The two-star "Meh" is for a few isolated events that sour my review. I was taken aback when I went to pick up my chip and was asked to "make a donation in exchange for a chip strap." That's not a donation. That's a sale. A donation, by definition, does not include an exchange of a good and/or service. If it was, can I file a $5 deduction with the IRS? (No. I now have a cheap strap to show for my $5.) They provided a chip, but no way to affix it to your ankle, so unless you already owned a strap, they put you in a position where you had to buy one. And conveniently they only took cash.
I was also surprised that Ironman Canada ran out of water on the bike course. They didn't run out of hydration, but there were stops that had no water. How many years experience do they have?
I also think the medal, which is very small, made of plastic, and adorned with a very generic, unadorned ribbon, looks chintzy. And the finisher shirt is a very odd color. Is that purple? Glad I bought a nicer one at the Expo. And by the way, who cares if the pre-race Expo shirts don't say finisher. Anyone can buy one, so it's not like they only sell to finishers. read more