I did IMFL last year and am participating again this year.
I’ve read a couple folks who suggest running on the beach farther before start of second loop. How far did you go?
I volunteered in 2006 and 2009 and worked swim in both years. I think in 2009 pros and fastest AG ran down beach farther then Mike R. encouraged folks to enter water sooner and the crowd moved up to force the issue.
I think it depends on the currents. If the current is going west to east, then it makes sense to run down the beach farther. But otherwise you want to swim the shortest distance and that right along the buoy line. I don’t know what the current is usually, but 2 years ago it was west to east.
Three times I’ve been there and swam the current is always from right to left as you face the water. Where you enter the water you will be swimming into the current if it is typical current I have experienced. Guess that means run or walking fast farther down the beach.
If it makes a difference I’m a BOP swimmer.
then it makes sense to go down the beach, then you can swim ‘straight’ and get sucked to the left vs swimming slightly to the right the entire time.
In 2009 I was excited to see some friends along the beach on the second loop and ran to almost dead straight on to the buoys. Someone from the race intercepted me and told me that I went too far. I only ran back a few feet before getting back into the water. I guessed the moral of the story is run until someone tells you to stop. Nowhere in the rules book or athlete 's guide does it state how too far is too far. I know that there are races where you can be DQ if you went way off course, but they usually tell you what way off course is during the briefing or athlete’s guide.
Current last year was right to left (facing water) and was quite strong. If it repeats, run up the beach until you are even (possibly a little further west) with the first buoys and have at it. If current is east to west (left to right) then dive back in short of a direct line from the start to the first buoy.
This will also help get you clear of the masses. Was arms and elbows for the first lap and half of the second. MOPer (1:09)
Remember to smile like mrhairylegs the whole day!
I have nothing to add but I did want to wish you luck and hope you’ll share your number with us so we can follow you either here or BT. Have a great race!
Thanks Kathy…bib is 606. I’ll be happy to finish before midnight. With my knee issue I plan to walk the run and not sure how knee will hold up.
On BT I will post my athlete tracker number and photo of what I’ll be wearing so you can spot me if you watch the on line video feed if it works. I’ll be one sporting capris and knee metal knee brace.
It makes me sad as I love training and participating in Ironman races, I’m close to having to have knee replacement so may not be able to do any more. I’m having surgery month after IMFL HTO osteotomy and another one top of tibia to realign my leg so my weight is on part of my knee that has some cartilage and help my patella track better.
Thanks Kathy…bib is 606. I’ll be happy to finish before midnight. With my knee issue I plan to walk the run and not sure how knee will hold up.
On BT I will post my athlete tracker number and photo of what I’ll be wearing so you can spot me if you watch the on line video feed if it works. I’ll be one sporting capris and knee metal knee brace.
It makes me sad as I love training and participating in Ironman races, I’m close to having to have knee replacement so may not be able to do any more. I’m having surgery month after IMFL HTO osteotomy and another one top of tibia to realign my leg so my weight is on part of my knee that has some cartilage and help my patella track better.
I’ve been following your knee issues (and wasn’t this the year for IM at 50 also?) and will watch for you. Good luck!
Goal was to do IMFL as my 5th IM the day after I turn 50, but knee issues prevented me from doing IMLP this summer so I’m in for 4th IM for 50th birthday.
Keep training smart as you build towards COZ. Sometimes life/stuff gets in the way of our dreams but we adapt and do our best.
I think you’re supposed to run until you see a pair of dead fish floating in unison near the shore…and then you can carry them out into the water as if they’re swim fins and became a ST re-tread of Finman!! Long live the Finman!!! An epic piece of literature. Good luck IMFL folks!
Good luck with the day Kathy, I too had to pull out of IMLP due to femoral embolisms. See at PCB, probably walking the run as well.
Last year the spectators were standing at least ankle deep in the water preventing you from running on the beach as you could do in previous years. annoyed me.
I just ran until it looked like we were getting back in the water and got back in. I don’t recall the current being so strong that you couldn’t just swim straight out to the buoys. I am 99% sure that I started loop 2 about the same east/west position (just barely west of the buoys) as my original starting position for loop 1.
And FWIW, I was WELL inside the top 25% out of the water.
I really wouldn’t worry about it too much unless the current is super strong.