I’m trying to decide whether I’m talking myself into or out of Eagleman 2020, and trying to figure out how much time I have to decide.
On the one hand, it’s flat, fast, and I heard it’s going to be a TriClub championship race again.
On the other, it’s relatively early season (for those of us in the high northeast, at least), and I’ve heard the sun can resemble the surface of the sun. It’s not Gerry’s race anymore, either.
Can anybody remember when it sold out this year?
What do we think the implication of IM70.3 Roanoke will be on registration?
Can someone make my damn mind up for me?!
ETA: Roanoke is not on the table as an option for me - I have a bunch of friends racing Eagleman, so I’m coming down from Maine regardless of whether or not I race. IM70.3 VA just seems too close in both date and geography to not cannibalize registration.
I was going through the same thing. I entertained Roanoke for a while, but ultimately the distance won out. Eagleman is just a lot closer for me. It will be my first time for it, so I’m looking forward to it.
It is the TriClub Championship again.
I do see the Roanoke has already sold out Tier 1. Eagleman has not.
Eagleman is tempting because it falls on a point on the calendar when a 70.3 would be convenient.
However…
Anyone training for IMLP or IMMT won’t get much out of this flat and boring bike course. You can have a better training day riding your bike in the hills somewhere.
Similarly, the run course is flat and boring. Sign up for a half marathon somewhere if you need a tempo run.
The swim is unreliable. Two times I have tried to do races in Cambridge, MD, and both times the swim was cancelled.
There is nothing inherently desirable about Cambridge, MD as a venue. Boring town, few hotels, bad place to bring the family, etc. The local community does a nice job allowing the race to happen, but that is a reflection on how much they need it. Economically, this is a challenged area.
If you are coming from Maine, maybe do the Patriot Half in MA a week later, or IMCT 70.3 two weeks prior.
There is nothing inherently desirable about Cambridge, MD as a venue. Boring town, few hotels, bad place to bring the family, etc. The local community does a nice job allowing the race to happen, but that is a reflection on how much they need it. Economically, this is a challenged area.
If you are coming from Maine, maybe do the Patriot Half in MA a week later, or IMCT 70.3 two weeks prior.
Thanks for your thoughts. I’ve done the Patriot, and will not do Quassy on principle - I’m still pissed about the whole Rev3 situation, and I don’t believe that course got better for an additional thousand athletes on it. I wasn’t really looking for a 2020 half at all, but circumstances conspired and here I am! I may look at Pumpkinman, but that’s not a decision that needs to be made for probably another year. I’m much more in tune with the registration process there; I don’t have the same feeling about Eagleman.
I’m coming to Eagleman, race or not. Accommodation is all set and I’m not bringing the family (girls’ weekend, yay!), so neither of those are issues. It’s purely about whether or not I want to commit to racing, and how long I have to make that decision.
Yeah, which makes 70.3 Muncie (only 1700 starters) way more attractive to me. I can’t even fathom 3000, let alone 3500 on a course. Draft fest…more like congestfest.