"PS--I still think you could have changed clothes 60 seconds faster and taken third. ;-) "

had i known third was a minute and a quarter up the road i'd have hastened. that's one argument for making people wear their swim caps for the whole race. or maybe carry those flags that go on those kiddie trailers you pull behind your bike -- a different color flag for each AG. or maybe big variously colored bulls-eyes on everybody's back.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I appreciate the pacing advice for the bike. Most of us I suspect, require a spectacular melt-down or two before such advice is heeded. Guilty. Oh, the stories that could be told!

[reply]"PS--I still think you could have changed clothes 60 seconds faster and taken third. ;-) "

had i known third was a minute and a quarter up the road i'd have hastened. that's one argument for making people wear their swim caps for the whole race. or maybe carry those flags that go on those kiddie trailers you pull behind your bike -- a different color flag for each AG. or maybe big variously colored bulls-eyes on everybody's back.[/reply]

...slowswitch.com?

Please...Whats the tip for firsttimers?

Thank You

"Please...Whats the tip for firsttimers? "

little known fact: there's a website attached to this forum :-) go to the home page.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

LOL classic

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"on your Left"

Thank you for your post and article. I did realize there is a website but I do not daily navigate through it(beginners training).I now also will recognize your name and look for articles,and keep my head up and looking(like on the bike course). As for the following post of eric "LOL Clasic" OK I deserve that but at least I am here trying to learn. Thanks again Ken P.S. after first entering for my IM I did read the whole rule book

"I did realize there is a website"

don't mind us. we have a little fun around here to break up the drudgery of thinking up new stories to write -- some of them even true. we're happy and grateful you choose to read them, and hope you keep coming back.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Yes,yes, yes! Somehow we need to educate our sports newbies about "pass left, ride right". This is one of the things that bothers me when racing (not ruins it), which is now worse that I am in the later wave 'cause I'm over 40. Way too many times I have had close calls with "Mr.Crash" because someone does not know the rules. My 2 cents.

Kenny I was laughing at Dan not you. I like his style of Humor. Sorry about that

Eric

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"on your Left"

And a tip for any other morons like me. Never make, or plan to make, a "game time decision." Such an example would be changing your mind about what to wear in T1 or improvising your nutrition. Yeah, I know this is first day stuff. I know not to do it, but I did both. In T1 I changed my mind about what to wear, so I threw on only the arm warmers. Then I changed my mind back knowing its better to stick with the game plan and threw on the base layer. I ended up riding the course with the equivalent of a bra outside the shirt.

Make a plan and stick to it.

"I ended up riding the course with the equivalent of a bra outside the shirt."

that would be a bro (or a manssier).

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Or a buddy-bra' sier

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TonyG

What is Enoch Root?

I had someone almost take out two of us at once in last weekend's race. Person A decided to suddenly veer to ride in the middle of the lane, and almost hit Person B passing him, at the same time, I was flying up from behind person B...both of us passers crossed the yellow line to avoid this knucklehead...I crossed WAY over the yellow line just in case person B were to put on their brakes or something. At that moment, I wasn't concerned with getting a penalty, I was concerned with making sure I didn't leave any of my hide on the pavement. It was on a long, flat straight, so it was easy to note that no cars were approaching, and I thought this maneuver was safer than simply braking and hoping I could somehow avoid the pile of bikes and bodies that I feared was going to suddenly block the entire lane. After I went past, I looked back, and this knucklehead was still riding in the center of the lane! There should be a mandatory meeting of 1st timers to have the safety rules explained. I doubt it would work 100%, but if it could avoid one wreck, it would be worth it.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

Not to perpetuate the tired old theme of "damn those idiots who don't know the rules", but damn! One thing that I just can't understand is that, aside from the *rules*, you would think people would just have COMMON SENSE.

It makes perfect sense to me that one should ride as far to the right as possible. I do this in training all the time to avoid being hit by a car--- or anything else that may be going faster than I am. It stands to reason that the same logic should apply in a race situation, where, quite often (unless I'm stuck in a really late wave), there are quite a number of "things" going faster than I am and anxious to pass me! My fervent wish is to stay the hell outta their way.

One of the things I perceive about the TNTers is that they often seem to treat races as "club rides". Because the social aspect is such a big part of what they're doing, that carries into their races. Riding side-by-side or in small groups just comes naturally to them; it's what they do in training, so why not do it in a race? But really, TNTers are not the only ones guilty of these transgressions!

My sister-in-law came up with a great simple expression that nicely sums up what is lacking on the part of the folks who can't seem to get the "ride right, pass left, don't block" thing down: "Consciousness of 'The Other'". As in, "What, you mean there are OTHER people out here, and what I am doing (or failing to do) is somehow impacting or affecting them? NAW!"

I don't honestly see a solution ever being found for this problem. Mandatory meetings, rulebooks, yelling at people, none of them can solve the basic problem of determined cluelessness and the "the world revolves around ME" attitude that, alas, seems part and parcel of the American way these days. Don't know if things are better in other countries, but the US is the home of this attitude---in spades!

So really the best any of us can do is to try to educate as many folks as we can, as politely as we can, and learn to be Zen about the folks we can't reach. Personally, I have to admit that the Zen thing is a constant battle for me--- I own up to the fact that I get really cranky in the heat of the moment in a race when I come upon stupid, illegal, unsafe behavior, and have to work hard to control my anger. But hey, we can ALL learn and grow! :D :D :D

TriBaby

Nice job Tribaby... you seem to have a nack for writing the sort of things many of us are thinking but never get across. Do you mind if I circulate you 'rant' to my local tri club?

Thanks,

Mark

'give the respect and care enough to tell people what you are thinking'

WF was my first race this last weekend and I have to admit, there were a lot more people not staying to the right than what I had expected. There were two people that got penalized for blocking me and I am glad to know the refs noticed it. I was always on the right side of the road unless I was passing. If I was passing I would do a quick check behind to make sure someone faster was not approaching.

I did not stay to the right all the time. I was the social guy on the course that would chat with just about anyone I passed. Sometimes I road side-by-side with guys, but there was more than enough room for at least one if not two cyclists to pass.

I watched the Oly race at WF and noticed a ton of people that could not get the concept of pass left, stay right. It was like an obstical course coming on the first mile of the bike for most people.

I really do feel for you guys that start in the later waves.

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Reverend Dr. Jay
Lake of the Pines Triathlon fastest bike course record holder - Golden State Super Sprint fastest tri course record holder - Wildflower Long Course slowest run course record holder (4:46:32)

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"If you have a body, you are an athlete." -Bill Bowerman

"I don't honestly see a solution ever being found for this problem. Mandatory meetings, rulebooks, yelling at people, none of them can solve the basic problem of determined cluelessness and the "the world revolves around ME" attitude that, alas, seems part and parcel of the American way these days. Don't know if things are better in other countries, but the US is the home of this attitude---in spades!"

Tricia,

Sadly, I think you are right.

I see this attitude all the time at my summer cottage. It's quiet and calm. We are sitting by the lake enjoying the view and all of a sudden 5 jet-skis roar into view and start zipping around creating total havoc and chaos. Technically they are not breaking the law, but when asked politly to take their noise and pollution elsewhere, I am told to, "%#&*off." Nice!

You see it on the highway: Why is it that 100 cars have to go by at a yield sign before someone slows down SLIGHTLY, and let's you in. Yeeessh, you wouldn't want to arrive wherever you are going 5 seconds later!!

Bottom line: With much regret on my part common sense and courtesy seem to be on the decline.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Where is the original post of Dan's Beginner Tri Tips? At Bikesport Michigan or a thread.

Forward on, Mark! If it helps to get even *one* other triathlete thinking a little more about what they're doing out there, I'd be delighted to know I helped in a tiny way.

Now I still gotta just work on my "Ohm"s, and my counting to 10 s-l-o-w-l-y when I get pissed out on the bike course.... :D :D :D :)

TriBaby

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

Textrirunner:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/...inner/firstrace.html


That's why I always come in through the homepage, www.slowtwitch.com.

Viva Dan!

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__________________________________________________
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell

that's one argument for making people wear their swim caps for the whole race.



LOL. I was working at the dismount line of a local AARP race when a guy got off his bike and said he needed medical. He was wobbling and complained of a massive headache. The other volunteer was holding him up while I helped him with his bike. Then he took off his helmet and I couldn't believe my eyes - he was still wearing his swim cap! He pulled it off and said, Whoa! That's much better." After a minute or two of recovery he went off for his run.



Larry

Tribaby writes: "It makes perfect sense to me that one should ride as far to the right as possible."

I used to believe this until I flatted on some glass on the shoulder of the road in the Tupper Lake race. There were also some tire-grabber cracks in the shoulder's pavement that were deserving of avoidance. I later found out from an official (AKA Charlie) that the race course is defined as the road and does not include the shoulder. The same held true for other races including IMUSA and Hawaii. Since learning that, I stick to the left side of the white line and avoid the shoulder's glass.

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Bob Williams

you said,

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Now I still gotta just work on my "Ohm"s, and my counting to 10 s-l-o-w-l-y when I get pissed out on the bike course.... :D :D :D :)

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Don't forget - serenity now...serenity now...serenity now...

Joe Moya