Time trial starts in tri's

[Susie]

My HIM is starting to feel real!  (It's in 9 days.)  I have a bib #, signed up for live tracking on FB, and swim waves are posted.     All of a sudden I'm feeling very waitaminute, waitaminute!  I'm not ready!  Eek!  Apparently the water is about 64*, which is similar to last year, although I am hoping for some hot sunny days to give it another degree or two in the next week.

Anyway, this year they are doing the swim start differently.  They say:

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Swim Waves:
In the interest of improved athlete safety we have modified this year's swim start to include a time trial format. Here's how it will work... There will be 10 swim waves. Each wave will be organized by race category (e.g. Age Group, Elite, Athena, etc.). Wave 1 will feature Elite and Paratriathlete athletes and they will start the race at 7:00am with a traditional "all at once" start on "Go!".

Athletes in Waves 2 through Wave 10 will enter the water following a time trial format with 3 athletes entering the water every 10 seconds. Depending on the size of the wave, it will take about 3-5 minutes for all the athletes in a wave to enter the water. An athlete's time will begin when he/she crosses the timing mat at the swim start to ensure an accurate race time. The order of waves for this year's race is summarized below.


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So, I will be in wave #4.  I've never done a start like this, if I want to go toward the beginning of my wave can I more or less just head toward the front of the group?  I think that would be best?  Maybe?  Since the swim is the strongest leg for me I want the clearest path possible, through as few people as possible.  They'll all catch me soon enough on the bike & run.  Any other suggestions for this kind of start?

[keweenawlove]

Do you actually get to pick where you start within the wave? I've never done an interval start for a tri but they were pretty standard for our ski races. For every start I did, you just went out by your race number.

[bullygirl979]

No suggestions, just a hell of a lot of admiration and a good luck from me!

[Susie]

I don't think it's by bib # in this specific race. They assign rack spaces (and therefore bib numbers) based on grouping members from the same club together, and alphabetical order of clubs. Since my club starts with a "B," last year I was in the first rack or so from the water; I assume it'll be similar this year. Since I'm in that first rack, I get a low bib #, since the racks are labeled as bibs 1-50, 51-100, or whatever.

So I guess they could put us in order by bib # within our swim waves - which would put me near the front - but it'd be a weird combination of being in a particular wave by virtue of age group/gender, and then in order essentially by club. I would be surprised if that was the case, although stranger things have happened.

[kams]

The only tt start Ive done was self-seeded. Hopefully it will be the same for you, more or less. I think it's a great way to start. You're going to have a great race.

[gumi]

I am so confused by this.

First age group wave is Male 40-44...WHY. And then Athena? And then Male age 30-34+women 30-39, and then it jumps to 50+ and then down to under 24? This just seems so random!

I cannot picture this at all. You need to report back with vivid details for me, please.

I am someone who benefits from mass starts because I get pulled by faster people. I can see this working for you, but I also suspect you are going to run into a lot of slower people. You will rock it regardless, don't stress too much over it. You are testing the waters for the rest of us...assuming this becomes a thing.

[Susie]

Yeah the order of waves seemed really random to me too. But I think last year I was in wave #6 or #7 (same age group, 30-34) so I will take wave #4 instead! I am hoping it's self-seeded like the one kams did. I am also just a fan of getting this show on the road once 7am happens. It was brutal waiting til something like 7:24 or 7:26 last year.

[shorewife]

I would think it would be kind of self-seeded too. I like the idea of a time trial start like this. I think it will be much less panicky being spread out like that. Please do let us know!

[gumi]

do you think you guys will be treading water in line? or is it a beach start and 3 athletes will run into the water every 10 seconds? I think its easier if its a beach start because then you can stand in line. Forming a line in the water may not be so easy?

Your husband should video tape this.

[Susie]

Last year we started from knee or hip deep-ish water on the beach, with entire waves every 4 minutes or so.  So I'm guessing beach again this year.  

I wonder how deep they will put the timing pad that we have to go over as we enter the water.  Since it actually starts your race time, I'm thinking we might end up starting shallower this time because of that.  Last year we just had to walk over the pad on dry land before entering the water to wait for our start, I think to count us maybe?

[trigal]

The only time trial start I've done was at IMLP last summer and I hated it.

We seeded ourselves by expected finish time. I got into the correct corral and hoped everyone else did too. The start was fine, but there were other issues with doing a time trial start in a two-loop course.

Patriotman?

[Susie]

Jun 6, 2014 15:40:17 GMT -5 trigal said:

The only time trial start I've done was at IMLP last summer and I hated it.

We seeded ourselves by expected finish time. I got into the correct corral and hoped everyone else did too. The start was fine, but there were other issues with doing a time trial start in a two-loop course.

Patriotman?

Fortunately this swim is only 1 loop, U-shaped, and the finish is far enough up the beach from the start that I think we should avoid that issue.  But I can totally see how it'd be a mess with 2 loops.

[taffy]

You are a strong swimmer aren't you? If they aren't starting you by race number or any other organized way, I would definitely work your way to the front. I've never had an issue with anyone when I've done that (albeit at much smaller races).

[trigal]

Jun 6, 2014 16:01:55 GMT -5 Susie said:

Jun 6, 2014 15:40:17 GMT -5 trigal said:

The only time trial start I've done was at IMLP last summer and I hated it.

We seeded ourselves by expected finish time. I got into the correct corral and hoped everyone else did too. The start was fine, but there were other issues with doing a time trial start in a two-loop course.

Patriotman?

Fortunately this swim is only 1 loop, U-shaped, and the finish is far enough up the beach from the start that I think we should avoid that issue.  But I can totally see how it'd be a mess with 2 loops.

I think you'll be fine up front.