Yesterday I found myself in an unfamiliar position: I hit the turn-around on the bike without seeing anyone in front of me; I was leading.
1/4 mile back there was a pack of guys - 10 or so - riding 2 by 2.
With a slight lead on a big pack, going into a breeze, do you:
A) Let them reel you in, then run away from them
Or,
B) Give it all you’ve got and try to keep them from bridging the gap
?
I chose “B” and it worked, but was it the best strategy?
I hope that was a draft legal race. I would go for it as your odds are may be better then out running 10 people.
I hope that was a draft legal race. I would go for it as your odds are may be better then out running 10 people.
No, not “draft legal”, but no draft marshalls out either.
I’m not trying to make an issue out of the drafting. The strategy question applies even if they were riding legally - there’s a lot of benefit to be had just behind the draft zone.
Well first off was it a tri or a cycling race ?
Either way I have no idea cause I 've never been anywhere even close to the front in either 
Considering you’d have no clue how fast any of them run. I would never give up any time for the hope of me running faster then someone in a group.
Grant
I think it depends entirely on how confident you are in your run. I personally try to get as much as I can out of the bike, because it’s faster for me relative to the rest of the pack, then I just try to hang on when I run.
Of course, I’ve never lead the race overall 1/2 way through the bike, just AG…
heh funny you mentioned that,same thing happened to me 3 weeks ago in a spring duathlon race (first time i race a sprint duathlon,i always raced olympic tri’s).
i suddenly find myself 1st on the run and leading all the way coming to t1 20 sec’s ahead of the other guys,i was 1st on the bike and started hammering,it was a draft legal race so i started thinking the same thing…anyway i ended up doing what you did and it worked out pritty good.
i wouldn’t of done it if it was a longer distance triathlon cuz then the pack would of catched me on the run.
so its all about strategy and you knowing competitors.
i think it depends on the nature of the course.
out of sight out of mind applies here. If the guys riding in a “group” start messing around not wanting to give one another a free ride then it works in your favour too.
If the course has long straight sections where you can see far ahead of you then it is bad for a guy riding solo up front cuz he is easily visible and much easier to reel in.
In a sprint, if I am leading the bike all I am thinking of is putting the hammer down to go as fast as I can knowing that most elite guys can outrun me, although I am working on that. It does suck knowing who is back there and how fast they are then hearing the pitter patter of their feet with one mile to go. Last year I had first place up unitl .5 left and the guy went by me like I was walking. I thought, “oh well” second isnt so bad. I then heard a guy watching from the side of the road yell out, “pick it up he is right behind you”. and with .2 left number two went sprinting by. OUCH!
The best strategy is the one you chose, because it worked. This sounds suspiciously like a drive-by gloat. I like those.
otherwise known as pulling an H2Ofun.
**So you’re leading a race and… **
** **. . . it get’s real quiet. You have not seen an aid station in a while and the road is starting to look unfamilier. The RD pulls up beside you in a car and says, “You know that you are off the course and you missed a turn 2 miles back”.
i’ve found myself there 3 times so far this season, all three i just pushed to try and get some distance, knowing those behind me are faster runners. once it worked, the other two i ended up in 3rd and 4th.
I’d second that thought, but of course it depends on your bike and run abilities. If you know that you can put the hammer down on the bike and not destroy yourself then go for it. The demoralizing effect of a single guy way out front and not being able to catch him will put a hurt on the guys behind you. Likewise if they catch you (even if it’s because you slack off) then they have a mental boost going out on the run. Either way in a short race it’s hard to close a 2 minute gap on the run…
otherwise known as pulling an H2Ofun.
Gloating implies actually having done something worth talking about…
This sounds suspiciously like a drive-by gloat. I like those.
It was a really small race, so it’s not a gloat. My guess is that half this board would have run this race - nothing to brag about.
You guys are feeding his persecution complex.
You guys are feeding his persecution complex.
“Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you”
otherwise known as pulling an H2Ofun.
wait till dave comes up to vancouver and smokes the pathetic 50 year olds in canada. the’re worse than the 60 year olds…
Definitely B for me. My running isn’t that great so if I had a lead on the bike I would work to keep it or increase it. Of course, it’s unlikely that I will ever be in that position.
I did win the overall at a sprint duathlon, but I never knew how I was doing. The du was held in conjunction with a pool tri. The du started about an hour after the first heats of the tri and there were already people on the run course. The du started in time trial fashion and it was difficult to tell who was in the du and who was in the tri. I started about two-thirds of the way back and I had no idea if someone was running or biking strongly in front of me. From what I could tell I did OK on the first run, I passed everyone who I knew was in front of me on the bike, had one guy pass me early on the second run who I then repassed, then hang on for the win. I had no idea I had won though until the awards. My two runs weren’t as fast as some others, but I smoked them on the bike by over 3 minutes in a 12 mile course.
I assume you had the strong running legs to go with your bike lead and won your race.