Swim Start
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jsk85 posted 9 weeks ago.
If it were me and I were blessed with your speed. I would start near the front of the pack on the outside. That way you can make a straight shot in the direction of the first buoy (albeit at a slight angle), but you won't be in the midst of the sprinters that I assume would be in the front middle. This would make it easier to get into your spot without having to fight too much and you might be able to slide over toward the main path a little after the start to get in on the sprinters draft line.
I am a MOP to BOP swimmer, so have not been in this situation before, so FWIW this is mostly just basic theory I'm applying here
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TriSooner posted 9 weeks ago.
jsk85 wrote:
I would start near the front of the pack on the outside
+1 Near the front. It helps to look at the overall swim finish time too. For comparison, I did 1:12 at IM CDA and it put me 900/2000+
If I was doing 1:06 in a pool, I'd bet you could go sub 1 or close to it which would put you FOP. However, I do NOT to start outside. You swim farther and you still have to fight the turns at the bouys. You are allowed to swim inside the imaginary lines as much as you want . . . as long as you make the turn correctly, outside of them. Less crowded.
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Trisport posted 9 weeks ago.
+1 front of the pack, but go inside. Swimming is my best leg (21-23 min OLY), and the fastest guys who go balistic at the swim start will be at the front-middle, but using the rationale that the shortest distance b/w 2 points, I take the front-inside position.
I don't know what other advice you have gotten about your pace at the start, but I find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a moderate pace at the start. There are people swimming all over you with all kinds of ability and combined with your nerves your body just wants to bolt out of the gates. I think you will find that if you take out the first 100m pretty fast and settle in to your pace you will be in a comfortable position physically and mentally. Otherwise, if you hit your pace from the start, you will be caught up in a lot of clutter as the slower swimmers who sprinted at the start begin to fall back. IMO when this happens a lot of engery is wasted getting over and around swimmers b/c you're not able to maintain your smooth stroke.
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Ironmom posted 9 weeks ago.
I'm a pretty fast swimmer, and every course is different as far as where I want to start. Sometimes there's wind or waves coming from one direction, or other obstacles that make it advantageous to start to the inside or outside.
As far as pool time corresponding to open-water time, I think that varies with conditions too. I swim a 4000 yards in the pool in :57:30. My 2.4 swim times have been 58:35 and 1:03. When you're swimming 4000 yards in the pool, you're rarely biking 112 and running 26.2 afterwards, so you can afford to go a little faster :-). Also, you will get some advantage out of the wetsuit but that may be offset by wind/waves/other swimmers/crowding at the buoys, and sighting.
In an IM, there really is no "good place" to start with that many athletes. Unless you let everyone go and swim at the back of the pack (not recommended for a fast swimmer), you're going to get pummelled. At the front of the pack, it's a little more frenetic but generally the swimmers are all experienced and at least they aren't blundering into you. At IM Florida, I came out #182 of 2300 or so, and it was basically a slugfest almost the whole way (I had my big toe dislocated by another swimmer, and I felt like I had gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson when I was done!)
My advice for a first IM would be to cruise the swim and not try to break any speed records. You've got a long day ahead of you, so don't get too wrapped up in trying to beat your pool time in that first hour! Take your best estimate and add plus or minus ten minutes, and then you won't get too worked up about it if you're not right on the money. The biggest mistake I see first-time IM'ers making is getting caught up in worrying about making their time estimates, failing to take into consideration the course and conditions of the day, and then blowing up long before the end because they've pushed too hard, too early.
Blue Skies, -Robin-
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/
Currently I can swim 4000 yards in 1 hour 6 minutes in the pool. I have heard with a wet suit I will be able to reduce my time and effort substantially. Hopefully I will be able to do the 2.4 in a little less than an hour.
My question is though, having never done an open water swim, where do I start?
I have no experience yet I feel I can finish fairly well. Also I am not for sprinting at the start like some may do. I have played around with this and I do better finding my pace and keeping it rather than sprinting, then getting into my groove. Finally I am not worried about having a 'rough' start, I think I can fight my way to wherever I need to get to as good as anyone.
Thanks!
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”