I’ve never done a park run either. I did get as far as signing up but 9am on a Saturday? Bit early isn’t it…
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There is a a particularly annoying person I know who likes to claim how virtuous and eco friendly they are by being vegan but who also engages in “parkfun tourism” which involves driving many miles to distant park runs to do different ones.
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Exacly; Sat was always my rest day. Ironically the one Sat morning I did a long training run for an IM, it brought me back via the Ridings in CS. I arrived just as it was starting and I was about 16 miles in. I then had to keep my ego in check as I sauntered past the back markers around the playing fields on my way back to OS.
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I lived on SJW for a couple of years, the Ridings would’ve been ideal. My park run choices now would be a 55 minute round trip (by car) or the next nearest ones would be 90+ minutes. Seems a long way to go for a 40 minute run 
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Anyways … back on topic (parkrun thread is thattaway)
Ideas For the Future of Ironman
- Less events globally
- Hire Donald Trump to Make Ironman Great Again (but seriously, less events means they can focus more on delivering a great product)
- You can’t do an Ironman until you’ve done a 70.3 with us. Sorry. We’re a private company. If you don’t like our rules, go race with someone else. We really do care and want novices to not die etc.
- With the reduction in events and less people entering due to the pre-requirements, Kona can go back to a 2,000 person one-day prestige event.
- The legacy programme. You can come to Kona WC, or get a FREE entry to any other event we run of our choosing. Loyalty programme.
- Intstallment plan = no refunds. Deferral only. Stump up the full fee upfront and we’ll refund you 100% should something happen. Negate sunk costs
There. I’ll be on IMTalk as CEO of WTC next week 
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Some people travel half way around the world for less than 10sec. As said, the world would be a poorer place if we were all the same.
I like searching out new parkruns when I’m travelling. It’s also become my main run session of the week, can run to my local, do some 1 mile efforts before 9am and finish with a 5K, jog home. Or get an early ride in and then use the parkrun as a brick. All done by 10am.
Anyway, future of Ironman. Is the full distance going back to being niche? Have PTO called it and 100K or 70.3 is the new standard? Seems more and more full IM will disappear, what chance Cork returning next year? Even think Tenby could be next.
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I must admit, as someone who is ‘into’ tri, this year focussing on IM has been tough. The last two years where I raced 70.3’s were so much easier to fit around life and family. I wouldn’t like to say i’d never do an IM again, as i would certainly fancy one more at least. But it would have to be a bit of a destination race - Roth, Austria, Switzerland, Nice. Something like that.
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After some years of IM training, I found the switch to ultras fairly easy. The hours were roughly the same. (a bit more for ultra running ) but it’s the logistics, or lack of, that I noticed most.
No need to get to the club ride or even spend a lot of time maintaining 3 bikes. Not pool driving faff.
With IM training, it’s not the training time, it’s the sunk time on the periphery that adds up, especially when you have kids.
It’s also a shit load easier to work longer training runs into a family that also runs. There is a better feeling of togetherness, which gels well in our household.
I think this is where IM can cause friction.
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Make it more affordable.
There I said it.
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But unless you are doing an IM right on your doorstep, is the entry cost the most significant expense?
Most people must spend far more on travel and accommodation, especially if they are travelling to the race with family 
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A free lane-swimming only pool within 2.5km of every home in the UK.
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I was going to say this but I think it’s the death of of a 1000 cuts for a lot of folks. You could live with the accom costs, the increase in food/fuel costs but couple that with an increased entry costs and then all of a sudden an IM weekend is within spitting distance of a week away for the family, without the selfishness.
The problem with the high(er) entry cost is it’s the first cab off the rank for most people. The sticker shock just causes a chain reaction. It isn’t much in the grand scheme of things but it is the catalyst for people thinking in ‘grand scheme’ terms IMO.
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Yeah i can suck up a big entry fee if i feel like i’m getting something for it. IM, in fairness, do deliver that big event feel. Gantries and closed roads and the lights and carpets etc.
But this IM is costing me a fortune in small things like FP said. Maintaining two bikes and a turbo with the increased mileage, food bills, the little performance extras like fancy shoes, aero helmets and tubes and tyres and bottles etc etc. My wetsuit broke so that had to replaced (not IM’s fault, but it came on top of many other things this year).
I actually think i trained less hours during my bigger ultra years. And like you say @FatPom - it’s much easier to just chuck some shoes on and head out the door. Weather doesn’t make a difference like it does on the bike or for OW swimming. It’s just so, so much easier!
But, that said, i have enjoyed training the 3 sports. I do still really like triathlon. It’s just expensive and time hungry.
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Very much with you on this.
Coming from a fellrunning background when you had to provide proof of completing shorter races before being allowed entry into longer ones I was amazed I could enter a Middle distance with minimal experience…I was so surprised I hadn’t missed some small print that I contacted the organiser.
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Pay my dues before an Ironman? 
I used to do a build up before every Ironman, let alone my first! It was usually Oly/HIM/Oly > IM in my DE days.
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That is a great idea.
Perhaps go back to the original ethos of Ironman, go full on premium for the 140.6.
It’s not a goer though as the success of 70.3 is folk can say they’ve done an Ironman on insta without doing an Ironman as we know it. Suspect this may detract from that……
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I’m completely sure that increasing the barriers to entry is not the future of Ironman.
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Could you consider it not as a barrier, but as part of the gruelling journey?
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I’m thinking something more feasible like requiring membership of NOWCA, including it in the race entry fee, you know something that encourages OW experience but doesn’t mandate it.
Maybe race levels. Design one per country as your first timers, second for experienced IMs. I dunno.
Think I’ve said before that back in the day, you had to properly qualify for IMOZ, not validate with a HIM (any brand) but reach a qualifying std and it wasn’t that easy. IMOZ back then was run by Ken and Glenda Baggs. If they’d seen that you’d done about 3 HIMs but still didn’t qualify, they’d usually let you in.
Then HIMs became 70.3, then it was just ‘validate’ and now I think it’s gone completely.
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