Now you too can do an Ironman

tunney · 06-10-2010 8:19am #1

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534353188495736.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

"I did an Ironman too, what time did you do in yours?"
"8:50"
"Wow pretty slow I did mine in 3:30"

Diluting the brand a little?

Gringo78 · 06-10-2010 8:44am

It's a good move really. I mean people lead such busy lives now and to do an ironman event takes a lot of training plus an expensive long weekend away. This way, you can be a true ironman a lot easier without all that now unnecessary time, expense and effort. The Flora Womens Mini-Ironman would be a great event also for them to think about.

Izoard · 06-10-2010 8:50am

Nice touch that the "numbers" increase as you go shorter.

Ironman
Ironman 70.3
Ironman 5150

For the sprint it will have to be Ironman 2,575,000

MrCreosote · 06-10-2010 8:53am

It's not like they haven't scraped right through the bottom of the barrel already:

http://www.fortywinks.com.au/ironman/iron-man-sleep-technology.asp

Krusty_Clown · 06-10-2010 9:08am

That's it. I've had enough, I'm getting the tattoo removed. I've never done a triathlon, but I feel the tattoo marked me out as someone who could possibly do an Ironman, at some stage. But now if anyone can get a tatoo, it's worthless.

shels4ever · 06-10-2010 9:11am

tunney wrote: »

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534353188495736.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

"I did an Ironman too, what time did you do in yours?"
"8:50"
"Wow pretty slow I did mine in 3:30"

Diluting the brand a little?

Mini iron-man does not the the same ring at all.

tunney · 06-10-2010 9:15am

shels4ever wrote: »

Mini iron-man does not the the same ring at all.

IronDwarf?

MrCreosote · 06-10-2010 9:16am

Izoard wrote: »

Nice touch that the "numbers" increase as you go shorter.

Ironman
Ironman 70.3
Ironman 5150

For the sprint it will have to be Ironman 2,575,000

Interesting too the cheeky switch from miles to kms.

shels4ever · 06-10-2010 9:17am

tunney wrote: »

IronDwarf?

Peckham · 06-10-2010 9:17am

The expansion, which comes two years after Providence Equity Partners, a private-equity firm, purchased World Triathlon for an undisclosed amount, is aimed at generating greater revenue and profit from the Ironman brand.

Pretty depressing sentence.

kingQuez · 06-10-2010 9:42am

tunney wrote: »

Diluting the brand a little?

Always so negative Tunney, I suspect you'll be complaining about the price next

; going with the IM -> IM7.03 pricing structure I'll wager it at about 130euro for their oly races :eek:. Not an issue I guess when "USA Triathlon surveys show that the average income of the triathlete exceeds $125,000 a year."

nerraw1111 · 06-10-2010 9:42am

This where Ironman jumps the shark.

Not so much diluted as hard to see what the original ingredients were.

The headline says it all: 'Ironman to Get Less Exclusive.' It hasn't. They're just cashing in which I suppose you can't blame them.

jailhouse_dave · 06-10-2010 9:46am

I guess that is what happens when Private Equity Firms buy institutions like Ironman.

The 70.3 series i can understand it has been a stepping stone for a lot of age groupers and top athletes alike.

I listened to the Craig Alexander on competitor radio and even if he wins again this year the WTC will force him to do another Ironman event to qualify for Kona next year. He didnt seem to wild about the idea. WTC seem to be making rules & changes to maximise revenue at the deteriment of the events. I think WTC approach represents a great opportunity for the Challenge Series.

If you were doing an iron distance event next year would it be
IM UK or Challenge Henley?

tunney · 06-10-2010 10:00am

kingQuez wrote: »

Always so negative Tunney, I suspect you'll be complaining about the price next ; going with the IM -> IM7.03 pricing structure I'll wager it at about 130euro for their oly races :eek:. Not an issue I guess when "USA Triathlon surveys show that the average income of the triathlete exceeds $125,000 a year."

I'm quite happy with the entry fees I paid for Austria and Frankfurt. Pricey but they deliver.

asimonov · 06-10-2010 10:24am

i might give the 5150 a go as part of a relay team.

shotgunmcos · 06-10-2010 10:27am

jailhouse_dave wrote: »

I think WTC approach represents a great opportunity for the Challenge Series.

True and it will be interesting to see how it responds.

Sadly for the purists it feels like diluting a brand. I don't think its a case of too many cooks. It is not diluting a sport, on the contrary its broadening the appeal. Smart business sense IMO. Yes we might want to keep the Iron distance IM tucked away in a safe corner but what is wrong with drawing more people to it. Your mdot tat might just have to be updated with a number beside it? The ones with the most can buy what they like and make the rules. Thats life. Yes we will cringe.

One of the girls in my workplace did a recent Mini Marathon (5k) in 1hr20mins with her dog and it had her all broken up the next day! Yes I cringed a cringe worthy of the Gods inside but on the outside I said 'well done, whats the next challenge?'

I'm sure Liverpool fans were curling their toes this morning too...

Gringo78 · 06-10-2010 10:30am

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

That's it. I've had enough, I'm getting the tattoo removed. I've never done a triathlon, but I feel the tattoo marked me out as someone who could possibly do an Ironman, at some stage. But now if anyone can get a tatoo, it's worthless.

You're wrong Krusty....its a big improvement. Do a 5150 and suddenly you become:

An Olympic Ironman!

Thats impressive, nothing really trumps that in my book.

buzzingnoise · 06-10-2010 2:47pm

tunney wrote: »

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534353188495736.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

"I did an Ironman too, what time did you do in yours?"
"8:50"
"Wow pretty slow I did mine in 3:30"

Diluting the brand a little?

it's just a race. the more the merrier.

anyone who knows anything about triathlon can tell the difference between sprint and olympic, half and full IM.

Fair play to them for bringing such a big name to Ireland. the revenue will be colossal. hopefully the people of ireland can rally round and make this the most memorable half on the circuit.

tunney · 06-10-2010 2:49pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

it's just a race. the more the merrier.

anyone who knows anything about triathlon can tell the difference between sprint and olympic, half and full IM.

Fair play to them for bringing such a big name to Ireland. the revenue will be colossal. hopefully the people of ireland can rally round and make this the most memorable half on the circuit.

Emmmmm - you didn't read the link did you. Nothing to do with galway.

buzzingnoise · 06-10-2010 2:51pm

jailhouse_dave wrote: »

I think WTC approach represents a great opportunity for the Challenge Series. QUOTE]

I dont think there is anywhere flat enough in Ireland to hold a Challenge Event......

buzzingnoise · 06-10-2010 2:59pm

tunney wrote: »

Emmmmm - you didn't read the link did you. Nothing to do with galway.

Hi Tunney, I read your link thanks. I was just making an observation that as they are coming to ireland we should embrace it. So what if its being diluted, its just another race.

tunney · 06-10-2010 3:03pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

Hi Tunney, I read your link thanks. I was just making an observation that as they are coming to ireland we should embrace it. So what if its being diluted, its just another race.

Emmm you didn't grasp it then. its completely unrelated to the half ironman distance.

Now you too can do an Ironman

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