Topic: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Matt
GA
Member Since:
05/17/2006 Total Posts: 8
1.5 Years Ago
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Has anyone done both of these races that can give me an opinion on which one they liked better? I've heard they are both good. Any info would be helpful. Thanks.
matt b. |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Joy
TN
Member Since:
11/02/2005 Total Posts: 109
1.5 Years Ago
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I can't help you from experience, but if you can get into Canada, I'd go with that as 1st choice, from what I've heard. My friends have LOVED it, and we can ask Alison when she gets back! I was a spectator at WI one year-- the year that it was 95 degrees. But the town and course (from what I heard) were great. Sorry, not much help! |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Alison
BC
Member Since:
04/04/2006 Total Posts: 349
1.5 Years Ago
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I have no knowledge of the Wisconsin race but from the website the swim, bike and run courses are all two loops. IMC has no loops, the only sections you repeat on the bike are the Cawston out and back on the bike and some of the stuff by transition (lots of twists and turns on the city streets), the latter being negligible in the overall mileage. The run is an out and back. Depends what your preference is.
IMC seems to have a greater elevation gain (course map and elevation profile - http://www.ironman.ca/bike.html) with two big, infamous hills but IMWI looks like it's nothing BUT hills (http://www.ironmanwisconsin.com/bike.html). I'd do the math on the elevation difference but my brain's addled from my long ride today.
The IMC website doesn't have an elevation profile for the run but it is hilly in sections, with one particularly nasty climb. The IMWI looks to be anything but flat.
IMC is one of the hotter parts of Canada (it's not all igloos and snowstorms here!) and the course takes you through a desert and it can easy get over 100F
Unless they've changed the rules, for Ironman Canada you have to show up the day after the race and sign up in person. Sort of annoying but many, many people would scream and yell if they changed it, probably including me as it's fun having quirks to your race (I live relatively close, mind you).
I keep being told that IMC has one of the best crews of volunteers and most supportive locals of any Ironman, but I'm being told that by IMC volunteers and locals so take that with a grain of salt!
Finally, IMC is the oldest Ironman race in continental North America. So do you go with the venerable classic or support a newer, younger race?
I'm absolutely and completely biased towards Ironman Canada, but that's because it's MY race. I've watched it the past three years, the first year is what spurred me on to do tri's, the second is what got me thinking about a half IM, and the third I watched knowing I was going to do it this year so I'm pretty emotionally attached to it!
My two cents! |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Alison
BC
Member Since:
04/04/2006 Total Posts: 349
1.5 Years Ago
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Oh wait, I forgot to add that I'll be there cheering at IMC 2008, definitely a perk you won't have at IMWI! |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Juli
WI
Member Since:
02/11/2007 Total Posts: 2
1.5 Years Ago
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IMW is a great event in a great town, I've had many friends here do it and would recommend it. The course isn't all hills but rolling with a couple climbs. It is two loops on both bike (40mi loop, 30ish out/back) and run course (13mi). We love it here and love that IM is here! |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Matt
GA
Member Since:
05/17/2006 Total Posts: 8
1.5 Years Ago
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Thank your for all the great replys! I'm surprised to hear that it can get over 100 during the race? I live in Georgia where it is hotter than two hells, I decided if I was ever going to do an Ironman, I would pick a cool location. Sounds like both IMC and IMWI are hot races. And thank you for clearing up the sign up rules for IMC. I read that on the web site and thought I must be misunderstanding it. I don't know if I can fly all the way up there just to watch, but I like to do unreasonable things sometimes so maybe I will. Thanks again for your replys! And good luck Allison! I'll let you know if I end up going. |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Matt
GA
Member Since:
05/17/2006 Total Posts: 8
1.5 Years Ago
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I mean Alison, not Allison. |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Jim
CA
Member Since:
08/27/2005 Total Posts: 637
1.5 Years Ago
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Nice catch on the name Matt - But, you may want to go back and edit it. Just ask Jim Campbell.
;-)
JC2 |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Matt
GA
Member Since:
05/17/2006 Total Posts: 8
1.5 Years Ago
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This is true! Written late at night, not the best english. |
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Re: Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Jimbo
FL
Member Since:
01/03/2005 Total Posts: 668
1.5 Years Ago
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Matt just remember...bob and weave...bob and weave. Matt what part of Atlanta are you in? I grew up in GA and have friends still there.
If you want a cool IM (as in weather wise) you should come down and do IMFL. Race is in November so it is a bit brisk. Not as challenging as the hills in the others and probably not as scenic but if you check the finishing times of the pros you will see they are pretty much the same so the IMFL course has it's own challenges.
JC1 |
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Re: Ironman Canada or Wisconsin?
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Matt
GA
Member Since:
05/17/2006 Total Posts: 8
1.5 Years Ago
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Hey Jim. I'm in Brookhaven, grew up near Stone Mountain. I thought about IMFL but I can't imagine doing Gulf Coast twice. I need to go somewhere different. This will be my first and probably only IM, so I want to go somewhere scenic, with cool weather, that is not terribly hilly. I don't think that exists in the U.S. Maybe IM Germany, but that's it.
What part of Atlanta did you live in? |
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