Triathlon - IM Florida vs IM Wisconsin

I'm trying to choose between these two races for my first IM next year. I live in TN, so we get heat and humidity (FL), and we also have hills (WI).

Who has done these races, and what do you recommend?

I think MHR could tell you about Florida... but I think he only checks in once in a while so maybe you could PM or email him.

From what I've read...Florida is the flattest (and perhaps easiest) of all the IM courses. They're all so tough to enter so I would do the one I could get into.

Wisconsin??? Heh, heh, heh.... "Wheather" or not, they don't have no stinking weather.... The weather is what you make of it, "wheather" or not you like it....

All serious. Weather in Wisconsin can be hot, humid, sticky and miserable with lightning, thunder, rain, snow and hail all from the same storm, and it gets worse in the winter--been there and done that.

About hills. Just amazing! Went on a fun century out of Milwookie just two years ago. As I joined the local hotshoes we started talking about bikes and best gearing for the roads, some guy noticed my corncob freewheel (13-18, 6 spd), and casually mentioned that I probably wasn't gonna make it up "heartbreak hill". That had me worried. So, about 60 miles in, all at once, noticed that the road sorta dropped out from under the bike and me. There was this brief "aero" moment as my body floated off the saddle, the bike went down and I felt like a streteched out cartoon character. Then watched as my life flashed in front of me and fell by the wayside. Glanced at the speedo and was doing the max the speedo could get to--60 mph! Tears streaming from eyes, managed to look up and there was that damn hill, it went straight to heaven. Let the bike bleed off some speed and quick shifted to the 18 tooth and then started straining for all it was worth. Made it up, but the extreme downhill helped some.

Funny, they didn't mention the downhill that was prior to "heartbreak hill". On the other hand, the roads are excellent and you shouldn't have much of a problem with the drivers.

Hmmm, good points. Is the hill you described on the IM course? I see on the course elevation maps the difference in terrain between the two, I'm just wondering why people in my general area (I've noticed online, don't know any of them) choose WI instead of FL. I'm an iron virgin, so I don't know much about getting accepted into one. I was planning to go online the morning after this year's event and trying to apply that way. I'm kind of leaning toward FL right now, but WI is run first, so should I try to get into both, in case I can't get FL, or wait and apply just for FL if that's what I decide I want to try?

I am getting my parents to sign me up for IM FL this year to do the '06 one. I am an iron virgin aswell, for now..... I have heard that Fl is the best course to start ironman's(sp?). That is comming from someone that has raced almost every ironman course, so I will trust his judgement.

The thing to remember though, is even though it is flat, you dont get any rests on the downhills, but the flip side is, it takes longer to go up hil then down, so you may be easier to just have to actually pedal for 180km, instead of pedalling for like 150km and coast for like 30km.

It sounds like you got a good source, Batman. I leaning toward Florida more all the time! I'm doing the Great Floridian's half ironman this year, but I hear it is actually hilly, as opposed to IM Florida.

So someone else can sign you up? Is that the best way to go, or is online usually successfull if you are on the ball? Or maybe I could find someone in my area going to FL this year, that I could trust to sign me up.

Compare bike courses: http://www.ironmannorthamerica.com/comparebike.html

Compare run courses: http://www.ironmannorthamerica.com/comparerun.html

Of course they all look flat after Lake Placid.

Ya, I heard placid is a tough course, especially the winds at the top of the mountians on the bike course.

I know someone else can sign you up, they have to pay for you right there though. I have no experiance or knowledge about the online sign up. Maby someone else that has done either can help out here.

Sorry, didn't get back on this. Nope, won't have to do the killer hill during the Wisconsin Ironman. It is to the west of Milwookie. I believe, most of the course is biked and run along the lake shore, to the north and then returns. The killer hill is to the west and even a 112 mile bike ride shouldn't get there. Around the lake, have ridden most of the roads in that area, about the biggest hill you will find is a highway overpass. The avg grade on any one road is maybe 1-2% at the most, with an occassional small climb.

However, an interesting part is the swim. Remember, Lake Michigan is a freshwater lake, which means a body is not as bouyant as in saltwater. Also, it is a cold, even in the summer. Brrrrr.....

However, an interesting part is the swim. Remember, Lake Michigan is a freshwater lake, which means a body is not as bouyant as in saltwater. Also, it is a cold, even in the summer. Brrrrr.....

I dont know why, but this sounds like every tri I have ever done........maby something about Canada....and the great lakes.