Never again.
So boring
I did a 1:53 for the standard back in 2009.
It’s short though.
I’d have never overcome 3 minutes, that guy was a total fish! But at least I would’ve known
If I wanted to do a 10km run time trial, I can do that up and down the bypass and get a time.
The RNW course is marked out in spray paint every 1km.
Exactly the same as going off every 3 seconds.
113 was held in around August 2020, Which is a very different time to now.
As You’re right next to people on the run and bike and swim, “Covid Secure” is an utter nonsense.
Rolling starts are, and always have been, an abomination.
I do get it. But its very rare (for me ar least) that it actually matters. Maybe it’s because I came to longer, bigger events after the introduction of rolling starts, but even in a big half marathon or marathon, you’re not really racing those around you as everyone goes off chip time. It’s only small little local events where I’ve done “mass start” tris of maybe 80-100 where you know everyone you pass, or who passes you, counts.
Even in some of the AG stuff I’ve done, there are so many waves and you’re racing on lapped courses, half the time I don’t know who’s in my AG/wave anyway!
Yeah i get both ends of the discussion here. I’ve podiumed once in any event, and that was a small, local 100 miler, where there wasn’t even a podium. Not really, cos nobody GAS. But i finished 2nd.
I do, personally, like being in a proper race even if my position isn’t likely to matter. I’ve had many a sprint finish in many a race, and they’ve been the best 10 secs of the whole race to be honest.
But at the same time, i don’t really agree with Poet’s compleet dismissal of a TT race, with actually people being anything like a solo TT. I would wager that most people on here would get a little more out of themselves in a proper race environment - number on the front, runners to tick off ahead, runners behind you try to keep there - even if it was a TT style event. Probably more so on a shorter event, as the longer it gets, the more likely you’re going to be spent on your own.
I’d like a proper race come July, but i also saw first hand how bad the drafting was on that course back in 2015. What i would guess was the 10-25 position brigade (as the proper fast guys were gone) were rolling around in a flippin peloton. That annoyed me (and will annoy me if it happens again) as i won’t be able to truly see how i’ve done in relation to the race; Whilst the overall position doesn’t make a difference (who cares if i come 27th or 34th) it’s nice to weigh yourself up against the race. A TT race will at least minmise that, as you shouldn’t get a group of similar level athletes all rolling out at the same time on the bike course.
You talking about the 113?
I came 14th overall and didn’t see anything.
First loop was lonelyAF, second loop I was just slingshotting past all the slower riders.
You get a MAHOOSIVE benefit from that - always someone to chase down.
I’d agree with you , that you get something else out of yourself from a TT start, totally agree.
But why am I dismissive of them?
Because I like to feel like I’m in a race (even if that’s a race within a race!)
For pool sprints, I generally put my time down as 5:30-5:45, then I “know” I’m likely to be in the last dozen going off. So long as nobody passes me and I overtake a few people, then I “know” I’m getting a Top 10.
Wave starts are okay, too.
As that’s generally U40s, then vets, then females.
A few vets always pass me (generally axes on the bike!) then that’s it for the day - pick ‘em off.
On lapped/looped courses, you can tell where you are in wave/mass starts by counting who comes past you in the other direction run. Which is always good to take the mind off things!
For Ironman, I totally understand the rolling starts and why they’ve been introduced prior to Covid.
None of us are really “racing” one another, just the clock.
But the mass start element of Outlaw is hard to beat. Such great fun
Yup, when i did it in 2015. It was only the one i saw, but passed them twice. My mate was at the back of the group and had the choice of going solo or tagging on the back - he chose the lattter for a bit, before his conscience showed up, which is why i know it happened pretty much the whole way around. And yes, i gave him a load of shit for his decision!
Oh i still agree with that, as i said in my earlier piece. I’d rather be in a mass start any day. I loved the biff of IM Wales at that first buoy! Swimming along in a total washing machine, with 1500 people. Where else are you ever going to experience that ?! Amazing.
Guess it depends?
Nearly every tri race I’ve done has been a lonely affair on the bike (never done an M-Dot)
I’ve seen a bit of drafting at the pointy end at London Worlds 2013, Vitruvian last lap most years and a few Duathlons.
But generally, for lapped races, I see LOADS of drafting in the MOP/BOP folks, who are just ambling along and having a chat, totally unaware of the rules!
Yeah that gets to me less - the mop and bop. It’s the quick guys/girls that know the rules, know full well how much benefit a draft gives (they’re probs in a cc), know they’re on a free ride and will be up there on the AG ranks for the day.
Is Outlaw a genuine mass start? If they still do the start where folks seed themselves in those concrete sections, the fastest swimmers are way up the lake before the slower ones (me) have moved across.
Oh, well, when you put it like that, I guess not!
But that works really well.
It’s a mass start in that you all start together (albeit from separate pontoons!)
Shame for the slower swimmers, as they obviously swim a bit further, I’d never thought of that!
Also, if you thought Outlaw was bad for goose poop, it ain’t got nuttin’ on Southport.
I was going to say. I thought Outlaw was waves, unless you entered the Elite one (maybe this is Half specific?)? IM Wales may have changed and back in the day maybe it was a full width mass beach start, but that very much looked like a chute of people ploughing into the water from what I saw of videos. Different to the new rolling start format, but certainly not a “mass start”. If you were self seeding further back, you’d take 10-15mins to actually start the race and all awards are still chip time based.
Outlaw Full has been a mass start every time I’ve done it
Was it in 2019 @adam and @pacha ?
I’d definitely enter the Elite wave if I was doing the Half. Be good to finish last
I did contemplate starting in the fastest wave to avoid the merge, then I gave myself a head wobble and started where I should have (3rd from the left).
Didn’t make difference in the end, we all stopped at the floating jungles anyway.
under current BTF Covid regs, no. all AG events must follow a TT start - waves or individual depending on setup and numbers. however, BTF are constantly reviewing guidance depending on Govt actions so it may change as the season progresses.
The three times I’ve started Wales, I’ve seeded at the 1.20 board. In 2015, we all lined up way along the path at beach level and it took longer to hit the water.
In 2017/2018 we lined up along the ziz zag path (the 1.20 board was just where the path meets the road). Took about 11mins both years from memory.
The swim was horrifically slow as I expected and didn’t manage to get my head down and in the water swimming ‘properly’ (for me at least ) until about the last third, my breathing just goes to fast due to the cold. Enjoyed the 10 min neutral transition so slung a cycle top on over my tri suit and some flapjack.
Jumped on the bike with my target stretch target of holding an an average 34 km/h. I had a bit of an advantage as I know all the roads as I live locally. Also I find it funny how awful people seem to be at descending! Only one person came past me on the bike. He was on some expensive looking Trek TT bike and a proper skinsuit. Finished the bike with an average of 34.7km/h so I was very happy, especially as I probably cycle once a week at best! Off the bike and my sit bones and glutes were not happy.
I knew the run was going to be muddy but wow, it was slippery and sloppy and the narrow path was busy. There was no hope of me running as fast as I’d have liked. ‘On your right’ was a constant for the 3 laps. I was in some Nike Baby Alphas, trail shoes would have been a much better idea in hindsight. I did laugh when two lads who I presume were doing the Uni Oly event shot past on their first lap with Next%s on, I chucked to myself knowing they would be regretting that footwear choice.
Good effort. You’re right that trail shoes would have been ideal. The old shoes I drove up in had a bit of grip so I ditched my good ones and ran in those. Same bike times more or less, but I’d happily take your run time although going slower and earlier I probably didn’t have so many people to squeeze past.
I had a neoprene swim hat on. It makes a massive difference for me whilst it’s still quite cold.
) until about the last third, my breathing just goes to fast due to the cold. Enjoyed the 10 min neutral transition so slung a cycle top on over my tri suit and some flapjack.