Gary Mc

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Gary Mc
Did I mention I did Kona

i totally agree with you. training for an ironman is a huge commitment for not only the athlete, but the family as well. I don't have a family of my own yet, but i would be honored if my parents and boyfriend came to watch me race and cheer me on. in fact, if neither was not at the race, it would make me wonder if i was making triathlon too much of a priority over relationships and family. it doesn't really get in the way for someone to bring their child/dog/husband or whatever over the line, and if someone is not a pro and is worrying about a potential extra three seconds and the quality of their finish photo, i would feel very sorry for them.

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"What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass for six hours a day. What are YOU on?" - Lance Armstrong

But don't you see the other side, and how people feel very sorry for those that don't understand it is a finish line for the RACERS, and not for the family, and the concern about someone getting run over or dropped?

Personally other than space, I don't see why they don't have 2 finishing chutes, one for solo competitors and one for those who want a group photo.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Fish, hook and line... uh.... Hooker, line and sinner... uh... Hook, sinker, line and fish.... uh... Hook, sinker, line and fisher!!!

Are you serious??? Frankly, I don't care at all about my finisher's photo's anymore, but if some Jackass and his mom, dad, grandma and dog got in my way when I was finishing I wouldn't be happy. The "correct" thing to do is to make sure you aren't even potentially in ANYONE'S way. If you're bringing a kid or two across the line YOU have to wait and lose the time in order to make sure you don't get in someone's way, not the other way around. (It's always fun to watch a family of five spread out holding hands while they take up the entire road and slowly jog the last fifty yards to the finish.)

Years ago I was watching the live TV coverage of IMC long after I finished my race and went back to the condo. I saw some "idiot" who was finishing in around 16 hours get down and start doing push-ups about ten or fifteen feet from the finish. When he was done he jumped up and literally sprinted right into a guy who was trying to run around him. I wish the guy would have clocked him.

Do you mean "hook, line and sinker"? (Maybe where you come from it's different) If it was a put-on it was pretty darn realistic and it got me.

edited to indicated proper responder....

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Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker.
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger."
-Friedrich Nietzsche, Götzen-Dämmerung (1899)

Do you have that on your business card?

I have never posted on this forum before, but as the wife of an Ironman finisher, some of the attitudes demonstrated in this thread compelled me to respond. I have been around the sport of triathlon through both family-member age-groupers and a previous job working with the pros back in the old days (Tinley, Allen, PNF, etc.) When my husband graduated from 10K's and duathlons to triathlons, our daughter was 2 years old. We attend every race that my work, her school, and our budget will permit.

He never carried her across a finish line, but we watched other competitors' children join in, and by the time she was 4 she wanted to do the same. We have always planned ahead so he knows where she will be, and she knows she needs to get a head start and run as fast as she can. I make certain she is in no other competitors' way, and he will slow and let others pass if necessary to avoid compromising someone else's race. She wears tennis shoes, not flip-flops or crocs as I've seen some others do. We're talking about 1 able-bodied child, not an entourage. Joining him in this way is the highlight of her trip to whatever race destination, as it is for us as well. It isn't just about the photo; it is about the memories made in all of us plus the racer's recognition of the support he receives.

For those of you too self absorbed to notice: unless you live alone, triathlon is NOT an individual sport. Your family members miss you and worry about you when you're training, suffer through your endless tales of Brick workouts and nutrition plans, share their home with your nasty laundry, and extend meager family budgets to fund pjorn-worthy bikes, race entry fees, Cytomax, and Hammer Gel! Our daughter thinks of herself as part of a team with her dad, whether she is cheering him at transitions, running across a finish line, or riding her trail-a-bike on the local trail wearing her matching jersey. She proudly tells people she meets that her daddy is an Ironman.

As we do every other race, when he completed his first IM (FL '05), we scouted out the finish area the day before so we could be sure how it was going to work. When she and I set up camp at the finish line on race day, we got there at least an hour before I really expected him and talked to all of the staff in the area to make sure we were doing everything right. They didn't have a family holding area, but they did have a staffer controlling the last crossing point in the chute where she and the other kids could join. She was 5 at the time and had to give it all she had to run that long uphill chute, and we made certain there was a big gap behind him. The huge crowd was cheering, they were both beaming, and it made long, hard day -- and a long, tough year -- worth it.

The next 10 minutes, however, were some of the worst in my life. The actual finish area was so crowded I couldn't get anywhere near the fence despite running 3 complete loops around trying to find a way. Even though my husband looked healthy going past me, I knew from experience that racers can collapse once they cross the finish line, and he might not be able to take care of himself, much less our daughter. Staffers wouldn't help find her or let me in no matter how much I begged and tried to explain my concerns. Finally he was able to push his way OUT through the crowd to deliver her back to me. Thankfully he was in good enough shape to do so, otherwise we might have had a lost 5-year-old scared to death because her daddy was sick, with no clue where her mom was.

His next full IM is Louisville, and we will all 3 be crossing the finish line together. I have never joined at a finish line before and will feel incredibly self-conscious doing so, but I won't send her alone with him at a big, crowded race ever again, especially at an IM where he might need med tent time. At local races I just run around to the food tent exit so she can rejoin me while Dad refuels. Obviously, this strategy doesn't work at IMNA/WTC-scale events. (Yes, it is an event, which surrounds a race.) After finishing so many other races with him, and seeing others do so, she would feel completely short-changed if she didn't get to be part of the team at the race that has dominated our household for a year. We will follow whatever procedures the staff dictates, and we will make certain that we don't interfere with anyone else's finish. This is an important part of my husband's life, which makes it important to all of us; as long as his "team-mate" wants to do so and the RD permits it, we will find a way for her to cross finish lines with him.

For a bit of perspective, our racer is an upper MOP AG kind of guy; unless he miraculously cuts more than an hour from his time, there are no Kona slots or Top 10 AG rankings in jeopardy when he is finishing. I appreciate the competitive spirit that drives a person to want their time to be the very best, but there are no paychecks riding on these precious few seconds, and if you lose bragging rights with one of your buddies, you can blame it on the %$&*ing slow family at the finish, who just happened to be in front of you. ;-)......and for you "ultracompetitive" geeks that are all about "elbowing kids out of the way".....you are going to have to catch her first!!

Wow, cant wait till she is on the Highschool track team and wants dad to joiner her running across the finish line just like she use to do with him.

Thought after your incident you were going to say you realized it was not an appropriate place for a child, and were going to explain that to her. Oh well guess I was wrong again.

I kinda feel sorry for my kids, they get to hear no your not registered in the race you can't run with daddy, just cause the other kids are does not make it right. We will celebrate together after daddy is done.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Does anyone know of any other race / event this happens at.

Does it happen in Marathons? No this is not sarcastic I really wonder.

I know it does not happen at graduations, (even adults after night school) or auto racing. Just wondering.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

"and extend meager family budgets to fund pjorn-worthy"

Self absorbed can apply to so many areas in ones life.

Unless your husband is 70 years old, don't count on it. Talk about self-absorbed.

>>and is worrying about a potential extra three seconds<<

Those three seconds can mean Kona or not. To some people, that is extremely important.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

 but as the wife of an Ironman finisher...[/reply] Do you have that on your business card?


Paulo, you just gave me the inspiratin for my first tatoo!

Support Crew

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Support Crew
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Interesting comments...."I'm in front of you, so fuck off, I'll take as much time and space crossing the damn finish line as I please...live with it..."

That about sum it up?

Here's a true story that happened to me the other day:

I was waiting in line at a coffee shop. The guy in front of me moves and steps on my toe. I told him "Sir, you're stepping on my toe". He replies that he has come a long way to be at that line. That he hasn't tasted real coffee in a long, long time. That to get there, he had to endure a lot. I told him "But Sir, you're still stepping on my toe". Then his wife comes up and steps on my other toe. And keeps going about how she was always there for the guy, how she endured a lot to get there, how it's their right to be there, and me and my aching toes can just wait. Finally the line moved and I was able to order. But my toes still hurt.

Paulo, you never cease to amaze in your everlasting ability to crack me up.

But where was the stroller?

;-)

Since you summarized...perhaps I can remind everyone of some exact words from the post

" We will follow whatever procedures the staff dictates, and we will make certain that we don't interfere with anyone else's finish. "

Folks the point is, the practice is currently condoned by the RDs, can't the event be enjoyed by each racer in their own way??

"Since you summarized...perhaps I can remind everyone of some exact words from the post

" We will follow whatever procedures the staff dictates, and we will make certain that we don't interfere with anyone else's finish. ""

Though you contradicted that statement with others in your post, but presumably if you do make good on the second part of that sentence, no qualms here.

But..."can't the event be enjoyed by each racer in their own way" is an incredibly loaded question, and the answer of course is, no...

The problem---among a host of others---is that each racer "enjoying the race in their own way" will inevitably lead to a complete and total disregard for others around them. All in the spirit of "enjoying the race in their own way".

Doing things "in their own way" tends to end up "in other people's way", unfortunately...

The RD does NOT permit it, they tolerate it. It is against the rules. Those precious few seconds may not be a check, but many of us, like your husband, have worked our asses off to trim off as many of the seconds as possible. Your post is nothing more than the ole "me, me, me" post in the guise of "oh, no, it is for our daughter". If it is that important to her, sign her up and follow the rules and have your husband tow her around Hoyt style.

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"...it should be swim, bike, run, cage fight." - el fuser
"I noticed that I am in your sig line! Wow! That's s first for me. Thanks." - Fleck

Unfortunately no some guy with his wife and kids is in MY way sao I cant enjoy it in my own way.

Maybe someone will meet there significant other at the finish line, and they will truly show their love for each other right there in front of you kid. Is that ok?

Oh wait I can see it two guys are running in at about the same time, There kids are released by their parents and the kids start racing each other to the finish, forget Dad, Im going to beat that other kid to the finish. Now that would be hysterical.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

I am suspicious of anyone on the tubes calling themselves a 'woman' but given that you meet Jack Nicholson's character in 'As Good as It Gets' description of a woman ("I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability"), I believe you.

You are very wrong about something. This is an individual sport. Just because your husband makes you suffer through it (do you bring that big heavy cross out whenever you want the latest Channel offering?), he is still the one training and doing it. Some people may negotiate and get support from sponsors, family members, coaches, fellow-athletes in the form of $$ or time or encouragement, but it's still ultimately an individual sport.

I was going to ask you if you wanted a medal, too, but Paulo had the best zinger so I won't try to compete with it.

So you say what a big deal it is - and then you describe exactly why it should be outlawed - IN THE SAME POST.

Tell your daughter if she wants to cross the line, she has to earn it and go do the 140.2 (?) when she turns 17 or 18. It will give her a better sense of self-esteem and teach her to better value and strive for her achievements.

I've seen the look on Tri-Wog's daughter's face at finish lines and heard her talk about the Ironman... it's priceless. It adds greatly to the satisfaction of the whole Ironman experience when I see that kind of impact on their daughter and others like her. I've also enjoyed words of encouragement from Mrs. Wog during races as I'm sure MANY of you have too without even knowing it. Wouldn't it be ironic if some of you found out later that the target of your sarcastic remarks was the very person who cheered for YOU when you were suffering during a race or didn't think you could make it?

Without all the Mrs. Tri-Wogs and kids out on the course... you might notice something missing on your big day... like the fans who support YOU too.

Tri-wog's "team" will cheer and encourage every athlete they see... and be there to get medical help immediately for anyone in need. They are without a doubt a "team" of givers to the sport and not "takers".

Last year Tri-wog drove all the way from St. Louis to Madison to VOLUNTEER at IMMOO. Yup... he was there in the freezing wind and rain ALL DAY to help YOU pull off your wetsuits, catch YOUR bike and he stayed until midnight in the finishing chute to congratulate YOU and CHECK ON YOUR SAFETY. If a few seconds in the finishing chute after his race is all the payment he and his family will accept for the good things they do for others and the sport... then I believe it is the rest of us who are the true beneficiaries.

Mrs. Wog... I hope you enjoy your first trip through the IM finishers chute at IM Louisville!

Not exactly good reasoning:

a) the child likes races (that she in reality will have difficulty remembering in 5 years)
b) the wife cheers
c) the athlete volunteers
therefore:
a) to hell with the rules
b) potentially ruining other people's races is ok
c) this is somehow not a selfish act

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"...it should be swim, bike, run, cage fight." - el fuser
"I noticed that I am in your sig line! Wow! That's s first for me. Thanks." - Fleck