Its STILL open.

Well honestly what that tells me is you will be fine for AZ. Plus IMCDA is still open.

"So honey, remember how you always said you wanted to do a triathlon? Well guess what..."

;)

jono

Isn't it rather rare that it even made it to the online registration? I'm looking at doing my first full ironman and never even considered IMLP as a possibility unless I went and volunteered the year before. I was online today freaking out b/c it was open. Couldn't make the rushed decision and missed out. But for the future, can anyone speak to this? i.e. Does IMLP always make it to online registration?

Thanks!

Ah yes the economy...Must be. Dang, I should've signed up...kicking myself. Didn't even think it'd be a possibility.

Go for it tnederlof! I'm jealous. It sounds like an awesome event. I'll live through you this year...Is this your first IM?

I was so stunned it was online that I couldn't pull the trigger...Hadn't even REALLY considered it in terms of logistics, getting my wife and family of 4 kids ages 10 to 1 year old, parting with $550, etc. I woke up this morning and had more regrets than I did yesterday. By the time I was thinking (Yeah...sure...OK...I think I want to....) it was closed. Was open for a few hours though...Maybe next year.

I'll toy around with registering for Louisville 2010. Positives: close (3.5 hrs), have close family there. Negatives: NO WETSUITS, probable heat, time-trial start in murky Ohio River. The wetsuit REALLY bothers me most, and then the probable heat. We'll see.

That's 100% in your head, my friend :) Either you can swim 2.4 or you can't. The wetsuit is not a security blanket. Ween yourself of dependence of neoprene. Now the heat is another issue.

But to the OP, I'm glad it opened up online. I was considering taking a motorcycle road trip up there to sign up, now I'm glad I didn't. But then after a few 100* rides in June, I nixed the idea of Lake Placid all together and signed-up for CdA (again). It's just too hot to do 6-8 hour days in June, July in Texas. LP looks awesome though.

A year is plenty of time to get used to no wetsuit. Last year my wetsuit was a crutch b/c I swam like a rock, now I honestly don't really like it because it changes my swim form due to bouyancy and I just don't feel as smooth through the water in it.

Another word of advice is to discuss every possible scenerio with your family in case a race opens up, that way there is no second guessing. My plan was to volunteer last year and race IM AZ this year. My wife and I discussed a few other races and we had it worked out that if IMC opened up I could pull the trigger. Went online not expecting anything the day additional slots for IMC opened up and somehow grabbed a spot before they sold out in 5 minutes. Luckily I had it all cleared through my wife so there was no hesitation.

The heat at IMKY is brutal, but I've heard good things about the race overall.

Trisooner,
You remind me of why I never want to live in TX again, just the thought of a TX summer makes me want to go turn the air conditioner up...oh wait, I live in Colorado and don't need AC, never mind :) Then again I do miss floating down the Guadalupe River with a case of cold beer.

wow! I thought EVERYONE has central a/c. Our a/c is on day and night from April-november. The bills are ridiculous

I need to travel more
I think if my summers didn't go above 90s, I would never swim outdoors

104 right now in PDX

no AC
sucks big time
inside the house, it was 83 this morning at 7am

I know...I know..the wetsuit is TOTALLY mental with me. I want to have the security blanket to just stop and float/rest if I need. Never had had to do that but in my head, for 2.4, I'm fearful I WILL want that blanket. I'm still kicking it around for 2010.

Zagfan, great advice on anticipating these situations and discussing with the wife/family. Just kicking my self up and down. Gotta get over it. (and get over the wussiness of the wetsuit! ;-P )