The major competition to Ironman is really other sports; people just get bored of Ironman, the cost of it or both and drift away. But at the moment, there are still fresh ‘one & done’ people to fill the void. When they run out, WTC might expand (more) in Asia.
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Messick said they’re targeting Asia for expansion.
So there you go!
I think the only issue with Asia is the work ethic; apparently they work a f*ton of hours and that leaves little time for most to have dedicated hobbies. Particularly places like S Korea. @FatPom can maybe say whether that’s actually true or not!
But I’ve heard that there’s a lot of pressure on young people in countries like that to succeed at ‘school’, knuckle down in a good job, then get married & start a family without too much delay. Everything else is likely to detract from your ‘prestige’.
I would be very interested to hear about Asian cultures from those that have actually lived there…
Agree, similar to recent Kona thread I think IM is surviving by one and dones for completing and qualification. It’s no wonder when even the sport it is pretty boring from the outside, even at Olympic level nevermind long distance, and on top of that IM as a company are (in some ways) oblivious to selling what they have. They’re built purely on image (people get M-dot tattoos?!) yet can’t even provide any decent feed of the pinacle of the sport.
There is certainly a culture of long work hours in Asia, although I believe the Western influence is permeating into the younger generation who see the lifestyle of American’s on TV and question why they can’t have some of that. Might take a while for this generation to reach peak MAMIL though.
The dedicated homelife is very gender specific. If the man of the house wants to stay out all night drinking with his buddies, or riding his triathlon bike then his wife will expect to pick up the slack. Again, Western influence might change this, but I suspect this is the market they are targeting.
Of course us Euros think the Americans work too hard and don’t get enough annual leave 
Quite what the Mediterraneans think of everyone else…
Yeah the work ethic is crazy and the school ethic. Mrs FP is a product of the 12hr a day school/ hyper competition stuff and she went to an exclusive private school (in Ga Nam!) and it was till mad.
The other in Asia, is that a bike was always the transport of the poor. Nobody wanted to be seen on a bike when they could afford a car. It’s changing a bit now. The work hours and pressure to socialise after work and a lack of a swim culture wouldn’t make it easy.
Load more I can put (and will) but gotta make brekkie before heading off for my ultra.
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Well, I signed up for Almere. Three weeks since the Lakesman and I’ve done 5 hours, then 9 and on course for 11 this week so it’s going ok.
Two weeks in France from next week where I’ll be swimming or running daily which gives me all of August to work on the bike. I’m interested to see how the body holds up this time round as I’ve not done more than one full in a year previously. I might even shift that extra half a stone I carried around the lakes…
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I see Challenge are running a middle distance event in Cape Town. Didn’t they previously pull the plug on an IM-distance event there at short notice, leaving lots of disgruntled people who’d booked travel and accommodation.
Cape Town, sounds risky.
Well, after two months of not much training due to a hairline fracture of the metertarsal head just below the big toe…I thought bugger it. The foot felt a lot better over the last week and everything was paid for so off I went to Almere on Thursday.
Now I’m slow, but had a 9 minute swim PB at 1.16 and a bike PB at 5.50. So, if the foot played nicely I’m thinking 11.30 worst way for a nice PB. Alas, it didn’t and I had a marathon that will stay with me for a while, it really went tits up. A six lap course wasn’t great, especially when you know on the first lap the foot is not having it. But I somehow stayed on the course and ended up at 12.02. Gutted.
As for the race, great organisation, fantastic support and Almere went down well with my wife and teenage daughters. Also a 20 minute train journey in to Amsterdam for them…so it worked well for the family.
As for the bike course, it’s flat but relentless…in the end I was dreaming of hills so I could rest coming down one!
Much better than I’d feared after reading comments here and I’m happy to have done it, despite the last five hours of the race for me.
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12 hour full distance race is good by most peoples standards, carrying an injury long term its actually quite good, a Guy in my Job went super fast today, off a 4;55 bike! Strewth…
Well done for toughing it out.
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That feeling when you know something isn’t right and the marathon is going to be a slog: that is when most people quit. You didn’t quit. You ran a bloody marathon and finished an iron distance race in front of your family.
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I found it quite interesting to see just how big Almere was in the 90s, as an independent race…before Ironman brand fever escalated…look how crowded the finish is!
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Wow, look at the crowds. Great footage, enjoyed that.
Makes me want to go back and do it in my speedos for some reason🤷🏻♂️
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I watched the 89 Gold Coast Tri earlier; definitely got me thinking about doing a Sprint Tri at least in Speedos and vest…if I was allowed to by the fun police 
paging @fatbuddha??
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Definitely go for it. Crop vest best though, not a long one tucked in to your speedos.
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Gotta go with a tache and some massive Oakleys too 
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Have a look for the old Sydney F1 events, not much space for logos on that kit!
sadly, rules don’t allow crop tops these days (I call it the muffin roll rule - you can’t show your midriff) but you could get away with speedos and a long running vest that covers the speedo waistband. that would be OK. or if it’s a local more charity based event, get a few friends together and all dress the same with speedos and crop tops (with false 'taches of course!), contact the Race Director and Chief Official and explain that you are doing it for charity and could they allow it for just the once. If I was that TO, I’d be happy but only one proviso - no podium spots allowed. I’ve allowed people to race in fancy dress before but had to stop people running with axes or shields as that’s just fucking dangerous!
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