My perspective on Age Group racing-Specifically Drafting

As this is my personal blog I feel it is my outlet to speak on nonsense and also on issues that effect me. Cool huh? I also use this to answer questions that people ask me during my normal work week. I am in the service business and deal with many people on a daily basis so these questions and topics arise.

Drafting has been and will always be a divisive and prickly topic in not only Professional triathlon racing but also in Age Group racing. I have been racing as an Age Grouper for 13 years and have been involved in the sport from a governing side for five years. I have taken the USAT Officials course and worked at races.

Here's the real situation:
-There are more races now so more ahtletes
-Courses are held on tight single lane roads
-Sometimes the age group waves are only seperated by 2-3 minutes
-There are many athletes who are not fast swimmers but are of more even caliber in the cycling leg

So with all these things combined YES it is tough sometimes, only sometimes to get into an individual groove. Not impossible.

Ok, I am a better then average swimmer, not the first guy out of the water, but top 3-5 in most races. So the typical way Sprint and Olympic races go for me is to have very few cyclists around me on the course but I also get a good view on the course (they are typically out and back) of where people are. I see the packs and there are many of them. I know who the honest guys are and who are the consistent drafters. It doesn't matter if you are back of the pack or trying to qualify for a championship race. Get out of the draft. This is the way it is. I am not crying here but I know who the fair guys are.

Bottom line is that drafting is cheating. An athlete is getting an unfair advantage on the bike and will be going faster then they would on there own. As well and people forget this, an athletes legs will be fresher and they will be able to run faster. These two major points are at the crux of the drafting issue.

Drafting/cheating is no different then using a banned substance. If the rules said we could draft than great, let's get the pack rolling. But, they don't and we shouldn't. It is an individual sport to see who is the fastest all by themselves. The rules in the USAT sanctioned Age Group races say there must be three bike lengths between you and the rider ahead. Ok so let's say there are a lot of people in a wave and they all come out relatively close. What does an athlete do? Simple, just let the group or individual pass you and ride it all by yourself, face the wind yourself, climb the hill yourself, race yourself. Now, the rules state if an athlete passes you then you must fall back three bike lengths out of the slipstream. It is up to the athlete to fall back out of the box before they can repass (if necessary) the rider.
Get this, I have actually had an athlete say to me after a race, "Were you with us on the bike?" Jeezzzz. There is no US in our racing and there should never be an US. If you are in the situation and are drafting will you be able to hold your head high after the race and know you did your best? Will you be able to face your friends or family and know that you competed fairly and honestly?

Now there is pacing that is allowed. Meaning that if you stay more then three bike lengths behind a rider you are legal. I see some of this going on and good on the athletes for using the rules. Nothing wrong with that.

I love racing and will just continue to race hard when I can and ignore the other cheaters. But I see and hear a lot and if you are cheating then MAN up, race fair and let the chips fall where they may. If a rider comes up on me and passes me then AWESOME you are doing good work and you should keep on trucking. I ain't the best, never said I was but just love the racing! Till next time.
Coffee of the Day: Starbucks Mocha Java

Travel, TriFest, triathlon successes and meltdowns but it's all good!

Well I have been in three different cities in the las three weeks. We started with our Annual Clermont training camp which was a blast with eight fantastic athletes. I wrote about this in a previous post I just remebered. Four days later I was at the Inaugural TriFest in Tucson with TriSports which will be a huge event in years to come. This years event was a great series of training sessions, lectures and manufacturer displays. I gave two seminars which I hear were recieved quite well and enjoyed some tough training like the climb up Mt. Lemmon and the killer short but steep climb up Gates Pass. I did the river run for over an hour which was just lovely. I got a chance to hang with some great people from Rotor Bike, QR and TriSports.
Aftere Tucson Erinne, Kaia Blu and I went to Vero Beach for a few days of R and R but I had to do one of my favorite races. Floridas Great Escape. I love the course and the RD puts on a perfectevent. in Lake Louisa and it was a good race but freezing cold so my legs didnt wake up till the run. I swam :20 faster then last year but bike 1:30 slower and ran over :30 faster so a wash but a fun race none the less and I highly recommend it.
I came home and had a good few days of work.
I tapered down for about 3 days for this new MIT Triathlon that was here in Miami. It was a first time race by first time race director so I new it was going to be a crapshoot but they sure tries to get all the ducks in a row and make a polished event. I felt great going to the race with Erinne racing the Sprint and me the OD. Our friend Matty Reed was racing the Pro event. The swim started really early and it was still almost dark so I had probably the best swim start of my life. Nice and clean with two great fly strokes to kick it off. I ended up swimming hard right next to two of my fave athletes I coach, Jeremy and Gustavo. They rocked and oushed me hard so we came out all together in 15:00, OK issue 1 was the swim was 300-400 meters short but OK I mounted my new Lucero Lite (great bike and it rocks), I went out and had tight legs as usual. After about 4 miles i looked down and had no fluids. I had a cocktail of electrolytes and calories I need and it was gone. UGHHHHHHH. I got to the first aid station and missed the fluids. I stayed postive and kept going and stayed at 240 or so watts and 23 MPH so I ned i had to get fluids on the 2nd loop, which I did but it was only water and I needed my cocktial. I still stayed positive. I looked down at my SRM as the bike finished and it said 42.2K so the bike was long and swim short- a wash but how hard it is it to get distances correct with GPS and Google Earth. Off on the trot I went leaving the issues behind and feeling happy to run. Pretty trail, lots of roots and I saw a guy wipe out bad running. OUCH. i got in some fluids and energy drink on the first loop but the second they ran out of energy drink and cups. OOOOFFFAAHHHH I hurt bad the last 1.5 miles and it showed. Mnay friends passed me but TO ALL THOSE THAT YELLED FORME. THANKS- YOU ROCK AND I HEARD YOU BUT WAS IN A WORLD OF HURT!! I will say hi next time but thought I was going to end up in the Med tent. The last mile brutally sucked with no fluids and my ITB flaring up. So I finished and will get them better next time. Just another race. Erinne did well and is happy to be getting fit again. MATTY WON THE WHOLE THING. Very happy for him and we went to KFC to celebrate.
Now we are home for a while beofre going out to IMAZ and then to our NC Camp. Are you coming?
Coffe today: Murrays Market Mocha Java