@Adam - I’m doing Staffs, not ideal, but I think the ability to motor on through would be good.
Also, as Staffs is a bit close to IMUK, it makes you know that you won’t be at your best at Staffs, so have an excuse there 
FWIW: the 70.3 in Australia had slots roll for the WC in Taupo, so I guess Staffs will be a case of “if you wanna go, you can go” sorta thing.
Well I think a Staffs, Bolton, Tenby combo would be my season. I had planned on entering a local sprint in May and something in August both would probably have to be chopped though.
Would of course have to get my wife on board with this too. Perhaps need to pick up a bouquet of flowers on the way home.
From you! 
That’s what I’m expecting, but the majority of North American 70.3s seen to have a fairly decent uptake of slots, not many AGs rolling past 10th whereas I thought they might be the same with zero uptake.
Interesting that slots rolled in Australia!!
Taupo is a different kettle of fish. If I got myself in the conversation for it I would be tempted to push it with the other half having never been to a WC. But it’ll still cost a fortune I reckon.
I’m very lucky, we were already planning a NZ holiday for winter before I found out about Taupo. From there wasn’t much of a stretch to persuade the partner we wanted to fly out a week earlier just in case. Next step will be if I want to take my own bike, Convincing her she wants to spend 6 weeks in a camper van with one, and the upgraded size of van to fit.
Even just having a very brief think about it I’m not sure what I’d do.
We spent our honeymoon in NZ so the location would be an easy sell but I’d have no idea what to do with my kids!
Anyhow getting off topic!
Yeah @Adam …enter IMUK 
I’m deffo doing it now.
Even if just to get round.
I’m mulling it over
Yeah right…!
I know several people who are looking to get round…!?
I don’t know you personally but your not one of them…
Several people have realised what they signed up for now
You had a very good idea when you put the £££ in…
When I stuck the pounds in, I didn’t expect to be moving house about eight weeks before it, or still not having a “proper” job and the routine that goes with that.
@adam - PM sent
Life gets in the way…!?
Been there but I’m lucky these days… pity I’m ancient!
You could do it now and still beat … I’m guessing 90% of the field probably more
I know of a Big crossfitter in a local gym, beats us all over 2 k on a rower by some margin I’m guessing.
He can’t actually get up sheephouse steep side, that’s more of a gearing issue I think but… he really is looking to get round
@Adam go for Bolton, it’s well supported and not as big a dump as people say.
Re: Taupo, have you not seen home alone, they’ll be fine 
My nephew and his wife are doing it for their first IM, I’m planning on going to watch, so far I’m doing well talking myself out of entering it 
C’mon @JeffB … you know you want to …
Yeah do it!
I will shout at him all the way round MCR Marathon to enter it
@Chriswim @Mungo2 - Do you folks know of any cafes around Hawkshaw, Edgeworth or Chapeltown that we’d be welcomed to with a bike?
I can’t even see a Co-Op, or similar, on streetview…there must be some shops on the top half of the route?
On the A666 at Egerton, just off the route, down from Longworth Road, there are two cafes: Bakers and Crabtrees, plus there is a corner shop.
That’s about 74km into the ride from mine, with only 56km home, so I may be a bit hungry/in need of a refill before that.
Rivington is too far round, that’s about 80km in, I’ll be chewing my handlebars by then
Tempting to join IMJ again; just so I can ask if it’s likely IMUK could be cancelled due to Coronavirus 
2019 Entrants for you…
| Country | Athletes |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1446 |
| Ireland | 26 |
| United States | 15 |
| Germany | 12 |
| Poland | 12 |
| France | 11 |
| South Africa | 10 |
| Italy | 9 |
| Netherlands | 6 |
| Australia | 5 |
| India | 4 |
| Canada | 4 |
| Spain | 4 |
| Belgium | 3 |
| Switzerland | 3 |
| Lithuania | 3 |
| Norway | 2 |
| New Zealand | 2 |
| Slovakia | 2 |
| Hungary | 2 |
| PHI | 2 |
| Hong Kong | 2 |
| Sweden | 2 |
| Isle of Man | 2 |
| ZIM | 2 |
| MON | 1 |
| Finland | 1 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1 |
| CRO | 1 |
| Argentina | 1 |
| LAT | 1 |
| MAS | 1 |
| Russian Federation | 1 |
| Ghana | 1 |
| Ecuador | 1 |
| Brazil | 1 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 1 |
| Romania | 1 |
| Czech Republic | 1 |
| United States Minor Outlying Islands | 1 |
| GRE | 1 |
| Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 1 |
| CAY | 1 |
| Austria | 1 |
| Denmark | 1 |
| Jersey | 1 |
| Japan | 1 |
| SLO | 1 |
That is wholly irrelevant to stirring the IMJ pot. In any case, the point of cancelling big events is to prevent mass public gatherings, regardless of nationality. It will be interesting to see what happens with VLM, given the timelines.