first real tri event registration is coming up. Shold I reister for the full Vineman or the 70.3? I have only done a sprint race, in which I took 1st.
is this a serious question? which sprint did you participate in? Maybe give an olympic a try before a 70.3
I don’t know. What do you think. I say yes
70.3. It’s a great first distance race.
well i think wed all suggest an olympic or something. but vineman 70.3 is a great race, and great race organizers. ull want to sign up the day its open for registration
I raced the China peak Sprint. It was all hills and a high elevation.
Since they are on seperate weekends, why not do both? Two weeks is plenty of time to recover from a hard effort at the 70.3.
Consider where you will fall in the swim waves at both. I hate racing vineman 70.3 late. You have to work all day long passing people if you start last. It makes life a lot easier if you are in the first 5-6 waves. For 2012 I would be in wave 17 so I will pass on it this time around. Starting that late you end up running in the heat of the day and aid stations begin to run out of supplies.
Since they are on seperate weekends, why not do both? Two weeks is plenty of time to recover from a hard effort at the 70.3.
X2 on both if they are local to you. I did the Full last year and loved it. If it was not a 9 hour drive or $500+ in airfare, I would do both this year.
I would also suggest doing a few more races between now and July. It is not necessary to “feel like a triathlete” to have to jump straight from a sprint to a 140.6. But, if you want to, it’s your call.
I am in the central valley, about 3 hours from the race. I think that I will aim for 70.3. Thanks for the input. This being my first official ironman race, it should give me a huge insight into the Ironman world.
I am in the central valley, about 3 hours from the race. I think that I will aim for 70.3. Thanks for the input. This being my first official ironman race, it should give me a huge insight into the Ironman world.
While it will be your introduction to the distance, don’t expect it to be an ironman “experience”. The race is independent, not run by the WTC. Crouds are smaller and the “show” is not nearly as big as an M-Dot branded race run by the WTC. There are nowhere close to the same number of particiapnts or spectators at the full vineman as at an M-dot race. If you are a late finisher at the full VM, there are about 50 people at the finish line to greet you. There is also a 16 hour cutoff for the Full distance at VM, not 17 hours like WTC races have.
Just wanted you to be aware that while it is the big-boy distance, its not really the big-show atmosphere.
Dave
I am in the central valley, about 3 hours from the race. I think that I will aim for 70.3. Thanks for the input. This being my first official ironman race, it should give me a huge insight into the Ironman world.
obvious troll is obvious
I know that it isn’t going to be the full experience that you would get at kona. But,is the 70.3 race a qualifier for the 70.3 nationals?
VM full won’t even be the experience you get at IM Canada, Arizona, St. George, (insert any WTC M-dot branded race). Trust me, if you are new to triathlon and have never gone long before, barring excellent physical conditioning up to this point, you are in for a very dark, very lonely run with few spectators at Vineman Full.
VM full won’t even be the experience you get at IM Canada, Arizona, St. George, (insert any WTC M-dot branded race). Trust me, if you are new to triathlon and have never gone long before, barring excellent physical conditioning up to this point, you are in for a very dark, very lonely run with few spectators at Vineman Full.I did Vineman Full as my first ironman distance race. It was great, plenty of athmosphere. I will say the race expo was very small (I would not be far off if I’d say the expo for the 70.3 is 10 x bigger) but then again, who cares about the expo. I was there for the race and to explore my own capabilities. Vineman Full is very well run, but yes there will be no Ironman banners and signs, bridges, etc. If you care about that, don’t do VM.
Do the full, I need one person to sign up with for the 3 for 2 deal… Message me!
chadm- Yes, Vineman 70.3 is a qualifier for the 70.3 World Championship race in Las Vegas. It’s as big a race as any of the other 70.3 races out there and in 2011 had the most stacked pro field on the circuit (if that matters to you).
Full Vineman is not an M Dot race as others have mentioned. It has the feel of what ironman races used to be like. On the day there are 4 events with a total of 2100 people racing so you certainly won’t feel alone on course. The Full Vineman is expected to sell out this year with 1100 competing. Am guessing that some of the people who posted saying there are very few people at the finish line and on course later in the day did the race a few years back when the field had only 400 or so participants.
How do you already know what wave you’d be in? My husband and I will likely sign up regardless; but, just having raced Austin in the second to last wave, you make a very valid point.
The swim waves have been posted on the Vineman website since the beginning of September: http://www.vineman.com/Ironman_70_3_Vineman/schedule_race01.htm
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long-time lurker so don’t have 5 posts to send a PM…i am signing up for vineman full and would love to save some cash signing up with the 3 for 2 deal if you still need someone!