A good friend of mine did IMC this year. It was her second time at IMC and her fourth Ironman. She told me she was kicked in the face at least four different times in the swim, including a couple of times after the first turn, where it usually spreads out. She swam just under 59 minutes so was with the more experienced swimmers— I would have expected less contact.
How did it go for everyone else? Any unusual problems given the extra competitors this year?
-Marc
Oddly enough it was really easy for me. Started left but not all the way left and sighted on the top of the hill above the first turn. Swam a straight line (I think) from the start line to the turn around with no real contact. Saw lines of folks on either side of me. Things always converge on the short second leg of the triangle but really wasn’t any worse than other years. I only swam a 1:14, and I think in general there is more agressive contact with more agressive swimmers.
It was a bit crowded on the bike but not really that bad. The one draft pack I saw had nothing to do with crowding.
I found it to be fine, and no different from last year. I came out of the water at 1:19, so at my pace there were no fist fights to claim another couple of seconds.
I pretty much agree with the others. Although I did think it felt more crowded than last year, it really didn’t bother me much. I am a slow swimmer, so I let the large mass go ahead of me. Unfortunately, I kept finding myself behind this one guy who did breast stroke THE WHOLE WAY. I am a bad sighter and I kept trying to get ahead/around/away from him but then I’d open my eyes and see his legs splayed all over the place right in front of me. Yes, I realize its quite pathetic that he did 2.4 miles of breast stroke in the same time it took me to do it freestyle. I can’t imagine how much extra energy that must take, especially in a wetsuit.
I started in the 4th row, lined up with the first buoy and followed the buoy line pretty closely. I did some heads up swimming when the feet were right in my face, but for the most part I found it to be quite open. Most of the time there was no one within several arms lengths of me. I did 1:02.
I lined up middle-right (more right) directly behind Ben Bigglestone on the front line. Contact was minimal for me. I swam well but felt like I was swimming a slightly long course after passing both turn buoys. My time was 1:01 which was at least 2min slower than I would have expected given my swim fitness this year and I usually pretty conservative in my estimates.
Thanks, Chris
From my RR here on ST:
Now, I am not the type that likes “water-wrestling” as I call it, so I lined out on the outside. This was the largest mass-start in IM history, and Mike Reilly kept reminding everyone of that. The pros started, and the rest of us jockeyed for position. There was a BIG group of us lined up on the outside, all of us in the “I don’t want to get clobbered in the head on this swim” group. So, “Oh Canada” is sung, and the cannon goes off, and we all start “power-wading” into the lake. It’s pretty shallow for about 50 yards, so you can’t really swim or your hands hit bottom, so we all just kept wading, and I angled further outside as I walked, and then started my swim.
I was nice and relaxed and kept an easy pace and settled into my stroke. The course is a triangular out and back single loop, so I stuck about 50 yards outside the buoy line and really barely made contact with anyone the entire swim. I think the mass start of that size is doable if you have the space for people to spread out. I remember feeling a small headache coming on, and hoping once I got my goggles off, it would go away. Fortunately, it did. My goal time was 1:15 on this swim realizing that I swim extra distance being on the outside. I came in just under that. You also have to wade the last 30 or so yards in due to the aforementioned shallowness.
SWIM TIME: 1:14:23
I started right in line with the buoys (about second or third row) and swam directly next to the buoys the entire way around. I found it to be very, very crowded + pretty physical for the first 3/4 mile or so then it spaced out a bit. By the final turn home it was pretty decent, I have to say. Water didn’t seem too rough and I usually notice that b/c it really slows me down. Finished in 1:11, was hoping for 1:05-1:07 but given the tough start I had I was not too surprised.
I started right smack in the middle of both the large packs to the right and left…and every bouy people on the right came left and people on the left came right…it was like swimming in a washing machine!! I had a fellow that was camping in the same RV park go 9:50 and got a spot to kona tell me that IF he could have made it to the inside of the first turn he woulud have quit right then and there…it was that bad I swam a 1:05:55…Nothing like a good swim for your first Ironman to really make you want to do it all over again next year…BTW I’ve got my slip to sign up again next year!!! HAHAHAH
Brad
I thought the swim was surprisingly easy. I started in middle at the black buoy. I swam 112. It was pretty rough around the corners but otherwise pretty gentle. The swim seemed a bit rough at the front and at the back of the pack. Mid pack seemed to be fine. My wife said when that when the gun went off only half the people started.
I swam 1:02 this year and didn’t find the beatings any more unusual, although the unannounced start had me startled with goggles not firmly sealed and water immediately filled both goggles and there went the contacts!! I knew there was a reason I put spare contacts in the swim/bike bag as I’m blind without them. Did IMC in 05 with a different swim which I must admit I prefered as the course gave you a straight on approach to the exit and deeper water. I beached myself on the rocks this year. Also did Arizona this April and personally think any swim other than Tempe town lake is great!!