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IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start
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One word- Fail. This year at IMFL it wasn't any different than the last four years IMO. The self seeded mass swim start was NO different than a pure mass start. Might be me, but I just don't get it.

The swim start format at Lake Tahoe however was a success. That gets my vote.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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I would say it was worse than before. Way worse.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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This was my first full, and I loved the start at IMFL. I thought this was what an IM start was supposed to be. I seeded myself slower being conservative and got in a big pack kicking and pushing. Loved it. Don't see how the self seeded would have been any different than a mass start but enjoyed it none the less. I'm comfortable in the ocean though, just need to learn how to bike and run!
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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there's really only one way to do it... the rolling start through a gate like IM CdA. Or, a super wide mass start, with a standard width dependent on the number of competitors

Bryan0721 wrote:
One word- Fail. This year at IMFL it wasn't any different than the last four years IMO. The self seeded mass swim start was NO different than a pure mass start. Might be me, but I just don't get it.

The swim start format at Lake Tahoe however was a success. That gets my vote.

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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [rjrankin83] [ In reply to ]
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I spectated at IMFL this year (6 times at race including racing 2x) and every athlete I spoke to about the swim start thought this year's method was worst ever. Many hoped the CEO of Ironman did the FL swim like he did at LP so he experienced how bad it was.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [KathyG] [ In reply to ]
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Like I said this was my first so I had nothing to compare to, but how was this different than years past? I'd assume last year everyone would have self seeded themselves anyway. It's an Ironman and isn't supposed to be easy. I like to swim but have found that most triathletes don't, or at least aren't good at it. Why not just let people go one by one with no contact, or better yet just swim 4k in a pool?

I'm just jealous and wish I could bike and run as fast as others
Last edited by: rjrankin83: Nov 5, 13 18:35
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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in my opinion, the corrals were too small/thin. this made all of the swimmers of similar ability really bunched up along the buoy line and lined up very deep which forced a rough swim.

the beach is huge. if you naturally let people spread out more it would have been far less congested. i think the seeding made it worse for this venue.

personally, once i saw how bunched up everyone was in the corrals, i ignored the self seeding. i went wide right and to the front and had pretty clean water for an IM mass start.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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Bryan0721 wrote:
One word- Fail. This year at IMFL it wasn't any different than the last four years IMO. The self seeded mass swim start was NO different than a pure mass start. Might be me, but I just don't get it.

The swim start format at Lake Tahoe however was a success. That gets my vote.

My only experience with this format was IM France 2010 and it really was a gong show. People overestimated their speed and started in the wrong corrals. I don't know why, but it was much better at the IMLP rolling start where we also had to self seed and everyone magically self seeded fairly accurately.

Dev
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [gergzos] [ In reply to ]
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gergzos wrote:
personally, once i saw how bunched up everyone was in the corrals, i ignored the self seeding. i went wide right and to the front and had pretty clean water for an IM mass start.


This is exactly what I did too. Once I saw how bunched up the 1 hr to 1 1/2 hour corrals were I just went to the front of the 2 hr group way wide right and took off.

The seeding bunched waaaay too many people in the middle and the breakers kept everyone really bunched up longer.

They should just leave this one as an open mass start, it's a beach after all and you can go as wide as you want.
Last edited by: chrisfreemanca: Nov 5, 13 18:41
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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It just didn't make any sense at all. Everyone lines up the same as before but this time they had signs staying anticipated time. Strange
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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From racing, watching a few videos, and hearing other peoples feedback, I'd say that the "roughness" was worse or no better for MOP or BOP swimmers. I swam in the first coral, and it felt like a normal mass swim start, with relatively little contact - so no complaints from me. But when I saw the video, and looked to the right, where the slower corals were, it seemed far more congested and worse off. It seemed it would have been better to seed behind the faster coral and take the open water behind them, rather than fight with like-rated swimmers for a smaller territory.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [JBell] [ In reply to ]
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I liked it. Started in the just over an hour corral and I swam just under a 1:03. I had normal contact except there were no slow swimmers to have to swim around in the first 200 yards.



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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [in10siv] [ In reply to ]
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I think the complaints are coming more from the 1:30 area. Watching the video they seemed to be the most congested. I started in the 1:10 corral and finished in :59. Only contact was my fault for not seeding properly. Not sure how this differed from previous years though?
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [rjrankin83] [ In reply to ]
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Started in 1:20 corral, swam a 1:14.

Other IM was Kona 08. IMFL 13 had more bunching at start but after the first turn, I was pretty clear. Kona 08 had more contact throughout the swim.

All that said, I'm not a fan of mass swim starts and love races with a TT start. But that's just me.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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Bryan0721 wrote:
One word- Fail. This year at IMFL it wasn't any different than the last four years IMO. The self seeded mass swim start was NO different than a pure mass start. Might be me, but I just don't get it.

The swim start format at Lake Tahoe however was a success. That gets my vote.

+1

Having just done both swims, I agree with this statement completely. The problem in Tahoe was that it was BELOW FREEZING at the start, I couldn't see the course markers due to fog, and the T1 change tent was a nightmare. None of these factors negate the benefit of the rolling start model (just want to take a moment to whine...now returning to regular programming...).

IMFL, seeding corals with mass start did nothing. Should either do Tahoe rolling start or true mass start IMHO. The IMFL T1 area was SOOO much better than the King's beach set up in Tahoe!
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [bwain] [ In reply to ]
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bwain wrote:
I would say it was worse than before. Way worse.

I can't figure out how or why this could be true, but it certainly was.

Worst beat down I have ever experienced in an event, including IMFL 2011 and 2012.

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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [bwain] [ In reply to ]
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bwain wrote:
I would say it was worse than before. Way worse.

I agree. This was my 11th IMFL and the worst beating I've taken in a swim. I started a couple of rows back at the 1:10 - 1:20 sign. Hoping to swim around 1:08, swam 1:13. Next year I'll start outside right with the 2:20 people.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [xtremrun] [ In reply to ]
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xtremrun wrote:
Next year I'll start outside right with the 2:20 people.

This is what I would do as well. Kind of defeats the purpose of the corrals though so you might as well go back to the old mass start.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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I've done IM FL 7 times, and did IM CDA's rolling start this year.

The horizontal line up was a fail. It was worse than most IM FL swims for congestion, because more people entered the water across a broader horizontal line, then converged toward the buoy line, rather than lining up along a shorter, distance with a deeper crowd.

Conversely, CDA's start vastly improved both swim and bike congestion.

I know they have lots of beach space, but going to a vertical line up for FL would help swim safety, the ability to actually swim effectively instead of being boxed in, and open up the bike course and alleviate congestion there. If any race needs the bike spread out, it's FL.

Next year I'm ignoring their corrals if they do the same thing.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Ironma'am] [ In reply to ]
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Agreed. Regardless of space, a seeded rolling start is best for every race expect Louisville if they really want to get away from mass starts and are serious about swim safety.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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I'm not a big fan of the rolling or wave starts. I swam IMLP and I seeded my self in the right place. The first loop was a little less crowded than a mass start but not great. The second loop sucked because I was lapping people. I didn't like swimming into their feet and I don't think slow swimmers liked me swimming into them. I wasn't super fast, I swam 1:03. The solution is a mass start for anyone who wants a Kona slot or age group award then a rolling start for everyone else. They should do this for every race (except Kona).
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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I thought the way they did it was completely pointless and led to more bunching up. Yes, it meant less people to swim over in the beginning but you spent the entire time swimming with people going roughly the same speed as you. I swam a 1:06.

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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bifff] [ In reply to ]
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Bifff wrote:
I'm not a big fan of the rolling or wave starts. I swam IMLP and I seeded my self in the right place. The first loop was a little less crowded than a mass start but not great. The second loop sucked because I was lapping people. I didn't like swimming into their feet and I don't think slow swimmers liked me swimming into them. I wasn't super fast, I swam 1:03. The solution is a mass start for anyone who wants a Kona slot or age group award then a rolling start for everyone else. They should do this for every race (except Kona).

Agree100%.

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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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Simultaneous coral seeding benefits faster swimmers to the detriment of slower. I seeded sub-60 and swam a 56. This was my fifth consecutive IMFL and my swim was much easier this year with less congestion and contact. It's a much smaller group at the front. I wouldn't want to be seeded 1:20 at this race and start with a thousand other people. Where the venue permits, I think WTC ought to stick with mass, self-seeded starts.
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Re: IMFL Self Seeded Mass Swim Start [Bryan0721] [ In reply to ]
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Bryan0721 wrote:
One word- Fail. This year at IMFL it wasn't any different than the last four years IMO. The self seeded mass swim start was NO different than a pure mass start. Might be me, but I just don't get it.

The swim start format at Lake Tahoe however was a success. That gets my vote.

I was at both races and I completely agree. I think Tahoe was the best Ironman swim start I have ever had. The problem with doing a rolling start in Florida or Arizona is that there isn't enough daylight to get everyone started by 7:00. Too bad because those races really need a staggered start. Of course it could be argued that there is nothing magical about starting at 7:00am and the 17 hour cut-off could still be in effect even if it occured at 12:30am instead of midnight.
/

Gary Mc
Did I mention I did Kona
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