Easiest to Hardest IM? (Page 2)

A buddy of mine says that people seem to cheer the loudest for the first ones and the last ones to cross the finish line.  :-)

~Mike

They're all hard, some made harder by the weather conditions.

It's funny that people rank AZ easy and LP hard.  A friend of mine did LP in 06 and AZ in 4/08.  He said (for HIM, so there isn't any confusion), having done both courses, the conditions at AZ when he did it made that course head and shoulders harder than LP when he did it.  he thought it would be flat and easy.... bike was about the same for both

So based on your criteria:

AZ would be harder than LP, based on one person's hard data, which really makes no sense.  So, how many angels can fit on the head of a pin anyway?

Impossible to say course A is harder than course B, unless you're talking Lanzarote or Norseman

Yeah, I didn't really think about this before I posted the question.  The thought just came to my lil' haid and I posted it.  Had I thought about it, I'd of realized no good come come of this debate.  No one wants to think that thier even was "easier" than someone else's IM.

Ironically, this same impulsive nature of mine is how I ended up doing 2 IM races and signed up for a 3rd.  Had I actually stopped to "think" about it, I'd never had done it.  :-)

Too bad we can't yank our own threads.  :-)  (ok, no wise cracks!)

~Mike

I think the same way..started with a harder one IMLP in the rain no less..next one I plan to do is IMFL.

How we do on any specific day has so many variables..training, executing race plan, hydration, nutrition, sodium intake, weather...plus we all have different strengths and weaknesses.....cool thing it is always a huge challenge 140.6 is a long way no matter what the terrain and weather.

No having everyone agree on this topic...

I second that motion, BUT. . . .

I did IM 70.3 Hawaii in 2007.  Half the run was through Baking Lava Fields.  You could see that wierd illusion you get from heat off of a hot surface.  The bike was the middle part of the IM Championship course up to Hawi.  Heat and crosss winds. 

That day it was about 93 to 95 degrees.  IM Lou this year was 93 degrees for a high.  It felt totally different from the heat in Hawaii.

As stated before, It depends on the DAY, Your Training Level and your Mind Set going into the event.

I just read Chrissie Wellingtons blog of 4 days ago.  She just won an event and said she Wanted Hills or a good Head Wind to make up for the lack of hills.  I want FLATS and a TAIL WIND! ! ! ! !

So that is a hard question to quantify. . .    Though, I sure did enjoy my experiance at IM Lou. . .  (though that was my only IM. . . So Far)

Here's a little empirical data.  Putting aside the obvious how-the-ell-does-anyone-win-an-IM-a-week-after-finishing-2nd-in-an-IM-a-week-before, this would idicate KY is "easier" than IMWI.  He was 10 minutes slower than IMKY and won.

IMWI

1. CHRIS MCDONALD                            8:43:29

IMKY

Last Week 2nd in Louisville, Today 1st in Wisconsin for Chris McDonald

A 90+ degree day vs a 70 degree day is kind of a big factor to compare the two.  Conditions at MOO were ideal for fast splits like last year.  Not the case at LOO.

Yes, very confusing.  I confused myself too....but that's never hard to do. 

Yes, I found this thread sort of insulting.....but I'm glad we've cleared up the fact that it's virtually impossible to rank these in easiest to hardest order   (IMFL 2007 Finisher)

reading this thread I went to check the Hawaii qualification assignements for the "easy" ones.

It seems that AZ with few minutes below 10hrs you should get it.

The bike course is fast (and windy). Maybe I think on subscribing.

We should need to understand the easiest to access by online subscriptions. I hope AZ is not crazy for that. FL is crazy for sure and I know it.

In november I will try to see

I would say Inferno triathlon is the hardest in the world together with the Ironman de l'Alpe d'Huez in France.

The rest is nothing compared to those two.