Military Friendly Race Companies for HIM/IM

I'd be sure to get in touch with HITS. They're the only one's I've seen with a military specific registration price. They don't seem to have big turnouts for there full distance races but I'll be at the HIM in Ocala in March

Thanks for your service

I've found that although the race staff thinks of military in terms of a military discount, they don't necessarily think about the logistics operational status, and the fact that a deployment can happen -- and that certainly won't be found in the release and terms information.

While you'll often find something regarding transferrability, there won't be something like the military clause you can get in a lease releasing you in case of military orders.

My best advice would be look at the races you're planning toward, and get in touch with the race director to explain your situation.  You'll probably get a "Wow, we hadn't thought about that!", and set something in motion that will help others after you!

I'd also add that there are races which are put on by, or supported by the military.  We have a tri out here in Washington on Fort Lewis.  I'm sure there are others -- the Marine Corps Marathon being the best known, of course.

Leadman Bend is free for military--not sure if other races they put on are, but you can sign up and if you don't make it you're not out anything.

I did the Nation's Tri back in 2009.  I was scheduled to transfer from the DC area to Michigan in 2010 and I was getting those email reminders to register for the 2010 event.  I replied to the email that I was being transferred and that I was likely not going to be in the area during the race.  The race director said that if I registered and got transferred, he would personally see that I got a complete refund.  I thought that was pretty generous.

-Nick

I have found that even WTC can be nice about military training.  I had a friend who was deployed and didn't get to sign up for IMFL (the internet over there isn't the greatest).  When he got back he e-mailed them and explained why he hadn't signed up and they let him sign up for the race.  And they let TXMPGal switch between IMFL and IMAZ when she had to go to a funeral for one of her troops.  So my experience has been that for major things like deployments even WTC has been nice about it.

I've only ever lost two entry fees to RDs who refused to refund my entry fees for military reasons.  Neither of those races was WTC at the time (but are now!).

Escape from Alcatraz even deferred me from this year to next year for military training reasons.  They just asked for a letter from my commander indicating that I would be in training and unable to take leave.

Bottom line, there are no guarantees.  And part of being in the military (to me) is accepting that sometimes you may have to eat an entry fee.  If I was an RD and a person had a military reason for being unable to race I would refund their money no questions asked.  But, I've also had to come to accept that every now and then I will lose an entry fee.  I try to minimize the effects by signing up later for races, but I realize that not all races make that possible (i.e. IM).

I have found that when I'm PCS'ing it's hard to commit to races that year.  At least once you're AT a duty location you can ask permission before signing up, but if you don't know who your boss will be it's hard!  I may have this problem for Kona.  I'm signed up because I signed up before I knew who my boss would be and now there is a big exercise that week on base!  I already have all my money sunk into the race so I am really hoping they don't try to pull the rug out from under me when I finally figure out who my boss is next week!

+1 for Set Up Events (Beach to Battleship HIM/IM).

Also, WTC (Ironman) can work with you if you give them notice.  A member of my tri club got a deferral from IM Canada 2011 to IM Cananda 2012 because of a deployment.

I too feel your pain when it comes to being in the military (I'm a USAF Chaplain) and trying to get a race schedule together...I hope your new boss is reasonable...