Frankfurt IM - wetsuit requirements

rodneyr1981

Hi. I'm looking to sign myself up for a Ironman race for 2014. As the popular ones sell out quiet quickly I need to start making plans soon. My first choice is Frankfurt July 2014. The one thing turning me off is that I heard a recent one went non-wetsuit due to water temp??
Question is if this happens are u forbidden from wearing one? Swimming being my weakest section a non-wetsuit would impact me big time.
Other option could be Bolton or even Wales but hear a lot of good things about Frankfurt.
Any body any advice? Cheers

Oryx

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Hi. I'm looking to sign myself up for a Ironman race for 2014. As the popular ones sell out quiet quickly I need to start making plans soon. My first choice is Frankfurt July 2014. The one thing turning me off is that I heard a recent one went non-wetsuit due to water temp??
Question is if this happens are u forbidden from wearing one? Swimming being my weakest section a non-wetsuit would impact me big time.
Other option could be Bolton or even Wales but hear a lot of good things about Frankfurt.
Any body any advice? Cheers

Its possible it could go non wetsuit, other recent races have. If its a big worry do a lot of pool sessions to give you more strength and confidence that you can handle a nws swim.

This happened to me last year and once I got over the initial nerves the swim was fine. I'm not a strong swimmer either.

tunney

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Hi. I'm looking to sign myself up for a Ironman race for 2014. As the popular ones sell out quiet quickly I need to start making plans soon. My first choice is Frankfurt July 2014. The one thing turning me off is that I heard a recent one went non-wetsuit due to water temp??
Question is if this happens are u forbidden from wearing one? Swimming being my weakest section a non-wetsuit would impact me big time.
Other option could be Bolton or even Wales but hear a lot of good things about Frankfurt.
Any body any advice? Cheers

50/50 on IMde being non wetsuit. Cracking race. The atmosphere in the UK wouldn't be a patch on it. 1000s lining the roads to watch (over 100,000 in some german races).

Bambaata

You also have loads of time before 2014 to bet the swimming in order ;-)

Shedite27

I'm also planning a 2014 Ironman attempt. What are the other options people would suggest?

tunney

Shedite27 wrote: »

I'm also planning a 2014 Ironman attempt. What are the other options people would suggest?

Learn to swim?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Shedite27 wrote: »

I'm also planning a 2014 Ironman attempt. What are the other options people would suggest?

Challenge Barca - good race and easy/cheap to get to.
Austria - meant to be well organised
FF - the same

I have done IMUK and its a bit underwhelming

Izoard

Challenge Roth - probably the best iron-distance race out there....

rodneyr1981

tunney wrote: »

50/50 on IMde being non wetsuit. Cracking race. The atmosphere in the UK wouldn't be a patch on it. 1000s lining the roads to watch (over 100,000 in some german races).

50/50 is worse odds than I expected.
I'd get around without the wetsuit however would more a lot more energy consuming than would like for that distance race.
True improving my technique is something I'm working on.
Stupid of me to ask if It's declared non-wetsuit can you were one anyway??
I seen some races where some wear a short legged sleeve less type one.

Oryx

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

50/50 is worse odds than I expected.
I'd get around without the wetsuit however would more a lot more energy consuming than would like for that distance race.
True improving my technique is something I'm working on.
Stupid of me to ask if It's declared non-wetsuit can you were one anyway??
I seen some races where some wear a short legged sleeve less type one.

Non wetsuit means what it says. You are not allowed to wear one.

kingQuez

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Swimming being my weakest section a non-wetsuit would impact me big time.

What's your swimming like right now? A year is a LONG time to train.. and almost all your swim training is going to be done without a wetsuit anyway, so while it might make things quicker/easier on the day, its going to be negligible in comparison to the amount of time you spend on the bike or run course. I'd pick one of the big european races just so you get the best atmosphere (Austria/Frankfurt both great).

rodneyr1981

Oryx wrote: »

Non wetsuit means what it says. You are not allowed to wear one.

Simple so really learn to swim better it is....
On a side note I see Shadowman are doing an ironman distance race. Was thinking of entering and just doing the swim and bike sections and then Dublin marathon in Oct so that I'd have each race distance covered.
Wouldn't be starting I'M specific training until Jan.
This a daft idea?
Have completed 2 HIM distance races but obviously big jump to next level.

rodneyr1981

kingQuez wrote: »

What's your swimming like right now? A year is a LONG time to train.. and almost all your swim training is going to be done without a wetsuit anyway, so while it might make things quicker/easier on the day, its going to be negligible in comparison to the amount of time you spend on the bike or run course. I'd pick one of the big european races just so you get the best atmosphere (Austria/Frankfurt both great).

Steady is prob best description. 44 mins for galway HIM. Avg 16/17 for sprint.
Really like the idea of the ones you list. Figure its something I'm going to be putting in a lot of time might as well most if it. Havent spent as much time on swim as bike and run.
Great intentions...

Oryx

Your swim ability would be similar to mine last year. Youre not going to have a problem and youll have a year's training under your belt too.

kingQuez

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Steady is prob best description. 44 mins for galway HIM. Avg 16/17 for sprint.
Really like the idea of the ones you list. Figure its something I'm going to be putting in a lot of time might as well most if it. Havent spent as much time on swim as bike and run.
Great intentions...

You're miles away from the cutofftimes, so with another year of training the swim will be of no concern to you!

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

Challenge Roth - probably the best iron-distance race out there....

Frankfurt and Austria up there too

tunney

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Simple so really learn to swim better it is....
On a side note I see Shadowman are doing an ironman distance race. Was thinking of entering and just doing the swim and bike sections and then Dublin marathon in Oct so that I'd have each race distance covered.
Wouldn't be starting I'M specific training until Jan.
This a daft idea?
Have completed 2 HIM distance races but obviously big jump to next level.

Emmm A long swim, a long bike and then a marathon a few months later is amazingly not at all like an IM and a marathon run is nothing like an IM run.

IM is ALL about the bike, if you aren't a solid biker no matter how good a runner you are you will have a bad run. If you leave starting cycling properly until January that isn't, in my opinion, long enough. Nov, Dec and Jan are when the work is done.

Shedite27

Ramona Black Acid wrote: »

Challenge Barca - good race and easy/cheap to get to.

Izoard wrote: »

Challenge Roth - probably the best iron-distance race out there....

I spent a few hours last night researching the various events, these seem the most appealing. Barcelona probably winning out at the moment. Strange tho, the start time is 8:45am - seems quite late - presumably some people won't be finished till close to midnight.

Oryx

Shedite27 wrote: »

I spent a few hours last night researching the various events, these seem the most appealing. Barcelona probably winning out at the moment. Strange tho, the start time is 8:45am - seems quite late - presumably some people won't be finished till close to midnight.

If its a sea swim the timing could be down to tides.

rodneyr1981

tunney wrote: »

Emmm A long swim, a long bike and then a marathon a few months later is amazingly not at all like an IM and a marathon run is nothing like an IM run.

IM is ALL about the bike, if you aren't a solid biker no matter how good a runner you are you will have a bad run. If you leave starting cycling properly until January that isn't, in my opinion, long enough. Nov, Dec and Jan are when the work is done.

Cheers. My bike is prob my strongest event of the 3. Joined a cycling club last summer with the long term goal of the IM in mind. Avg up to 140 most sun morning so fairly confident of the bike. My thinking was to trial and error the nutrition side of things.
Idea was to cover each event this year.
Guessing I've a lot to learn.
Any advice on a good book?