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My first OD and the bike is short...

Why - when it took me only 5 minutes on http://gb.mapometer.com/en/ have the race organisers decided to make the bike only 22.5 ish miles.

It's the first time they've run the event - black sheep sports Milton Keynes this sunday - let's hope the event organisation is better than the race info pack.

Is an OD race not a set distance?!?!? Or can organisers chop and change as they like???Surely its like having an ironman and only doing a 100mile bike ride! (maybe "only" is the wrong word!! )

Comments

  • hehe, breath and be at peace:)
    It will still be an enjoyible event
  • I did windsor and London OD which were 42km and 38.7km respectively. Don't know why, but didn't detrac from the enjoyment. Have fun
  • willtriwilltri Posts: 436
    Yea can't wait! I'll have to go into my happy place ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm That's better!!

    It does make it difficult to compare to other races though
  • I'm sure I;ve read somewhere in the BTF rules about distances having to be =/- 10%, as it's difficult to get any route, especially a bike route to be exactly 40km long, as is depends in junctions etc. It's also why you can;t really compare performance in one race against another, as not only do terrains and climatic condtions differ, but also the differences. As least now you have assessed the distance, and can start accelerating into transtion from 37km, rather than leaving it until 39km, and already being there. Of course, the other positive is that you'll probably get a PB.
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    look on the bright side - defo pb!

    enjoy the race, if it is your first od hopefully you'll have a good one.
  • i'm sure the elites never have this conversation - unless they happen to do extra bike laps! if you do it again next year, you can then compare
  • I don't think i've ever done a Triathlon where at least one of the 3 disciplines have been incorrect.
    I doubt Alaister Brownlee would argue that his 28.40 10km in the London triathlon was short, Alaister having come from a running background and ran 29.30 in the Manchester 10km where Heile Gabr.... ran over 27 mins.
    Rother Valley OD had the leader coming out of the swim in 14 mins and i remember saying to the guy stood next to me on the start line this isn't gonna be 1500m, 1000m perhaps just by looking at where the buoys where placed, i even asked was it 2 laps..
    Most Triathlons should use the words approx distance.
    I competed in the supposidly first Ironman in Britain called the lincoln Ironman in 1984, turned out to be a 1.5 mile swim, 110 miles bike and correct distance run, the following year they where half a mile short on the swim and 3 miles short on the run.
  • jibby26jibby26 Posts: 261
    I'm doing this event too and also slighly disappointed by the short bike leg. I understand that it is not always easy to make a sprint 20km, an OD 40km. It's not just a little short, it was advertised as 40km, and I could forgive 5-10% short but it is over 5km shorter. Looking at the map I can make a bike leg that is 39 km, using almost all the same roads, that would only require 1 more marshalling point (granted I don't know the condition of the road it uses but appears to be a public, tarmac road from satellite image).
  • willtriwilltri Posts: 436
    jibby26 wrote:
    I'm doing this event too and also slighly disappointed by the short bike leg. I understand that it is not always easy to make a sprint 20km, an OD 40km. It's not just a little short, it was advertised as 40km, and I could forgive 5-10% short but it is over 5km shorter. Looking at the map I can make a bike leg that is 39 km, using almost all the same roads, that would only require 1 more marshalling point (granted I don't know the condition of the road it uses but appears to be a public, tarmac road from satellite image).
    Exactly - i just don't understand it.

    Weather's looking good though!
  • Most road races have a certificate to say that the course has been officially measured and are the correct distance i.e 10km, half marathon and marathon.
    In cycling time trials you have the RTTC measurement certificate, but i can't recall ever doing a Triathlon that had an official measurement certificate or statement.
    I have been to some triathlons along time ago that claimed the swim had been measured by laser.
  • huwdhuwd Posts: 228
    What about world championship courses? I'm guessing there must be harder regulations on distance for those.
  • I'm sure if Brownlee had of finished 2nd in London and lost by 5 seconds to someone he had caught 2 minutes on on the run, he would of questioned why the course was short.
    What is the World best for the Olympic distance triathlon male and female? is there one? and if there is then the Triathlon World governing body would have to measure the course to ratify it as a World best, as is the case for World best's in road running, World records on the other hand in running are recognized only on the track.
    When you enter a 10km for example you expect it to be very accurate, with Olympic distance triathlon i don't see that urgency, i did 7 Olympic distance triathlons this year and my finish times had 12 mins difference from fastest to the slowest yet with very little difference in performance.
    I still see triathlon as being a sport with approximate distances not offically measured one's.
    With Alaister having ran London in 28.40 and the World best being about 2 mins on the roads faster than that, then why are triathletes not cycling 50 minutes in a triathlon for 40km, the closest record to compare that with is Chris Boardman's 25 mile time trial record of 45.57, and 25 mile's is further than 40km.
    it's no good having an accurate bike ride then a run that is half a mile short.
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