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Hey come back - that's my slot you stole
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To cheat or not to cheat -

I have never posted on this forum and I am not sure of the protocol but I saw an email from Dan that said IM Florida officiating and I wanted to read it.

1st - I liken what happened at IM Florida on Saturday to some of the mass border crossing incidents that used to happen in San Diego. If you line up 250 people and they all run across at once, there is nothing the police or the border patrol can do. The officials did as much as they could - it was not their fault. The problem was huge - not 10-15 person packs but 40-50 people together. They were pulling over people and slashing them but the net effect was to catch maybe 1/2 of the violators. The sad part is that it really made a difference in the overall - sitting in at 22/23 mph and running on fresh legs MADE a difference.

For me - coming out of the water in the top 50 overall and out of T1 at 58 minutes I was on the bike basically alone for the 1st 56 miles. I was also at a pace to do 5:10 to 5:15 when the 1st pelaton passed me. I looked over - laughed and thought - there is the top 10 in each age group - my day is over.

Of course there is the question of do I go with them or not - I chose not to go - which on this day - was probably the wrong decision.

I sat up - soft pedaled and rode slower until they were away. The same thing happened at mile 70 with another group of 30 and again I did the same thing.

It is possible to stay legal for 112 - I did it - both on paper and ethically.

It is not easy to watch your race ride away from you in a pack - but I would guess I now have good karma for the lottery.
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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [kavajean] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry to hear about what it might have cost you, but congratulations on your finish. It's nice to hear that some people still care about racing with honor.

_________________________________________________
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare" - Juma Ikangaa

http://www.litespeed.com
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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [kavajean] [ In reply to ]
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congrats for showing you can race without drafting. one of the guys I coached had the same problem, missed a Kona slot by 2min but he raced according to the rules.
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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [kavajean] [ In reply to ]
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that's rough, I'd be pissed, especially during the awards.


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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [kavajean] [ In reply to ]
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"Of course there is the question of do I go with them or not - I chose not to go - which on this day - was probably the wrong decision."

Correct, if you were vying for a kona slot then it was the wrong decision. You more than likely could have easily sat off the back within the rules and gained an advantageous pull which would have probably given you a faster bike split along with a better pair of legs for running a marathon. You would not have cheated, therefore you would have simply raced the race as fast as you possibly could under conditions presented on the day. Now, if they were going so fast that you couldn't keep up under these conditions, then they would probably have beat you anyway.
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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [kavajean] [ In reply to ]
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Character is defined by what decisions an individual makes when no one else is around. You showed great character by choosing not to cheat. There were many that went into this race with a plan to cheat until they were caught, knowing that the 4 minute rest in T2 really doesn't hurt them. Afterall, they get to hydrate, use the bathroom and there's no waiting for thier transition bags. Their bags were placed outside the sin-bin while their were serving their time.

The cheating is disturbing. Those that choose not to should really be respected for their decisions.
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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [bshanberg] [ In reply to ]
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Here's what a bunch in the group may have been thinking. "I want a Kona slot if I can get one. I'd also like a PR on the course. Everyone around me is probably thinking the same thing. What's the risk vs. reward? Well, I know what the rewards are. What's my risk? Well, if I do get a penalty, I'll have to sit down in the penalty box and use the 4 minutes to get ready for the run. And what's the chance I'll get a penalty? If I just hang out in the middle of the pack, there's a chance that I'll get yelled at by a couple of marshalls, but the odds of getting singled out as the one person to get stood down is pretty small. If I get stopped, I'll do the time, but I like the chances that I won't get stopped."
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Re: Hey come back - that's my slot you stole [Peanut] [ In reply to ]
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Relax- your slot isn't going to come in a lottery, it will come absolutely in the best way- training hard, going out there, doing the best you can, crossing the finish line knowing you've given it all you had, not caring in the slightest whether you made Kona or not, just that you've done your best. Sleeping so very well that night, knowing it was done with honour. Waking up the next day going to the rolldown, not anxious like most everyone in the room. They will call your name and it will be one of those greatest feelings of your life.

I used to get upset with the drafters, the drug cheats that took my Kona slot. Well I still do, but I try not to let it bug me too much. When you get there and you know its entirely deserved, thats the Kona you're looking for!
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