Nate, Regarding drafting at IMFL: I did it in 2010 and I didn't think it was that bad or at least nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated. I got out of the water in 1:05 but had a 17 minute T1 because of a broken Garmin watch problem that needed fixing. So I probably hit the bike a little before the masses did but not by much. There was one peloton group that blasted by me around mile 20. Maybe 30 riders or so. It was annoying but that was the only group I saw all day. The marshals broke them up a couple of times and eventually the group broke apart. There might have been more groups behind me though.
I agree with the point about the cheaters falling in love with the winning and falling out of love with the sport. It's gotta be something, because I don't really understand - as others ask "how could you live with yourself??". But I am totally a MOPer on a good day so I don't know what it's like to win.
Interesting point a few posts back about runners and cutting corners though... I did IMAZ twice, and both times I made it a point to run on grass or dirt if it was right by the walkway along the lake. I would also definitely take a *longer* route to stay on the grass/dirt if I could. But I did this because I felt like it saved my legs a little bit. Does that (and the motivation to do it that way) count as cheating?? At the time I really just thought I was saving energy, now I'm not so sure...!
@nate: by definition doesn't everyone one of us that wears an IM shirt or IM finisher jacket suffer from NPD to a degree? I think that there are levels of narcissism that work, they are after all the brain's method of allowing the ego to survive, and then there are degrees to which this is off kilter. Clearly, any of these individuals are way above anyone who is in a draft pack, illegal, but everyone is doing it, sorta like when you are on an interstate and the flow of traffic is 80, yes you shouldnt draft, but can you always help it? or do you want to end up back in T1?
I, like most, do these events to challenge myself, the hours of training provide me the time (perhaps too much) to find peace for myself, I call it my thinking time, others meditate or do yoga, I SBR. The event is simply a test, how am I doing? How am I coming up the curve? what was my % finish. Do I dream of a KQ one day, sure, but as I previously posted elsewhere an Olympic gold medalist in Sailing, Paul Elvstrom said it best: "You haven't won the race, if in winning the race you have lost the respect of your competitors."
I think Al T best described what winning is in the eyes of yourself and your competitors in his blog entry here: http://bikrutz.org/triblog/?p=883 where he talks about going to shake hands with the guy he outrun for 1st place in IMAZ last November. Do any of us think Al is narcissistic? Or is he the ultimate competitor, and as we all in the haus know, as gracious of an individual that can be found anywhere.
As far as anyone that needs to cheat to win an IM podium spot in the AG, or KQ, or a mary, I don't get it, I think if one needs to impress their friends, most are pretty impressed that we do the stuff we do as it is from their vantage point on the couch!
FWIW: i was just beyond the wetsuit strippers and saw this guy running up the chute in 3rd overall and we spectators were all confused about it. i don't have the body of a triathlete that i should, and this guy looked worse than me. I couldn't imagine that he came close to potts on his swim time, never mind faster, yes, it was that obvious.
@ Scott, can't argue with that. Its a small degree in all of us. I blame "society"...I only rarely wear IM gear outside the house (Seriously maybe 3 times in the past year)...but do have a 140.6 sticker on the back of my car. Go figure...
Yeah, can't argue that there's a bit of ego in all of us. I think the major difference between boasting about an IM finish and cheating your way towards one is an issue of empathy. The former is relatively "harmless", even if it's self-serving. In the latter, you have people who just don't know/care about the impact of those actions on others and are taking unfair advantage over their competitors . I dunno, I feel that egregious cheating in races is maybe one of the lesser transgressions for these folks. I'm sure there are plenty of other ways in which their lack of integrity in reflected in life...
@ Nate - might as well not be so self-conscious of IM gear if you have the stickah! btw, my cardiologist, who i consider a pretty humble guy, has an IM poster and banner in his office as well as i learned, a IM plug on the trailer hitch of his SUV...
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Regarding drafting at IMFL: I did it in 2010 and I didn't think it was that bad or at least nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated. I got out of the water in 1:05 but had a 17 minute T1 because of a broken Garmin watch problem that needed fixing. So I probably hit the bike a little before the masses did but not by much. There was one peloton group that blasted by me around mile 20. Maybe 30 riders or so. It was annoying but that was the only group I saw all day. The marshals broke them up a couple of times and eventually the group broke apart. There might have been more groups behind me though.
So the guy who cheated in the 1904 Olympic marathon apparently wasn't the only cause of drama in that race...
I agree with the point about the cheaters falling in love with the winning and falling out of love with the sport. It's gotta be something, because I don't really understand - as others ask "how could you live with yourself??". But I am totally a MOPer on a good day so I don't know what it's like to win.
Interesting point a few posts back about runners and cutting corners though... I did IMAZ twice, and both times I made it a point to run on grass or dirt if it was right by the walkway along the lake. I would also definitely take a *longer* route to stay on the grass/dirt if I could. But I did this because I felt like it saved my legs a little bit. Does that (and the motivation to do it that way) count as cheating?? At the time I really just thought I was saving energy, now I'm not so sure...!
@nate: by definition doesn't everyone one of us that wears an IM shirt or IM finisher jacket suffer from NPD to a degree? I think that there are levels of narcissism that work, they are after all the brain's method of allowing the ego to survive, and then there are degrees to which this is off kilter. Clearly, any of these individuals are way above anyone who is in a draft pack, illegal, but everyone is doing it, sorta like when you are on an interstate and the flow of traffic is 80, yes you shouldnt draft, but can you always help it? or do you want to end up back in T1?
I, like most, do these events to challenge myself, the hours of training provide me the time (perhaps too much) to find peace for myself, I call it my thinking time, others meditate or do yoga, I SBR. The event is simply a test, how am I doing? How am I coming up the curve? what was my % finish. Do I dream of a KQ one day, sure, but as I previously posted elsewhere an Olympic gold medalist in Sailing, Paul Elvstrom said it best: "You haven't won the race, if in winning the race you have lost the respect of your competitors."
I think Al T best described what winning is in the eyes of yourself and your competitors in his blog entry here: http://bikrutz.org/triblog/?p=883 where he talks about going to shake hands with the guy he outrun for 1st place in IMAZ last November. Do any of us think Al is narcissistic? Or is he the ultimate competitor, and as we all in the haus know, as gracious of an individual that can be found anywhere.
As far as anyone that needs to cheat to win an IM podium spot in the AG, or KQ, or a mary, I don't get it, I think if one needs to impress their friends, most are pretty impressed that we do the stuff we do as it is from their vantage point on the couch!
FWIW: i was just beyond the wetsuit strippers and saw this guy running up the chute in 3rd overall and we spectators were all confused about it. i don't have the body of a triathlete that i should, and this guy looked worse than me. I couldn't imagine that he came close to potts on his swim time, never mind faster, yes, it was that obvious.
btw, my cardiologist, who i consider a pretty humble guy, has an IM poster and banner in his office as well as i learned, a IM plug on the trailer hitch of his SUV...
@Ansom - VERY well put!