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Drafting in IM FL

dscribnerdscribner
in Group Discussion-Ironman Florida 2010

Hello All,

I was at IM Louiville this past weekend cheering.  In talking to some seasoned triathletes about IM Florida the theme was get ready for a lot of cheating.  Many people commented on how large race packs develop on the bike and most people end of drafting off of each other.

I am wondering if this is really true and what is the advise on how to handle this within the house?

Thanks

Dennis

Comments

  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    Dennis - I did IMFL in 2008 and the packs were huge. In many places, it simply wasn't possible to ride the legal 4 bike lengths back...too many bikes in too little space. I didn't get in the clear until about 60 miles and then it was like everyone disappeared. You can & should refuse to suck wheel, but when a 100 bike peloton comes by you will still be able to soft pedal and get pulled forward as they are passing. A couple of times between 30 and 50 miles, I moved to the front to get away but was quickly reeled back in. If you stop pedaling because you've been overtaken, then you can expect to be overtaken for a very long time...as in park the bike and wait for everyone to come by. I did my best to stay off the back as close to 4 bike lengths as possible, but there were times I could not go back more than 2 or 3 lenghts without being passed again..and..again.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Yes to packs. Last year someone video taped them during the race (anyone have that?). that said, you can only race your race. If you have goals, I would get on a fast pack but sit legally off the back to ride your watts. Nothing wrong with going 24 mph off the back of 20 doodes if you are legal. That beats the surge / sit issue of fighting in the middle of any other group...
  • Cary BlancoCary Blanco

    The video Patrick spoke of:

    Drafting in IMFL

  • Steven FordSteven Ford

    It must be an Ironman thing as at Timberman this year there were draft packs out there as well.

  • NortonNorton
    What Patrick said. I'd let the pack overtake me, slide to the back making sure I was the last rider, sit up and eat/drink/stretch, rolling legally along at reduced wattage. They would always drop me uphill as I was unwilling to spike my watts to keep up with them.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    For me, the answer is to not race IMFL . As a strong swimmer and strong cyclist, I would likely be at the front of the race all day until the run. The guys who are going to run me down will be sitting in a pack going 1mph faster than me, or at my speed, but saving 30-40w. No thanks.

    I also want to race, not ride my bike and ruminate on a moral dilemna.

    That said, I've done many sub 5:00 RR's on a flat course out here and would be curious to see what I could on a course like Florida.

  • Lynda StewartLynda Stewart
    I was in Florida last year to watch/volunteer before signing up to race this year and there were definitely LOTS of packs. We were parked at mile 90ish and there were still tons coming by. My plan is to stick to my plan and that's it! I'm not going to get caught up and get out of my zone to stay in a pack and then worry about a race official coming by(not that I think they are that far back in the field), but with that said if a pack comes by I will gladly sit on the back if it's a nice fit! I'll try to stay legal but I won't lose any sleep over it! Maybe it was because it was so shocking to see, but it seemed like more of an oddity to see a lone rider than a pack out there. We were there for at least 2 hours so we saw fast packs and slow packs and then finally those that were struggling to just keep turning the cranks.

    If I could ride/swim like Coach Rich I'd steer clear of Florida too....wouldn't want to be the one pulling the pack just to watch them run me down later! I would think the front is where the race officials are watching the closest so maybe it's not as bad up there?
  • steveperxsteveperx
    I would say to consider your goals/abilities. Are you in the hunt for a podium spot or a Kona slot? If not, who cares about other people drafting? As Coach P says, race your own race and LEGALLY take advantage of the packs if you want to.
  • manconamancona
    I'm with Rich and Steve on this one... depends on you and your goals.

    Like Rich, I have zero interest in doing Flordia becuase of the very flat bike and the drafting issue. Recently my strengh has been making up a time on the bike and therefore I want a challenging course that I can do that on, not a flat course where my competition can just sit in packs.

    As Steve said, consider your goals... if you are in the hunt, find a course that suits you and your stengths. If not, just race your race.

    BTW... before anyone says it, no Kona is not an ideal race for me in anyway however I know and understand that. But it is Kona so I'm doing it anyway.
  • cole108cole108
    I worked the penality tent at mile 88, we filled out pages of athletes that got caught drafting. At times we had to let athletes share a stop watch because we did not have enough to go around. You just have to do the best you can to stay honest.
  • Linda PatchLinda Patch

    Plenty of drafting in WI. All day long. Just sayin...

    In FL as in WI, some drafting is deliberate and calculated for sure. Some of it, however, is due to the incredibly crowded nature of these races. And that pile up of bikes can literally last for hours when you have 3000 riders out there. Sometimes in FL and in WI there was simply no where to go for a time, so riders who may seem to be drafting are in a traffic jam. Once it clears out, most riders--in both races--are looking to play fair and abide by the rules, IMO.

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