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where to start swim?

Dave TalloDave Tallo
in Group Discussion-Ironman Wisconsin 2012

1:03 - 1:05 IM swimmer.    Where exactly should I put myself at the swim start?  

Comments

  • manconamancona
    Directly in front of me, so I can hang on for that 1:03 :-)

    I'm currious to see what others have to say and what their experience has been. Personally, I don't mind taking a little bit of abuse for the first 500M or so. Therefore the two places I am considering starting are:

    1) right on the bouy line but a 4 or 5 back from the line - figure I will take a beating here until the first turn but if I hold on to slighly faster feet for a bit I can get in front of the majority of the mess, while also being on the most direct and shortest line. This is where the fast guys will be.

    2) just inside the ski ramp in the second line of people - it should be slighly less crowded here but most should still be good swimmer. I think this is the sweet spot for me and I am planning to swim under 1:05 non-wetsuit, hopefully under 1:03 wetsuit. The disadvantage is once everyone you are right in the middle here.

    I'm very likely going to stick with number two. I personally do not like starting outside. Even though there was less contact over there, even as a 1:12 swimmer in 2009, I had to go over and around a ton of other people as I merged over to the left to make it to the first turn buoy. Plus the swim is already 2.4 miles... I really don't need to add more by starting really wide.
  • mattsullmattsull

    Both of Matt's suggestions are good. I swam 1:06 in '08 and started in his #2 position. It was rough for about the first 100M and at the first turn but then I had a very smooth swim with very little commotion.

  • JustMikeJustMike
    Do you guys have any advice for someone that is going to swim closer to 1:30 and would prefer to not get beat up so much?
  • manconamancona
    @Michael, the IMWI swim is perfect of you. Just start wide (i.e. close to the shore) and a few rows back. Then take your time and swim striaght towards the 1st buoy staying to the outside. You will have tons of spectators on your right the entire way and the area is very wide so you can stay out of the mess until the first turn. At the first turn you can decide if you are going to merge in with everyone else or stay wide to have clear water.

    Just keep in mind, the wider you stay the longer you will be swimming, however the less contact you will have.
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    When you say "inside" the ski ramp, do you mean closer to shore (inside to the shore) or away from the shore (inside to the buoys)? Sorry for not quite catching this.

    I swam ~1:16 in 2009 and I remember it being quite rough for the whole first loop. More incentive to swim a little faster this time. :-)
  • manconamancona
    @William, sorry that wasn't clear. I mean inside the ski ramp as in between the ramp and the buoy line. I can't remember exactly but I think there is maybe 15M between them.
  • rah2774rah2774
    thanks, this is helpful... I did 1:15 in FL and had the whole beach to line up on (and had to get out of the water to cross the mat before starting the second loop). I think I'll be somewhere about 2/3 of the way over towards shore, perhaps a few rows back. Does that sound right?
  • manconamancona
    @Becky, yes, that sounds like a place that you will likely find people that are going 1:10 - 1:20 and don't want to be in the big mess inside the ski ramp.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Matt...while we have you .

    Where do the FOP swimmer guys start? Sub 55 swim

  • manconamancona
    Rich, They will be right on the buoy line. Obviously I have never been in this group but from what I have seen from the shore and heard from guys who are FOP....this will be the most agressive group all for probably the first couple hundred meters. You'll have a mix of guys that can swim and 1:00 guys trying to get on good feet. However, it actually gets sorted out much quicker than other areas as the real swimmers drop the triathletes pretty quickly and then get into a line or small pack and have open water. My guess is you will be hanging around the same 5 or 10 other guys the whole swim and have very little contact after the first turn.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich
    Yep, thanks, that what I thought and that's usually how it goes up there. I can tell by the strokes of the guys next to me who the real playas are :-) It's easily 1:18-1:20/100m for the first 400m, then settles into ~1:25 pace.
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