I know that the Subaru Series (which I believe the race you are talking about is in) and the Danskin Series both have swim buddies or swim angels (as they are called at Danskin). In Danskin they also allow the swim angels to carry noodles in case the athlete needs to stop and calm down. The noodles shouldn't be used for forward motion but sometimes they are. I can understand why this may have bothered you but both of these series are geared at beginners and empowering women to try something new. The swim scares a lot of people (both men and women). So having someone there to provide support during the swim can ease an athletes mind and make the race that much more enjoyable. From what I have seen the swim angels, the swim angels are not there to pull someone along through the swim. They are there to provide encouragement and support. In my opinion they are a great asset to these races and fulfilling the goal of these races to be a nonjudgemental and supportive race for beginners.

I will admit I may be biased though. For the past three years, I have coached a group of beginner women for the Danskin race in Pleasant Prairie, WI through the Team Danskin program. Seeing the women go from being afraid to get in the pool or not be able to run 10 feet to finishing their first tri in 8 weeks is an incredible thing to see and be part of. I know some of my athletes used swim angels but that was what they needed to mentally get through the swim and finish the race. Two of those athletes are back this year, training hard (especially in the pool) and can't wait for the race this year when they won't need swim angels.

I am really on the fence about this. Part of me thinks yes, you should be totally prepared to do the whole thing unassisted. Then I do see the point about 'empowerment' etc.
A guy I know yesterday did a short tri with a swim buddy, a friend of the RD, as he'd get panic attacks. As an RD I'd think this a dangerous thing to allow? I mean, if someone is really in the midst of a panic attack, they will take you down with them, floaties or no, and no matter what your size, ability etc. Isn't there some sort of safety concern here?

At Danskin (at least here in the PNW) the swim angels can only be female so it isn't so much needing a "man's" help as much as women helping women. That being said I'm not a big fan of the swim buddy concept and stay away from beginners races for that reason.

(just to note, I'm not for a minute passing judgement on anyone who does use/believe in them. In fact I'm signing up to be a swim angel volunteer at this year's Danskin. Just not my personal cup of tea when I'm racing)

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http://smallfoodbiz.com
</blatent self-marketing>

Sounds like a great thing for beginner type races. Anything to help people become interested in the sport without too much pressure and great support is a wonderful thing. I wouldn't want/need one, but I also wouldn't be signing up for an event that is geared toward beginners.
Seems like a good idea to me.

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

If you're talking about the USWTS race in Naperville yesterday, I was there as well. I honestly have to say that I think its pretty cool that they have swim buddies. This is my 9th year doing triathlons and in that time, I've introduced a fair amount of people to the sport, including my mom, who did her first tri at 60 years old. Her first race was the USTWS race in Naperville several years ago. Without the swim buddy, I don't know if she would have attempted the race. She was MORE than prepared, just terrified of swimming amidst so many people. Her swim buddy stayed beside her and essentially helped with 'crowd control'.

Is this fair? I'm sure there are many arguments. For my mom, and I'm sure many other beginners, the swim buddies help them get through their first triathlon and start a lifelong love for the sport. I personally like that idea.

The way I see it, the elites go in the first wave, so there are no swim buddies on the swim course with them or impeding them. Anyone else signing up as an age-grouper may or may not have a swim buddy 'in their way' - but really, in the grand scheme of things, I would rather swim around a swim buddy helping someone through the swim than to have that person avoid triathlon due to a fear of the unknown relating to the swim. I also don't see it so much as they can't swim, they just don't know what to expect. Thinking back to my first tri, I would have LOVED to have someone there beside me for that first swim.

This is, of course, just my $.02 - I had a fun day racing yesterday and I hope you did too!

I guess a big part of the thing that bothers me is that I've never seen this at a coed race. It bothers me that a race director would think that women will need help but men won't. I may be wrong about this not being offered at any coed races though so I was wondering if anyone had seen it at a race where men were swimming as well. I'm all about being inclusive in triathlon, don't get me wrong but I just don't like the "women might need extra help" message.

I had a lot of fun yesterday. Really I have no complaints at all about the race. It was very well run and none of the swim buddies got in my way. I just have spent my whole life trying to show men that I was just as tough as them in sports and maybe that's why this bothers me so much. I realize this is just my opinion though and maybe I'm in the minority. I can see the benefit to people that are racing for the first time.

Well, now that I think about it the rain delay wasn't too fun but what can you do :-)

I felt the same way last year when I did the all women's tri in Naperville, IL (I think it is the same one you went to).

At first I was really stoked to be doing an all women's tri. I wanted to go fast and really experience an all female atmosphere. Then the reality of "special circumstances" started trickling into the rules. I quickly realized my $90 entry fee was not going towards race officials and other needed safety amenities, but rather swag. I got a great goodie bag and running singlet.

As the race progressed I realized they "bent" the rules for this race. Primarily, so some of the inexperienced women wouldn't get intimated and they could give women the opportunity to do a triathlon when they otherwise might not participate. I understand that. I do, really. But I don't think bending the rules so everyone can be included is the safest route to go.

There were the swim buddies, no officials on the bike course (that I saw), and too many people allowed in transition that weren't supposed to be there.

If this is your bag and you love supporting an all women's triathlon, cool. I am happy for you. But personally, bending the rules does not allow for more people to be involved; but rather it allows a false sense of security. With swim buddies, women don't have the need to possess the skills to help themselves if they get into trouble. (Bad). Without officials on the bike course many many many women rode 2, 3, and even 4 abreast AND went over the yellow line (Bad). And finally, transition. Wow. If you were a woman and remotely wore something sporty--you got into transition. (Bad).

This is why I will never ever do another all women's triathlon. What would happen if there was an all men's triathlon supporting prostate cancer or something like that? I'll tell you...Title 9 would get thrown around and the RD would be accused of being sexist and "not fair." I am not a man. I promise you, but an all women's triathlon can be very dangerous and sexist in their own right.

PS-I did IMMoo last year and felt more safe with 2000+ other athletes on the course than I did at the all women's race I did in Naperville, IL last year (participant numbers...I think it was over 1900 were allowed to race.)

Just my .02 cents.

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Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

After a couple of years of Danskin here in the eastern Massachusetts area, I had to stop racing them. I fully endorse their objectives, which is to get novices to try something healthy and to adopt a healthier lifestyle. But for anyone semi-serious or serious about racing hard, it's not the right race to go to unless you are in the Elite (first) wave. Heck, even in the Elite wave, weird or unsafe stuff happens. Like you come in from the bike, and find someone has carefully draped their wetsuit over your bike rack spot and you have to rack your bike on top of their wetsuit! Or you trip over someone's lounge chair and picnic cooler (no joke) in the transition area.

For someone experienced, Danskin or the other all-women's racings...are for volunteering, not racing. I think that's why at least here in Eastern Massachusetts, rarely will you find any of the local top age-group women at Danskin.

BrokenSpoke

Well I did IronGirl Lake LasVegas in April and there weren't any swim buddies in that. In fact it was a really hard race even though it was all women. The swim was the hardest I've ever done. So I guess not all women only races are like that which is a good thing. The atmosphere was really inclusive and supportive too.

I know my previous post may seem a little harsh, but I have been so frustrated by this double standard for a year since I did this race last year.

We women want to be treated equally, but then we create an all women's race that has exception after exception after exception. Ugh.

I have been trying to fight the "oh she is just a woman..." mentality for years myself. I consider myself to be pretty tough and able to hold my own on the bike and the swim, but when they hand out "exceptions" to an entire race, it feels like we are supporting the mentality that women are the "lesser sex."

It wouldn't be so degrading if there were an all male race with the same exceptions. But there isn't. I am sure the men would like to have a "friendly atmosphere" to get into triathlon. But do they? No. Why is that? Why? Seriously?

Or is this a ploy to get a ton of money for a fundraiser and get as many women into a race as possible, regardless of skill or experience? Trade off...money-safety.

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Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

You get it ;-)

Thanks for the head's up on IronGirl. I was really interested in trying that one, until I did the Naperville, IL tri.

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Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

Because men HTFU

But so do we! :( This is what makes me so sad. I HTFU all the dang time. Seriously, I do. BIG =((

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Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

I didn't mean that no women HTFU. I know many, many tough women. I just think they don't have swim buddies at races men are in because they would be too embarrased to accept that kind of help, even if they were afraid (which I"m sure many are in their first tri).

Can I ask what personally compels you to be in the sport?

It's too bad that you have felt you had to do this. I don't feel like I need to prove anything to anyone, other than myself, when it comes to my sport accomplishments.

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

Oh you are such a "rock." Are you really going to try to pull that "Holyier than thou" stuff? I think everyone that has a little competition in their blood, feels like they have to "prove" something at one point or another. Was your point just to make someone else feel bad about their feelings or for you to feel superior and let everyone know it?

You seriously don't care what other people think about your accomplishments/failures? If so, you must be the perfect buddhist and are ready for enlightenment.

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Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

I feel like that was pretty unnecessary. I'm not trying to pull anything at all. Absolutely there's competition in my blood (I would never suggest that there isn't, nor did I) and if I have anything to prove it's to myself. Just one point of view.

I wasn't trying to make anyone feel bad about anything as that is never my intention in anything I do, nor would I ever suggest or feel superior to anyone else. The last I checked this is a discussion forum, and I was just trying to discuss something within this thread. If it made anyone feel less than or whatever it may have then that's unfortunate, but it would certainly never be my intention.

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

I can see both sides of this discussion.

One one hand, I am a GP and see on a daily basis what the obesity epidemic is doing to our society. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard an excuse to not exercise I'd probably be able to retire. So if a patient came to me and told me they wanted to train for a triathlon, but might have to use a swim buddy, you don't know how happy I would be. The decision to take control of your health and just start moving is a win in my book as far as I am concerned medically. I would support them as their physician the whole way.

OTOH, I am a recreational triathlete and work my tail off to be able to compete. I don't like to swim, but I love triathlon, so I swim, and I make sure I can swim before entering a race.

I like the question: "Why are there no men's only tris with (or without) swim buddies?" I think this is a reflection of our society. It is socially and culturally unacceptable for men to ask for help (for the most part). I would say that is one of the reasons for so many question threads on the tri forum. It's basically anonymous.

Just my .02

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Come crawling faster

I totally agree with you that this is a discussion forum. What I have a hard time understanding is what part of “It's too bad that you have felt you had to do this. I don't feel like I need to prove anything to anyone, other than myself, when it comes to my sport accomplishments” is a discussion? Sounds like a blanket statement to me. One that sounds like either you are on this boat or that boat.

Also, if your intention is not to make anyone feel bad, why would your signature be “Stop being such a scrotetard and htfu!” Doesn’t sound like a very supportive or non-superior statement to me.

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Heather Sweet
http://thesweetsadventure.blogspot.com/

My signature line is a joke. Simple as that. One of the guys in the main forum with the word scrotetard and I thought it was funny.

Sorry that I've clearly offended you, and any others that I may have. As I said before, definitely not my intention.

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way