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Re: Equalizing tri segments [Lew] [ In reply to ]
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I actually do better in duathlons than triathlons, because of my lack of swimming experience and skill. BUT, it feels like duathlons are much harder, and in some ways, harder to do well in. It's because it's easier to find good bikers that run well or good runners that bike well, than to find someone that does swim, bike and run well. The people that do all three well are obviously the cream of the crop, and I never feel badly to be beaten by them. I simply admire their abilities. But, in Duathlons, I expect to finish on the podium...maybe that's why duathlons FEEL harder.

It sure seems like there is less time difference separating 1st and 20th place in duathlons, or, am I just imagining this?



Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
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Re: Equalizing tri segments [lsilverman] [ In reply to ]
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How accurate would the equalization be if we summed the finishing places in each leg. eg If someone came 4th in the swim 5th in the bike and 6th on the run their score would be 15.

I just tried it on my last result ......... it seems I am still crap.
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Re: Equalizing tri segments [Lew] [ In reply to ]
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well, i think lew’s reasoning is partially good; the amount of time gained by the best is a decent measure, but he’s comparing two arbitrary athletes, not groups or averages. i think maybe the closest we could get to equalizing the importance of the sports would be to make equal the time gained by the best (maybe the top 10%) over the rest (the middle of the pack, or maybe the average for all participants) in each sport. though i don’t have the time right now to look at race results, it does seem that the swim is very underweighted.

but that brings us to another problem. if only some races were “equalized”, the equalization really wouldn’t happen because participants choose their races and so races that weighted swimming more heavily would attract more good swimmers and drive away the poor ones. while i, having swum competitively for 13 years before starting triathlons, would love to kick people’s butts in the water like my butt used to be kicked on the bike and run (i’m getting a lot better and actually didn’t lose a single place on the bike and run in my last race after finishing 10th on the swim ), it just wouldn’t happen. those people whose butts i would kick would be at other races and i’d be racing against a bunch of other swimmers.

the problem for those who want to equalize the segments is the market. since swimming is something people begin to do in order to do a triathlon, they’ll go for the races that minimize its importance. it seems that there may not be enough swimmers to form the critical mass necessary to change the formats. so while i still think it’s unfair, i don’t see a good solution except for changing the standards, i.e. making the standard for olympic distance equalized. having just a few races “equalized” will negate the equalization. does anybody think we have a shot at getting the standards changed by usat? (and it seems, if i’m not mistaken, that usat doesn’t even care about the lengths of the segments or their relationships, just the total time for the first finisher. is that right?)
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Re: Equalizing tri segments [lsilverman] [ In reply to ]
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I started a thread off on this subject some months ago and got slaughtered about it, it makes interesting reading though. Take a look at TAKING TRIATHLON INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

AndyA
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Re: Equalizing tri segments [AndyA] [ In reply to ]
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Talking of long distance triathlons how about this one; 48mile swim, 2240mile bike, 524mile, all non-stop of course. This event was raced in 1998 Monterrey Mexico, and was called the Double Deca Triathlon. It was won in a time of 18 days 5 hours 21 minutes and 40 seconds by Vidmantas Urbonas of Lithuania. Over one Ironman a day for 18 days!

AndyA
Last edited by: AndyA: Aug 16, 03 3:05
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