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Can I Feel OK About This?
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Hi all,
About a month ago I PR’d an Olympic distance race by about 17 mins, aided by a strong current in the partially down river swim. I rode pretty well on the bike, and felt good on the run. Successful day, right?

Well, here’s the thing. That strong current in the river caused a specific instance to happen to me, and ever since I haven’t been able to feel great about the race. The first part of the swim went partially upstream and mostly across the river, causing a lot of swimmers directional issues. I started slow and aimed way upstream so as not to have any issues Getting around the first buoy. However I ended up swimming right on it, and my legs somehow hit the line that was tying it down, which stopped my momentum going around. The current was pushing me into the buoy, which bobbed back a couple times and pushed my head under. I was a mess, and in a moment of panic I hollered for a nearby kayak. He paddles over, I free myself up from the buoy and line, now breathing heavy, and grab the front of the kayak. I give myself 30 seconds or so to get my bearings and then take off.

So I ask you all, would you still feel good about your race? It was all legal, I didn’t advance any, but it just hasn’t sit well. I’m not a fast swimmer, but I’m not weak either, so it was disappointing.

I appreciate your thoughts.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds like you're free to feel OK about this.


A swimmer experiencing difficulty and in need of assistance shall raise an arm overhead, and pump it up and down, and call or seek assistance. A swimmer, who has received official assistance, whether voluntary or involuntary, must retire and withdraw from the remainder of the race unless such assistance did not aid the swimmer in making forward progress. No swimmer shall return to the race if the official rendering assistance requests that the participant withdraw from the race or receive medical assistance.

Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Given the scare or disorientation, aren't you glad you still finished the race? No harm, no foul.

Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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No rule broken. No ethics bent. Good to feel okay about it.

Too old to go pro but doing it anyway
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [IT] [ In reply to ]
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Also in this case though: no foul, no harm.

You didn't cheat or break the rules in any way. No reason to feel bad.
Hell there is a whole discussion on here about what many would claim is essentially a legal way of cheating with slingshotting. That provides an advantage, your kayak break did not time wise.

Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
No advantage gained in what happened. So not cheating. So no prob to me.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Would have been foolish to not ask for help. You did the right thing and you were able to PR the race. Sounds like a great day to me.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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I don't even know how you can sleep at night?
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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I hear you. It could have had a 17 and a half minute PR, if you hadn't faffed around with the boat. That stings ;)
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [zedzded] [ In reply to ]
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Wait till you have to walk in an Ironman.
I once walked an aid station and was so angry with myself I told Mike Reilly to go fuck himself, threw the medal back into the volunteers face and demanded they take me off the results list.
/pink

zedzded wrote:
I don't even know how you can sleep at night?

What's your CdA?
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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You had a great day, feel happy :-).

And on another note you have achieved a milestone here as well, raising a question to which Slowtwitch has apparently found consensus.

Double whammy!
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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You think anyone ever one the Tour without a sticky bottle, sitting on the bumper of the team car after a puncture or getting their brakes "fixed" while holding onto the team car?
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Personally I wouldn't have counted that as a PR, but I don't have a problem with you doing it.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Was the kayak moving? this is the key piece of the puzzle. Grabbing onto a kayak, or paddle board, or boat is only illegal if they are moving and you are gaining an advantage. if they are not moving, then you were within the bounds of the rules.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [Schnellinger] [ In reply to ]
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.... Seriously?

If you're referring to the kayak, then I don't know what to say.

If you're referring to the current, there's no way a current took 17 minutes off of a 1500m swim.

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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You're fine, it counts
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [Schnellinger] [ In reply to ]
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Schnellinger wrote:
Personally I wouldn't have counted that as a PR, but I don't have a problem with you doing it.

Because of grabbing the kayak, or because of the strong down river current providing about a 5 minute help on my swim time lol?
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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If the current was that strong, nobody would have made the turnaround.
So you are in the clear either way.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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I don't think you would have felt bad about it if the kayak wasn't moving. I bet the guilt you're feeling stems from something and personally I wouldn't have considered it a pr if I felt that I cheated during the race. If I were you I would have gone to another race and done it properly.

But again, I don't have a problem with you feeling otherwise about it.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [Schnellinger] [ In reply to ]
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Just to clear up any confusion, the kayak absolutely did not advance. The guilt stems from taking a quick breather and not swimming it continuously from start to finish.

Also to the other statement, the 17 mins came overall. I picked up about 5-6 mins on the swim from the current, but also had a good bike and run that contributed to the 17 minutes.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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Whatever floats your boat, mate.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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This one is up to you. You finished the race within the rules but feel bad for grabbing a yak. We can all say to not feel bad about it, but at the end of the day it’s your call.
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Re: Can I Feel OK About This? [linkslefty] [ In reply to ]
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linkslefty wrote:
Just to clear up any confusion, the kayak absolutely did not advance. The guilt stems from taking a quick breather and not swimming it continuously from start to finish.....

.

Thats no different than some doing a few breast strokes to catch their breath and/or calm down. Nothing wrong with that and everyone has done it at some time or another.
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