LonDon Triathlon 2013

Hi all,

 

I wanted to see if anyone on hear has any knowledge of the course for the London Triathlon this weekend? It is only my 3rd Tri and my first Olympic distance so any help advice would be great.

 

According to the website it mentions that wetsuits are compulsory is this the case regardless of the temperature?

 

Many thanks in advance,

Kritter86

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Comments

  • If the temperature of the water is over 22C I believe there would be a wetsuit ban. In our event yesterday they found a spot at 21.8C, very convenient eh? image

  • That is what I am hoping for for Symes. I would really hope for the same situation come Sunday. As i said though there is no mention of anything relating to the temp on the race information?

  • Kritter,

    the BTF (British Triathlon Federation) rules state that for a 1500m swim wetsuits will be forbidden if the water temperature is above 22 celcius.  I'm relatively certain that the event will be run under these rules.

    Edit: last on the ball again.....

  • I'm certain it will be as well but found it strange that there was little mention of this?

     

    Fingers crossed for some patch of the water to be sub 22 deg C image

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    I was talking to someone yesterday who is one of the BTF officials at London Tri and it's not quite as easy as stating the BTF rules on this....(wouldn't you guess that!)

    despite the water temp possibly being above the BTF limit for wetsuits, it would appear that the Port of London Authority (PLA) who owns the dock has a rule that says that anyone in their waters in a sporting event, MUST have a "flotation aid" (or something like that not knowing the precise wording) - so for triathletes, that's a wetsuit.  and I think the PLA doesn't have it as an optional - it's compulsory.

    I don't know which takes precedence - PLA or BTF - so be prepared for either scenario!

    just hope that the planned down downpours this week cool the water enough for this not be an issue...

  • Re the course, doesn't it depend on which day your racing, one day goes down along side Londodn city airport and the other is into the city and up to Big ben.  Pan flat in both directions and fairly good road conditions.

  • Cheers Fat Buddha, when you put it like that it makes sense. I did suspect that it had something to do with the location of the swim.

     

    Would be great if they had this on the website....image

  • fat buddha wrote (see)

    I was talking to someone yesterday who is one of the BTF officials at London Tri and it's not quite as easy as stating the BTF rules on this....(wouldn't you guess that!)

    despite the water temp possibly being above the BTF limit for wetsuits, it would appear that the Port of London Authority (PLA) who owns the dock has a rule that says that anyone in their waters in a sporting event, MUST have a "flotation aid" (or something like that not knowing the precise wording) - so for triathletes, that's a wetsuit.  and I think the PLA doesn't have it as an optional - it's compulsory.


    Just to play devil's advocate slightly, if the BTF are concerned that swimming in a wetsuit in warm water has a risk of overheating (a not unreasonable position, to be fair) why do they not require an alternative 'flotation aid' in a non-wetsuit swim to satisfy the PLA?  After all, they classify swimskins, buoyancy shorts and even calf guards as buoyancy aids normally banned in a non-wetsuit swim.

    (I do realise that the reason they don't do this is because announcing to several thousand people an hour before the event that they must buy a swimskin would cause a riot, but there you go)

  • I'm taking part on Sunday.

    I'm not an expert but I'd stake my elevenses that there's bugger all chance the water in Royal Vic docks will exceed 22'C.

    On that basis the "boil in the bag" option is what I'll be going for, in the hope it doesn't last more than 25/26 minutes.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭
    Cheerful Dave wrote (see)
    fat buddha wrote (see)

    I was talking to someone yesterday who is one of the BTF officials at London Tri and it's not quite as easy as stating the BTF rules on this....(wouldn't you guess that!)

    despite the water temp possibly being above the BTF limit for wetsuits, it would appear that the Port of London Authority (PLA) who owns the dock has a rule that says that anyone in their waters in a sporting event, MUST have a "flotation aid" (or something like that not knowing the precise wording) - so for triathletes, that's a wetsuit.  and I think the PLA doesn't have it as an optional - it's compulsory.


    Just to play devil's advocate slightly, if the BTF are concerned that swimming in a wetsuit in warm water has a risk of overheating (a not unreasonable position, to be fair) why do they not require an alternative 'flotation aid' in a non-wetsuit swim to satisfy the PLA?  After all, they classify swimskins, buoyancy shorts and even calf guards as buoyancy aids normally banned in a non-wetsuit swim.

    (I do realise that the reason they don't do this is because announcing to several thousand people an hour before the event that they must buy a swimskin would cause a riot, but there you go)

    to correct you CD - swimskins are not classed as buoyancy aids - just aids.  as are calf guards.  buoyancy shorts are also classed as aids but the reason there is clear - they are buoyant.   basically, anything that could gain an athlete an advantage in a non-wetsuit swim is classed as an aid - buoyancy or not.

    yes, wetsuits are buoyant but that issue is surmounted as they are classed as costumes not aids.  fun eh??  image

    it's taken me a little while to understand the differences as a BTF official but I'm now up to speed after last weekend..... image

  • Well this does seem to be rather confusing again it surprises me that there is absolutly zero mention of this on the event website!

    Like you Robbie I will be taking the boil in the bag option just a little longer as I Swim like Mo Farah bench presses (with great difficulty).

    Thanks all for the info, will let you know how I get on losing my Olympic cherry...gulp!image

  • fat buddha wrote (see)

    to correct you CD - swimskins are not classed as buoyancy aids - just aids.  as are calf guards.  buoyancy shorts are also classed as aids but the reason there is clear - they are buoyant.   basically, anything that could gain an athlete an advantage in a non-wetsuit swim is classed as an aid - buoyancy or not.

     

    Watches, heartrate monitors, GPS?  Anything that could give feedback to a competitor during the swim could be considered an aid.  Can of worms?

    At the end of the day though, I'll happily go along with whatever rules are in place.  They don't all have to be logical image

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭
    Cheerful Dave wrote (see)
    fat buddha wrote (see)

    to correct you CD - swimskins are not classed as buoyancy aids - just aids.  as are calf guards.  buoyancy shorts are also classed as aids but the reason there is clear - they are buoyant.   basically, anything that could gain an athlete an advantage in a non-wetsuit swim is classed as an aid - buoyancy or not.

     

    Watches, heartrate monitors, GPS?  Anything that could give feedback to a competitor during the swim could be considered an aid.  Can of worms?

    At the end of the day though, I'll happily go along with whatever rules are in place.  They don't all have to be logical image

    and don't forget aero bikes, aero helmets, elastic laces, etc etc for the bike and run elements.

    yes - can of worms.  no - logical

    I guess that's why the ITU and BTF have rules commitees to oversee these matters and makes changes as needed but without becoming too hamstrung and have rules for the sake of rules.

    anyway - good luck for those at London - whatever happens with the swim!

  • they could just hand out a free pullbuoy to all swimmers.would work for me.........

    if the BTF let them go ahead and swim in the higher temperatures in a wetsuit.......then surely they must think about scraping their rules....

    if someone suffers and dies in the swim after they have declared that in their own research its dangerous to swim in a wetsuit at high temps........and then force you to swim in one..then i could see a massive legal claim from families

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    seren - read back - it won't be the BTF making the call on the wetsuits for this in all probability but the PLA (Port of London Authority) who own the dock.  the race is run under BTF rules, but any event can apply to the BTF to have an exception included for that event for whatever reason, and provided that the BTF agree to it, then it's allowed.

    I'm only guessing here and maybe the PLA applied for a "must be a wetsuit swim" exception and it's been granted.

    London has a very large number of newbies and charity racers who will probably be weaker swimmers, so on safety grounds, they will agree to a wetsuit swim even if the water is above 22C.

    it's not a question of the BTF scrapping any rules, or forcing people to race in wetsuits (the BTF don't manage the event anyway) but looking at local conditions to agree a variation to fit circumstances.  99% of events work well within the current BTF rules setup - London is an outlier to standard setups and always has been that way.

    if you want to point fingers than it's the PLA that they need pointing at, not the BTF

    and fwiw - I believe there have been 4 (?) deaths in the swim at London - all cardiac events with underlying causes and nothing to do with hyperthermia

  • Ah right.......

    I would have thought though the figures arrived at were just not plucked from the air......that somewhere someone had done some research and seen where it was deemed dangerous....

    hopefully rain will cool it down and it will not be an issue..

  • so far so good on the rain side of things. fingers crossed!

  • I'm in the drink at 14:55 tomorrow.

    Good luck to all others taking part.

  • Completed my first ever triathlon - the Olympic distance at London yesterday.  Thoroughly enjoyed a brilliantly organised event.  Chuffed to bits to come home in 2:33:09....

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    any idea what the water temperature was as I noticed they went ahead with making wetsuits compulsory??

  • Arnie - that's an awesome time well done.

    For the money you pay to enter (and park!) this tri has a very dull course, no finishers kit (save for uninventive medal) and is by and large soulless.

    I would encourage you to sign up for some smaller events, not least because a normal sized transition will cut time off your finish, with the holy grail of a sub 2:30 finish easily attainable!

  • FB, on entry the water felt cool but hanging around for half hour in wetsuit when air temp was 24/25, would probably have made a cup-a-soup feel cool. 

    Sarcasm aside, there was no "boil in bag" feeling during swim and I'd hazard an uneducated guess that it was around 20'C.

  • Arnie bloody great effort. The as Robbie said felt cool on entry as there was a little wait in your wet suit just to make sure your sweat glands were working.image

     

    Is it normal for the swim to resemble a scrum? I've played rugby all my life so was used to the being struck from every direction possible. I found myself trying to steer clear from the scrum but that was easier said than done. The buoys weren't the biggest so I just followed the crowd and mass of splash in front of me knowing that at least I was going in the right direction. When I eventually finished I was helped out and then rushing to get my wetsuit off and stuff it in to a plastic bag. As I’m jogging along with the Santa sack in tow I was then greeted by a set of stairs which was the start of what seemed like the longest transition known to man! Up the stairs, the longest possible route to T1 and the swim was done.

    Bike at my side running to the mount line I quickly hopped on and began to make up the places I knew I had to as the swim is by far my weakest section. As I just about got myself set in the saddle down a sharp hill and round a corner in the what seemed like darkness thanks to my shades I was greet by "slow down, water" from a marshal. I didn't take too much notice and raced through the wet corners with the best racing line possible. "I'm not slowing down for water I need all the speed I can get". A few cheeky slopes rather than hills on the bike, I was straight out the saddle thinking these tree trunk legs need to make up for all that extra weight they bring! Didn't crash didn’t get a big DQ so the bike was drawing to an end and I was feeling tired but ok. Rookie error of trying to dismount too quickly to be met with a massive bit of cramp down the right hamstring. "OK I’ll try that a little slower" I thought, this time my leg was more compliant. Jogged in to T2, bike ditched, shoes on ready to see what my legs would give me.

    School boy error number 1 when I ran the wrong way for about 10m down transition to then have to turn around looking like a right pleb! Started steady and waited for my body to realise that I'm wanting it to run. I tried to gradually pick the pace up but my legs weren't having any of it. Cramp and twitches were a regular occurrence from the 2nd lap onwards. Entering the final lap I took advantage of the Maxifuel stands free gels, not sure if it was the offering of free editable products (something that I rarely turn my snout up at) or the beaming smile of the eye candy handing them out image. ***Warning*** Viper gels are designed to be lime flavour, these products however will turn your face inside out. Wow that made sure I was awake! Trying to pick the pace up on the final lap grinning like an idiot as I got closer to the finish, feet bleeding, legs feeling the deep burn and I even managed a sprint(ish) finish. 2:43:39 splits 38:03, 1:10:24 and 48:41.

    Chuffed to bits and can't wait to get under 2:30. One day. One day

  • Robbie forgot to say I was a little let down with no goodie bag at all!

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    nice one Kritter

    as a fellow rugby player (now retired front rower) mass swims are something else eh??  you get used to them eventually but you have to accept that you will get kicked and punched - just give as good as you get..... image

  • cheers FB I wasn't sure what the rule was but there is only so much you can take before you think "that is ENOUGHimage" and start trading blows. I even found my self kicking gently incase I caught someone.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    I once deliberately punched someone in London Tri - bugger swam into me 3x when we were clear of the scrum.  he clearly couldn't swim straight so I whacked him - never saw him again....  image

  • Does anyone who did the olympic course on Sunday afternoon have an accurate distance for the bike and the run (not sure if the run was different during the weekend)?

    I measured the swim as 1593m (garmin fr110 watch in my swim cap) but my garmin 310xt on my arm failed to get a lock until well into the bike, and it went crazy in the 4 * tunnels, and when running in the building 3 times too.

    Thanks

  • FB I think similar things may have happend on Sunday...

     

    Bhosty, sorry I didnt even run with a watch so wouldn't be able to help. Would be interested to hear what info you can gather though.

  • Hi,

    Thanks.  I agree the bike was a bit short.  I plotted the route on ridewithgps and it came out around 23-23.5 miles rather than 25.

    I was we'll chuffed to get 2:33:09.  Splits as follows -  Swim - 31.29, T1 - 4:58, Bike - 1:02:53, T2 - 3:06, run 50:45........

    I really enjoyed it and would dearly love to get under 2:30, although with a full 25 mile bike this will mean I have to cut around 10mins.  I think I can knock a bit off transitions  and could definitely improve my run time with a few more training runs. I am however no triathlete - this is all very new to me, like I said - my first one. 

    The question is, what kind of training structure do you guys work to week in week out to help you improve?  Also, any Olympic distance events you know of in 4-6 weeks - I live brave Ipswich in Sufolk.....

    Thanks.  Really appreciate your help.

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