Yeah, for all the reasons kams cited, I'm thinking the best they'll likely offer is free or reduced cost entry into a future event, whether it's Tahoe next year or something else (if Tahoe is discontinued). Even that I would not expect, just be pleasantly surprised by. A refund would obviously be a nice gesture, but I don't see it happening because in terms of supply/demand they just don't need to. Shitty circumstances like this is why we have all that fine print to agree to before we register.
Out of sheer curiosity, I wonder how much money they would lose if they did give refunds. Vendors, transportation costs getting all the people and gear there to host the event, local permits, merch that inevitably won't sell...
I am so sorry for everyone effected by this. What a huge bummer. It sort of seems like they should let each athlete decide if they feel comfortable in poorer air quality, but I know I don't have the details or know the severity of the situation.
In all these cancelations cases it's "just a race" and there are other races, but an Ironman is so different. (even than a marathon or Ultra.) What a heartbreak.
I feel so badly for them! A guy from my trail running group is there, with others to support him. We just talked about it two weeks ago, and he was so ready and pumped.
Love of my life baby boy born 11/11. One and done not by choice; 3 years of TTC yielded 4 MMC and 2 CPs, through 4 IUIs and 2 IVFs. Focusing on making the world a better place instead...and running.
Having lived there for a few years, my newsfeed is filled with images from the area with the poor quality of the air and how smoky it is. Just awful. When we lived there, there was some smoke in the air from area fires, but nothing this bad. Again, not fog, smoke in the middle of the day.
I feel TERRIBLE for the racers, I literally cannot imagine how overwhelmed I would feel to have this cancelled (though I obviously see why they did).
How terrible for everyone involved. Do IM events sell out quickly? Is there another one in the near future they could sign up for?
I think the loss of all that time training would be the worst thing for me.
They don't sell out as quick as they used to (some races still do), but they do tend to eventually sell out. As far as the season goes, it's pretty much over with world Championships in October, and then IM Arizona in November (it always confuses me, why is this race in November, can people qualify for worlds in 2015, with this race? I'm assuming so). I'm sure there are other races around the world, but nothing in the US or Canada until 2015.
How terrible for everyone involved. Do IM events sell out quickly? Is there another one in the near future they could sign up for?
I think the loss of all that time training would be the worst thing for me.
They don't sell out as quick as they used to (some races still do), but they do tend to eventually sell out. As far as the season goes, it's pretty much over with world Championships in October, and then IM Arizona in November (it always confuses me, why is this race in November, can people qualify for worlds in 2015, with this race? I'm assuming so). I'm sure there are other races around the world, but nothing in the US or Canada until 2015.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on Sept 22, 2014 8:43:50 GMT -5
I had a friend volunteering up there. She said it was good at the lake, but the air on the other side of Brockway summit was so thick you could practically chew it. I can understand that, because this is my view this morning at swim practice:
Post by blndsnbrdr on Sept 22, 2014 9:46:44 GMT -5
This is insane -- seriously sucks for athletes, but it looks like they made the right call. You have to give them credit for waiting until the very last minute to call it, they obviously wanted to make it work!
And to the asshat you started that fire, seriously!? People suck!
How terrible for everyone involved. Do IM events sell out quickly? Is there another one in the near future they could sign up for?
I think the loss of all that time training would be the worst thing for me.
They don't sell out as quick as they used to (some races still do), but they do tend to eventually sell out. As far as the season goes, it's pretty much over with world Championships in October, and then IM Arizona in November (it always confuses me, why is this race in November, can people qualify for worlds in 2015, with this race? I'm assuming so). I'm sure there are other races around the world, but nothing in the US or Canada until 2015.
IMAZ 2014 has Kona spots for 2015. In fact, so do IM races in September.
Post by 1confused1 on Sept 22, 2014 16:07:26 GMT -5
Lurker chiming in
It is so sad for the athletes who put in so much training, but the air quality index was at a level "beyond hazardous". If people exercised in it for 14 plus hours, people likely would have died. The officials made the right decision I think. The wind shifted overnight and pushed the smoke back into the valley, that is why the decision wasn't made until race day.
I was a spectator at IMLT last year and, can tell you, the weather was completely abnormal. It snowed the night before the race and was freezing during the swim start, but then warmed up to a comfortable level when the racers transitioned to the bike.
I wonder if, even though there is a contract to have IMLT for the next few years, if they will find a way out of it.
Last year we had a big fire not too far from me and I decided to work out even though the air quality was really really poor. I had to cut the workout short because I was coughing so much and couldn't breathe right because of the smoke-filled air. I'm in CA and we're always on fire somewhere it feels like.
How terrible for everyone involved. Do IM events sell out quickly? Is there another one in the near future they could sign up for?
I think the loss of all that time training would be the worst thing for me.
They don't sell out as quick as they used to (some races still do), but they do tend to eventually sell out. As far as the season goes, it's pretty much over with world Championships in October, and then IM Arizona in November (it always confuses me, why is this race in November, can people qualify for worlds in 2015, with this race? I'm assuming so). I'm sure there are other races around the world, but nothing in the US or Canada until 2015.
Yup.
There's a date line somewhere in September I think, when it would be too few weeks out from Kona to race, recover, and race an IM again, and IM races after that date are for Kona slots for the following year. If you race, e.g., IM Wisconsin in 9/2014 and qualify, your spot is for Kona the following year (2015), not the one that's 5-ish weeks later. Makes sense. I hadn't really thought about it before but I learned that this year when my coach and her H were both racing for Kona slots at IMWI. They both made it!