Mass swim start observations
Contrary to popular belief the far left/right of most swim starts are the roughest area to start... everyone else thinks it's a great place to start too. Find some open water and start there... wherever that may be.You WILL be hit, GET OVER IT. DO NOT retaliate by trying to break their ribs or smash their goggles. Relax. Let's say it once more. RELAX.
Do NOT whip kick, unless there is noone around you. For those that don't know what a whip kick is.. do breast stoke.. that's a whip kick.
Do not stop and sight at a turn buoy. Keep moving, then sight. KEEP MOVING, then sight.
People will touch your feet, they are trying to draft, everyone does it, be flattered that someone considers you a good draft. Is a few taps on the feet hurting you? No. DO NOT retaliate by trying kick the person drafting you in the head. Once again, RELAX.
If you put your hand forward to take a stroke and your hand lands on a body, do you:
a) use the body as an anchor and pull through, dunking them in the process
b) roll off to the side a bit, find some clear water, then stroke.
If you answered (b) you are correct.
When drafting someone, and your hand touches the ankle of the person you are drafting, do you:
a) grab the ankle firmly and pull hard to gain an advantage
b) let your hand slip off the ankle and find some clear water to stroke
If you answered (b) you are correct.
Let's be respectful to each other... and remember... RELAX.
posted by Greg @ 6/12/2006
2 Comments:
Greg, its funny this post should pertain to a mass swim start. In my race report from Wasa Lake, I briefly mentioned some of the items you touched on in your post.
LOL, for instance I thought I would start to the far left to avoid the chaos and got swallowed up in the white-wash. Also I had someone try to swim over top by dunking me...and there was open water around us...crazy stuff.
You should send this post to Charlie Cooper and ask him to put it on the rmevents site...
The chicks were even more vicious than the men.
Boo evil swimmers!!
HKJ
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