For the first time it its 40-year history, St. Anthony’s is switching to a time trial rolling start for age group athletes (although they did have a time trial start one year when the swim was cancelled).
In previous years, they had swim waves where you started with your age group. I must say, I am disappointed. No longer will you know whether you are in front of the person you just passed. It makes “racing” difficult. Although I don’t “race” against the fastest people in my age group, it would be nice to know if I am ahead of my friends. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it seems I have not liked most of the changes that have taken place in the sport.
As someone who is racing for the AG podium, I prefer the TT start. It is safer and better all around.
Agree. I chase podium finishes but prefer the rolling swim start. I do miss the days of looking at people’s calves to see if they were in my AG and using that as motivation, but the smoothness of a rolling swim start makes it worth it.
As someone who is racing for the AG podium, I prefer the TT start. It is safer and better all around.
Agree. I chase podium finishes but prefer the rolling swim start. I do miss the days of looking at people’s calves to see if they were in my AG and using that as motivation, but the smoothness of a rolling swim start makes it worth it.
Then you would NOT have enjoyed the mass starts of Ironman races back in the day. I did IMFL before and after they went to the rolling start. The 2013 start was epic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYwUPVPLnM
People who got involved in the sport after they switched to rolling starts missed something special.
As someone who is racing for the AG podium, I prefer the TT start. It is safer and better all around.
Agree. I chase podium finishes but prefer the rolling swim start. I do miss the days of looking at people’s calves to see if they were in my AG and using that as motivation, but the smoothness of a rolling swim start makes it worth it.
Then you would NOT have enjoyed the mass starts of Ironman races back in the day. I did IMFL before and after they went to the rolling start. The 2013 start was epic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYwUPVPLnM
People who got involved in the sport after they switched to rolling starts missed something special.
I’ve done a few mass starts and they definitely weren’t for me. I did a few triathlons as a kid back in the 80s and 90s- those were mass starts. I definitely hated it then, probably because I was one of the smallest participants. Maybe that scarred me for life. When I got back into triathlons as an adult, some of the local races were still mass starts. Again, I didn’t enjoy it. I just don’t really define getting battered in the water as part of the sport. But to each his own. I can see how those who enjoyed them back in the day would miss them now.
You’re chasing for the age group podium and you prefer a method with which you don’t know where you stand at any point during the race and for quite a while after you finish? That definitely seems like a major contradiction to me.
On an unrelated note - I am flying to Florida for vacation and the race (and Key Largo the weekend after) and packing my suitcase - is it worth taking my wetsuit? Or so unlikely to be wetsuit legal, not worth wasting the space in my luggage?
As someone who is racing for the AG podium, I prefer the TT start. It is safer and better all around.
Agree. I chase podium finishes but prefer the rolling swim start. I do miss the days of looking at people’s calves to see if they were in my AG and using that as motivation, but the smoothness of a rolling swim start makes it worth it.
Then you would NOT have enjoyed the mass starts of Ironman races back in the day. I did IMFL before and after they went to the rolling start. The 2013 start was epic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYwUPVPLnM
People who got involved in the sport after they switched to rolling starts missed something special.
That day was one of the best of my life! I’m in the video wearing a green cap & a black wetsuit…
Best move they made in 40 years as it reduces your start wait time and the sooner you start, the sooner you finish. Makes a difference on those warmer days.
On an unrelated note - I am flying to Florida for vacation and the race (and Key Largo the weekend after) and packing my suitcase - is it worth taking my wetsuit? Or so unlikely to be wetsuit legal, not worth wasting the space in my luggage?
Other than last night, it has been really warm down here. I think it is unlikely to be wetsuit legal. For me, it doesn’t make much difference. It takes me so long to get my wetsuit over my big feet that it’s a wash.
For the first time it its 40-year history, St. Anthony’s is switching to a time trial rolling start for age group athletes (although they did have a time trial start one year when the swim was cancelled).
In previous years, they had swim waves where you started with your age group. I must say, I am disappointed. No longer will you know whether you are in front of the person you just passed. It makes “racing” difficult. Although I don’t “race” against the fastest people in my age group, it would be nice to know if I am ahead of my friends. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it seems I have not liked most of the changes that have taken place in the sport.
How do others feel?
I believe they had a time trial start last year. We went two at a time. Worked out great. I miss the days of age group waves starting next to the pier but the time trial start works just as good.
More reason for a cycling like CAT system in tri, because this is just time trialing now, not racing. It would take an independent race director to do it…
It is odd that in a sport that the longest time wise of the 3 sports is “non draft” that we all get up in arms when we can’t mass start. I get it, I just find it kinda funny that a sport like triathlon would seem to be the best “time trial” type of event vs “mass” start in endurance sports.
For the first time it its 40-year history, St. Anthony’s is switching to a time trial rolling start for age group athletes (although they did have a time trial start one year when the swim was cancelled).
In previous years, they had swim waves where you started with your age group. I must say, I am disappointed. No longer will you know whether you are in front of the person you just passed. It makes “racing” difficult. Although I don’t “race” against the fastest people in my age group, it would be nice to know if I am ahead of my friends. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it seems I have not liked most of the changes that have taken place in the sport.
How do others feel?
I believe they had a time trial start last year. We went two at a time. Worked out great. I miss the days of age group waves starting next to the pier but the time trial start works just as good.
OK, one of us has a terrible memory. I did the race last year, and I recall it being wave starts. Your wave walked out to a buoy, and you treaded water until the gun went off. That’s my recollection, but I am getting old.
I also think a water start, as opposed to running in from the beach, is less chaotic.
For the first time it its 40-year history, St. Anthony’s is switching to a time trial rolling start for age group athletes (although they did have a time trial start one year when the swim was cancelled).
In previous years, they had swim waves where you started with your age group. I must say, I am disappointed. No longer will you know whether you are in front of the person you just passed. It makes “racing” difficult. Although I don’t “race” against the fastest people in my age group, it would be nice to know if I am ahead of my friends. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it seems I have not liked most of the changes that have taken place in the sport.
How do others feel?
I believe they had a time trial start last year. We went two at a time. Worked out great. I miss the days of age group waves starting next to the pier but the time trial start works just as good.
OK, one of us has a terrible memory. I did the race last year, and I recall it being wave starts. Your wave walked out to a buoy, and you treaded water until the gun went off. That’s my recollection, but I am getting old.
I also think a water start, as opposed to running in from the beach, is less chaotic.
I have a terrible memory too but You might have been in the elite/fast amateur/VIP division which started in a wave out by the first buoy. For us slower age groupers, we started on the beach two at a time and ran/walked out to the first buoy where you could begin to swim. As I am old and slow these days I can go either wave or time trial. Doesn’t really matter as I’ve done a ton of both types of starts.
For the first time it its 40-year history, St. Anthony’s is switching to a time trial rolling start for age group athletes (although they did have a time trial start one year when the swim was cancelled).
In previous years, they had swim waves where you started with your age group. I must say, I am disappointed. No longer will you know whether you are in front of the person you just passed. It makes “racing” difficult. Although I don’t “race” against the fastest people in my age group, it would be nice to know if I am ahead of my friends. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it seems I have not liked most of the changes that have taken place in the sport.
How do others feel?
I believe they had a time trial start last year. We went two at a time. Worked out great. I miss the days of age group waves starting next to the pier but the time trial start works just as good.
OK, one of us has a terrible memory. I did the race last year, and I recall it being wave starts. Your wave walked out to a buoy, and you treaded water until the gun went off. That’s my recollection, but I am getting old.
I also think a water start, as opposed to running in from the beach, is less chaotic.
I have a terrible memory too but You might have been in the elite/fast amateur/VIP division which started in a wave out by the first buoy. For us slower age groupers, we started on the beach two at a time and ran/walked out to the first buoy where you could begin to swim. As I am old and slow these days I can go either wave or time trial. Doesn’t really matter as I’ve done a ton of both types of starts.
I am now thinking you could be right and my mind might be deteriorating faster than my body. Sad.
Didn’t we start with those in our age group? I remember (or think I do) talking to another old guy while waiting to start, but then we might have run out into the water a few at a time. This year it’s self seeding by predicted swim time. A mind is a terrible thing.
I had a terrifying experience at St. Anthony’s in 2003 with very unsafe conditions on the bike course. Resolved not to do the race again.
When I last did it there were a large number of inexperienced athletes being sent out ahead and I saw a nasty crash and was almost involved in one myself.
I had a terrifying experience at St. Anthony’s in 2003 with very unsafe conditions on the bike course. Resolved not to do the race again.
When I last did it there were a large number of inexperienced athletes being sent out ahead and I saw a nasty crash and was almost involved in one myself.
If this helps then it’s a good change.
Yes, good point. I think the time trial start makes the bike course safer. There are still a ton of people out on the bike course but with the time trial start you are more spread out and around athletes of the same speed if you seeded yourself properly.
I am now thinking you could be right and my mind might be deteriorating faster than my body. Sad.
Didn’t we start with those in our age group? I remember (or think I do) talking to another old guy while waiting to start, but then we might have run out into the water a few at a time. This year it’s self seeding by predicted swim time. A mind is a terrible thing.