i’ve got this GF and, as a result, after 25 years as a triathlete i have this strange event-type urge i’ve never had before. i guess this is because i infrequently have GFs and when i do (like, 3 or 4 times over my span as a triathlete) they’re either civilians entirely or they’re confirmed triathletes.
so, anyway, this gal swims, bikes and runs but does so quite recreationally and has never done anything even remotely akin to a triathlon. she sorta wants to do one and i’d like to do one with her, like, more/less alongside her. but, of course we’re not going to be in the same wave unless we enter a mass start triathlon.
is there something as a couples’ wave? does that ever occur in a triathlon? or a family wave so that, say, dads and sons, moms and daughters, etc., can race together?
i mean, okay, there is the argument for mass carnage, but this would be a strictly non-competitive wave, where an absolute beginner, neophyte, trying to finish the damned thing would be accompanied by somebody more experienced. no-draft rules would apply, of course, but the pair would be sort of legally riding together.
It sounds more like a babysitter’s wave. Do you think she really wants somebody running along beside her the whole tri? Probably most women wouldn’t despite the well intentions of the boyfriend.
Let her do her own thing and have fun. She’ll do fine.
I think you just discovered a new race, a couple’s race. Either combined time, or time of last to finish is official, but you should make every effort to compete together. Maybe that would get more tri-spouses involved. They could get hooked too.
Maybe I’m selfish, but since I only do 2-3 triathlons a year, I would not want to do one non-competitively. Of course, I have not had a GF in 33 years (and my wife doesn’t swim) , so maybe I’m missing something here.
Up here in Ontario I know you can ask the RD to go in the last wave if you feel you aren’t a strong swimmer. Obviously this wouldn’t apply to you, however, I don’t see why you still couldn’t ask the RD to place you in the last wave. If you just want to do it with her, it shouldn’t matter too much. Unless your ego can’t take going last
“I think you just discovered a new race, a couple’s race”
We have a local Valentine’s Day 10 kms in our area that is a supposedly couples race. The only problem is that the fastest male and female runners have been combining to form a “couple” although they are not in any kind of a relationship together. IMO, this sort of defeats the spirit of what would be a true “couples” catagorie. Then of course what defines a couple, there could be the issue of gay/lesbian couples.
They just had a tandem group at Santa Barbara. Can’t see you riding a tandem bike, but that is the only thing I have ever seen where two people race together. Actually, there is a tough one in Ohio called the Triple-T where you actually draft off of each other and such. It is four races in three days and the half on the last day is a bitch. Maybe a little tough and a little far for her… She may want to kill you after that one!
The Lifetime Fitness Triathlon this year had a Friends & Family Division/Wave so that people could do the race together with whomever they wanted. It seemed to be quite popular.
Also, how are those Secret Places prizes coming along?
To answer your question: YES!
Yeah, I suspect he wanted a “Yes”, and then a comma, and then a description of when and where it is and more information about it…
Beginning last year The Grand Columbian created a new award in Triathlon…The Iron Partnership. Iron Partners race their own race Iron or Half and the combined times win. Three top prizes one each for the Iron?Iron, Iron/Half and Half/Half. Plus all 'Iron Partners" recieved a bottle of 2001 Pinot Noir. Details under awards at the website www.thegrandcolumbian.com
If she’s just a recreational triathlete what would stop you both from entering a mass-start race, swimming together, biking together, running together, being dq’d together (for drafting and pacing) and laughing together because you had fun?
There is a Triathlon here in town that went to self seeding waves when they added timing chips a couple years ago.
They simply get all 300 or so athletes gathered around the start area for some annoucements and to go over any issues. Then they ask for the 50 fastest swimmers to come walk across the timing mat and get into the water up to their knees. They start, and ask for another 50… wait 3-5 minutes and the start them and so on until all are underway. I think it works very well.
I also saw this type of start at my wifes “My First Tri” event last summer. but they allowed too many in the first wave and started the second wave about 1 minute after the first and she (and I) thought that was too close for how swim course had a 90 degree turn 50 yards into the swim to follow the shore line. A LOT of the swimmers in first wave still hadn’t made it to the turn before the next wave started.
As to the details…Married couples, or couples living together and “declaring themselves” as partners. Gay couples would have been allowed to recieve the wine but not be figured into the awards due to the competition. Funny thing was only two weeks after it was announced, then the whole Gay Marriage debate began which I wanted no part of…fortunatley everybody participated in the spirit in which it was intended. We had 9 couples last year…no Iron/Iron however.
I recently accompanied my sister in law in her first ever race - and she was obviously in the beginner wave.
I started in the same wave - notified the RD ahead of time to ensure it was ok - then swam alongside of her - biked near her - staying draft legal - and then ran with her - I even allowed her to run the final 500 yards alone (developed a mystery stitch that “forced” me to walk) - so that she could enjoy the finish alone!!
