What people don't "get":

Rules/laws are there for the benefit of everybody. They may not benefit or harm you, but they are common grounds for the co-existence of ALL members of a society (or a competition).

There is an increasing number of fellow citizens (and athletes), who have all sorts of excuses to be not held to common rules and law, but make no attempt to adhere to the due process how to change them. So to all those who want to have the RULE changed:

Write to IMNA or WTC, donate money, sing, dance or do whatever seems appropriate to you.

Until then:

You are violating the rules of competition and sportsmanship. You come across as selfish, rude, inconsiderate and disrespectful to other athletes (who play by the rules).

Over and out.

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Ego numquam pronuncio mendacium,
sed sum homo salvaticus

I have three children. I don't think anyone but the athlete should cross the line. That said, my kids and wife are the first people I would want to hug after the line. I think it is a real pisser when a person struggles through 2.4-112-26.2 and then has to contend with some dick blocking the finish line. Everyone has the right to sprint to the line and they don't need extra bodies to get around. But hey, maybe the $3000+ expense for doing the race does not provide that right ;)

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Adrian in Vancouver

I always wonder if these people who bring their kids/wife/grandma/dog/etc. to cross the finish line with them also have them cross home plate when they score in the beer league softball game or when they sign the contract to land a big account.

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Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.

This type of selfish behavior (yes, selfish) is the same as people who leave their shopping cart in the middle of the aisle or take their sweet time playing golf as if there is no one playing behind them. I have three kids and I would never be so selfish as to have them block someone else finishing a race.

Since I did the Ironman yesterday I feel credible enough to jump in here.



I worked really hard to run a four hour marathon and was determined to make the finish in 11:3x. To do that I had to negative split the last 8 miles of the marathon which I painfully did. At the finish line I am coming up quickly on a guy and I realize I do not need to get past him as I will make my time goal.

I slow my pace on the last 20 yards just a touch to enjoy my moment. In the last five yards a girl(racer) with her boyfreind/husband (spectator) darts in front of me. He throws his arms high in the air proud of his 10 yard finish and completely blocks my finish. THANKS ASSHOLE!

If it was just the girl and not her spectator friend and she wanted to beat me to the finish, Great! I would have shook her hand and said "congratulations". But for any of you who support this behaviour, do you have any idea what it is like to push your limits past anything you thought possible and then have it somewhat spoiled at YOUR moment, YOUR finish, by some jackass who darts right in front of you thinking he has earned the right to be there!

A BIG thank you to the camaraman as I think he realized that this had happened and he gave me a lot of extra camara time after the finish. My freinds and family got to enjoy my post finish line video for a good 20-30 seconds. He zoomed in on me and stayed there for a while, that was nice.

Maybe I should post the video so you all can see who I think should win the "inconsiderate asshole of the year award".

And yes I am a proud father of a 3 year old and a 5 year old who where lovingly there with my wife and friends supporting me!

They hugged me AFTER I was finished!

I don't. Unless you want one for dogs, sleds, tractors, too. But I do have the ultimate solution (ONLY IF compromise is required)... widen the chute by 5 feet, have an express lane to the left, and have the right side for those who insist on being silly about this. Stick a volunteer to direct it to ensure there's no tangling on the wrong side. Warn everyone in advance so families/dogs can be on the correct side.

I don't get why people think it's the family's sacrifice and your gratification. Do they get nothing from your achievement and happiness? Sure wish my dad had been able to do something like this -- I wouldn't have felt shortchanged from him. Or... guess y'all should stop going to little league and dance recitals, etc., because you sacrifice and they get all the gratification.

Plus, people (and RRoof suggests this)... you can hide some of your hours training. And you all have to admit that an hour training is not necessarily an hour less spent w/ the family. If you didn't do this, chances are good you'd do something else.

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Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

I mean, almost all of my running is done before anyone even gets out of bed. Swimming while I'm at work most of the time. Lots of cool tricks for my long bike rides. Actually, my kids have NO IDEA how much time I spend training (which is a lot, yes). It is not 1:1. Even if it was, the "finish" line photo/moment has nothing to do with "make-up" and we all now that. I think most other "parents" on this board do much the same.

When I said it is something we need to be aware of, so that we limit training interference, this is exactly what I had in mind. Occassionally we have a thread started by someone wondering how to balance the time, which often spurs a great discussion on how to train and have it interfere with the family in the least way possible.

However, there seem to be more threads along the lines of "How do I get my spouse/family to support my hobby?" type of thing which triggers my thinking that there are quite a few folks that don't understand that tri-training or any individual hobby is not a "family thing".

Why would a family not want to enjoy everything that each member wants?

I agree. They could enjoy the moment after the finish. All hug and take a family picture (away from the chute). The family can celebrate like mad and for however long they like, after the member finishes the race.

We are one of those goofy families that do lots of stuff together, but given the comments of so many people expressing the lack of respect many "family photo finishers" display for the course and other competitors, I advocate the family celebration taking place after the finish line, not before.

I would guess most people do so because their families see "everyone else doing it", and do the same b/c it's fun. If they simply had "spectators stay off the course" signs, or a couple of marshalls ushering people back off the course, it would cease quickly. Really, one has to wonder if IM races and WTC really even want the tradition to stop. I think many folks either want the tradition stopped or the rules changed, not have it both accepted and against the rules.

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

Or... guess y'all should stop going to little league and dance recitals, etc., because you sacrifice and they get all the gratification.

This illustrates a distinction that needs pointed out. Parental-sacrifice for the children is not the same situation as children-sacrifice for the benfit of the parents. I think that distinction goes into the decision to become a parent, don't you?

I don't see any need to jump from one extreme to another. One doesn't need to stop triathlon training just as one doesn't need to dedicate every waking minute to gratifying their children.

I brought up the point to keep perspective that watching dad finish a race isn't likely the child's choice given all the other options one could do with the time/money devoted to triathlon. Sometimes folks make it sound like the "10 seconds finishing with the parent" was worth the sacrifice made by the kids, and that sentiment sounds silly to me.

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

Oh yeah, I think WTC and IMNA want this to stop. I mean, when my daughter (isolated 1 person, running as fast (faster) than me) did this, I had no idea she was going to since I coached them about this before (albeit 9 months prior at another IM race). But when an entire family, dog, stroller, infant comes across, that is likely more "planned". Maybe that is why I like the photo so much - the "surprise" of it.

I think some signs around the finish chute/line is not a bad idea, but I wonder if they would do it? I mean, it is already in the rules. That is exactly why my daughter hopped the fence - because she saw others doing it, looked fun, hey - there's daddy .....

Again, I hate to be complacent about this "behavior", but it really doesn't impact me in the slightest. I can slow up or speed up for a few secs. Look around a little at the end (I've learned to do this now). I'm not going to run over anyone in the chute. I've done it both ways. If you want to look like an ass with a double wide stroller or a dog at the line - go ahead. You have to live with that (just like drafting, etc.). It is part of the IM game at this point, just like the mass swim start mess that sucks much worse and is far more dangerous than this (eps for a MOP swimmer like me). Maybe I just need to finish sub 9 so that I don't have to worry about it :)

This is a huge accomplishment for many individuals (that they may never do again) and many want to share it with their families. So what. I think that is probably what IMNA is thinking as well.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

When did you get a dog?

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Didn't. Actually, I have only NOT had a dog for the last few years of my life :)

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

First, congrats on your accomplishment.

I assume you are speaking of Ms. Farrar's significant other? I saw that live and shook my head.

I also felt for #585. Mike Reilly is yelling that they can break 12 hours. The guy is obviously striving for the line. And a guy with his three kids is blocking the way. #585 looked pissed to me after the finish.

I think it all comes down to selfishness. I have 2 kids and think anybody who brings somebody not actually racing through the finish line should get an automatic DQ with no appeal. My wife and kids have all finished triathlons and I never contemplated running the last few feet to share in their moment and sure would not let them cross the finish with me. Take it out of triathlon, I don’t run out on the field when my kids score a goal and I didn’t run up on stage when my wife got an award at work.

If you watched all of the total jackasses on Ironmanlive last night and don’t think it is wrong I don’t know what you would think is wrong. What would it take? Why not just have the family and friends follow in a boat for the swim and a Winnebago for the bike and run. Don’t just give them a few seconds, give them the whole day. Who cares about the rules and that it gets in the way of the other racers.

Instead feeling guilty for all the training I do and attempting to make up for it with a quick moment and a picture, I spend time training with them so they can finish their own race.

Dave

"You are so ignorant to the sacrifice that IM finisher's families make."

You seem to be missing an important point here.

If your family have to make such sacrifices, then you are indeed a selfish bastard and a lousy parent. You should be ashamed.

I am very aware of the sacrifices families make, not only during training, for example Saturday afternoons on the bike while mom takes the kids wherever. Then they quadruple the cost of the race and abandon work and school for a week to accompany their hero to Hawaii. Buy tees with Daddy's name preferably on them. Hang out all day with their matching support outfits. That's not enough display of support. Show him the family adoration by appearing in the finish chute with him so he can get more attention and applause. Been there, seen that, 6 times. The egos of some triathletes are boundless. Maybe one little 3 year old running in with Dad is cute, but your girlfriend and dog and the rest of your entourage exhibiting their undying loyalty to you is sad.

There is an opportunity for an official photo after the race and you are asked if you'd like the person with you in the photo. We declined because only I had done the race, but anyone can choose it. Few do because it distracts from the finisher. Company down the chute shows the audience how many people think you're wonderful. Quite different.

Much of the blame goes to the mystique the public gives to triathlons in general and this race in particular. It's misplaced. Many of us are not such great achievers and some of us only hope to excel at triathlons because we can combine mediocre performance at all three sports with a sum greater than its parts. This often misplaced admiration from the public attracts some of the especially flagrant displays of ego near the end of the day.

rtk

I am continually amazed by the cowardice displayed by the ignorant lobbing grenades from their anonymous posts. If you've got something so nasty to say, at least have the integrity to put your name to it. Unbelievable wimpiness.

I have yet to see someone maimed or injured at the finish line.


Ok, so its not an Ironman, but it is a marathon and close enough.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/...p/index.html?cnn=yes

If you go to CNN you can see the video of it.

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- Nick
Now that I know some of you guys look through the special needs bags for kicks, I'm gonna put some really weird stuff in mine. I can see it now. "What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?"

Is it my imagination or was he lingering right at the finish line longer than anyone else? Perhaps it was for TV...



Clearly my hat's off to him though...courage...



Bill

[reply]
I'd wager most of the posters who find this activity awful have no children. [/reply]


And I'd wager that those who break the rules at the finish line by bringing their kids, etc. with them, are also breaking the rules elsewhere on the course. It's just a little drafting and I've sacrificed so much, boo hoo.

I have two daughters and wouldn't thinking of making them cheat with me or for that matter, making them sit through a race for 15 seconds of watching daddy sweat.

The OP has a great idea -- Next time, I plan to kick a dead horse across the finish line.

the dude slipped on paint. hardly the same as bringing an entorage across the line.

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Striving to have sex more than 66 times per year

I never said anything about an "entorage." I merely posted a recent news story about someone getting hurt at a finish line to show you someone getting maimed or injured at the finish line. If the video link was not javascript, I would have gladly posted that.

As for entourages, they shouldn't be slipping on paint either.

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- Nick
Now that I know some of you guys look through the special needs bags for kicks, I'm gonna put some really weird stuff in mine. I can see it now. "What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?"

I'm sure there will only be a problem if it was a non-IM brand stroller.

~Matt