Ironman Chattanooga: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Okay, Wasky has called me out: Do I have the balls to sign up for my second Ironman before I even do my first?

I fear the answer is yes.

My Facebook feed and text messages have been exploding all day long with 100% commitments from nearly every triathlete I know in Nashville.  I’m quite sure a survey would show at least 20 people who are in, and that is hard to resist.

We heard rumblings of Ironman Chattanooga a few weeks ago, but now it’s officially September 28, 2014.  It’s also about an ironman bike distance away from my house.  Is there any doubt?

It is the very first Ironman in Chattanooga.  Training the course will be easy and often.  Plus, I’ve never actually spent time there and hear great things about where the city is headed.  Can I afford NOT to do it?

Plus (and this is a big one) it’s Racer K’s hometown.  He’s coming to mine for IMWI, so I feel like I need to return the favor.  And, I’ll get to see his mom again, which is always nice.  Is it fate?

All that said, I would really like to wait until after Wisconsin to make the decision, but I fear it will sell out fast.  It is a short jaunt for a huge portion of the population and I can’t imagine slots being open for more than a few days.

I also thought it would be cool to chill for a year after my first Ironman and follow my triathlon passion with a series of Olympics in cool towns where I could take a nice little vacation and not worry about training so hard.  Ironman training has changed my life, but it is a major time sucker.

For now, my mind is occupied with the first Ironman.  I can’t afford to get sidetracked thinking about number 2.  But, Chattanooga registration just happens to be near the end of my taper, so I’ll likely be bored enough to do something crazy, like sign up.