Sprint tri drama..tell me the rules

[tuggyruns]

So. I suffered through my Sprint tri today. It was pretty miserable but I promised myself I wouldn't sign up for something and not train ever again!!!

HOWEVER...I encountered some major drama during the swim...

The swim is really my strongest leg (unfortunately...this leads to getting passed most of the race). Long story short, I ended up with this girl nearly on top of me about half way through so I decided to kick it in gear and pass her...well, I guess she didn't like that because she grabbed my shoulder, pulled me back and pushed me under. This proceeded to happen no less than 4 more times and after the 4th time she kicked me in the side (while doing freestyle... )

I was out of the water at the same time as her so I saw her number and her bike was racked 2 down from mine... as I came in from the bike, I saw her bike tossed on the ground. In talking to another racer on my rack after the race, apparently the nasty racer had thrown her bike on top of the other racers....

The run was out and back (she wad ahead of me) and I saw her on the way back in. When I popped over the hill, she immediately turned her # to the back...so odd.

Long story short, I'm pissed and moreover, these actions are dangerous. Do I have any ground to stand on if I wrote the race director an email? As she races on a local stores "race team" I pretty much feel like never buying from them again. I know I won't act on that bc it's not the stores fault but seriously- wtf?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using proboards

[pixy0stix]

I'd be tempted to contact the store and tell them her shenanigans.

[katandkevin]

I have never dealt with anything like that in any race, but it sounds like harassment. I would probably send an email to the race director and the store whose team she is on. If she is wearing a team jersey, she is a public figure for them and I think they would not be happy with how she acted.

[tuggyruns]

Okay. Well glad I am not just being a weenie! I'm not really sure how sizes of tri races run, but there were about 500ppl and its a summer long series of 1-2 races per month

Sent from my SCH-I535 using proboards

[coconutbug]

Wow, that's nuts! You are not being a weenie; her actions are unacceptable.

[sadlebred]

1. Are there any officials there? At USA Cycling sanctioned races, there are race officials that you can protest to or file a complaint with. Unfortunately, it's too late to do so after a race--at least in cycling. You have to do it onsite when you finish.

2. I'd email the race director.

3. I'd also email the shop she races for to let them know of her unsportsmanlike behavior.

Sorry it happened to you! That was just mean!

[bostonmichelle]

She sounds like a meanie!

I would definitely email the race director especially if you plan on doing more races with them. I wouldn't want to put up with this shit all summer. I'd also email the store she represents about the shenanigans she pulled. That sounds dangerous.

[Deleted]

I assume it was a USATF race. Could possibly see if they have any rules on it?

[trigal]

Yeah, she was being bitchy. Throwing the bike is obnoxious, although moving the race # isn't a biggie. I prefer it on my back until I see the cameras or the finish line.

There are some jerks out there. Please don't let them discourage you!

[kams]

Yeah, this is super weird. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience.

I don't know if that's something that a USAT official would handle, or what. An email to the RD is probably the only thing that can be done, though their hands may be tied. Maybe the shop, too, though I'm not sure they could remove her from the team unless it's invitational.

The only thing that I think might blatantly break a rule is throwing the bike down. I *think* you are supposed to re-rack your bike, but I guess I don't know if it's really a rule, or just a norm? The swimming is awful obviously, but it's hard to prove it was intentional, I guess.

This stinks!

[osulori]

I'd email the race director and the store she races for too. Sorry you had to deal with that

[blndsnbrdr]

I would definitely contact the store she is running for and see if she is one of their actual racers or just someone wearing a store shirt [you can get just LRS singlets without being directly associated with the LRS].

If she is directly associated with the LRS and part of their time [or staff!] the store is going to want to know! I run on a LRS racing team, they'd want to know and they'd kick people off the team if this kind of stuff happened!

Go to the store first, get your facts straight about the association and then go to the RD. If she isn't really associated with the store or if it's something they can handle in house let them go that route -- if she is a fluke bitch in the group going to the RD will screw up all other racers' chances at getting comps/entries/anything from that RD in the future, which isn't cool.

Just my two cents.

What she did is seriously not cool. How is that an acceptable behavior in a pool? That's like intentionally tripping a running, multiple times! Geez!

[annie357s]

If this was just your average joe swimming, pushing them under could kill them. I hope they take it seriously.

[tuggyruns]

Jun 1, 2014 9:09:55 GMT -5 annie357s said:

If this was just your average joe swimming, pushing them under could kill them. I hope they take it seriously.

Yea, this was my concern. I consider myself a pretty decent swimmer after club swimming for so many years. I can't imagine if this had happened to a newbie who was already terrified of the swim!

[tuggyruns]

Jun 1, 2014 9:02:46 GMT -5 blndsnbrdr said:

I would definitely contact the store she is running for and see if she is one of their actual racers or just someone wearing a store shirt [you can get just LRS singlets without being directly associated with the LRS].

If she is directly associated with the LRS and part of their time [or staff!] the store is going to want to know! I run on a LRS racing team, they'd want to know and they'd kick people off the team if this kind of stuff happened!

Go to the store first, get your facts straight about the association and then go to the RD. If she isn't really associated with the store or if it's something they can handle in house let them go that route -- if she is a fluke bitch in the group going to the RD will screw up all other racers' chances at getting comps/entries/anything from that RD in the future, which isn't cool.

Just my two cents.

What she did is seriously not cool. How is that an acceptable behavior in a pool? That's like intentionally tripping a running, multiple times! Geez!

Good point! Thank you!

[tuggyruns]

Thanks for all of the input. I'm pretty new to triathlons and I didn't know what was/wasn't expected, whether it was in the rules or not. i.e. if I was in her way for a while it was ok to pull ppl back. I really didn't think so, but wanted to make sure!

[trigal]

It's not okay for someone to actually pull you back. That said, it does happen and we (triathletes) always assume that the swim will have some contact and can be quite rough. However, being that this is a sprint tri which probably didn't have more than 100 people in a swim wave, she was out of line.

[gumi]

were you swimming in a pool? If so, I would think race officials saw it.

It doesn't sound like a USAT sanctioned race to me, to be honest. They wouldn't let a bike just be on the ground in transition. They have officials that ride little motorcycles around and take stuff like that pretty seriously.

I also don't know if I would tattle to the bike store. Is she on an elite team, or just wears a jersey? Because a lot of people purchase team jersey's, it doesn't mean that they practice with, or have a strong affiliation, with the team.

Did she win? I think if I felt she really endangered my swim, or caused a setback that allowed her to place over me, I would have contested right when the results were posted, before awards, so that she could be given a penalty. You are not allowed to blatantly push people under water. If it wasn't a sanctioned race though, I would care a lot less because it's not ranked. But I would be annoyed and probably vent on here, too.

I don't think there is anything that can happen after the event. She clearly takes her sprint triathlons too seriously. There is always going to be an asshole, I am sorry you had to deal with one. But, if she behaves that way in other races, it's only a matter of time until she penalized, disqualified, hurts someone, or pisses off the wrong person.

[foundmylazybum]

The pushing under water and kicking would have prompted me to complain right in the moment. Like. RIGHT then.




Because...well...honestly if someone held ME underwater? We would have tussled lol.

[katinthehat]

There's not much they can do about the swim and just playing devil's advocate, she might not have even known what she was doing during the swim, given congestion and the shortness of the course.

That being said, she certainly should have a time penalty for her lack of racking skills -
www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/rules-education/articles/transition-conduct-placement-of-equipment-72.aspx

[foundmylazybum]

Jun 1, 2014 17:22:20 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

There's not much they can do about the swim and just playing devil's advocate, she might not have even known what she was doing during the swim, given congestion and the shortness of the course.

That being said, she certainly should have a time penalty for her lack of racking skills -
www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/rules-education/articles/transition-conduct-placement-of-equipment-72.aspx

How do you accidentally "Grab someone's shoulder and pull them under?"


I could totally see the kicking...but grabbing?

[annie357s]

Jun 1, 2014 17:42:38 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Jun 1, 2014 17:22:20 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

There's not much they can do about the swim and just playing devil's advocate, she might not have even known what she was doing during the swim, given congestion and the shortness of the course.

That being said, she certainly should have a time penalty for her lack of racking skills -
www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/rules-education/articles/transition-conduct-placement-of-equipment-72.aspx

How do you accidentally "Grab someone's shoulder and pull them under?"


I could totally see the kicking...but grabbing?

4 times.....

[trigal]

Jun 1, 2014 17:42:38 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Jun 1, 2014 17:22:20 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

There's not much they can do about the swim and just playing devil's advocate, she might not have even known what she was doing during the swim, given congestion and the shortness of the course.

That being said, she certainly should have a time penalty for her lack of racking skills -
www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/rules-education/articles/transition-conduct-placement-of-equipment-72.aspx

How do you accidentally "Grab someone's shoulder and pull them under?"


I could totally see the kicking...but grabbing?

Sometimes "grabbing" is just someone trying to pull (stroke) and keeps hitting the other people, even in the shoulders. It can feel like someone is pulling at you. The reality is that the swim can be full of contact and it is disconcerting. But, it is part of the sport. I'm not defending this person as I wasn't there, but that's the sport. It's why people who aren't confident with swimming shouldn't do triathlons.

[tuggyruns]

Jun 1, 2014 15:28:25 GMT -5 gumi said:

were you swimming in a pool? If so, I would think race officials saw it.

It doesn't sound like a USAT sanctioned race to me, to be honest. They wouldn't let a bike just be on the ground in transition. They have officials that ride little motorcycles around and take stuff like that pretty seriously.

I also don't know if I would tattle to the bike store. Is she on an elite team, or just wears a jersey? Because a lot of people purchase team jersey's, it doesn't mean that they practice with, or have a strong affiliation, with the team.

Did she win? I think if I felt she really endangered my swim, or caused a setback that allowed her to place over me, I would have contested right when the results were posted, before awards, so that she could be given a penalty. You are not allowed to blatantly push people under water. If it wasn't a sanctioned race though, I would care a lot less because it's not ranked. But I would be annoyed and probably vent on here, too.

I don't think there is anything that can happen after the event. She clearly takes her sprint triathlons too seriously. There is always going to be an asshole, I am sorry you had to deal with one. But, if she behaves that way in other races, it's only a matter of time until she penalized, disqualified, hurts someone, or pisses off the wrong person.

We weren't in a pool, it was a lake. 

It was USAT sanctioned, and she got out of there pretty quick after the race- leaving her bike sticker and helmet stick on the ground...wonder if she did get a penalty?

Her kit said ****store "race team". She did win our age group. I did yell something to the officials as we were running out of the water, but didn't want to stop and talk during transition. By the end, she was gone and I became unsure if I was just being a weenie and this was common practice for jerkwads like her, but not necessarily penalty worthy. 

Long story short, I just don't want this to happen to someone else. I think I would have been more pissed if I had actually trained for this.

[tuggyruns]

Jun 1, 2014 16:04:29 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

The pushing under water and kicking would have prompted me to complain right in the moment. Like. RIGHT then.




Because...well...honestly if someone held ME underwater? We would have tussled lol.

Yep, I was fuming by the time we came out of the water, and seeing as we came out at the same time, I yelled something to the effect of "She was pulling me back" to the officials and pointed at her as we came out of the water. They couldn't hear me and I started to think I was just overreacting. 

I can't say I didn't want to punch her when I saw her during the run. 

[tuggyruns]

Jun 1, 2014 19:09:32 GMT -5 trigal said:

Jun 1, 2014 17:42:38 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

How do you accidentally "Grab someone's shoulder and pull them under?"


I could totally see the kicking...but grabbing?

Sometimes "grabbing" is just someone trying to pull (stroke) and keeps hitting the other people, even in the shoulders. It can feel like someone is pulling at you. The reality is that the swim can be full of contact and it is disconcerting. But, it is part of the sport. I'm not defending this person as I wasn't there, but that's the sport. It's why people who aren't confident with swimming shouldn't do triathlons.

Thanks @trigirl I think this is what I was getting at. It was clearly blatant, I don't know if she was just pissed I wouldn't move- but I mean is that etiquette that you are supposed to move? I didn't feel like I needed to b/c I was planning to pull on out of there. 

Truth is she didn't really make me "turned off from the sport" just PISSED and ready to kick her butt at the next series. Guess I am actually going to have to train ! 

[emilyj]

May 31, 2014 16:38:06 GMT -5 tuggyruns said:

Okay. Well glad I am not just being a weenie! I'm not really sure how sizes of tri races run, but there were about 500ppl and its a summer long series of 1-2 races per month

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If I'm remembering your location correctly, I race in this same series.  I absolutely would contact both the race director and the shop about her.  The race directors (if I'm thinking of the right series) are pretty awesome, and I think they would take this very seriously.  

What a hellacious bitch.  

[trigal]

Jun 1, 2014 19:36:48 GMT -5 tuggyruns said:

Jun 1, 2014 19:09:32 GMT -5 trigal said:

Sometimes "grabbing" is just someone trying to pull (stroke) and keeps hitting the other people, even in the shoulders. It can feel like someone is pulling at you. The reality is that the swim can be full of contact and it is disconcerting. But, it is part of the sport. I'm not defending this person as I wasn't there, but that's the sport. It's why people who aren't confident with swimming shouldn't do triathlons.

Thanks @trigirl I think this is what I was getting at. It was clearly blatant, I don't know if she was just pissed I wouldn't move- but I mean is that etiquette that you are supposed to move? I didn't feel like I needed to b/c I was planning to pull on out of there. 

Truth is she didn't really make me "turned off from the sport" just PISSED and ready to kick her butt at the next series. Guess I am actually going to have to train ! 

No, if she felt that you were in her way, then she should move. But you didn't move either, so she could assume that it wasn't bothering you, KWIM?

When I'm getting beat up in the swim, I try to sprint ahead of that person. If I can't, then I'll either move to the side if it doesn't pull me too off course or hold my ground (water?) if I'm feeling aggressive. And if I get a few knocks on that person, so be it.

I'd be more concerned about the fact she didn't rack her bike. I believe that's against the rules, but I could be wrong.

[Susie]

May 31, 2014 15:40:58 GMT -5 tuggyruns said:

Do I have any ground to stand on if I wrote the race director an email? 

For what?  To complain?  Or to get something done about it?

You can certainly send an email complaint, but IMO it isn't likely to get very far and probably isn't worth your time.  I emailed a RD once when someone cheated in an Oly distance race and did 1 loop instead of 2 of the swim, and they never even fixed the results.  The girl's swim split was faster than olympic caliber, lol.  So obvious.  Another local tri pissed me off when I saw that they were allowing people to ride out of T1 w/ helmets dangling from their handlebars.

I have found that with sprint tri's, which are typically local level, there are good ones and bad ones, and good RD's and bad RD's.  I just check reviews carefully before entering, ask around, and spend my entry dollars at races where the kind of garbage you encountered doesn't happen (at least as much).  For-profit race promoters can be hit and miss, and tri's are complicated to put on.  Not all races do a good job unfortunately.

[tuggyruns]

Jun 2, 2014 5:00:08 GMT -5 trigal said:

Jun 1, 2014 19:36:48 GMT -5 tuggyruns said:

Thanks @trigirl I think this is what I was getting at. It was clearly blatant, I don't know if she was just pissed I wouldn't move- but I mean is that etiquette that you are supposed to move? I didn't feel like I needed to b/c I was planning to pull on out of there. 

Truth is she didn't really make me "turned off from the sport" just PISSED and ready to kick her butt at the next series. Guess I am actually going to have to train ! 

No, if she felt that you were in her way, then she should move. But you didn't move either, so she could assume that it wasn't bothering you, KWIM?

When I'm getting beat up in the swim, I try to sprint ahead of that person. If I can't, then I'll either move to the side if it doesn't pull me too off course or hold my ground (water?) if I'm feeling aggressive. And if I get a few knocks on that person, so be it.

I'd be more concerned about the fact she didn't rack her bike. I believe that's against the rules, but I could be wrong.

Makes sense! I'm still learning all this stuff ! I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt on the bike and say maybe it fell (although it didn't look like it- I'm not an expert..lol!)