just do some races and quit worrying about all this crap.
it will never make sense until you do a few races
OK so I continue to read and read and read … there seem to be hundreds of pieces of information on what to do, how to do it and why things are wrong so I need help in understanding better as I am new to the sport and have heard this is the best site for all things cycling and triathlon related. Below are some of the questions I am hopeful that I can get some feedback/ input on as I prepare for my first season. I plan to do 6 races with 2 sprints an Olympic distance a half Ironman and then a full Ironman followed by my desired finish in Hawaii. so here goes:
- can you use a snorkel in the swim or not. While it may be useful, I would think looking like a snork (ref. 70’s cartoon show) would / should be grounds for a penalty. Its not like I am trying to be flipper (ref. 50’s tv show)and wear my fins in the race, that would just be silly.
- I understand that now you can get a penalty for littering … not only on purpose, but also even if you don’t know that your high dollar cages hanging off your @$$ launch your bottles like a South Korean Missile haphazardly overboard (ref. recent Kim Jon Il debacle) . While I am not woods the owl (ref. old antilittering ”spokes owl” I can’t see how an inadvertent dropping (of something other than shorts, feeble attempt at humor) should be grounds for a penalty. Please help me to understand what to do and how to prevent.
- The use of a gps watch on the run is illegal? Come on if this is considered pacing we should also consider the use of the Sub9 disc wheel which I have read in advertisements is touted to provide a benefit in certain conditions as illegal assistance as well. Or some of the performance enhancement supplements which say they will get you over the finish line stronger and enable you to race either harder or with a …oops that is the blue pill I get hundreds of emails about every day …
- finish line assistance. I have read threads about it being grounds for disqualification if you bring someone over the finish line with you, like my kid … I think I understand it to be considered to be getting assistance … have you seen my kid? He is about 3 foot 4 and as big around as a full grown drum fish (for those not knowing look them up … they are big, especially considering my kid is 3) how is this an assistance, shouldn’t this get me some sort of family guy bonus time?
- Transition area. I keep seeing reference to people asking if so and so was eating lunch in transition. While I think this is a joke, or at least I hope so what should I be looking to accomplish in transition? Is it feasible to think I will have time to get all my gear on as well as eat something before heading out the gate for my next leg? Will someone be there to help me get my wet suit off; I have tried several times to get out of it in practicing and what a hassle … it seems that having help would be a great option.
- Final question, I sometimes get, well lets refer to it as a nervous stomach when I get in the pool for workouts. This sometimes causes me the immediate, need to retire to the restroom. While this is a fine solution, and has created some close calls getting out of my wetsuit, what should I do during a race?
While I know there is that other website fully dedicated to beginner triathletes, I figure the info and response I would get from them would be for people who are not competitive and only looking to finish.