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First wave?

Who goes in the first wave for pool swims? the slowest swimmers or the fastest? my dilema is that i need to pick my dear mother up from the airport on the afternoon of race day! so need to see if I will be able to squeeze it all in! eek!

Comments

  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Slowest. Otherwise the event would be five hours longer than it needs to be.



    Relax. Her plane will be late.
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    Cheers Jack



    Do the organisers use your overall time or just your swim split? As my swim will be pretty fast compared to my bike and run!



    Yeap no doubt there mate, and as she has waited a couple of years to come over-she can wait a couple of hours more ;)

  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Usually just your swim split is used to decide your wave, as it important to limit the overtaking in the pool. I'm not sure that the other numbers are ever really used, other than maybe to give them some clue as to when the last finisher will come home.



    I'm in the same situation where my swim is a lot stronger than my bike or run. I tend to cruise the swims and conserve energy in a pool tri. Even if you go bonkers you'll only gain yourself 20-30s compared to cruising at a long distance pace and that advantage will be annihalated by the fast bikers. I think that losing a bit of time in the pool is more than made up for on the bike (for me, that is).



    e.g. for me 400m pb is 5:42, though I'm currently back up to around 5:55 in a time trial. In a pool tri last Sunday I cruised a 6:33 and hit the bike feeling completely fresh.



    It went a bit wrong after that, but hey - I've got plenty of excuses for a dismal performance...



    As my bike and run get stronger through the season I tend to start putting in a bit more effort in the water. For longer events the plan changes a bit.
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    so even though I'm a strong swim, not bad biker, and appauling runner, should I hold off a bit on my swim and swim with a slower wave-therefore conserving more enrgy to push through the bike and the run?



  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 335
    for me 400m pb is 5:42, though I'm currently back up to around 5:55 in a time trial. In a pool tri last Sunday I cruised a 6:33
    [quote]ORIGINAL: Bopomofo



    Oh I wish - 400m now 12 mins 44 secs still breaststroke mind

    from the list we've just had for Cardiff which by mistake sent all the predicted swim times fastest in last best bit though mine is not the slowest predicted swim time[:D]
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    I'm still a bit confused as to what I should do...sorry...So im a strong swimmer and will happily do the 600m swim of my main race this year in or under 9minutes, but my bike and swim will let me down. What should I do? Should I enter a fast (accurate) swim time then be with the big boys and just get trounced on the bike/run or enter a slow swim time so i can go with others more my pace on bike run?



    Sorry....new to this! Ta muchly

  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    Hi Tomtris



    I would put in your true projected swim time, whatever you think that will be. If you feel like taking 30 secs off you PB to save yourself then thats fine, but your estimate should reflet that PB+30 otherwise when you get in the pool you will be catching up people in front off you (in the pool) and this will be an issue. The time is just to cut down on overtaking in the pool. I wouldn't worry about anything once out of the pool, you will probably find each competitor sets off a minute after the last (or similar) so you will be well spaced out anyway.



    G
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    alright-clearer now, thanks gary!
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