Thinking About Another IM

I read Jen's IM Lake Placid race report and noticed she plans to sign up for IM Canada! Well congrats, she is the first of our 2005 IronNewbies group (i.e. Francesca, Jen, me) to commit to another one. ;)

This made me think about my future IM plans. I had a lot of fun at IMCdA, and I want to do another one. What also helps is the memories of how tricky it was to schedule the training have faded, hehe. However, I would like to improve and take some time off, especially on the bike. I'd like to spend the last hour or two on the bike not so worried about making the cutoff - in that situation something minor like a flat tire might have ended my day, which would have been EXTREMELY disappointing.

My immediate plan is to sign up for another IM after I turn in a solid 6:30 half ironman. For now, I signed up for the 2006 Florida Half Ironman and am considering this year's Florida Challenge (also a half ironman).

But, my mind wanders to other considerations, such as, which IM would I sign up for, if and when I feel ready?

Jen is picking IM Canada, which is great timing in the Pacific Northwest for several reasons: better training weather, several training events, lots of others to work out with. A late season IM is easier to train for while living in Seattle. I'm sure Francesca will agree that getting out in December and January required a lot of willpower. Now that I live in central Florida, a late season IM means training through the summer, which is the brutal time here. Now, perhaps an early season IM is a better choice. But which one - Arizona? Coeur D'Alene? That's it as far as early season domestic, otherwise it is an exotic foreign location!

Proximity counts too, so IM Florida might be a good choice. Except that is late season (early November) and the swim is salt water. If I were to wait that late in the season, maybe I should consider the "iron distance" (i.e. not run by WTC) Great Floridian in nearby Clermont.

Actually, the Great Floridian has a lot to offer. It is close by so I can avoid air travel or a long drive, and jacked-up hotel rates. It doesn't require sign-up a year in advance. I could even train on the actual course occasionally. It is slightly cheaper, a minor bonus. Hmm...

Another question is, will I use Francesca's pioneering StealthySignup™ technique? :)