Easiest to Hardest IM?

Who gave you back your keyboard...isn't there supposed to be a post-IM waiting period before you can have it back?  Like, a month?

Not really able to compare them.  Each person's perception is different based on the race, their training, and terrain preference.  Plus, you have the individual factor of weather on a specific race day; like IMWI over the last 4 years (hot, cold, perfect, nice but rainy).

You could take the average race time over a number of years to find out which are the "Fastest" but not necessarily which are the "Easiest". 

How ya figure? 

I know it goes w/o saying that each IM is different and has it's own challenges but is one IM event consistanly has times that are 1 - 2 hrs less than another another one, I'd say that course was not as difficult.

Or you could take "easiest" to mean easiest to finish, in which case you could just calculate the average DNF rate for each race.

I have no input, as I have not done an IM (yet!!)

The course is only one factor though.  You also need to account for weather (average over a series of years) and competitor level.  On a median finish basis, I'm sure you'd find that Kona was probably faster than some others because of the shear level of talent that goes to that race.

C'mon data boy.  Give us some graphs and charts.  

bingo !!

I knew there would be purists who say that the IM events cannot be ranked because there are too many variables - training level, weather, individual strengths/weaknesses etc.  Certainly one could do a statistical analysis of finish times, elevation gains, temperatures, wind speed, cloud cover, water salinity and pH factor to quantify which course is historically the most difficult.  But what I asked was for your perception of which course was most difficult.  Just looking for YOUR opinion not hard data.  Kinda like if I asked 'Who makes the best tri bike?'  The obvious answer is Felt but we'd all have opinions about numbers 2, 3, 4 etc.  ;-)  (can you tell what kind of bike I ride?)

~Mike

The manufacturer that makes the one that fits you the best...  

It's not about the bike, it's about the engine. 

I'm not only going to take your keyboard away, but I may hit you over the head with it!  Where would that fit on a pie chart?  Mike, please go sign up for the Grand Floridian so you'll be out there training rather than thinking of new and interesting thread topics 

This is my perception as well... not that I have seen any courses firsthand other than IMLP and IMWI.

I like that you added the reasons for your perception.  Here are mine:

It's like comparing apples an oranges, it just doesn't work.  All IM's are 140.6 mile, and all are ment to be grueling for one reason or another.  One might have an easier swim while another one might have amazing climbs on the bike.  Just because IMFL is flat doesn't make it easy.

 
This guy seems to a lot of time on his hands, check it out for statitics on all IM races.

http://ironzip.com/rpst.php?year=2008&race_type_code=A

You could try to break it down by year and course since each year is different.  Kinda like they do with the NFL,  say comparing the 1985 Bears defense to the 2001 Ravens defense (I forget the exact year but you get the point).  But who's been to that many IM's.

hey lets face it the EasyMan is the fastest and easiest 140.6 out there..

the swim is all with the current. Bike is nearly completely down hill and they have people movers for the run course if you get tired.  Throw in the fact that you are assigned a personal volunteer for the entire weekend, a guarentee of no lines for anything and you can repeatedly go across the finish line until you get the perfect photo.. This race has it all

LOL.  Yeah, I guess it's kinda like trying to match up Ali and Marciano.

Just got back from my lunchtime run (where I do my best thinking) and it occurred to me that my faux pas was to use the word "easiest" in the same sentence as ironman.  I did not mean to impugn anyone's IM race.  I was just curious as to how my perceptions of the various races compares to other's perceptions.

I also need to change my rankings.  I think IMFL is probably more difficult (for me) than many of the other races becuase of the ocean swim.  Salt water waves in the face and trying to swim in choppy water make me hurl.

~Mike