2009 IMKY Swim start (Page 2)

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2009-09-02 1:41 PM
in reply to: #2382772

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Master
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Lexington, KY
Subject: RE: 2009 IMKY Swim start
kevinlbrown - 2009-09-01 1:08 PM

The improvement would be to stack up 4-5 columns of line queues right at the start.  Stop each line 500 people deep, then begin a new line right next to the first.  And so on.  Then let out line 1, then line 2, then line 3.  That way nobody has to walk so far, and everybody feels like they're in the middle of the action.


That would be a great improvement.  Hopefully they'll take your advice.

2009-09-02 3:01 PM
in reply to: #2383839

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Champion
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Subject: RE: 2009 IMKY Swim start
wiky - 2009-09-01 8:52 PM
Iowa Action - 2009-09-01 11:12 AM I'm trying to figure out why it matters when you get in the water if you are worried about time. Isnt' there a mat that you cross to activate your chip timing? Or does everyone's time start with the cannon regardless of water entry? Sorry if I'm late to the discussion.


As far as the swim goes, it probably doesn't make much difference.  Unless you're among the very first to get in the water, you're going to end up having to navigate thru/around others.  So everyone has a similar challenge.

However, there is a difference in the bike.  If you are a strong rider and start at the end of the swim line, you are going to have to pass a lot of people.  Since you aren't supposed to cross into the oncoming lane, this can cause you to have to ride the brakes a fair amount of time.  In contrast, if you start earlier in the swim, you don't have to worry about this as much.

Having said that, it probably isn't too much of an issue for most folks.  A handful of minutes at most, I'd guess.


I'm not super-fast on the bike, but I did a lot more passing than being passed.  I had to slow down a few times to wait for room to pass, and I did ride on the center yellow line a few times.  (Legal?)  But I doubt I lost more than a few seconds total from those incidents.  After all, I was slowing down from maybe 20mph to maybe 18 or 19mph, for just a short while each time.  The overall time lost is miniscule.  It does tend to break up one's rhythm though.

Anyway, I think the problem you described is more or less unavoidable to some degree, since being a strong cyclist doesn't correlate very well with being a strong swimmer. 

Oh, and nice race on Sunday by the way!
2009-09-02 3:39 PM
in reply to: #2385621

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Master
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Lexington, KY
Subject: RE: 2009 IMKY Swim start

Thanks, nice race for you too.  It was hard not to have a nice race on such a perfect day.

I probably shouldn't belabor a minor point, but ...
The time lost on the bike is definitely more than a few seconds total if you start at the back vs. the front of the swim.

For example, I road the River Road section out to Wolf Pen Branch the day before the race at my IM pace.  Taper was working, I felt great, and was able to hold just over a 23 mph average.  On race day, due to extra bike traffic, I was only able to average 21.7.  For 10 miles, that's a time difference of 1.6 minutes, not a few seconds.  Bike traffic was like this (for me) until I finished the out-and-back on 1694, which is what, about 25 or 30 miles?

This is not a complaint about the race, it's just an observation, and it's something almost everyone had to deal with.  And, if those few minutes are important to you, all you have to do is get up a little earlier.

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