Even if the majority of athletes would be against it, WTC would NEVER EVER disallow this nonsense.

They gonna insist on having this spectacle. By now I already know their argument:

It has become tradition, it is part of Ironman.

And you know why?

Not because they feel with the poor suckers who desire to carry their homestead across the line, but because they can make additional money off it!

The photographer sells more pictures, more DVDs, WTC can ask for a higher cut for the licensing of photography.

Everybody wins!?

It is called capitalism, get over it already!

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Ego numquam pronuncio mendacium,
sed sum homo salvaticus

I was a shade disappointed myself. This was my very first IM. Since I was in the 13-hr range, there weren't tons of people around me. The entire last mile or so, I sped up & passed a few folks that I wouldn't have even fooled around with under other circumstances. I was constantly checking in front of, and behind me so that I had at least a 100-foot buffer on either side. When I got to the finish chute, some guy apparently had just been standing in there chatting with friends or family or something, I don't know. Anyways, there was 100 feet of no one in front of him too. He could have gone across at any time, but unluckily for me, he stepped in & across right in front of me. I had to run around him.

Not a terribly big deal, I wasn't there for the picture anyway, but I wish he would have checked his rear-view mirror before pulling into traffic.

I hope that wasn't too whiny, I still got an OK picture.

May I be one of those to disagree?

I've always thought it wrong to drag family members across, but I learned that IMNA now has procedures to accomodate family members. I didn't know that before today. If they have rules, then it is okay.

That gets me thinking about my cheerleader, a 17 YO daughter I've drug to lots places with me for three years as I compete in wimpy sprint/oly tris. She's spent time in some low-life gin joint hotels and towns and I never once considered her joining me at the finish.

It almost makes me want to sign up for an IM so she can cross the line with me. My husband would never consider it. He does marathons. But a daughter willing to be the unofficial timekeeper, knowing that the race officials already give her a pass? Hell, yeah! I've changed my mind.[reply][/reply]

This probably has been mentioned, somewhere in the 10 pages of replies, so sorry if this is not an original idea, but how about the idea of having two finish lines...one for 'family finishes' only.

I also request a seperate "running lane" for those of us that prefer to run shirtless AND with an IPOD.

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

I want a seperate lane for tall thin old long legged slow folks. :o)



Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

"If they have rules, then it is okay."

Which rules?

The rules that ban non-competitors from entering the course or the rules that make an exception (apparently at several IM races) by explicitly encouraging athletes to bring family across the line.

This is all messed up pretty badly, me thinks.

What does IMNA has to say to this schizophrenic situation?

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Ego numquam pronuncio mendacium,
sed sum homo salvaticus

de-

I learned today that family members get wrist bands to cross the finish line. Never knew that before. That is a de facto okay for non-racers to cross the line with the racer. No? They get permission.

I don't agree, but if it is allowed by way of a wrist-band provided by the RD, I'm crossing with my daughter.

But no worry, I'm not looking to do an IM race. And my daughter gets my t-shirts. It is a really good trade-off for us.

The reality of a wrist-band changed my mind. While it sucks for an athlete with a time goal (others clogging the finish), it isn't a problem for the directors.

Who knew?

In the IMLP broadcast of this years race they interviewed several volunteers. One of them had the title of "Family Finish Co-Captain".

I'll assume they are at least attempting to have volunteers dedicated to clearing the finish line.

I happen to be a friend of the "friggin tool" that you want to throw from the pier. And I've just watched the "watch me finish video". On that video, you can see that he was alone in the finish area with the baby and the wife and then one competitor comes over, walking too. He goes around him and shakes his hand. So I have three questions for you:

1 - If the person affected by it was not bothered, even shaking the guy's hand, why would you have a problem?

2 - You mentioned two people in your post, and it was just one. Was your post based in real events and exagerated for purpose of dramatization?

3 - Are you personally available to help throw people from the pier, or even do the job yourself?

Thank you in advance for the replies to these questions.

I pretty sure that I saw a feed in which two people went by someone stopped on the finish line. I also saw the baby stroller not too much after. As for me being available to toss someone into the bay, I turned down the Kona slot this year so no I am not there. I'm typically not the type of person that would actually toss someone into the bay anyway but the inconsiderate crap that I was watching would have annoyed me if I had been sprinting for the line behind someone who stopped on the line and waved their child around. And, if push came to shove, yes, Paulo, I am physically quite capable of tossing someone off the end of the pier :)

No one is interested in seeing you attention-whore with your crotch-fruit. Cross the line, do your dance, but leave the fucking kids on the sidelines where they belong.

End of transmission.

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runfatmanrun.blogspot.com

Oh my. Umm...OK, I'll admit it: in my less, umm, restrained moments...this speaks for me. Ouch! Honest, most of the time I'm more diplomatic, really. But sometimes such an honest expression of exasperation is refreshing.

Not that I'm condoning this type of post, really....umm...oh, crap...

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TriBaby
"The rule is, jam yesterday, and jam tomorrow, but NEVER jam today." ---The White Queen

It wasn't just you, I saw the same thing at the same time. How do I know that? Because I was checking out ST at the same time as the live feed, and your post appeared shortly after the incident you mentioned, which was as you stated it. I don't know how Paulo can say you were talking about HIS friend specifically supposedly, since there were so many people who went across with their kids and then stopped right there. Sounds like two different situations to me - the one I saw (same as you) nearly had a collision because of the guy holding up the baby coming to an abrupt stop, with racers immediately behind him.

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http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com

I saw one live. It occurred just before the rain storm. An older guy sprints past a younger guy, pauses slightly to grab his wife's hand then pulls her along at a pace much faster than she was comfortable running, but much slower than the guy he passed. The result--- the younger guy pulled up a little bit and gave then a little space to finish. Marginal impact on his race time, but completely uncalled for by the guy making the pass. You need to make a decision--family finish or race finish.

If you think triathletes crossing the finish line with family in tow is too much, then how about with their pets? people, relax, life's too short for getting mad about this... ; -)

I will be ok with this bs IFF The Sergio finishes his next IM with Sisi in tow after going sub 2:35. Once that is accomplished I will personally help to build the secondary chute for everyone who isn't The Sergio to finish with their entourage. Solo finishers may use the same chute as The Sergio, but only if they get out of the way quickly once they cross the line.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

Great post!!! I just had a good laugh!

I guess I'll never have to worry about this happening as I'm not married, have no kid's, no pet's, hell I barely have any friend's and in all my years of doing tri's, not once did a single family member come to one of my races.

I crossed the IMLP finish line with my 2 kids (6 and 3) this year. They do ask that you sign releases at IMLP, and have volunteers to answer questions and organize things near the finish. Anyway we signed releases the day before. The kids are old enough to run themselves and we stayed to the side. We let people pass at the end to get a clear finish. We cleared the chute quickly. What's your problem?

If you want to argue age limits, numbers of kids, separate finish lines for kids that's one thing. I'll actually support you on some or all of those, but being militant and calling for a blanket elimination is not necessary.

Newsflash ... Lack of Consideration is hardly unique to family finishers on the race course. I'd personally like to see more consideration from people who dump trash or insist on riding in a blocking position.

When/if you have kids some day and they look you in the eyes and ask you if they can cross the finish line with you (having seen others do it at IMLP and other races), after:

• waking up in the morning every day for 4+ months asking their mother "Where's Daddy?"
• being stuffed into a car for a 7 hour drive to upstate NY
• spending the last several days holed up in a hotel room/condo out of their normal routine and experiencing pouring rain the day before
• being awakened at 5am and standing around for 12 hours to see a glimpse of Dad 3 or 4 times

So given the choice of disappointing you and some others on Slowtwitch OR my two kids (knowing that we'll behave responsibly in the finish chute) ... guess who I'm picking?

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"Knowledge is good" - Emil Faber

Well put, and ditto. I wish there was a way to make everyone happy, but unfortunately, that will probably never exist.

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I wanna go fast!

"When/if you have kids some day and they look you in the eyes and ask you if they can cross the finish line with you (having seen others do it at IMLP and other races), after:

* waking up in the morning every day for 4+ months asking their mother "Where's Daddy?"
* being stuffed into a car for a 7 hour drive to upstate NY
* spending the last several days holed up in a hotel room/condo out of their normal routine and experiencing pouring rain the day before
* being awakened at 5am and standing around for 12 hours to see a glimpse of Dad 3 or 4 times"

Uh, let's see. You decided to do this to your kids, not the other race participants. Therefore, why should the other race particpants have to make this up to your kids? If your training/racing is so hard on your kids maybe you shouldn't do it.

"If your training/racing is so hard on your kids maybe you shouldn't do it."

As Tom Demerly would say - "That's Huge!"

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

And exactly correct.

If the impact on your family is so great that you are suffering from enough guilt that you feel the need to break rules and potentially endanger other participants...you SHOULDN'T be doing it. Either figure out a way to not impact the family so much during training or don't do the training and potentially not the race.

OTOH not training is an option....I've been doing that fro two years now. Makes for a long race day...but still alot of fun AND I don't feel so guilty about being away from the family...cause I'm not training.

~Matt