On the heels of the thread earlier about swim cutoff times in a sprint, I decided to ask about/suggest another way to do swim starts.
I started triathlon in 2012 after I nursed a calf strain before a big road race by riding the stationary bike. An awfully slow swimmer (not a floater or breaststroker, but just slow), I decided if I could do a little swimming, I could do a triathlon. Since, I've done numerous sprints, olympics, a HIM, and I am training for my first IM. The background is just to provide context. I am consistently a bottom 10% or swimmer. Top 20% or so bike. Top 10% or so run. It is very unusual and I can usually count on one hand the number of people who beat me who have a slower swim split.
As a BOP swimmer, I see the worst swimmers imaginable. Again, I am distinguishing between slow swimmers (me) and floaters/doggie paddlers.
My suggestion/question is why not have the swim waves separated like this:
My theory is this creates the least congestion and the safest environment.
It's no secret there are a lot of people doing sprints who are concerned they won't finish the swim because they can't swim 400 yards. You studs on ST don't see this because you're all Michael Phelps/FOPers, but from my view, I'm dodging people on their back, floaters, and lifeguards providing assistance to people tapping out 25 yards into the race.
A few weeks ago, I watched a sprint where there were so many floaters in the earlier waves that the 3rd/4th waves were definitely disadvantaged. Note: To be clear, this "disadvantaged" group doesn't include me because I'm not winning anything right now either way.
You could still give out the caps based on age brackets and then at the pre-race organizational meeting on the shore, break into the subgroups I suggested. For my money, that time breaking into these groups would be better spent than when the RD goes over the bike course turn-by-turn. "You leave transition...take a left on Johnson Rd...follow to Smith Rd and turn left...go about 3.7 miles to a right on Pine Rd...
...10 minutes later and everyone has stopped listening 9 minutes ago and are just going to follow the person in front of them.
Asking people to seed based on time is a losing proposition. What I am suggesting is a baby step that gets the floaters out of the way. As a slow swimmer. I feel safer swimming in a pack of people swimming freestyle because I can anticipate their body movements. There's far less chance someone is going to unexpectedly flip to their back and start doing that reverse-frog thing with legs kicking outward and arms following. And, if you are a 1:20/100 guy, I'd imagine you'd rather see a bunch of 1:40/100 people in front of you than floaters.
Thoughts? Where am I wrong and what have I not thought of?
I started triathlon in 2012 after I nursed a calf strain before a big road race by riding the stationary bike. An awfully slow swimmer (not a floater or breaststroker, but just slow), I decided if I could do a little swimming, I could do a triathlon. Since, I've done numerous sprints, olympics, a HIM, and I am training for my first IM. The background is just to provide context. I am consistently a bottom 10% or swimmer. Top 20% or so bike. Top 10% or so run. It is very unusual and I can usually count on one hand the number of people who beat me who have a slower swim split.
As a BOP swimmer, I see the worst swimmers imaginable. Again, I am distinguishing between slow swimmers (me) and floaters/doggie paddlers.
My suggestion/question is why not have the swim waves separated like this:
- People who think they can win the race (M/F)
- People who think they can win their age group (M/F)
- The usual age brackets (i.e. 20-25, 25-29, etc.)
- People who know they will not "swim" the entire course
My theory is this creates the least congestion and the safest environment.
It's no secret there are a lot of people doing sprints who are concerned they won't finish the swim because they can't swim 400 yards. You studs on ST don't see this because you're all Michael Phelps/FOPers, but from my view, I'm dodging people on their back, floaters, and lifeguards providing assistance to people tapping out 25 yards into the race.
A few weeks ago, I watched a sprint where there were so many floaters in the earlier waves that the 3rd/4th waves were definitely disadvantaged. Note: To be clear, this "disadvantaged" group doesn't include me because I'm not winning anything right now either way.
You could still give out the caps based on age brackets and then at the pre-race organizational meeting on the shore, break into the subgroups I suggested. For my money, that time breaking into these groups would be better spent than when the RD goes over the bike course turn-by-turn. "You leave transition...take a left on Johnson Rd...follow to Smith Rd and turn left...go about 3.7 miles to a right on Pine Rd...
...10 minutes later and everyone has stopped listening 9 minutes ago and are just going to follow the person in front of them.
Asking people to seed based on time is a losing proposition. What I am suggesting is a baby step that gets the floaters out of the way. As a slow swimmer. I feel safer swimming in a pack of people swimming freestyle because I can anticipate their body movements. There's far less chance someone is going to unexpectedly flip to their back and start doing that reverse-frog thing with legs kicking outward and arms following. And, if you are a 1:20/100 guy, I'd imagine you'd rather see a bunch of 1:40/100 people in front of you than floaters.
Thoughts? Where am I wrong and what have I not thought of?