IMUK 2011

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  • IMUK feel versus IMF feel (IMO obviously).

    IMUK is like playing football for LA Galaxy. Just not quite right somehow.

    IMF is like Manchester United.

    But once the whistle goes, it's still just a game of football.

    But I'd go back to UK because it's a helluva thing to do and a lovely bike course. And we let the Northerners think that Sheephouse Lane is a Hill. Even though it's just an upflat and wouldn't even warrant a belt from Saffersimage

    If I were elite rather than a DNF'er though, I would leave UK out of the calendar.

    For the same reason LA Galaxy isn't right.

    It just isn't.

  • done 3 IMUKs including the first ones at Sherborne and Bolton oh and  and a certain one in Nottingham and I know which one I would do again............Outlaw every time no contestimageimageimage

    Using the football analogy

    IMUK is like when you played  football wih your dad most of the time he wouldnt let you see the ball and when you did he told you off if you didnt do exactly what he told you

    Outlaw is just a great big kickabout with all your matesimage

  • i never did like football.
  • haha - ed_m

    This really isn't a whinge (honest), cause i really value the input and experience that you all bring, especially in the IM arena where the experience here is unrivaled - but does anyone here have anything positive to say about IMUK? of a thread of 30 posts 11 have been to state how pish it is!!!

    Andy - im with you image

  • yes..... i think its a great event with a challenging course, and the local support is excellent in a very british kind of way! this year's event was much improved over last year and i trust things will only continue to improve.

    i put in alot of effort to do my best at long distance tri, i harbour some hopoe of qualifying one dayso i'm not there just for a kickabout.

    i think they do a great job in the somewhat sports-hostile uk environment.
    unfortunately this means a few of the customer experience niceties pre/post race & for spectators can be lacking. although obviousy i prefer they continue to concentrate on the race experience first & foremost, the details can continue to develop & come later (i hope).

  • I'm completely new to all long distance tri - so have no first hand experience to comment on, but what i can gather is that with the growing competitors with there being Outlaw, Forest Man and potentially (Hopefully) Challenge Henley, there will be 4 high class IM events next year. By all accounts the Challenge team deliver a real primier event with Roth. This market place competition can only be positive for the consumer - IMUK being that more expensive than the others will have to repsond and deliver a great experience!

    We can only hope! image

  • * premier

    ** respond

    I'm on form today!

  • Yup competition is good apart from, none of the other events will have hawaii slots (not sure if they cost the race directly but almost certainly part of the cost of being an mdot franchise and i beleive the cost is to some extent controlled by the WTC anyway.

  • IMUK is not a terrible race I enjoyed mine its just they keep making the same basic errors I just enjoyed Outlaw so much more .....you pays your money and takes your choiceimage
  • Just to give my view - I loved IMUK.  It was my first IM and so cant comment on other races, although i did spectate at the Outlaw and drove the bike course.  I found Bolton a good venue and just by chance found a very handy Premier Inn by the Reebok with a Harvester in the grounds which suited my family perfectly.  I loved the finish at Bolton Town Hall which in my view was a lot more 'special' than the Outlaw finish- although both events have things to commend them.

    I would not hesitate to do IMUK again but price is a factor.

  • so...putting this on topic (rather than an outlaw v imuk thread) i had an email from Alice to say the contract is for it to be Bolton again this year but that doesn't mean the course will be the same. they will need to liaise with police and councils before they can finalise the course as they did this year but its anticipated the finish will not change.
    I'm decided that i'm going to do this one and finish it this time.

    Of course i'm local so i'll be doing slow guided tours all year in the run up for anybody who wants to come along. lol
  • Andy, great news - i may take you up on that offer in the summer!
  • I am also looking at an Ironman distance race next year but dont plan to race ousdie of the UK.

    The choice is between IMUK or The Outlaw. Does anyone have any advice to help with the decision .

  • Firstly, if one is more convenient than the other, that should be a major decision maker.

    Secondly, if you're thinking of qualifying for Kona, then IM UK is the only option.

    Thirdly, it's Tri snobbery. You only get to hear the words "you are an IronMan" at IM UK, and some will say you can only call yourself an IronMan it it's an IronMan sanctioned event.
  • i have to admit something now.....tri snobbery is a factor for me....i take nothing away from you guys who did outlaw....it looked like a good race and is a lot cheaper and you should consider yourself an ironman after doing it...but not only do i live local to IMUK...i dreamt so much last year of hearing the words 'you are an ironman' after my name that this year..only to fail at the final hurdle hurt a lot.so that's the only thing i can settle for i think!!
  • Andy, me too. I wanted to hear "you are an IronMan", not "you are an Outlaw", or "you've done an Iron distance race". It was IronMan or nothing for me this year. I didn't race often, 1 Sprint, 2 HIM and 1 IM, but I was prepared to pay the extra and did IronMan UK and IronMan UK 70.3, and can't fault either. Felt part of a proper event, well supported, good organisation, and proper finish. The other HIM was 1/4 of the cost, but about 1/10 of the atmosphere, no support, no feed stations on the bike, and the finish was a non event.

    Never saw the Outlaw, or caught it on the TV, so can't comment.
  • I've only gone and snookered myself!

    If the IM web site is correct this event is on 31st July in 2011 which is a direct clash with the London Tri which I underperformed at this year and have already re-entered for 2011 to lay the demons to rest.

    Which is a proper bummer as I really wanted to do IMUK in 2011. I now have a decision to make as if I act quick enough I can probably cancel London and get a refund. But I am doing IMF in 2011 so maybe IMUK can wait until 2012. And it may be down South again by then which would suit me better. Oh decisions, decisions...

     My two-penneth on tri snobbery - agreed I did an M. (IMCH 2009) as a first foray into IM and one factor was the brand (not that I actually heard them call me an 'ironman' in the finish chute - they do miss people...) but have also done Forestman in 2010 which is only a handful of competitors but a really nice atmos to the whole event. Very personal. I'd do both again to be honest.

  • You can watch IM UK 2010 on Channel 4 this Sunday, 05th September, 08:05 to 09:00
    http://www.tvguide.co.uk/?thistime=8&thisDay=9/5/2010&systemid=&gridspan=03:00&catColor=

  • awesome - thanks for that! Sky + set
  • blimey sweetfeet, i reckon one IM is enough in a year...lol
  • Well if you're going to take months to train up you may as well make full use of it. Tick over between the two main events. That was the theory anyway. It probably wont get put to the test unless they move the date. i'm still hoping that it is a week or two later when it finally opens for registration...

  • Hi guys

    I am thinking of stepping up to the M. challenge in 2011, costs mean that I will be racing in the UK I think. I think there is definately some Tri - snobbery involved, I certainly want my first IM distance race to be an IM. Did a half slowly last year, IM 70.3 in Germany (6hrs 51 secs) so looking forward to the challenge over the next 11 months.

    Does anybody know when entries will open? Also how quickly will it sell out?

    Now, time to learn to swim I suppose.

  • Hi Shaun, i reckon it will open about December....you can pre-register on the ironman uk website so they email you 24 hours before.
    i panicked last year and entered on the day it opened as i was worried being on holiday in December would mean i'd miss it...but in fact it didn't sell out till about june!!! so probably no need to panic.....that said i'll probably enter on the day it opens cause the motivation will help me (as if not finishing last year isn't motivation enough).
  • wow that is late. That is quiet annoying actually as I wanted to pay early so that it is a definate and i have the motivation of knowing I am doing it.

    Oh well, looks like ill probably waste the next couple of months then
  • Don't waste your time, just start the Base training,long slow distance building up your endurance, it'll help straight after the new year when the formal 30 week training program will start.
  • to maintain a good base level of fitness and avoid wasting time - i've signed up for the local cross country season - this means i' ve got at least one event a month to keep me motiviated and ensure i continue training throughout the winter - albeit at a reduced level

    I'm also planning on using this time to try and iron out a decent swimming technique - i tend to get through swims by sheer bloodymindedness but im aware that my technique is awfull - so im planning on some 121 coaching with the hope that by the time the long miles kick in in the new year that my technique will have improved sufficiently that i see some big gains
  • Mr Z talking of swim technique I recently invested in a coached hour in one of those endless pools with the cameras. I would definitely recommend a session in one of those. You see immediately where your stroke is inefficient, especially on the front-facing camera. I was almost putting my hands up as a break as I over-reached on every stroke. A couple of simple tips about hand entry angle and a pull drill and I have already cut my 1,500m pool time down from 28mins to sub-26. I know that is not dolphin-esque yet but still a significant improvement for me and I haven't fully adjusted yet.

    However the most important base to build is the bike. You can shave minutes off your swim but you can take hours (well lots more minutes anyway) off your bike time.

  • aye, my recent olympic distance times of 30 min swim, 01hr24 ride, and 42 min run, show that its pretty obvious that most my winter focus will have to be on the bike - the cross country will keep my running / general fitness ticking over and some swim technique coaching should show some benefit - but you're right bike base fitness is where i need to concentrate!
  • Mr Z your bike time isnt bad for 40k there to be fair...its about the same as mine...but keeping that up for 112 miles is the task...so i'd say concentrate on hills and being in the saddle for a long time....just what i didnt do in fact....and my bike time was right on the limit over an hour slower than i thought i could do.
    30 min 1 mile swim isnt bad either...i do about 33....though run i'm a tiny bit faster over OD (about 32).
    My winter training will be plyometrics, Core and running. come new year i'll start on the bike and put bricks in there,but wont bother swimming till OW season starts about april....i'm not s strong swimmer....but i know i can do under 1.30 (i did 1.34 this year) for 2.4miles with a bit more training. and by that time i will be doing a lot of seriously long rides. It is all about the bike for me.
  • I would say 30min for 1 mile is excellent. I thought I had improved a lot over recent weeks but stil think it took about 1 hour for 1 mile, although I had 2 problems.

    1. i lost count of the lengths and I mean seriously lost count.

    2. Cant see the time in pool without specs.

    My bibbest concern is the swim and wether I will do all the training and miss the cut off. That would seriously /forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif[/img]@@s]p@@s me off

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