Here are 6 reasons why you should race your local triathlon events instead of traveling off to race an Ironman event. (Links below) And can you just file down an Ironkids finishers medal into an Ironman one? Seems like a lot less work . . .
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Show notes:
6. Meet Local Triathletes
5. Shorter travel times.
4. Local Races Need Your support
3. Ironman Event Cutoff times
2. Triathlon event Customer Service
1. Ironman race entry pricing
And to think some brand themselves with a ridiculous corporate logo owned by a Chinese conglomerate?!
Definitely do local. Support local small businesses (race organisers and sponsors) and tri clubs. More passionate people involved as well. Ironman is killing the sport with their high costs and buying up successful races.
Well, good morning. Ironman is the money making machine for the brand, they care about the money not the athletes nor triathlon as a sport. Unfortunately many “triathletes” only care about Ironman as well, not the triathlon. For a lot of people Triathlon = Ironman and Youtubers, Instagramers contributing to this scheme. You as a triathlete is only $$$ for the Ironman brand.
I do local and IM races here in the US. I also do local and IM races in Europe. I figure I’m going through the hassle and expense of getting my bike over there, just tack on some extra time and do local races while I’m there. Race-cations are great!
I race both Ironman and local races. I will admit that I am a bit the IM races were a bucket list item for me. I will probably go back to local shorter distances after my IM race at the end of the month.
Unfortunately I feel like IM has been buying some of the more successful local races here in the US, but despite that I always look for races that support the smaller race companies. I did my first 70.3 this summer at Lake Logan Half in NC and it was AMAZING and only 150 dollars! There were volunteers and police men/women at every single turn on the bike course (about 53 turns in total). Tbh I really have no desire to do the IM branded races until I feel like I’m ready to compete for slots for the championship races. Looking forward to doing Williamsburg 70.3 next year since it’s back with Rev3!
Mostly local races. Doing my first IM race in September.
Nice video Matt! Sorry to hear about your accident and how you heal soon. I have been enjoying the local sprint and Olympic local distance races the past two years. You get to know everyone and the local race organizers on a personal level. Plus, love the local competition with local friends. But when going up in distance, Ironman seems to just do them better. But nothing like waking up in your own bed!
In this recent era WTC (owners of the IRONMAN brand, and operators in the US) is purely about how much money they can make. This means a lot of things that are pretty much aimed at extracting the maximum amount of dollars out of your wallet. Everything from how the race is advertised (the fomo created by their tier registration system) to how EXPOs are set up at events. Wanda doesn’t care about anything more than how much money they can make. And now that sports group is publicly traded. Many sponsors have been burned or left. The soul is long gone.
They regularly buy out local events and when that doesn’t work out they bully in a few ways. It is truly sad that the options are getting more and more limited for non IM events.
Support your local races! Participate in them and keep them alive.
Endracing.com extreme north dakota endurance racing is one of my local groups that does off road events and has North America’s longest ows races at 36.1 miles. These guys are all passionate sport growers who are doing what they can for the love and growth of what few organizers care about. Check them out, like an offroad distance 70.3 and 140.6 it’s called the wilderman.