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Pricing up an ironman event
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Swimming costs me 120 pounds a year for unlimited access, with free coaching Tuesdays/Thursdays from our tri club trainer. Would it not be possible for this person to find something similar with a tri club? Just a thought.
Mouse - I too think I have guessed who it is.
If the person goes ahead and does sportives etc as training, does (s)he need to factor in travelling costs ie petrol or public transport
Also, can't remember if travelling costs were factored in for travel to Nottingham?
The turbo sessions are run by my bike club in the club house over winter. I've not been to one before but they are meant to be pretty good - nothing like a spin session in the gym. I've always stuck to riding the track which is spooky in the dark cos I've never had a turbo till now (you take your own) and the £3 includes tea and cake afterwards so its not that bad. Motivation is a big factor for me.
Bike = £700
Bike bits (shoes, pedals, spares) = £200
Nutrition = £30 a month (£270)
Extra food because Ironman made me hungry: £70 a month (£630)
Shoes: £60
Training clothes: £200
Practice Events: £400
Accommodation and travel: £400
GYm membership: £30 a month (£270)
Massage/coaching: £300
Entry: £300
All in all I estimate the whole adventure probably cost me near to £4k.
One big cost saver I would do next time is to ditch branded warm up events and race nearer to home.
I budgeted around £2k for my first IM including the second hand carbon bike from ebay for £750, but not including training clothes and nutrition, which I would have bought anyway.
Physio bill took me over budget (stupid car crash and leg injury combo), but otherwise was pretty close to that. My swimsuit was £6 from Sainsbury's and has lasted 3 years. But that probably just means I should swim more, rather than it eing particularly hardwearing....
Absolutely Ditchy, some of my expenses are what I would have spent anyway (swimming costs etc) which I would want to do IM or not. A bike fit and swimming coaching will benefit no matter and give me more enjoyment in the long run, a turbo trainer will make me a better cyclist which I want to be regardless etc etc. So I'm justifying the costs as the price of enjoying a hobby and active lifestyle rather than the cost of an event alone.
But the garmin edge 800 is complete luxury unnecessary expense that I'm treating myself to in addition. Just got promotion so I've earned it.
I was almost tempted with the idea of an Ironman until I read this!
And I have yet to buy a proper bike!!! And that would need to go on top of the costs!
BWT I tend not tothnk about the expence, swimming regularly over a prelonged period is probably the most expensive thing once you have a bike that is.
Assuming you are a runner any way you will have sufficiant kit ie shoes shorts tops. you don't have to have tri specific gear.unless you are at tthe pointy end.
I would say that nutrition is personal and no more than you would use if ou were training for a fast marathon. But each to there own, in my view alot of the stuff people say you need is part of the wierd triathlon psyche. After years of cycling long distances I never took gells untill I stated running and found out about them. Obviously they do help but it can be done without all the parifonalia.
I hope so cause i'm sknt most of the time and get by on what I can afford. The most important thing is the training not the bling.
Nutrition for me was orange squash and either marmite sandwiches or maltloaf, so pretty cheap, could splash out on Aldi iso drink if wanted
Kit was mainly in place, pair of tri-shorts and a secondhand wetsuit for £50 covered the swim side
Bike needed a couple of new tubes and some gas, £30 maybe, needed a few more in IMCH but that's another story and a monaco at £35-ish from memory
Running shoes I had
Wanted a number belt too, £10?
Did a couple of practice events but in reality they weren't needed and could have been done at home
No need for massages
Travel to the event and hotels were the main cost but if it's a UK event that's a lot cheaper
May have spent a few ££££ on the after event beers
I've got a brand new number belt I can give away that's still in it's packet so that's £5 off the budget.
No warm up events either this year, one and only event was IM, which saved a shed load. Also swam more openwater in local rivers and a lake, which cut down on pool fees, which were already reduced, as rather than the three times per week Masters session, it was just one session per week, but just had to make it count.
Hello! I'm the aspiring ironperson. Thanks for this thread Mouse and thanks to everyone else for your comments - lots of think about.
My position is that I've just bought a flat and have about £30/week to live on which has to cover everything in my life except household bills, food, and tri club swimming. I will be doing extra weekend shifts to pay for my iron aspirations and want to make definitely sure it's viable and that I won't run out of cash close to the day, so keeping costs down is my priority.
.... oh and I'm not a pirate, although I know a fair few and sometimes swim in a cap kindly donated by one.
Hey Parky! BTW i'm not ignoring your e-mail....just utterly crap at replying. Glad to hear you're on here
I know that I spent a fair amount last year, but that said, I could have got by on less. I'm going to use my own nutrition a lot more, up until the really long bike rides, when I feel i need them (i.e. i work much better with than without).
Sounds like you've got a fair bit of kit already, so the worst of the expenses are out the way.
Aero bars can be bought fairly cheaply, but worth trying to borrow some from someone to try them out. I've got a really stiff back, and knew I couldn't sustain the aero position for long, so i didn't use them. In hindsight I can see how it would have saved time, but it is worth more to be comfortable on the bike and able to ride 112 miles than aerodynamic with a back in agony and struggling to do the distance (irony of my dnf isn't lost on me whilst making that statement
)
Allowing some cost for impromptu massage or physio isn't a bad idea..may prevent a long term injury if required
Don't forget though that most of this is initial outlay, considering that you will probably (almost certainly) join the annual Pirate ship outings and therefore do more IMs - they won't cost nearly as much because you'll already have all the gear!
(see how I crafty I am?)
I told a runner today how much it cost to enter and the look on their face was priceless.
No worries just need to keep it in context it’s not a case of HTFU or anything like that. Just the gorgeous lady working out if they can actually pay for the kit to do it. Once they’ve done that then the fun begins.
Lee sorry chuck if didn’t know you DNF Regensburg till got mentioned by someone. Not looked at the Regensburg thread since had to drop out with family stuff. ((((hug)))) Next time gadget!