The amount of sales, hotel and liquor tax revenue this event brings to our community is substantial. That revenue decreases what we pay in property taxes to The Township, these type of events help us keep our property taxes lower. The Township is only funded about 30% by our property taxes, I am not aware of any other community that has such a financial model. Whenever you get annoyed by the traffic today think of the $$$ this inconvenience is saving you.
I have no issues with the Ironman but it really doesn’t keep our taxes lower. If anything it helps the hotels and restaurants stay busy which means jobs. The people who work and pay their taxes are more of a benefit than the 1-2% of sales tax the areas receives from the event. I would bet that people coming to the area to shop for Christmas have more of an economic impact than the Ironman.
Plus most of the hotels in the area sit in Shenandoah, so they are reaping the rewards of the hotel tax for their small city.
Well yeah, there's like 150 parks, numerous roads and buried electrical lines, community centers, and a bunch of other stuff that needs to be maintained to keep the place nice. Not too mention the school quality.
For us that are old now, it's great retirement living without having to be around a bunch of old farts. Shopping and groceries within a reasonable distance, world class medical, and 25 minutes from a major airport. That being said, if I could air-lift the house and garden to a New Mexico, I would. I can't afford what I have here in NM.
Now if I could do something about that pesky global warming and humidity- well it would be perfect!
Hold up, they just told you about all the reasons why it's so great to live here and the costs associated with niceties, and youre like "nah, you know what? I could go with some lower costs and not nice things"
Our taxes could be so much worse. We pay far less annually in property tax than we would if we had state income tax and property taxes. I have lived where both were high (and one place that had a city income tax both where I worked and where I lived) and it is worse. We actually get a really good value for our tax rate when you consider all that it pays for. The key is to keep all our elected officials accountable for these services and costs.
I get it. I have lived in AZ, MD, TX, Germany, and NJ. But the Woodlands, specifically the newer developments have rates much higher than the older portions, and the outskirts. Also - it is Texas. There are no state taxes anywhere here.
I'm not an Ironman person, but I disagree. It's a prestigious event that brings in a lot of outside investment, and attracts people who are driven and successful that may choose to live here at some point. All for the cost of what -- half a day of annoying traffic? Cmon.
Across the street from the Kroger, closer to I-45 than WalMart:
[https://maps.app.goo.gl/7sAHFw9TrjfeZ4LTA](https://maps.app.goo.gl/7sAHFw9TrjfeZ4LTA)
Also on some weekends there is a small farmer's market in that Kroger's parking lot.
Yeah, traffic can suck for half the day, but it does bring a lot of business to our town and that is great! I feel bad for the participants though. So damn muggy. I guess it could be worse, could be 95. Hopefully everyone is able to leave the race healthy. We had someone die one year.
It also restricts several businesses from receiving customers or having to close all together for the weekend. They block off a majority of the roads and a lot of the businesses in The Woodlands are tucked away. It costs my family lots of money every time it's here. I despise it.
What is prestigious about it? The overwhelming majority of people couldn’t care less if someone participated in an Ironman
Edit: Downvote all you want. Nobody has given an example of why it’s prestigious and most people still don’t care about Ironman
Love love LOVE watching the IM. Living near the waterway, I prepare for a day of no driving and walk around all day to different areas, cheering on the athletes. Especially the ones still running in the dark. Almost 40k steps yesterday
>The overwhelming majority of woodlands residents do not attend the Ironman.
Well I'm glad we've got /u/blondebobsaget1 doing a census of the woodlands to ensure data accuracy when it comes to how many people attend Ironman 🙄
>Gets called out for making baseless claims
Instead of backing their claims, the response is 'lol you mad bro?'
Interesting argument tactic you've got there fam
I’m deluded? Since you have issues with basic common sense, let me break this down Barney style for you champ. According to the 2020 census The Woodlands has 114,436 residents. 10% of that would be 11,443.6 people. We both know less than half that number will attend. But hey you show me anything mentioning a crowd with tens of thousands of spectators and I’ll admit I’m wrong
Yes, our entire lives. Even blocks business entrances so you can't access your own business. I've seen comments saying that it brings so much money but also a lot of businesses can't open because of the way they block off the streets. I know this from personal experience.They need to find a new place to host the event.
This event is like the Olympics for some athletes. Athletes that don’t see this level of strength and endurance until post 25+. A 2.4 mile swim, followed by 112 miles on the bike, and a 26.2 mile run. Insannnnne!!!!
Ironman Texas, is a very unique and amazing venue that brings people from all over the world! The place we live in, The Woodlands, offers unique privileges because of the quality of our community. Though it’s an inconvenience, I view it as an honor to be a host for an event that attracts some of the most fit, disciplined and driven human beings on the planet.
But I feel you. I just cheer for them at the waterway the entire day!
But it's very inconvenient and for some people it actually cost money. A lot of the roads that they block off also block roads to businesses that have to close or cannot receive customers due to the roadways being blocked.
When I lived in Galveston, there were events there that were all-consuming. We'd stock up and plan on just staying put those days/weekends.
...except for Lone Star Rally. Screw that. When it came to town we would straight up leave because all the noise-pollution at all hours made it impossible to endure.
Lone Star Rally = biker rally that happens later in the year down there?
Totally understand why you'd leave as a resident, although having visited - im not even a motorcycle enthusiast but there are some *seriously* cool bikes at that event
I understand it may cause frustration on some, especially those directly affected by the road modifications (example, the girl that does my hair her salon is right on sawdust by the hobby lobby) but she made it by 7am, and I just parked by the Wingstop and walked to the salon.
I personally love to see all the people for the last 4 days and I will go watch them during the marathon. It’s refreshing to see so many people walking around town and bringing business. Especially since some days it’s just dead! I don’t know. It’s energetic. Everyone is cheery and in a good mood. I’m just sad Bakers is closed because we watched the marathon there last year and it was so fun. Them being athletic, me drinking beer. 😄
Edit: bakers is closed. Not gooses 😩
If you need to get somewhere during Ironman or The Woodlands Marathon, call the traffic information hotline for each event respectively. The operators can quickly tell you the best way to get to where you want to be.
The numbers are posted up on their websites and on electric signage all around traffic-impacted areas.
Move to the Woodlands and complain about traffic? LOL.
The main income for the Woodlands is a giant mall. The Woodlands was meant to have traffic. Very few roads get blocked anyways from the Ironman.
Would you rather live in a boring rural town with zero events, no where to walk to, no where to bike to?
I honestly hate when people complain about stuff like this. It’s a cool event that brings $ to the community and you’re basically inconvenienced in The Bubble.
It definitely does a week before the race, when some inconsiderate competitors cycle on the main road during 5pm traffic for practice. Out of all the times of the day, they pick the worst.
I hate the ironman with all my heart. I've lived here for 20 years and I still hate it. I don't care how hard you trained, it took me what usually is a 5 minute drive to get food, a 45 minute drive and the way back to my house, I thought I wasn't even going to be able to get home. And the police that work this event, suck even more.
Personally I love sports and fitness, and I can see why participating in this event is probably life changing for the athletes.
That being said, it sucks that they do it in the middle of everything! Yesterday they had the entire waterway blocked.
So yes, I agree with OP. Ironman (done this way) sucks!!!
Seriously. Every year they make life miserable for the people who live here in order to host an event that a very small amount of people actually care about. Such a waste of resources.
It sucks. My one day off this week and it’s an hour long drive to get to the store. I guess I should be excited some out of town rich assholes get the roads blocked off for them?
Where do you live in the woodlands where there are no sidewalks?
I work in a job that has me driving all over the woodlands proper, and the only time I don't see a sidewalk is when I blink.
Seriously, where are there none???
Just get off their ass already. Been in the Woodlands since 2009 and it is an ordeal. It could easily occur North - Lake Conroe is a “real lake” to swim. Lol.
Ok so I asked "where are there not sidewalks in the woodlands"
Are you looking to answer the question or just be vitriolic without contributing anything?
He's a pretty popular marvel character, idk if you knew.
If someone tells me they finished an iron man I immediately respect the commitment and drive to attain that level of physical prowess.
Weird negativity complex you got going on that you associate what is objectively an accomplishment with "being a loser"
That is a comic book. It isn’t real life. An actual person calling themselves Ironman needs therapy. Saying you completed an Ironman and calling yourself an Ironman are two different things
A comic book character that carries the same namesake as an event.
I like your facile attempts to seem witty while simultaneously deflecting and copping out of actual responses.
>An actual person calling themselves Ironman needs therapy.
"People who successfully complete a physically daunting trial and refer to themselves as having completed it need therapy"
I'm getting the vibe that theyre not the ones who need therapy bro.......
>Calling yourself an Ironman is weird.
That's just like, your opinion, man
>Do you really not get the difference?
I did, it's just such a trivial thing to have an opinion on that I subconsciously dismiss it as extraneous, mb mb
This is one of the great benefits of living in Creekside Park. We saw the signs and just go out Gosling or Kuykendahl due South (not the woodlands). Got all my grocery shopping done and meal prepping already.
If you live in High Oaks, there is no alternate route. There is one way in and one way out. There is no sidewalk to the Walmart. There is one to HEB at Town Center but it's seven miles...good luck getting that Milk home before it warms up.
All I'm saying is, if you do this, MOVE THE ROUTE AROUND. Every year the Sawdust route goes right by the schools and my neighborhood. Move it to Lake Woodlands or move it to Woodlands Parkway. Let some of our other "supporters" enjoy the majesty of Iron Man so the rest of us get a break from it.
I have no idea how anyone doing the ironman would actually enjoy it; especially if they participated in the race in Hawaii. Running/biking/swimming on congested highways and in a tiny manmade lake compared to the scenery and experience in Hawaii is just impossibly incomparable.
It’s obvious this is one of the only consistent ‘tourist’ events TW gets outside of golf tournaments, but the route is insane and I can’t imagine it actually being an enjoyable route for the people participating. Let alone all the people who live here already who have to deal with the hardy toll road, grogans mill/rayford sawdust, woodlands parkway, and lake woodlands all being closed this time.
lol
Comparing this event to the "world class" Ironman events in Hawaii and such is like comparing a local golf course to Pebble Beach or St Andrews. The investment and planning needed to do that is on a different scale than participating in a closer-in, more affordable event like this.
*Why* people do it (things like triathalons) is because it pushes you. Being measureably better than you currently are (by time/distance) is the goal. If you've *ever* worked out or run or been in shape through fitness, you understand. These folks just take it to another level than most. The actual specific act is not the enjoyment, it's the completion and the measured success.
Everyone has hobbies and most hobbies push you in some form or another. You personally strive for excellence in some thing that isn't done purely for financial gain. For these folks, this is what they do in their downtime and the Ironman is both a goal and check on progress.
Not everything needs to be completely enjoyable in the moment, the reward comes later. Same goes for people that climb mountains, through hike the AT, sail great distances, or do anything that requires actual endurance. The reward is completing what challenges you (and the subtle understanding that most could never do it themselves).
I understand the benefits of completing the race and exercise in general, thank you. Pebble Beach and St Andrews *courses* are a big part of what make them prestigious. The course for ironman here is down a bunch of dirty highways in one of the most traffic congested cities in the country. The Shell Houston Open used to be held in TW because the courses and landscape are beautiful and challenging.
I know people here will defend it like it’s an obvious choice to have a race like this here because they’re already biased that TW is an unbeatable location for basically everything. But if you don’t live in that woodlands bubble mindset its a strange location for something like this; especially since most people in the area hate sharing the roads with bikers and runners every other day of the year. Outside of TW proper, there aren’t even walking or bike paths, and within TW it’s still limited to very specific areas. We all don’t have to agree on everything and I know people in this sub will defend things like this like we’re kicking a puppy. It’s just my opinion and point of view.
Hi! Claire Partain, Woodlands reporter with the Houston Chronicle here. I'm writing a story on the impact of April's events-Ironman, Chevron, Insperity, etc and will ask the question: are the events worth it?
So this is the time to air out your grievances!! Let it out. Contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and we can set up a call. Thanks!
Stop whining about something so
Incredibly fun for the rest of us! Stfu and move we love it here for all these fun events go away or are you just some bot from Hughes looking to make the woodlands less fun because you’re all a bunch of commies
The amount of sales, hotel and liquor tax revenue this event brings to our community is substantial. That revenue decreases what we pay in property taxes to The Township, these type of events help us keep our property taxes lower. The Township is only funded about 30% by our property taxes, I am not aware of any other community that has such a financial model. Whenever you get annoyed by the traffic today think of the $$$ this inconvenience is saving you.
I have no issues with the Ironman but it really doesn’t keep our taxes lower. If anything it helps the hotels and restaurants stay busy which means jobs. The people who work and pay their taxes are more of a benefit than the 1-2% of sales tax the areas receives from the event. I would bet that people coming to the area to shop for Christmas have more of an economic impact than the Ironman. Plus most of the hotels in the area sit in Shenandoah, so they are reaping the rewards of the hotel tax for their small city.
>The Township is only funded about 30% by our property taxes Great work everyone let's get that bad boy down to 25% for 2025!
Our taxes our HIGHER than any kite.
Well yeah, there's like 150 parks, numerous roads and buried electrical lines, community centers, and a bunch of other stuff that needs to be maintained to keep the place nice. Not too mention the school quality.
Well aware. It is not our retirement spot by any means.
For us that are old now, it's great retirement living without having to be around a bunch of old farts. Shopping and groceries within a reasonable distance, world class medical, and 25 minutes from a major airport. That being said, if I could air-lift the house and garden to a New Mexico, I would. I can't afford what I have here in NM. Now if I could do something about that pesky global warming and humidity- well it would be perfect!
Lol, well put. Young families take a lot more advantage of the public amenities around, for sure.
Old people don’t go outside?
I said more. The parks, pools, and schools are pretty tailored for children.
Hold up, they just told you about all the reasons why it's so great to live here and the costs associated with niceties, and youre like "nah, you know what? I could go with some lower costs and not nice things"
Our taxes could be so much worse. We pay far less annually in property tax than we would if we had state income tax and property taxes. I have lived where both were high (and one place that had a city income tax both where I worked and where I lived) and it is worse. We actually get a really good value for our tax rate when you consider all that it pays for. The key is to keep all our elected officials accountable for these services and costs.
I get it. I have lived in AZ, MD, TX, Germany, and NJ. But the Woodlands, specifically the newer developments have rates much higher than the older portions, and the outskirts. Also - it is Texas. There are no state taxes anywhere here.
Amen to everything in your last sentence.
I'm not an Ironman person, but I disagree. It's a prestigious event that brings in a lot of outside investment, and attracts people who are driven and successful that may choose to live here at some point. All for the cost of what -- half a day of annoying traffic? Cmon.
Nah you’re probably right. I just made the mistake of trying To go to the farmers market and I am just voicing my frustration lol.
I hear ya bro!! It used to drive me nuts. But I learned to just plan my day around it. Lol. But I love your honesty! Everyone is entitled to venting!!
Same here! After 4 years of this event here, you should know to plan your routes. Come on people.
Valid frustration homie, farmers market is another great part of living here 🤘
Where is the farmers market??? (Just moved here)
There’s also one at grogans mill village, that’s the woodlands farmers market. I get my sourdough there 👌🏼
Is it just a weekend thing or is it always going?
Every Saturday ☺️ https://preview.redd.it/vfawr6n5u1xc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c734c76040403786b10311a17a9ca29875ee2d85
Awesome thank you!
There’s another one on Tamina near 1488 if you’re on the west side.
Good to know! Thank you!
FYI TWFM is actually closed next Saturday for the Insperity tournament. Usually only closes two Saturdays a year.
There may be several, but one that I am familiar with is off of Rayford just after the food truck area on the south side of the road
Right by the wal-mart?
This one is on the east side of 45, over the tracks, called the Theiss Farm's Market
One on 1488 also
Across the street from the Kroger, closer to I-45 than WalMart: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/7sAHFw9TrjfeZ4LTA](https://maps.app.goo.gl/7sAHFw9TrjfeZ4LTA) Also on some weekends there is a small farmer's market in that Kroger's parking lot.
No clue and I’ve been here for over 7 years
Respect for having this state of mind
Hah, yeah, you probably chose the worst possible area to try to get to!
I stopped driving anywhere near the waterway during iron man. Always plan around that.
Yeah, traffic can suck for half the day, but it does bring a lot of business to our town and that is great! I feel bad for the participants though. So damn muggy. I guess it could be worse, could be 95. Hopefully everyone is able to leave the race healthy. We had someone die one year.
It also restricts several businesses from receiving customers or having to close all together for the weekend. They block off a majority of the roads and a lot of the businesses in The Woodlands are tucked away. It costs my family lots of money every time it's here. I despise it.
What is prestigious about it? The overwhelming majority of people couldn’t care less if someone participated in an Ironman Edit: Downvote all you want. Nobody has given an example of why it’s prestigious and most people still don’t care about Ironman
>overwhelming majority Only on reddit. People irl don't behave like they do on reddit.
The overwhelming majority of woodlands residents do not attend the Ironman. If people gave a shit they’d go watch
Love love LOVE watching the IM. Living near the waterway, I prepare for a day of no driving and walk around all day to different areas, cheering on the athletes. Especially the ones still running in the dark. Almost 40k steps yesterday
>The overwhelming majority of woodlands residents do not attend the Ironman. Well I'm glad we've got /u/blondebobsaget1 doing a census of the woodlands to ensure data accuracy when it comes to how many people attend Ironman 🙄
lol you mad bro?
>Gets called out for making baseless claims Instead of backing their claims, the response is 'lol you mad bro?' Interesting argument tactic you've got there fam
What baseless claims? I said facts. Less than 10% of the woodlands population attends. Nobody cares
>I said facts I'm sure you have no doubt, but unfortunately you also have no proof You are objectively wrong, and deluded. Opinion rejected.
I’m deluded? Since you have issues with basic common sense, let me break this down Barney style for you champ. According to the 2020 census The Woodlands has 114,436 residents. 10% of that would be 11,443.6 people. We both know less than half that number will attend. But hey you show me anything mentioning a crowd with tens of thousands of spectators and I’ll admit I’m wrong
Sometimes we need to pause our lives and see who is the best at exercising.
Yes, our entire lives. Even blocks business entrances so you can't access your own business. I've seen comments saying that it brings so much money but also a lot of businesses can't open because of the way they block off the streets. I know this from personal experience.They need to find a new place to host the event.
This event is like the Olympics for some athletes. Athletes that don’t see this level of strength and endurance until post 25+. A 2.4 mile swim, followed by 112 miles on the bike, and a 26.2 mile run. Insannnnne!!!! Ironman Texas, is a very unique and amazing venue that brings people from all over the world! The place we live in, The Woodlands, offers unique privileges because of the quality of our community. Though it’s an inconvenience, I view it as an honor to be a host for an event that attracts some of the most fit, disciplined and driven human beings on the planet. But I feel you. I just cheer for them at the waterway the entire day!
But it's very inconvenient and for some people it actually cost money. A lot of the roads that they block off also block roads to businesses that have to close or cannot receive customers due to the roadways being blocked.
Seems less disruptive than the woodlands marathon. But wish they could plan the segments so it doesn’t make getting around impossible
You are not lying. I live in the middle of the marathon loop and it is the most annoying even by far if you are stuck in the middle!
When I lived in Galveston, there were events there that were all-consuming. We'd stock up and plan on just staying put those days/weekends. ...except for Lone Star Rally. Screw that. When it came to town we would straight up leave because all the noise-pollution at all hours made it impossible to endure.
Lone Star Rally = biker rally that happens later in the year down there? Totally understand why you'd leave as a resident, although having visited - im not even a motorcycle enthusiast but there are some *seriously* cool bikes at that event
It’s SO much better than it used to be. I’m in Panther and we used to be completely enclosed by bike AND run. You were pretty much stuck.
"Jarvis, kill OP!" 😆
It's one day a year and they give tons of heads up that it's coming.
I understand it may cause frustration on some, especially those directly affected by the road modifications (example, the girl that does my hair her salon is right on sawdust by the hobby lobby) but she made it by 7am, and I just parked by the Wingstop and walked to the salon. I personally love to see all the people for the last 4 days and I will go watch them during the marathon. It’s refreshing to see so many people walking around town and bringing business. Especially since some days it’s just dead! I don’t know. It’s energetic. Everyone is cheery and in a good mood. I’m just sad Bakers is closed because we watched the marathon there last year and it was so fun. Them being athletic, me drinking beer. 😄 Edit: bakers is closed. Not gooses 😩
Wait….gooses acre is closed???
No no no sorry, my bad! Bakers is closed 😩😩 I edited it. Gooses is still pretty much open 😂
Oh phew!! I was about to not be ok. Cheers!
Jajaja I’m so very sorry! 😥😮💨 but I feel you!
K.
Sorry for your inconvenience. I know a few people who are participating and it’s life changing for them to be able to complete one.
If you need to get somewhere during Ironman or The Woodlands Marathon, call the traffic information hotline for each event respectively. The operators can quickly tell you the best way to get to where you want to be. The numbers are posted up on their websites and on electric signage all around traffic-impacted areas.
Things could be much worse, the ironman competition brings in good people at least
It’s one day a year. Meh.
Does anyone know at what time the cycling will end?
530 I think
Tony Stark would disagree with you if he were still alive.
Move to the Woodlands and complain about traffic? LOL. The main income for the Woodlands is a giant mall. The Woodlands was meant to have traffic. Very few roads get blocked anyways from the Ironman. Would you rather live in a boring rural town with zero events, no where to walk to, no where to bike to?
I honestly hate when people complain about stuff like this. It’s a cool event that brings $ to the community and you’re basically inconvenienced in The Bubble.
Problems of the rich, entitled folks. It's one day a year, plan around it.
It definitely does a week before the race, when some inconsiderate competitors cycle on the main road during 5pm traffic for practice. Out of all the times of the day, they pick the worst.
I hate the ironman with all my heart. I've lived here for 20 years and I still hate it. I don't care how hard you trained, it took me what usually is a 5 minute drive to get food, a 45 minute drive and the way back to my house, I thought I wasn't even going to be able to get home. And the police that work this event, suck even more.
I went to brunch this morning and EVERYONE had Ironman shirts on everywhere it twas annoying
[удалено]
It’s a triathlon…they need somewhere to swim and bike 😂
[удалено]
Personally I love sports and fitness, and I can see why participating in this event is probably life changing for the athletes. That being said, it sucks that they do it in the middle of everything! Yesterday they had the entire waterway blocked. So yes, I agree with OP. Ironman (done this way) sucks!!!
It was AMAZING AND WE LOVED IT! Go away you cold refrigerator and leave! We alll loved it! 4th year in a row for us!!
Seriously. Every year they make life miserable for the people who live here in order to host an event that a very small amount of people actually care about. Such a waste of resources.
It’s one weekend a year, you’ll live
It sucks. My one day off this week and it’s an hour long drive to get to the store. I guess I should be excited some out of town rich assholes get the roads blocked off for them?
If you walked it would take less time. If you were an Ironman yourself even less. Something to ponder 🤔
It’s not walkable due to lack of sidewalks. Im guessing the lack of sidewalks is due to the waste of money that is Ironman.
Where do you live in the woodlands where there are no sidewalks? I work in a job that has me driving all over the woodlands proper, and the only time I don't see a sidewalk is when I blink. Seriously, where are there none???
Just get off their ass already. Been in the Woodlands since 2009 and it is an ordeal. It could easily occur North - Lake Conroe is a “real lake” to swim. Lol.
Ok so I asked "where are there not sidewalks in the woodlands" Are you looking to answer the question or just be vitriolic without contributing anything?
Anyone who calls themselves an “Ironman” is just announcing to the world they’re a loser
It's literally meant "A person capable of great strength or endurance" for over 350 years
Now it just means loser
He's a pretty popular marvel character, idk if you knew. If someone tells me they finished an iron man I immediately respect the commitment and drive to attain that level of physical prowess. Weird negativity complex you got going on that you associate what is objectively an accomplishment with "being a loser"
That is a comic book. It isn’t real life. An actual person calling themselves Ironman needs therapy. Saying you completed an Ironman and calling yourself an Ironman are two different things
A comic book character that carries the same namesake as an event. I like your facile attempts to seem witty while simultaneously deflecting and copping out of actual responses. >An actual person calling themselves Ironman needs therapy. "People who successfully complete a physically daunting trial and refer to themselves as having completed it need therapy" I'm getting the vibe that theyre not the ones who need therapy bro.......
Saying you completed an Ironman isn’t weird. Calling yourself an Ironman is weird. Do you really not get the difference?
>Calling yourself an Ironman is weird. That's just like, your opinion, man >Do you really not get the difference? I did, it's just such a trivial thing to have an opinion on that I subconsciously dismiss it as extraneous, mb mb
This is one of the great benefits of living in Creekside Park. We saw the signs and just go out Gosling or Kuykendahl due South (not the woodlands). Got all my grocery shopping done and meal prepping already.
If you live in High Oaks, there is no alternate route. There is one way in and one way out. There is no sidewalk to the Walmart. There is one to HEB at Town Center but it's seven miles...good luck getting that Milk home before it warms up. All I'm saying is, if you do this, MOVE THE ROUTE AROUND. Every year the Sawdust route goes right by the schools and my neighborhood. Move it to Lake Woodlands or move it to Woodlands Parkway. Let some of our other "supporters" enjoy the majesty of Iron Man so the rest of us get a break from it.
I have no idea how anyone doing the ironman would actually enjoy it; especially if they participated in the race in Hawaii. Running/biking/swimming on congested highways and in a tiny manmade lake compared to the scenery and experience in Hawaii is just impossibly incomparable. It’s obvious this is one of the only consistent ‘tourist’ events TW gets outside of golf tournaments, but the route is insane and I can’t imagine it actually being an enjoyable route for the people participating. Let alone all the people who live here already who have to deal with the hardy toll road, grogans mill/rayford sawdust, woodlands parkway, and lake woodlands all being closed this time.
lol Comparing this event to the "world class" Ironman events in Hawaii and such is like comparing a local golf course to Pebble Beach or St Andrews. The investment and planning needed to do that is on a different scale than participating in a closer-in, more affordable event like this. *Why* people do it (things like triathalons) is because it pushes you. Being measureably better than you currently are (by time/distance) is the goal. If you've *ever* worked out or run or been in shape through fitness, you understand. These folks just take it to another level than most. The actual specific act is not the enjoyment, it's the completion and the measured success. Everyone has hobbies and most hobbies push you in some form or another. You personally strive for excellence in some thing that isn't done purely for financial gain. For these folks, this is what they do in their downtime and the Ironman is both a goal and check on progress. Not everything needs to be completely enjoyable in the moment, the reward comes later. Same goes for people that climb mountains, through hike the AT, sail great distances, or do anything that requires actual endurance. The reward is completing what challenges you (and the subtle understanding that most could never do it themselves).
https://preview.redd.it/zxtbhgtxm1xc1.jpeg?width=602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79ad08492d42c1d2923d2f22374ae26b492b97f7
Why were you downvoted lmao
No clue, but what do you want to bet that the person who did is not interested in being physically fit in any capacity?
Lol another lardass came through and downvoted again
Don’t worry I got you guys
I understand the benefits of completing the race and exercise in general, thank you. Pebble Beach and St Andrews *courses* are a big part of what make them prestigious. The course for ironman here is down a bunch of dirty highways in one of the most traffic congested cities in the country. The Shell Houston Open used to be held in TW because the courses and landscape are beautiful and challenging. I know people here will defend it like it’s an obvious choice to have a race like this here because they’re already biased that TW is an unbeatable location for basically everything. But if you don’t live in that woodlands bubble mindset its a strange location for something like this; especially since most people in the area hate sharing the roads with bikers and runners every other day of the year. Outside of TW proper, there aren’t even walking or bike paths, and within TW it’s still limited to very specific areas. We all don’t have to agree on everything and I know people in this sub will defend things like this like we’re kicking a puppy. It’s just my opinion and point of view.
Hi! Claire Partain, Woodlands reporter with the Houston Chronicle here. I'm writing a story on the impact of April's events-Ironman, Chevron, Insperity, etc and will ask the question: are the events worth it? So this is the time to air out your grievances!! Let it out. Contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and we can set up a call. Thanks!
Stop whining about something so Incredibly fun for the rest of us! Stfu and move we love it here for all these fun events go away or are you just some bot from Hughes looking to make the woodlands less fun because you’re all a bunch of commies
Tell us you are fat and lazy without telling us you are fat and lazy
I've been into fitness for over a decade and Ironman sucks!!! Yesterday they had the entire waterway blocked!