Dear World Triathlon Corporation/Ironman,
My name is Heather. You don't know me, but I know you.
I've known of you for over a decade, ever since my sister first uttered her hopes of one day doing an "Ironman" race. I've been intrigued by you for years, ever since I caught my first Ironman World Championship coverage airing on NBC. I've dreamt of you with an unexplainable drive for the last 15 months, ever since I stood shivering in the cold until midnight watching complete strangers cross a finish line at Ironman Lake Placid 2009.
Racing a 140.6 mile triathlon and "Ironman" were synonymous in my vocabulary. They were one in the same, they went hand in hand. When I dreamt of crossing my first 140.6 finish line, it always included Mike Riley's voice telling me "Heather Gannoe, YOU are an IRONMAN".
I am but a new triathlete, a young mom of two toddler boys, and a full time college student struggling to make ends meet. But in the spirit of "those who say they can't, and those who say they CAN" I've never let any of these situations or financial difficulties get in the way of my dreams. If you want something bad enough, you go for it. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. That is after all , the spirit of Ironman.
Or at least, it was.
Today, I read that you, the WTC/Ironman corporation, took a step away from us "ordinary" folk with your "Access Ironman" program. For a mere $1,000 a year, athletes can now cut to the front of the line to pay their $600 entry fee to a race that already sells out usually within 24 hours or so. What is already a HUGE financial stretch for many of us, between training, equipment, travel, and registration fees, is now probably untouchable.
And even if it's not....even if this new program doesn't rule out us financial underdogs...where has your spirit gone? What is Ironman becoming? I always thought it was for the "elite" in the sense commitment, "elite" in the sense of dedication, "elite" in the sense of drive. Never "elite" in the sense of "only for the wealthy".
At first, I found myself incredibly disheartened at this news. Defeated almost. I know that sounds silly, especially coming from someone who has only just completed her very first season of triathlons, but has such big dreams of the iron distance. And really, I only have myself to blame for my naivety. I have a really hard time remembering that here in the running and triathlon world, we are not all one big happy family basking in the glow of each others accomplishments, picking each other up off of the ground with our disappointments, and motivating each other to be the best that we can be. Many of us, most of us really, are a part of that big happy family. But at the end of the day, the races we scramble to enter, and spend hours, days, and weeks focusing on...well they are a business. A business where the goal at the end of the day isn't to high five us for crossing that finish line after all of our sacrifices, no, their goal is the bottom line. MONEY.
Congratulations Ironman, you just lined your wallets a little thicker, and disappointed the hearts of many.
But not me. No, I for one, have to say thank you.
THANK YOU for reminding me that MY 140.6 will have NOTHING to do with a label. THANK YOU for reminding me that it's not about the official M-Dot finishers gear or that M-Dot medal I was really looking forward to hanging on my wall. THANK YOU for reminding me that My 140.6 will be about ME. About MY possibilities, about MY strengths, MY accomplishments, achieving MY impossibles...and NOT about what anyone tells me I am over a microphone when I cross that finish line.
Sincerely,
Heather Gannoe - 140.6 or bust.
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38 comments:
WOw that is ridiculously lame!! I have already been irritated by the corporate greed aspect of endurance event organizers but this takes the cake. I hope the non-ironman-brand races become more attractive to triathletes--it's still 140.6, just a different name!
Heather- I had heard that was coming. I am not sure where you live, but check out REV3 races. There is one at Cedar Point, and I may be doing the "half rev" in 2011. They offer a family friendly race, in fact, I just heard that volunteers may be able to watch your children during the race and need to look into that more myself. The prices are still high, but the Cedar Point race at least gets you 2 park passes included in your $500 entry for the full (about an $80value) for your family to use as entertainment while you race. I know that I want my first 70.3 race to be an Ironman brand race (Steelhead which doesn't sell out fast), but my second will likely me the Cedar Point on. I know a few people who did the full there, and they are still IRONMEN.
sounds like the same guys in the Boston Athletics Association.
Very well said. It is sad that this may make the races even more out of reach to the "average joe".
YEAH! Couldn't agree more... Hope to see you at Rev3 Cedar Point, perhaps? :)
I saw that too and think it's absolutely ridiculous! Why would anyone pay $1000 extra just to ensure a spot in a race. That crazy!
wow. love your attitude about this!!!!
Well said!
Brilliant post & letter Heather. Let's hope WTC wakes up to themselves (though the realist in me doubts this will happen). The sooner the Challenge series & others take off outside of Europe, the better!
check out the rev3 series. There will be a half in SC in 2011!
Heather - Good for you and thank you for saying what I think needs to be said, and all of us want to say who dream of Ironman glory.
It is on my list for my 50th year on this earth - to be an Ironman, and now, it would seem I too will have to embrace a different type of "announcement" when I hit that finishing line.
That's fine with me also, it won't cheapen the experience, the battle or the accmplishment one bit.
Best to you Heather. Keep kicking A$$.
Heather - Awesome post! I have been ranting about the evil empire (yes, I did 2 IM races, but I also did an independent 140.6 and it was just as amazing) for a year now and this latest stunt just proves what I have been saying for a year - it's not worth the extra $$ in their pockets for the tag line "You are an Ironman" I work for REV3 now- come race with us!!
http://www.rev3tri.com/
Excellent post!! You said it better than anyone!! Come on over and race some Rev3 in Quassy with me this year!!
Wow. I haven't the faintest desire to ever do an Ironman (mad respect to anyone who does) but I'm still appalled. Well said.
Fantastically written post. I had no idea that these races were so pricey to begin with, but "buying" into it, is elitist and unfair. Kudos to you for speaking up.
This is a great post - especially the end. We all get so wrapped up in the brand that we forget it means something beyond that - I'm all in for Rev3 next year. I was on the fence but this made my decision easy!
Big Big boost for Rev 3 and for all smaller local 140.6 races. I was a faithful IMer... and this has me so disheartened.
hey heather--I agree totally. nothing like taking the spirit out of the race when it feels so blantantly like a business. here's to finding other 140.6's. --dimity
Beach 2 Battleship or Chesapeakeman.
I agree with all those that suggested Rev3 full iron race. They put on a great race experience. I did a half iron in Quassy, best race ever.
Or, go for one of the local smaller 140.6 races. I did Beach2Battleship full iron race. It was a very well done race, not perfect, but then agian, I didn't pay $600 for it (it was $375), and I only had to travel 1 day ahead of time, since it was local. Well worth the day, and it's the distance of 140.6 that really counts, not the M-dot brand. Esp with their latest example of greed, I am very glad I didn't do Mdot and get the Mdot tattoo.
Indeed!
Go Rev3!!! :)
Well said.
Bravo! Great post. Onward to Rev3 and your 140.6 finish. At the end of the day, the M-dot is just a logo, not a definition of who you are.
GREAT letter! I can't believe that BS!
Just came to the realize that WTC really stands for "Where's The Cash". Love your comment and best of luck to you in your racing endeavors
Good post. That's very disappointing from the organisers.
I applaud you Heather. Great post.
140.6 is an amamzing accomplishment~it does not matter if it is IM, Rev3 or whatever.
Great attitude Heather :)
Such a great post! I haven't had much interest in the 140.6 (yet) but I can empathize with the financial stress of racing. Keep your great attitude :)
Great letter - and echoes the sentiments of many! Hope they listen. While they do a great job producing races - we pay for that! IM isn't the only race production company. There are hundreds of iron distance races put on by amazing people dedicated to opening triathlon at all distances to commoners like us! SUPPORT THEM! Don't feed that machine! You are right...we are such a brand snob society and need to learn its about your race and not THE race. My first iron distance was a "non ironman" race company and it was amazing. They allowed my son to wait 200 meters from the finish line and run through with me. Never would have happened at an IM! And he and I will NEVER forget it. No there won't be 2,000 people cheering you on but the ones who are important to you will be there.....and it will be about your race and not THE race. You don't neet that brand to prove to yourself that you are an ironman. Just do the distance! Good luck.
Well - that's just another case of 'make it rare to sell better... ' The only plus is an entry into the lottery, but that's usually cheaper.
I cannot imagine that this can run well - usually you can get community spots for sold out races for roughly 1000-1200 total, anyway. This only makes sense if you do more than 2 ironman races per year. That's not me, anyway :)
All the branding arguments were already here on this forum - so I don't have to repeat them...Besides Rev3 - the Challenge races seem a good alternative, too. I have seen one no-name half-distance change into ironman and did not like the change...
Here here! Talk about buying your way to the PODIUM! UGH...
Excellent post... I hope someone there reads this...
Great post! Wll be interesting to see how this plays out. I guess I'll be sticking to the shorter races ;)
Well said! So are you taking down your Ironman countdown widget??
Here is their "apology." Its completely wacked reasoning and doesn't make sense but at least the program is no longer in existence...
http://ironman.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/ironman-access#axzz13gVMhFYm
Was just coming to post the same video that Kelly did. They rescended the program, which I found really odd... didn't offer another solution to the problem that they thought they were addressing, just totally rescended it... interesting.
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