I think i may have a solution on how to prevent this from happenning…
From the IMWI Athlete Information Guide, it reads…
**4. THE FINISH LINE AREA IS A VERY CONGESTED AND FAST-PACED AREA. **For safety, ABSOLUTELY NO family, children, spouses, friends, fans, etc., are allowed into the finish area.
I propose that any participant who have their entourage finish with them, should not be given their Finisher’s Medal. Simple as that. Consider it a DNF due to failure to adhere to marshal/race officials instructions.
I know it may seem harsh, but just from watching the IMKY, I bet that at the end of the day, there will probably be equal to or more entourage members crossing the line than race participants. That is just stupid ridiculous.
What does this mean to all of us who follow the rules…? It means that these DNF’d athletes will be pissed at the race management, maybe enough for them to not sign up the following year, and that way, open up registration bottleneck for all of us.
That is the funny thing - all the NAIMs have this rule, yet the only place you every see it is in the Athlete Guide. If they announced and DQ’d it wouldn’t take long till they didn’t even need to put it in the guide…
You probably will get flamed, but I think it’s a good idea. It’s just the principle to me that people don’t follow the rules and the fact they’re not enforced. For my next Ironman, I’m going to see how many rules I can break before someone says something or I get Disqualified. I’m going to come across with 2 dozen of my buddies, and I’m going to draft the whole way on the bike, pass on the right, and then I’m going to be wearing headphones and talking on my cellphone during the run without a shirt on. ;o)
but if you piss off that group of people, they might stop buying all that IM branded merchandise. They can’t afford that with the release of their brand new Iron Man Mattress. Actually careing about your time and considering it a race is way over rated.
If people are being inconsiderate (i.e. blocking someone else) then I say they deserve and immediate bitch-slap, even if their 5yo kid is watching.
But otherwise, I don’t see this as a big deal. For MANY IM finishers this is a huge freakin’ deal, life milestone, and they want to share it. I know my 4yo was in FREAKIN heaven when he got to cross the finish with my (this was a small Oly race, not a 2400 person race)
Maybe it’s the considerate part that I overestimate. People r dumb, especially “da public”. Man I hate “da public”.
Who wants to stop people from doing this? Race Directors don’t. During the course talk, the head official at Steelhead encouraged people to cross the finish line with their kids.
Although I will cross the finish line (good lord willing) without anyone accompanying me at Ironman Wisconsin, I think this practice is GREAT for the sport.
Maybe we can purposely make a mockery of the finish chute. I have a plan…
At out ST get together (before every IM), we will usually be there with our families/friends/SO. So…, everytime we see one of the ST people coming in, the entire group of these family members/friends/SO should just rush the finishing chute behind our ST athlete. Maybe after 20 or so times of this happening, the referees/course marshals will start to enforce the rule. What say all of u ST members…?
In taking your driver’s exam, it says that u should not proceed to cross the intersection when the light is red. So, if u see no one present at the intersection, do u run the red light…? Rules are there for a purpose, and are meant to be adhered to.
The problem is they are more often then not blocking someone. I helped a buddy train for IMAZ this year and warned him to space himself for the finish(he wanted a photo) and he slowed down for the entourage in front and here comes another screaming by and screwing up his finish. Take the kids to Disneyland, but I don’t know why your finish has to be more important than someone elses. For many people the Olympics are a milestone but no one comes across with their families. What’s the difference? The Ironman is a race, and the finish is not a ride at an amusement park. And you’re right it wouldn’t be bad if people just used some common courtesy and only brought one or two people, and spaced themselves. But 9 times out of 10 that doesn’t happen.
that’s funny, that was the exact idea i had. And to the other post it is already a mockery when you see people chatting on their cell phones while just strolling around the lake.
Why would you want to make a mockery of the IM finish?
(okay, I really think your post is funny… and my mental image of it is very entertaining – even if I disagree with the sentiment)
Just to make it aware to the RD that this rule is not being enforced. Seriously, if nobody does anything, do u think that the RD is going to care…? Heck, the only time he will do something about it is if someone runs over another person’s kid and a fight ensues, and the whole race goes to shit…!
I totally agree with you, the entourages/shenanigans at the finish line are getting ridiculous… how about an age-graded rule that everyone’s age in your party cannot exceed 150 years: this would allow the following combinations…
45 yo racer + 1 parent + 1 child
28 yo racer + 2 parents
65 yo racer + spouse
etc…
although one 40 yo racer + 5 kids would probably pass…which would just circle back to the issue at hand, so scratch that.
