cruising not racing..

Comments

• moonshine Posts: 335

  July 2009

  stay to the left and you shouldn't get in anyones way, its probably going to be wet and a wee bit slippy on the roundabouts so there will probably be a lot of peple being cautious as for drafting no idea how they're going to police that with waves setting of 30 mins apart and with 400 in each there's potentially going to be 1200 bikes on the bike loop of 10km so I'm going to make sure I loudly shout on your right if I get to pass anyone and look like I'm trying to get past quickly at all times Only my 3rd tri but now decided as not going for a PB going to enjoy myself especialy as have now raised all my pennies and then some
  PS ring me 01974 298183 to organise lift

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• clv101 Posts: 45

  July 2009

  I think the most important thing is to relax and ~try~ not to worry about it. Just ride along at your own pace keeping to the left and everything will be just fine. As long as you follow basic rules like getting your helmet on and fastened, mounting and dismounting in the right place, remembering your number (back on bike, front on run), etc you’ll be fine. Regarding drafting, just keep your distance from anyone in front and if they are going too slowly, take a deep breath, speed up and pass them quickly.
  
  I did my first Tri a couple of weeks ago and it turned out to be much simpler than I had been imagining.
  
  Good luck and remember to have fun!

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• TRIumphant Posts: 850

  July 2009

  To answer in order:
  1 More than you can possibly imagine.
  2 Swearing is the only thing you will hear
  3 They will be continuous, as soon as you remount, you will be off again
  4 Position your self away from anyone else, Car Parks a good place
  5 Spectators won;t be too much of an issue, other than they will be swearing at you and trying to kick you off your bike
  6 If you make it out f the water without being disquailified it'll be a loody miracle
  
  No, seriously:
  1 No one will hate you, the moment you pitch up at registration you'l find that 99% of Triathletes are decent people, friendly, and will offer any assitance or advide you require, just don't be scared to ask.
  2 It's very unlikely that you'll get swarn at. Remeber, there's over 10,000 competitors, and about 4,000 of those have never done a Tri before, so they are all in the sam eposition as you. The difference you have is that you are on this Forum and asking questions ahead of the race. Forwarned is forearmed.
  3 No one will kcik you off. Just remeber the rules of the road. Stick to the left hand side, look before you move out to pass someone, and yes, there will be someone slower than you and you will pass them. Keep and eye out and your ears open for those who are going pass you, they'll either shout "on your right" etc or you'll hear the drum of a disc wheel
  4 See 3 above
  5 Never done London so can;t comment, but at other races there's been dedictaed pedestrian crossing which are marshalled. I would have thought that London ebing the size it is, if there are any crossings they will be well controlled.
  6 Remember, put your helmet on and do the strap up before you touch your bike, and rack your bike before you take your helmet off, this is one of the key rules, and probably the most policed. Mount your bike after the mount line, and not in transition, and likewise dismount when your told. Generally, these two issues afffect the H&S of you and others and that's why they're most policed. As to drafting, there are going to be som many competitors I can;t see how anyone is going to be able to stay within the required clear distances. As long as you're not wheel to wheel for a long time, they should leave you alone.
  
  There's one other key question you didn't ask which clearly shows that you are a novice. Will I enjoy yourself. You can answer that on Monday.

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• sAltBaR_active Posts: 131

  July 2009

  I was pretty worried about all this before my first tri but it does work itself out on the course, there are times when it bunches up slightly and you may have to pause to allow others to overtake you before you can overtake the person in front depending on the width of the path or road .. as long as you show best endeavors and don't plonk yourself right behind someone when you have ample opportunity to either pass or drop back out of their draft slightly without causing problems for a big group behind you ..
  the other common situation is that you catch a person up very gradually and just aren't able to overtake them quickly, but are traveling faster, rather than slow your race right down i just more out slightly right of them so I'm not directly in the draft .. sometimes they speed up when they see you so the overtake can last for ages but once in front it's then their duty to drop away or move out of draft.
  
  note: i am a novice but that is my experience so far.
  note 2: never panic and make any sudden moves, always take time to check it's clear of other cyclists or even vehicles, it's amazing how fast these carbon aero bikes can creep up you .

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• moonshine Posts: 335

  July 2009

  it's amazing how fast these carbon aero bikes can creep up you

  if you think the RAF is about to land on your head it wil be the sound from the carbon aero wheels coming up behind you

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• sporteve Posts: 141

  July 2009

  thank you all very much for your replies, all a great help and a valuable insight that i shall keep in mind during the race
  
  ...triumphant you had me for ages...!
  
  given that i am in the last racing group of the day and definitely not the fastest, i am pretty sure by the time i am on the bike the carbon aero wheels riders will have already packed and gone home so it'll be me and some other slow people!

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