Hello everyone…I am looking to do my first IM in 2006. I’ve read a bunch of reviews in magazines and websites on different venues, but thought it would be worth while to hear what people think from experience. I’ve considered Lake Placid (b/c it’s kinda local to me), Florida (b/c I hear it’s fairly flat), and Nevada (b/c it’s Vegas baby!).
A little diddy about me…I train in the Hudson Valley (southern NY state). I got serious about tri’s in 2004. Did well in a bunch of sprints last year. This year I have a few olys, the SOS (hopefully), and a HIM on my schedule (Eagleman in June). Looking forward to your input. Thanks!
Don’t wait until 2006: do the Great Floridian this year. 1. Easy logistics, every one fly into Orlando. 2 You have all year to train 4 it. 3 Low hype, great race venue, and good organization.
I did the GFT for my first. It’s a very well organized event. However, there is a surprisingly hilly section you wouldn’t think you’d find in Florida on the bike that you have to do on both laps.
Don’t wait until 2006: do the Great Floridian this year. 1. Easy logistics, every one fly into Orlando. 2 You have all year to train 4 it. 3 Low hype, great race venue, and good organization.
Unfortunately, my budget doesn’t allow for an IM this year. My original goals were for an oly in 2004, a HIM this year, and the IM next year. I’m in no rush as long as I am still on target with my goals…
Florida is a great debut, assuming it will be in Panama City Beach in 2006. The bike course is fairly flat, the weather is usually nice, sometimes it can be a little windy. This is a great venue - not easy 'cause it’s an IM, but not as challenging as some other courses. GFT is a bitch of a course. It is quite hilly (steep buggers, but not long), usually windy and regularly hot and humid. Yes, the atmosphere is great for first-timers. Florida is also a nice vacation spot right on perfect beaches, cheap to get there and accomodations are reasonable, even ocean-front.
Hey, it’s the Hudson Valley Tri, Tea and Coffee Social Club.
I’m here too; work in Dutchess Co., live in Putnam Co.
My plan also is to do IMLP in '06. I’m doing 2 HIM’s this year (Harriman , and Timberman)
For a NY’er, you just can’t beat being able to drive for a few hours and be at a great (from what I’ve heard) venue like LP. I love the Dacks, so doing my first IM there will make it all the better.
Nice to see some triathletes from the valley. I live like 5 minutes off the Mid Hudson Bridge in Highland. Do most of my training down in Fishkill, where I work…and just a fyi, my name is actually Mark. Tyler Durden was Brad Pitt’s character from the movie “Fight Club”.
I went to Spackenkill and now live in Chicago- talk about lack of hills. I’m doing the HIM in Harriman on May 21st and I’m more pertified of that race than the IM i’m doing in June.
if you’re confident in your biking, IMLP is an awesome event. also in preparation i’d recommend spending an extended weekend up there (such as memorial or 4th) and treat it like a mini camp and ride the bike course. you’ll see a decent amount of people riding the course, and it’s a pretty simple course.
if you need a little more time, then IMFL is a good first timer’s course as well. late in the year, so you have time to build up to it, lots of accomodations available, pancake flat (but windy) course. i did my first couple of IMs there before stepping up to Placid last year.
also consider some of the non M-dot races (great floridian, duke blue devil, californiaman) , which are less croweded, less expensive to enter, several of them well run and well supported by the communities.
And don’t just ride the bike course, but run the run course as well. Devote a couple of hours to it, and do the whole thing - a half-marathon training run. Get the feel of the hill up from the ski jump, and especially the NASTY piece of work climbing back through the village. On the first loop these are sufferable; on the second loop, you suffer (but at the end of the village climb you are only a mile from being done, which eases the pain some!).
I did Lake Placid as my first back in 2000. Super experience. The town knows how to put on a race, and I hear the race is getting better every year.
Other posts suggest considering the terrain. Couldn’t agree more. I’m from Central Virginia, quite hilly, and I found this helped in preparation for LP. My second ironman (ITU Long Course Worlds in Denmark) was super flat. Thought I was a flatlander until I raced there. I found the rhythm of the bike to be unlike anything like I had ever experienced; relatively little standing and changing of position. I was much more uncomfortable on the bike in Denmark. I was much fitter but ran slower. Who really knows why, but my hunch is that the terrian had something to do with it.
in total agreement, and with the swim buoys in place full time, swimming the course is good prep as well. given how simple the bike and run courses are, you can get some really good training excursions up at lake placid.
the only downside i can think of lake placid is that hotel accomodations are a little on the thin side in the area.
