Event Suggestions

O.K. let's hear your requests for a team event.
I would like to know the event, the location and the dates.
I am looking for events for next year so that everyone will have time to plan and make arrangements, and get their training plans in order.

So what event do you think we should use as the first event to showcase our group and start to spread the word about our team and our ideas on WLS and life after.  Any of you rock stars out there that have media contacts already?  Any connections with major sponsors, we could do one of their events. 

Time to share please.

Scott
Disney World 1/2 & Full Marathon 2011Florida
Avia WildFlower Assorted Triathlons 2012 California
White Rock 1/2 & Full Marathon 2013 Texas
Kauai Marathon 2014 Hawaii
Chicago Triathlon 2015 Chicago
Something like that.

As much as I would love to suggest the Kauai marathon as a group event the cost could be prohibitive for some of us, so I would be fine with something like the Disneyland Marathon.

Can we develop a 5 year plan for Hawaii?  :)

I don't see why not.  We can put any events on a proposed calendar that we would like
Given enough advanced notice I might be able to do something like that.  However it would probably mean that I wouldn't be attending anything the prior 2 years.

Scott

I'd agree to that one!! LOL.

Dallas White Rock - offers half and full mary simultanously. Beautiful course and lots of aid stations with a large after race event included with entry.  This year's event is 12-12-2010...still 11 months away and plenty of time to train.  Sign up starts June 1 at http://www.runtherock.com/.  The half has sold out at 20k the last two years so sign up early is recommended. 2009's race was televised locally and is scheduled to be done again this year. Lots of ops for team/sponsor recognition.

For bikers, the Hotter n Hell is scheduled for Sat August 28 in Wichita falls Texas.  Details at http://www.hh100.org/.  This is a 100 mile bike with hilly terrain, but wildly popular and very well supported. It is not an easy ride at all, I've known several people to ride it and not all made it. they were either pulled at the cut off point or disquaified after requiring 2 bags of iv for dehydration. it is not for beginners, but the 2011 dates are not posted yet.

And ladies who are just getting into triathlons, there is the Danskin Sprint Tri in Austin on June 5-6. http://www.danskintriathlon.net/Races___Dates.html. I've done this twice and it is a huge event with participants of all ages and sizes. great place to attract wls sponsors as lots of participants are there because they are looking to change their lives.

Sorry, my suggestions are all Texas. But budget and time are both tight and I doubt I'll be able to get far from home. looking forward to chat.

I got preliminary family approval for Disney.
The only way I'm going to get a large race scheduled is to turn it into a family outing/vacation as well.  Unless It's something very close to home that I can attend by myself.
If it has travel and a significant expense associated with it, I have to make it a family activity.
The only other way I could see it is if we had some comped entries to an even to off set the cost of the travel and accomodations.

Scott

When you say "next" year do you mean 2011?

I think we should do something with some choices. Like a running race that has 5K to Half-marathon distances. Or a triathlon that has Sprint and Olympic distance.

I also think we shouldn't do something majorily challenging ... like a marathon or an Ironman ... so we can include as many people as possible.

Disneyland or WDW events are a good idea for reasons Scott gave. Something in Las Vegas would be good too because it's a cheap place to fly to and to stay.

I'd also like to throw out Wildflower Triathlon Festival. It's a whole weekend so people could pick how long they wanted to say for and has Sprint, Olympic and Long courses. But it would work best for people on the West Coast.

Yes I mean 2011 that give people enough time to start to get their head around it, make plans for vacation and savings for the event things like that.
I would like a whole list so perhaps we could plan ahead for maybe the next 5 years.
2011 Disney World (East Coast)
2012 Wildflower (West Coast)
2013 Something in the middle of the country
2014 Something in the Northern part of the country
2015 something in the Souther part of the country.

Something like that.  It doesn't have to be in that order, but that was what I was thinking.
By moving it around the country we can get the most diverse participation, everyone would have a chance to go to one of the major team events.

Scott

Just a word of caution.  The Disney half usually sells out in mid march so there is about 6 weeks to get into that one.