Well put. I make no claims about being a fast swimmer but I am a good open water swimmer from a skills perspective. I know how to sight, can swim in a straight line, can bilaterally breath, know how to draft, and know what to do when the going gets weird. Put me in a smooth lake with great conditions and the pool swimmers can kick my ass. But let the water get big and rough and I move up in the standings.
=======================
Mass start swims are a little sporty at times. My experience has been incidental contact only, however, the definition of “incidental” is relative to your experience. Having played water polo for many years, I can tolerate a level of contact that a newbie might find disturbing.
In a wave start, depending on the amount of time between waves, those at the FOP usually catch the back of packers from the prior wave - that can be chaotic because the back of packers usually don’t swim straight.
Prior to the start, I size up those around me and look for others at my level. If you get in with a good crew, you can cruise along like you did at Kona.
I particularly agree with your comment about comfort level in the water being an important factor in determining how good or bad the swim is. To some, incidental contact is very frightening or at least very bothersome. To others its fine.
I like it and I often find myself thinking “Rock and Roll” when there is lots of contact.
Grant
Frog kick is dangerous or at least annoying. Cord would not bother me as I can’t kick for sh*t anyhow. I think it is a good idea.
No. I’ve had sprint race wave starts with under 50 people in it that were way, way more heinous. I had someone apologize to me during and IM swim for accidentally whacking me at IMFL 04. How nice is that?!?
Frankly, in open ocean, I’m thrilled to be surrounded by a pod of my fellow racers…you just never know when someone is going to become THAT statistic…the first Ironman athlete to be featured on Discovery Channel Shark Week…just kidding. Never seen ANY wildlife on IM swims. Apparently high urine concentrations and 8000 flailing arms and legs can be intimidating to god’s other creatures.
Seriously though, seed yourself at your own peril. You get up front with the fast dudes/dudettes that are trying to shed folks off their feet then you are asking for a different kinda experience than if you wade in calmly after the cannon goes off and proceed forward with the BOP’ers. If you swim right up on someone’s feet then you have to be prepared for a boot to the head now and again.
Previous poster has it right - go in with the right expectations and seed yourself accordingly.
Perhaps he was swimming fly. Now that would make IM a challenge and get rid of the poor swimmers!
Also, don’t fucking breastroke in the middle of 1500 people. That’s just stupid
Yes! well said!
What scares me most is hyperventilating on the swim. That is a most uncomfortable feeling and can take you out of your game plan. I did fine at IMUSA this year (about 1:02). But then I did a sprint four weeks later, wave start, and found myself gasping for air about 100 yards into it. Not sure what I did different other than maybe being over confident. I can handle the contact but I need to be able to breath!
IMO…
I agree. Too many people bunched together doing too many different things.
Never underestimate the stupidity of people in a large group ( or something to that effect)
Frankly, injury for injury, I’ve had as many, maybe more problems in the shorter sprint stuff.
I think the major issue is that people just aren’t comfortable in the water, pool or open. I’m a terrible swimmer but have been in the water all my life so am very comfortable in it. I’ve pretty much had the crap beat out of including a bloody nose at IMWI 06. Just hang out until the stars go away and start swimming again.
ALOT of people freak as soon as they touch anything, human or not, in the water. No need to try and kill the damn thing just go around it.
~Matt
Is there a name for the people swerving all over the place? I’ve always thought of them as “Crazy Ivans” but was wondering if there was another name.
IMFL wouldn’t have been that bad this year if they’d put toe-nail clippers in the goody bags.
Triathletes…
Thanks for that. I know I’m probably making a bigger deal out of it than it is. I will probably just swim on the outside as much as I can. Getting out of that swim will be a huge victory for me. The bike and run will be my victory laps! 
hey! that was my idea after IMAZ! freaking claws and talons!
(if you want to start up a toenail-clipper-for-triathletes company, let me know!)
hey! that was my idea after IMAZ! freaking claws and talons!
(if you want to start up a toenail-clipper-for-triathletes company, let me know!)
I don’t know how they run with those things.
Most of my races have been pretty good, with little contact. There was one sprint, though, that really got me. One guy was just RIDING my hip on the return leg of the swim, hitting my back with almost every stroke, and there was NO ONE ELSE AROUND US… We were the first two out of the water. Amazing. But I haven’t done many BIG races lately.
"Or are we just needlessly scaring newbies and trying to impress our friends? "
Absolutely. In general the concern surrounding mass swim starts is exagerated. Sometimes greatly exagerated.
What happened at Ford Ironman Florida is a terrible loss and tragedy. I feel terribly for all those involved and related to the incident and especially for the victim’s friends and family. There is no minimizing the impact of such a serious loss.
The configuration of the swim start very likely could have not been any contributing factor to this tragedy at all.
I can remember the first time I did the Accenture Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. People had me in such a tizzy over the swim my ass was so tight you couldn’t pound a hat pin up it with a sledgehammer. I was convinced finishing the swim was a 50/50 proposition and was to the point of only hoping for a quick rescue. Between all the B.S. about sharks and currents and prisoners who tried to escape and drowned and the freezing water it made Navy SEAL B.U.D.S. school sound like a girlscout jamboree.
The reality of the swim was that the water was calm, somewhat chilly and a current *assisted *us to the swim finish. There was no contact with other swimmers during the swim. None. It was a delightful swim with exciting views the entire way.
Another mass swim start I did was IM New Zealand. I can’t remember the number of competitors but it hovered around 2000. No problems. As a matter of fact, one competitor started to feel the symptoms of heart disease during the swim, turned left and swam a couple hundred yards to shore and walked up on the beach to ask a spectator to call him an ambulance. He was transported and treated without further incident.
There is an enormous amount of hype surrounding the swim, and we are often our own worst enemies when it comes to scaring the tar out of people.
We’d all do well to tone that down a little…
I agree with you Forsler…it really isn’t that bad and the one half that I have done and my first IM at florida this year, sure I got bumped around swam over the odd time but really, big deal. I never got punched, kicked or abused and I too was right in the middle. IMFL 1:10
**"I can remember the first time I did the Accenture Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. People had me in such a tizzy over the swim my ass was so tight you couldn’t pound a hat pin up it with a sledgehammer… The reality of the swim was that the water was calm, somewhat chilly and a current assisted us to the swim finish."
2003 - right?
===================