I just got an email from Jeff Henderson the RD of Musselman.
Apparently he got word from the sprint course aid station workers that more than a few cyclists had shouted profanity and behaved very rudely towards them …
If you were one of the few and you are reading this.
Get your shit together or find another sport!
There is NO excuse for doing something so assinine.
That was a stinkin hot muggy day! Those folks I’m sure had better things to do than to cheer us on and make sure we’re hydrated.
They’re not pros.
They’re only trying to help.
I was really saddened to read Jeff’s comments about the profanity also. It is hard to imagine what type of jack-a$$ would do this.
Those volunteers were out on the course for a long, long time on Sunday standing in the hot sun…I think most of us are really grateful, but is it too bad that not everyone feels this way.
And even if they were…you dont swear at them…for some reason I think the MOP’s get more attitude than the Pro’s…I have never ever seen a Pro be rude to a support person - but I have seen more than one AG’er go off…I do however give them a pass in the late stages of IM as emotions run wild when you are at your limit and trying to finish a day
Were they shouting profanity at the volunteers or each other? I can’t think of a single reason why anyone would be angry at the volunteers. I sometimes get mad at people (other participants) in an aid stations for cutting me off and then stopping to drink, but never at the volunteers. That’s ridiculous!
There is never any reason to say anything to a volunteer other than “thank you for being out here today!” or “I appreciate your help!” …swearing at a volunteer is so unbelievably low rent its not even funny. At the Rock and Rollman HIM I had a young girl pork the handoff of a water bottle on the bike. I had to stop, and she came running up to me with a new one, apologizing all over herself…I gave her a smile and a “no big deal, it was my fault, thanks for being out here” and was on my way. I hope Jeff finds those responsible and hangs them by their thumbs until they apologize, and makes them be volunteers next race.
In my book…it doesn’t really matter if it was directed to each other or the course volunteers.
There were a lot of little kids at the aid stations…not a good example to set.
Its also why a lot of locals at Kona are a tad upset with IM .
I think leading by example is a given in our sport since we rely on the use of public space. If we start to get a bad rap as trash throwing,foul-mouthed athletes that are elitist…race permits for tri’s are going to be a thing of the past…then what?
I don’t know about you guys,but I feel that maybe a small portion of the race proceeds go towards a community aid fund in whatever town is gracious enough to host the event.This will go a long way for us as ambassadors of good will.
I for one will have no qualms about an additional amount tacked on to the entry fee for the greater good.
It kinda takes the " I and only I out of our sport".
And even if they were…you dont swear at them…for some reason I think the MOP’s get more attitude than the Pro’s…I have never ever seen a Pro be rude to a support person - but I have seen more than one AG’er go off…I do however give them a pass in the late stages of IM as emotions run wild when you are at your limit and trying to finish a day
I think the Pros can dish it out as well. I think it gets/got so bad at Kona that they now only allow “experienced, trained” aid station volunteers to hand out waterbottles to the first wave of athletes out on the bike course.
I saw Jeff’s email too and was saddened to hear that. The Geneva community really seems to support the race and what a beautiful venue!
For such a small race (or maybe because of it?) there was an inordinate amount of “rule-breaking” out there though. My wife caught a pack of middle-aged women on the bike who were mostly in their club gear (and I won’t name the club so that I don’t start a war here) and she reminded them that tri is a non-drafting bike leg (probably not in quite so nice of terms, but I’m nearly 100% positive with no profanity). She was roundly blasted by the group for everything from being young to having a nice bike to being stupid and “not so good”, she gave a “whatever…cheaters” back and took off spitting them off her wheel - I LOVE it that my wife is getting to do that now
For my part, I had caught several of the smaller “groups” in the front and passed them with my normal: “cheaters”, said in disgust, but wasn’t really ever blasted back - although there was a young kid having himself a great ride that I congratulated when I passed him and he promptly dropped in behind me!?!
I saw like 5 guys got DQ’d though and all of them had like 27+mph bike splits…if they got DQ’d for drafting, I am totally psyched…
The trash was another thing, it was almost as if people were intentionally throwing shit on the ground…unbelievable.
So what has it done to me? today, I am going to the USAT website to see how I can become an official and help out RDs like Jeff with a few more sets of eyes out there. I know I have an extra weekend or two out there to do my part, what about you guys?
I know two of them got DQ’d taking a wrong turn on the bike. Of the two I know Curt would never draft because usually he doesn’t have anyone to draft off of (unless you count a lead vehicle).
The email made me mad too. Just what were these numbnuts on the short course so hot about? How hard is it to place used gel packs in your jersey pocket? How difficult is it to dump a water bottle off at an aid station, especially since there were 5 of them on the half!
The seemingly high number (6) of DQ’s seemed somewhat intrigueing.
I’ve been the aid station captain for bike station #2 at Half Ironman California for 3 years, and a run station when it was a full. I can say that the percentage of rude athletes is usually very small. The majority of the athletes are very friendly. Never had a problem with the pros, aside from them asking for the top to be off their Gatorade as they grab it out of your hand, and they just shout that was what they wanted as they pedal off towards San Mateo Hill. The fastest age group men are usually where the few rude people are located and I warn my volunteers ahead of time. They get so wrapped up in their race and a few will yell about just about anything. The total number is usually only 10-20 people that say anything and I have never had them use profanity, and I pity the fool that tries it as the group I am sent as volunteers is usually a platoon of Marines who wouldn’t take kindly to that. The farther back in the field you get the nicer and more thankful the athletes are. I have also worked the Danskin race in L.A. the past couple of years, and the ladies are about as nice and polite as can be.
I hope it’s not a trend of the future, but wouldn’t hesitate to record an abusive racer’s number and tell the race directors and officials. Abusive language to a volunteer is unsportsmanlike conduct and grounds for a disqualification.
