Some loose ends on Florida
For those of you doing Florida I have some questions and maybe we can get some concensus.
1. When do you plan to go to Panama City and when plan to leave? I haven't bought tickets yet but plan on arriving on Tuesday the first and leaving either late Monday or sometime Tuesday. The race is on Saturday. I know Kahuna wants to have a margarita party at a Mexican place Sunday night. I'm in. Are you?
2. What airport are you flying into if you already have tickets or what is the best one to use? I have not bought mine yet, doing so this week. I am planning on renting a big SUV or minivan. It can be a shuttle around town or loan it for quick trips for those on a tight budget. I'm on a tight budget too don't get me wrong. I am going to probably be stressed to the gills and not really into being a shuttle captain, but it will be nice to just load people in and go places as opposed to a five car convoy.
3. I am staying at the Inn at St. Thomas Square. From what I can tell its about a 1/3 mile from transition. Of course if you have ever been to Vegas its like saying the Rio is right off the strip.
4. Whom is bringing family with them? Mistress and Mighty Mo are coming down.
5. Whom is even considering tattoo's? I will do the leg work on this and find a close, highly rated (read: safe) place. Having just watched three good friends get tattoo's after Arizona this month I would suggest creating your perfect template before going down there and handing it to the artist when you get it done.
Something to keep in mind is that the M-Dot logo has several variation based on color code of the race (orange, red, blue, brown, black) and the thickness of the 'M' character is different on almost everything. At the race expo you can buy a M-Dot rub on tat for the race, which were very popular race day. You can buy them online to test them on your intended body location before you get it permanently done. They are about an inch high.
I will post the tattoo's my team got as soon as I get the pictures. Some ideas based on what I have seen:
*M-Dot logo on the middle of the calf belly (centered backside).
*M-Dot on the outside of ankle. Seen large ones and small ones.
*'Ironman' surrounding the ankle, the image similiar to the one at the bottom of my blog page.
*Creative design of swim, bike, run icons placed in a band around the bicep.
*M-Dot logo with the state flower on either side (female)
*Using race font to write 'Florida' on top, 'IronMan' underneath, state flag underneath, year underneath. Actually a very cool tatoo that I will post up.
Whats your design going to look like?
6. Do we have support shirts yet for family members to wear on race day? I remember Sheila or Shelley maybe coming up with something. Even if its just bright yellow Tri-Geek Dreams shirts.
7. For those that have family going, we need to plan on giving all our support teams each others cell phone numbers. When they are scattered around the course, they can call each other to let everyone know who is coming their way, keep everyone up to date on our conditions, get cameras turned on and ready, signs held high, kids alert. This worked so well at Arizona. We had four groups staggered around the run every couple of miles, no one got past us without us being ready. One person with a wi-fi laptop can be posting to our personal IMFL website or as a back up we could link all their cellphones up to blogger on the go so they could each text an update to a central location. I think using the imflo6.blogger as a central info dump is good idea and then later we can individually draw from it for our own race reports.
Plus let's be daring. It would look like a private Ironman live feed. All our friends and family around the country could be getting info from one place instead of jumping to ten or more seperate blogs. It becomes fun for them too and getting a glimpse at the unity we have all shared over the past year or more in this race.
_______________________________________________
Update@ 11 am: I just went to Orbitz and looked into flying from Phoenix to Panama City (PFN) tickets are roughly $550 a person on Delta with one plane change.
1. When do you plan to go to Panama City and when plan to leave? I haven't bought tickets yet but plan on arriving on Tuesday the first and leaving either late Monday or sometime Tuesday. The race is on Saturday. I know Kahuna wants to have a margarita party at a Mexican place Sunday night. I'm in. Are you?
2. What airport are you flying into if you already have tickets or what is the best one to use? I have not bought mine yet, doing so this week. I am planning on renting a big SUV or minivan. It can be a shuttle around town or loan it for quick trips for those on a tight budget. I'm on a tight budget too don't get me wrong. I am going to probably be stressed to the gills and not really into being a shuttle captain, but it will be nice to just load people in and go places as opposed to a five car convoy.
3. I am staying at the Inn at St. Thomas Square. From what I can tell its about a 1/3 mile from transition. Of course if you have ever been to Vegas its like saying the Rio is right off the strip.
4. Whom is bringing family with them? Mistress and Mighty Mo are coming down.
5. Whom is even considering tattoo's? I will do the leg work on this and find a close, highly rated (read: safe) place. Having just watched three good friends get tattoo's after Arizona this month I would suggest creating your perfect template before going down there and handing it to the artist when you get it done.
Something to keep in mind is that the M-Dot logo has several variation based on color code of the race (orange, red, blue, brown, black) and the thickness of the 'M' character is different on almost everything. At the race expo you can buy a M-Dot rub on tat for the race, which were very popular race day. You can buy them online to test them on your intended body location before you get it permanently done. They are about an inch high.
I will post the tattoo's my team got as soon as I get the pictures. Some ideas based on what I have seen:
*M-Dot logo on the middle of the calf belly (centered backside).
*M-Dot on the outside of ankle. Seen large ones and small ones.
*'Ironman' surrounding the ankle, the image similiar to the one at the bottom of my blog page.
*Creative design of swim, bike, run icons placed in a band around the bicep.
*M-Dot logo with the state flower on either side (female)
*Using race font to write 'Florida' on top, 'IronMan' underneath, state flag underneath, year underneath. Actually a very cool tatoo that I will post up.
Whats your design going to look like?
6. Do we have support shirts yet for family members to wear on race day? I remember Sheila or Shelley maybe coming up with something. Even if its just bright yellow Tri-Geek Dreams shirts.
7. For those that have family going, we need to plan on giving all our support teams each others cell phone numbers. When they are scattered around the course, they can call each other to let everyone know who is coming their way, keep everyone up to date on our conditions, get cameras turned on and ready, signs held high, kids alert. This worked so well at Arizona. We had four groups staggered around the run every couple of miles, no one got past us without us being ready. One person with a wi-fi laptop can be posting to our personal IMFL website or as a back up we could link all their cellphones up to blogger on the go so they could each text an update to a central location. I think using the imflo6.blogger as a central info dump is good idea and then later we can individually draw from it for our own race reports.
Plus let's be daring. It would look like a private Ironman live feed. All our friends and family around the country could be getting info from one place instead of jumping to ten or more seperate blogs. It becomes fun for them too and getting a glimpse at the unity we have all shared over the past year or more in this race.
_______________________________________________
Update@ 11 am: I just went to Orbitz and looked into flying from Phoenix to Panama City (PFN) tickets are roughly $550 a person on Delta with one plane change.
posted by Comm's @ 12:26 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
OOPS, somehow the newbie with no Ironman ambitions let alone experience is the 1st one to comment. :)
I am inspired by how well organised you guys/gals are. Mighty Mo is gonna have so much fun watching Daddy in action!
We have started a database table started over at the IMFL Yahoo group at
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/IMFL/database
to summarize travel plans for folks all in one place.
The group home page is at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/IMFL/ - if you haven't joined yet, please do!
I'm arriving Thursday morning and leaving Monday morning, staying with local friends.
I'd love to meet up especially *pre-race* so I can recognize some of you on course! That's important!
Sunday works too!
Panama City has an airport with connections to Atlanta, etc., most larger hubs.
No tattoo for me, too afraid of hepatitis!
Oh yeah, forgot to add - I'm not bringing husband/kids. But I'll know ALL OF YOU there!! :-)
Don't forget we have these activities on THURSDAY evening to help us meet up:
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Fig Newton Welcome Dinner at the Boardwalk Beach Resort Conference Center.
7:30 p.m. – Mandatory Athlete Meeting immediately following the banquet.
1. I'm arriving on the Monday before I seem to remember. I'm in for all the after parties as I'm not leaving right away.
2. I haven't booked a flight, just hotel, or done any other logistics other than arrange to have my bike shipped there.
3. Since Nancy's going alone. I'm staying with her.
Oh, that's right. I'm staying with you! At the St. Thomas Inn. I mean I'm not in your room, I've got my own room, at the Inn.
4. I'm not planning on bringing family. My legendary training partner Roman want to come and be my supporter.
5. I'm not considering a tattoo.
But, I will be emblazoned with more Ironman swag than you've ever seen after I bring that course to its knees.
6. I believe since it will be hot, that it should be clothing optional for supporters -- except for Roman -- who will need to remain fully clothed at all times.
7. I can't give out my cellphone number, I'm too worried it will get into Lokelani McMichaels hands.
Thanks Nancy, I had forgot about that. I went there and its seems kinda empty right now. Its going to pick up for sure.
I am going to have to check with the wife to find out what my plans are... I just run the races!
I do know that we're renting a condo on the course somewhere. I'm driving down and they are flying down a day later. We're driving back together Monday or Tuesday.
I'm there for the margarita party.
My family is coming down. My wife & two kids, and my parents and sister from Florida will be there too.
I won't be getting a tattoo.
My wife usually makes up shirts for all my triathlons. It's part of my thrill on race day to see what she's come up with, so I'm sure she'll have her own.
By the way, am I the only one who missed the deadline for the Trigeek Dreams singlets, etc?
We're arriving Monday(all four of us we need to be there before Halloween for my youngest son).
We are staying at the Inn at St. Thomas Sq.
No tattoo...have one already.
Nancy already has a t-shirt for supporters.
Looking forward to meeting everyone in person, that's for sure!!
There should be lots of options. There are also lots of personally owned condos really close to the race start. You may be able to rent a unit for a week for a great rate.
Fort Walton is another airport that you might consider flying into. It's only about an hour away by car. It may be cheaper?
thanks Chris I will check that out.
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