Reading about the fact that yet another plan to stop the oil leak has failed has got me concerned about IMFL 2010. Yes, I do realize that our precious little race means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things when we are faced with an ecological catastrophe and certain economic problems for the affected coastal areas. Nevertheless, it’s something that those of us registered for IMFL will have to come to terms with in the next few months.
I’m seriously thinking about registering for IMCoz to get ahead of this thing. We know very little about what affect the spill will have on the FL panhandle come November but it doesn’t look encouraging. I’ll play the wait and see game for a little while but I’m looking at my options. I hate thinking about something so petty when something so horrible is happening but I have no control over the horrible part but I can control what I do.
For the other IMFL registrants…
What are your thoughts?
There have been a few around the world that scrapped the swim but that was because of weather that rolled in that morning or the night before.Something like this has never happened but I’m sure if there is a problem there will be a contigency plan in place.
As of now, there is no contingency plan. I spoke with a senior IM employee and they have no plan yet. I planned to race IMFL but cancelled those plans and now am also seriously considering Cozumel.
Won’t Cozumel be affected by the spill as well? It is in the same Gulf and isn’t much farther from the spill site than the Gulf Coast. Or, is there some oceanographic detail that I don’t understand or haven’t considered?
The current comes past Coz to New Orleans, N.O. to FL Gulf Coast and then down to the Keys and the Florida Straits and out to the Atlantic. It’s possible, but unlikely that Coz will get oil.
Has there ever been an IM that scraped the swim for whatever reason?
I’m sure it has happened for weather reasons. I am not registered for a duathlon, nor do I want to do a duathlon. If weather was the culprit than it is what it is and IM and the RD can’t really have a plan B swim venue at the ready. The IMFL folks will have had nearly 7 months to think about this issue. They either need to have a good contingency in place or scrap the race. All they can do is play the wait and see game too but they best be thinking about what to do about the swim because there are going to be concerns and issues. I just read that tourism is down 30-50% in the FL panhandle for this Memorial Day and not a drop of oil has hit the shores as of yet. What happens when it does start coming ashore?
I just might have to convince my wife that we’re spending Thanksgiving in Mexico.
Won’t Cozumel be affected by the spill as well? It is in the same Gulf and isn’t much farther from the spill site than the Gulf Coast. Or, is there some oceanographic detail that I don’t understand or haven’t considered?
The Gulf current comes in from the Atlantic between the Caribbean and South America and comes into the Gulf between the Yucatan and Cuba. It moves in a clockwise flow around the Gulf (Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida) and flows back into the Atlantic between Florida and Cuba.
I just read that tourism is down 30-50% in the FL panhandle for this Memorial Day and not a drop of oil has hit the shores as of yet. What happens when it does start coming ashore?
Then why are you so sure that you need to cancel IMFL already? There are tons of projections that it’ll hit Panama City, and tons that project it won’t, due to the currents that run near the Gulf Coast. All I’m saying is, don’t give up on it yet… besides, don’t you still have 3 months before the deadline to withdraw? And, since you only get like, $180 back from the $550, why not keep your FL race, register for Coz, and then man up and race both if nothing happens?
And, being a Gulf Coast resident… not sure any percentages of tourism compared to last year, but it’s pretty freaking busy in Pensacola this weekend… so it’s not as bad as CNN makes you think.
Has there ever been an IM that scraped the swim for whatever reason?
I’m sure it has happened for weather reasons. I am not registered for a duathlon, nor do I want to do a duathlon. If weather was the culprit than it is what it is and IM and the RD can’t really have a plan B swim venue at the ready. The IMFL folks will have had nearly 7 months to think about this issue. They either need to have a good contingency in place or scrap the race. All they can do is play the wait and see game too but they best be thinking about what to do about the swim because there are going to be concerns and issues.*** I just read that tourism is down 30-50% in the FL panhandle for this Memorial Day and not a drop of oil has hit the shores as of yet. What happens when it does start coming ashore? ***
I just might have to convince my wife that we’re spending Thanksgiving in Mexico.
i saw that on the news last night, they can’t give away hotel rooms in Florida right now…and we now have a hurricane heading this way. this disaster is going to undoubtedly be much bigger and effect many more areas than just the gulf coast.
I’m registered fo IMF also, and if the race becomes a duathlon, I’ll skip it…not interested in that.
You’d think that the folks at IMF would be scurrying to put together a contingency plan - there is plenty of time to work something out I’d think, but RD’s may say otherwise. I know there is a lot of logistical/legal issues etc that has to be dealt with, but given the situation, certainly they are at least thinking about a Plan B.
I’m registered fo IMF also, and if the race becomes a duathlon, I’ll skip it…not interested in that.
You’d think that the folks at IMF would be scurrying to put together a contingency plan - there is plenty of time to work something out I’d think, but RD’s may say otherwise. I know there is a lot of logistical/legal issues etc that has to be dealt with, but given the situation, certainly they are at least thinking about a Plan B.
I’m curious. What kind of contigency plan do you think they should have? There is the gulf and than the bay around PC. If part of the beach side of the gulf is contaminated, than there is a very good probality that the bay waters would also have some type of issues.
Obvious if they have a contigency plan of just doing a duo, you’d skip it. So what do else do you suggest they do?
Well, if I had a contingency plan for them, I’d probably be working for them right now. I have no idea what they should do…thats for the race directors to figure out - its their race and their business, but I’d think that any major organization (no matter what their business may be) that has nearly 6 months to make changes would do whatever they could to keep their customers/clients happy. Is that too much to think? I don’t live there and have only been there once before when I participated in IMFL. I have no idea what they could, should, would do - but surely they are looking into ideas??? If there is nothing that they can do, then so be it…it is what it is. Life goes on. The world won’t end. If it becomes a du and I elect not to participate, then so what? It won’t ruin my life and IM will be none the worse - these things happen. I’m not making suggestions as I have no idea of the logistics etc…as I said, thats the worries of the RD. I wish them luck and hope that in the end, no contingency plan is needed and the area there doesn’t suffer from the oil disaster.
