to go international since as one poster pointed out, why not go somewhere exotic if you can.
I would have to agree. I chose Lake Placid as the small village like town coupled with the wicked landscape gave me something that I can’t get everyday. Plus, I had heard such good things about the race it was a no brainer.
My next few IM distance races will be Duke (if it is around next year), Roth and then hopefully either Australia or NZ. Arizona and Florida REALLY don’t sound like too much fun to be honest. There needs to be something unique about the place I am going.