IM swim advice based on Harold's comments

Harold Buck <no_one_knows@attbi.com> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
CEEA7F.00162603122003@comcast.ash.giganews.com:

> This reminds me about how they had the "Degree of Difficulty" on the bike and run course (the
> toughest section of the course, sponsored by Degree antiperspirant). I noticed immediately that
> they didn't have it labeled on the swim course, and I also thought they they *should* have labeled
> it, right at the first turn buoy. That's always a mess in a small race, let alone when 1800 people
> start at the same time.
>

What would your strategy recommendation be there? My assumption at the moment is that I'm far better
off losing time by staying wide of the bouy, rather than losing goggles and blood trying to squeeze
in on the inside. I've been in some large waves before, but not 1800 people! I also sprint my way
out of trouble in shorter races, but don't intend to do much sprinting during an IM swim.

Tom

Tom

In article <Xns94464CFFBC23CTomH4thBellSouthnet@216.77.188.18>, Tom Henderson
<TomH_4th@BellSouth.net> wrote:

> Harold Buck <no_one_knows@attbi.com> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
> CEEA7F.00162603122003@comcast.ash.giganews.com:
>
> > This reminds me about how they had the "Degree of Difficulty" on the bike and run course (the
> > toughest section of the course, sponsored by Degree antiperspirant). I noticed immediately that
> > they didn't have it labeled on the swim course, and I also thought they they *should* have
> > labeled it, right at the first turn buoy. That's always a mess in a small race, let alone when
> > 1800 people start at the same time.
> >
>
> What would your strategy recommendation be there? My assumption at the moment is that I'm far
> better off losing time by staying wide of the bouy, rather than losing goggles and blood trying to
> squeeze in on the inside. I've been in some large waves before, but not 1800 people! I also sprint
> my way out of trouble in shorter races, but don't intend to do much sprinting during an IM swim.

Well, I've done a lot of open-water swims, but this one had probably 10 times as many as I've had in
a single wave before. I seeded myself accordingly--I was planning on doing the swim in 1:15 (and did
exactly that), so I made sure that people near me were planning on doing about the same. This put me
about 50-75 yards from the starting line.

I actually tried to stay on the inside of the course and just fought my way around the buoy. By the
time you get to the first turn, it's thinned out enough that it isn't THAT bad. You just need to
position yourself and then sort of "wait in line" for your turn to turn, so to speak.

Swimming wide on the first turn is not a bad a strategy, though. The further you get into the swim,
the less hassle the turns are because people spread out even more.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

I go wide on the first turn just to stay safe. I get intimidated by tight swim packs and lose my
form so try to keep to less dense areas.

Ken

"Tom Henderson" <TomH_4th@BellSouth.net> wrote in message
news:Xns94464CFFBC23CTomH4thBellSouthnet@216.77.188.18...
> Harold Buck <no_one_knows@attbi.com> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
> CEEA7F.00162603122003@comcast.ash.giganews.com:
>
> > This reminds me about how they had the "Degree of Difficulty" on the bike and run course (the
> > toughest section of the course, sponsored by Degree antiperspirant). I noticed immediately that
> > they didn't have it labeled on the swim course, and I also thought they they *should* have
> > labeled it, right at the first turn buoy. That's always a mess in a small race, let alone when
> > 1800 people start at the same time.
> >
>
> What would your strategy recommendation be there? My assumption at the moment is that I'm far
> better off losing time by staying wide of the bouy, rather than losing goggles and blood trying to
> squeeze in on the inside. I've been in some large waves before, but not 1800 people! I also sprint
> my way out of trouble in shorter races, but don't intend to do much sprinting during an IM swim.
>
> Tom
>
> Tom

Harold Buck <no_one_knows@attbi.com> wrote:

>I
>
>I actually tried to stay on the inside of the course and just fought my way around the buoy. By the
>time you get to the first turn, it's thinned out enough that it isn't THAT bad. You just need to
>position yourself and then sort of "wait in line" for your turn to turn, so to speak.
>

I'm usually end up on the inside for some reason, but back where I'm at, it's not too bad. Ditto on
waiting in line - you just have to watch who's around. A head-out-of-the-water "lifeguard" stroke is
probably a good idea.

I find the couple of yards after a turn to be more aggravating - when folks just stop and tread
water while looking for the next bouy.

Especially if they just muscled there way past you at the bouy...

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"