Swim timing end, transition T1 time start

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2011-05-02 6:00 PM

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Subject: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start

I have a question about what's typical for the timer setup on a pool swim. For the tri I did this past weekend, their was a chip reader at the starting/exit spot for swimming. This read the time into and out of the pool. It beeped twice when I crossed it going in and coming out.

The setup for the pool to T1 required you to leave the pool go down a stairs and 50 feet across a parking lot. The stairs and 50 feet were outside both the swim timer (reader going out) and the T1 timer (reader coming in). Since it was so cold and windy, I toweled off in the area outside the swim timer but before the T1 timer pad - in the stair case actually.

I timed my swim as did someone watching - I had 8:12, he had 8:11, but the swimming timer had 10:56 - roughly consistent with the extra time I took to dry off and put on my shirt before going to the T1 area.

Is this the normal way to setup the timers with an area that is neither transition or swimming?

Either way won't change my overall time or ranking in any way, I took all that time. I just don't have an accurate swim time which was my PR by like 25 seconds.

I asked the race director and they said they would change my swim and T1 times. No problem for me either way and I'm not complaining in any way, but I'm just wondering if this is how it's typically done?

2011-05-02 6:03 PM
in reply to: #3478476

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
yes, there can be a considerable run from water to T1 especially in open water swims. That time is part of your swim.
2011-05-02 6:06 PM
in reply to: #3478478

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
Nipper - 2011-05-02 4:03 PM yes, there can be a considerable run from water to T1 especially in open water swims. That time is part of your swim.


Sometimes it is part of T1.  At Wildflower this past weekend they had the timing mat at the water's edge, so the long run up the boat ramp and into the transition area was included in the T1 split.
2011-05-02 7:13 PM
in reply to: #3478476

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
It all depends on where they put the timing mats.

Some of them have a 1/4 mile run from the water to T1 and that's where the mats are and some mats are right out of the water.

2011-05-03 7:39 AM
in reply to: #3478476

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
I'm a complete noobie, only doing one event so far, but it seems weird to me that they had two mats... one at the pool exit and one before entering the bike corral area.  It would seem more logical to just have one mat, regardless of where it is, which stops the "Swim" time and starts the "T1" time.  I wonder why they had two?
2011-05-03 7:42 AM
in reply to: #3479216

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start

Sous - 2011-05-03 8:39 AM I'm a complete noobie, only doing one event so far, but it seems weird to me that they had two mats... one at the pool exit and one before entering the bike corral area.  It would seem more logical to just have one mat, regardless of where it is, which stops the "Swim" time and starts the "T1" time.  I wonder why they had two?

x2.  Never seen this before.

2011-05-03 12:17 PM
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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
japarker24 - 2011-05-03 7:42 AM

Sous - 2011-05-03 8:39 AM I'm a complete noobie, only doing one event so far, but it seems weird to me that they had two mats... one at the pool exit and one before entering the bike corral area.  It would seem more logical to just have one mat, regardless of where it is, which stops the "Swim" time and starts the "T1" time.  I wonder why they had two?

x2.  Never seen this before.

A second crossing of a single mat, I presume?  The first crossing started your race timer, and the second time you crossed the mat was just because of a need to get back out of the pool area?  Would that be a possibility?

2011-05-03 1:28 PM
in reply to: #3479912

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
scott319 

A second crossing of a single mat, I presume?  The first crossing started your race timer, and the second time you crossed the mat was just because of a need to get back out of the pool area?  Would that be a possibility?

I second this.

First mat is there to start the swim time, period. The mat at transition is JUST for transition.  Your 2nd pass over the swim mat is ignored or removed.

One other option just doesn't work right at all, and the next is not ideal either:

- Time between swim exit and T1 is ignored. Well, that would give people a break, and races aren't about taking breaks!

- All that time added to T1 is going to cause MORE confusion and complaints. Transitions are supposed to be quick.

Given the limitations of transitions rarely touching swim starts, having the run from water to T1 included in the swim time just makes the most sense.

2011-05-03 2:00 PM
in reply to: #3479216

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start

Sous - 2011-05-03 9:39 AM I'm a complete noobie, only doing one event so far, but it seems weird to me that they had two mats... one at the pool exit and one before entering the bike corral area.  It would seem more logical to just have one mat, regardless of where it is, which stops the "Swim" time and starts the "T1" time.  I wonder why they had two?

A race I did last summer had a long run from exiting the water to the transition area that took about 3 mins.  They had a mat at the water exit and another mat at the entrance to transition.  However, the first time you cross the mat into transition was just ignored.  T1 time was from exiting the water until you left the transition area with your bike.  After the bike, you would re-enter transition over the same mat that you crossed after the swim (the second one out of the water) and then T2 time was the time from that mat until you ran out. 

What I find strange about the OP's time is that the swim time didn't stop until the second mat - not sure of the purpose of that first one.  Was is the same mat you crossed to get into the water?  If so it was probably just ignoring the second time you cross it (ie. as you exit).

2011-05-03 2:58 PM
in reply to: #3478476

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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start
I guess I could see the "ignored crossing" if the mat is the same for entry to water as exit.  In that scenario it would make sense, but I was confused as the OP mentioned that it was a pool swim.  Again, I'm a noob so don't blast me, but if that was the case (single entry/exit point) wouldn't it get pretty cluster mucked with the time trial type start of most pool swims?  The race maps of the pool swim tris I've been looking at all had a "snake" style swim where you entered and exited the pool at different ends of the pool.
2011-05-03 10:42 PM
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Subject: RE: Swim timing end, transition T1 time start

I can add a little more. After emailing the race director, she said a couple other people asked about the swim time too and they changed everyone's (I think everyone, I didn't write down before and after for anyone else but me) swim time to reflect the pad timer getting out of the pool. That pad also started the T1 time, even though there was the other pad going into the bike area. I believe they just ignored that T1 entry pad time. This pad was also the T2 start timer pad, which is why they had it in the first place.

This seems right to me, even though there was about a 20 second run down the stairs and out to the T1 pad. That to me wasn't swimming time, but transition time - the same for everyone.

And I have officially timed my swim PR, which is all I cared about anyway.

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