Decisions, Decisions: Ironman Louisville vs. Ironman NYC

An Ironman in New York City!?! It doesn't even sound possible! How do you swim, bike, and run through the most densly populated major city in the United States? And given the opportunity, how could you not?

World Triathlon Corp just announced Ironman New York City yesterday. The race it isn't scheduled until August 2012, but it's already causing me major issues!

Most Ironman races sell out in hours, and IM NYC is sure to be no exception. The anticipation for this race is HUGE! And even though race day is more than a year away, registration opens next week! So I have a decision to make:

Will my August 2012 Ironman be in NYC or Louisville?

The only rational thing to do is evaluate each race based on 5 key factors: Date, Location, Course, Cost, and Fun.

Date

This one is easy. Race day in the Big Apple is set for August 11, 2012. I imagine Louisville will be later in the month, likely August 26th. My summer work schedule can be a little hectic, so the later in August I race, the better.

Location

Even though I just became an expert bike packer, I like that I can drive to Louisville. Flying to a race means carefully packing to avoid excess baggage fees. Driving means mindlessly filling the Corolla with anything and everything my heart desires. Being within driving distance also means I can easily visit the course for an early summer training camp.

Course

Crossing the Ironman finish line in Manhattan sounds very exciting. As does running over the George Washington Bridge (I have a bit of a bridge running fetish). Louisville has a bridge crossing too, but it's not named after the first President of the United States. The Louisville bike course is beautiful. The NYC bike course is in New Jersey. The Ohio River is kind of dirty. The Hudson River is...

Cost

I think WTC should publish marital status along with its average income data.

Fun

It's NEW YORK CITY!!!

And there is one very important factor I failed to mention: PEER PRESSURE. I'm a sucker for it, and it often trumps even my most rational decisions. So I have some thinking to do. Some discussions to have. And ultimately, a choice to make. And either way, the end result will be 140.6 miles of pure bliss! Stay tuned!