Why would anyone in their right mind pay nearly $700 for the opportunity to traverse 140.6 miles within 17 hours? We are not here to explain the logic behind this endeavor. In truth, there is no logic, but I say "why not?!". Most people would say the Ironman events are opportunities to push yourself to the limit or for the glory of hearing Mike Reilly say "You are an IRONMAN!". However, we view Ironmans in a slightly different light. If you watch IM Kona (the IM World Championship) on TV, you will see what some amazing people have overcome in order to complete those 140.6 miles. When cancer survivors, amputees, and organ transplant survivors are able to complete this race, it is humbling to us average folks. As relatively healthy, fit, and young individuals, we (B and J) really don't have any excuse NOT to do an Ironman. I'm not saying this to discount the accomplishments of the many Ironman finishers out there. It is still a great distance and I don't doubt that in those (less than) 17 hours, everyone has to deal with some kind of hardship - be it bad weather, an elbow to the eye during the swim, or a bad knee on the run. My comment to those who have already completed an Ironman or anyone who is thinking about participating in one of these events, is to keep it in perspective. Though, at the same time, I know I will certainly have an ear-to-ear grin on my face as I cross the finish in Arizona.
Here is a little background about us:
J - He completed Ironman Arizona in 2008 and completed 117/140.6th of Ironman Arizona in 2009 (a future post will explain the fraction), along with over two dozen other endurance events since 2004.
B - This will be my first Ironman event. I've completed about half a dozen triathlons in the past couple years but have been on hiatus for more months than I'd like to count.
B+J - We met over 3 years ago while training for triathlons and raising money for a charitable organization (The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training).
Why blog? We hope to impart some of the "insider" knowledge we have gained over the years of completing a wide variety of triathlons and other endurance events. With the help of some amazing coaches, teammates, first-hand experience, and a long-term obsession with bikes (cough*J*cough), we have picked up a lot of tips and tricks regarding the intricacies of the world of triathlons. We will not be giving training suggestions, injury advice, or anything else that we are not qualified to give but simply writing about the little things that triathlon books (and even some coaches) forget to tell you. We hope that you find our posts helpful and instructive but they will be less about telling you what to do and more about telling you what has worked for us.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Registration Training for Ironman Arizona
About 1 year before doing an Ironman triathlon, a different type of training begins. Registering for an Ironman event is an event in and of itself. Depending on the popularity of the event, they can sell-out within minutes! Think fast-clicking!
Active.com is THE race registration website - if you're thinking of signing up for an event, it is recommended that you get well acquainted with this website. Start by signing up for an account and make sure to enter your info correctly, which will auto-fill your name, address, and phone number while registering for an event (saving you precious seconds).
In order to secure your spot in the Ironman of your choosing, we did some extra "training". We knew that another event, a rather less popular Ironman triathlon (IM St. George), was not quite sold out so we used the registration forms for that event as practice. Since both events are run by the same organization, we came to the conclusion that the registration process would be similar - and it turned out to be very true! Obviously, as soon as registration opens, you need to be ready to click on the link from the IM of your choosing's website. Unlike ticketmaster, once you click "register", you do NOT have an entry secured. It is a race to pay for your spot. You are asked to enter all kinds of pointless questions (what are your significant achievements? why are you signing up? will this be your first IM event?, etc). Don't waste your time! Any box with a red asterisk just needs to have SOMETHING entered into it - but you don't have time to list your many accomplishments! You are in a race to register for an Ironman! Do you want your accomplishment to be ALMOST signing up for an Ironman?!? One of our friends spent too much time filling out the questionnaires and by the time he was ready to pay, the "regular" slots were sold out. He had the option of signing up for a foundation entry, which doubles the cost of entry (half of which is tax-deductible) bringing it to almost $1400! In summary, just put a "-" or a "too many to list" in the required boxes and click "continue".
SO, here we are. Officially registered for IM Arizona on November 18th, 2012.
As another option, if you have your heart set on a particular IM event that is at least a year away, think about signing up as a volunteer. Not only will it give you a bird's eye view to what you're getting yourself into, but you can also practically guarantee yourself an entry. On the morning after the event, you can register in person and get priority over anyone signing up online.
Remember, registration is the first step! Be prepared to claim your spot at the starting line!
Active.com is THE race registration website - if you're thinking of signing up for an event, it is recommended that you get well acquainted with this website. Start by signing up for an account and make sure to enter your info correctly, which will auto-fill your name, address, and phone number while registering for an event (saving you precious seconds).
In order to secure your spot in the Ironman of your choosing, we did some extra "training". We knew that another event, a rather less popular Ironman triathlon (IM St. George), was not quite sold out so we used the registration forms for that event as practice. Since both events are run by the same organization, we came to the conclusion that the registration process would be similar - and it turned out to be very true! Obviously, as soon as registration opens, you need to be ready to click on the link from the IM of your choosing's website. Unlike ticketmaster, once you click "register", you do NOT have an entry secured. It is a race to pay for your spot. You are asked to enter all kinds of pointless questions (what are your significant achievements? why are you signing up? will this be your first IM event?, etc). Don't waste your time! Any box with a red asterisk just needs to have SOMETHING entered into it - but you don't have time to list your many accomplishments! You are in a race to register for an Ironman! Do you want your accomplishment to be ALMOST signing up for an Ironman?!? One of our friends spent too much time filling out the questionnaires and by the time he was ready to pay, the "regular" slots were sold out. He had the option of signing up for a foundation entry, which doubles the cost of entry (half of which is tax-deductible) bringing it to almost $1400! In summary, just put a "-" or a "too many to list" in the required boxes and click "continue".
SO, here we are. Officially registered for IM Arizona on November 18th, 2012.
As another option, if you have your heart set on a particular IM event that is at least a year away, think about signing up as a volunteer. Not only will it give you a bird's eye view to what you're getting yourself into, but you can also practically guarantee yourself an entry. On the morning after the event, you can register in person and get priority over anyone signing up online.
Remember, registration is the first step! Be prepared to claim your spot at the starting line!
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