Triathlon - Two more questions

My first duathlon is in April and, as suggested by you folks, I ran and rode the course a couple of weeks ago. I learned that the bike route is twisty with a lot of rollers and the run segments are on trails. I quickly lowered my goals.

Three more questions.

1. Does anyone lock up their bikes? I'm guessing that that isn't necessary because the race organizers check to make that the no. on the bike matches the bib no. True?

2. Does anyone use an HRM to make sure that you maintain a nice, steady pace? I remember when I used to do 10K's (pre-HRM), I would get caught up in the excitement and waste myself early.

3. What constitutes drafting? three bike lengths? Is it OK to follow someone as long as you're gaining on them and you eventually pass them?

Thanks,

Cliff

1. Does anyone lock up their bikes? I'm guessing that that isn't necessary because the race organizers check to make that the no. on the bike matches the bib no. True?

2. Does anyone use an HRM to make sure that you maintain a nice, steady pace? I remember when I used to do 10K's (pre-HRM), I would get caught up in the excitement and waste myself early.

3. What constitutes drafting? three bike lengths? Is it OK to follow someone as long as you're gaining on them and you eventually pass them?


1. No don't worry about it.

2. I just got my HRM this fall and haven't had a multisport race with it yet. I have used it in road races to use the data later, but did not pace myself according to the output I was being given. I know that some IM racers use it to pace themselves throughout the day, so they don't burn out. For a short race I use perceived effort to determine if I am going too fast. If I think I can go faster and maintain, then I will. If I think I can't maintain the pace, I will level off.

3. I'm sure someone will post an official rule. I think a general rule of thumb is 3-5 bike lengths. If you are surely going to overtake the person, move over and don't be directly behind them. When I do this move, I also check that someone faster is not coming to overtake me as well.

1. No.
2. I just use perceived effort as well.
3. The rule is 3 bike lengths I believe. Most race organizers will talk about this a bit before the race. Most say if you can't make the pass in 10 or 15 seconds then drop back and no drafting. I always move over before I'm close enough anyways just to be on the safe side. As rplong said, look back first to make sure you're not about to jump in front of someone else. If there is someone obviously a lot faster than me about to pass both of us, I'll just hang back a second and let them go on. I'm not going to win anyways.

1. No
2. I check my HRM here and there but for the most part I use RPE
3. Heres the draftnig rules from the USAT:

b. Definition of Drafting Zone. The term "drafting zone" shall refer to a rectangular area seven (7) meters long and two (2) meters wide surrounding each bicycle. The longer sides of the zone begin at the leading edge of the front wheel and run backward parallel to the bicycle; the front wheel divides the short side of the zone into two equal parts. With respect to a moving motor vehicle, the "drafting zone" is a rectangular area extending 15 meters to each side of the vehicle and 30 meters behind the vehicle.

Simply stated: you wont get a fouled or a time penalty if you maintain 3-5 lengths.

Heres the really important rule:

e. Passing. A participant who approaches another cyclist from the rear or from another unfavorable position bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul even if the cyclist being approached decreases speed. A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and the athlete is confident of his/her ability to pass the other cyclist. All passing is to be done to the left of the cyclist being overtaken unless otherwise specified.

Simply stated: If I am riding behind you, I bear the responsibility of maintaining the required distance between you and I. Why? because its very dangerous for the lead rider to continually look behind him to see how far the trailing rider is behind. So, in order to avoid this, USAT puts the burder of keeping proper distance on the trailing rider. What this also means is that once the trailing rider passes the leading rider, roles are reversed and the guy who just got passed now is responsible for mainting adequate distance.

From a common sense standpoint, whenever I pass, I call the pass, and then I overtake the rider and I put some ground between the two of us. I would never pass a guy and then immediately jump in front of him without putting some distance between the two us.

Also, its also good sportsman ship to STAY RIGHT. Thats a common newbie mistake to stay left or float in the middle of the road. I have been in races where I go to pass a guy and hes either in the middle of the road or very far left. I will call the pass with a "PASSING ON YOUR LEFT" when I am good ways behind him to give him enough time to get his butt over to the right without him freaking out, which a newbie will do because he/ she is already very nervous. I have never had an issue with this, and I have never had to pass a guy on the right because he refuses to move from left to right. I think its more dangerous to call a pass when your right on someone's wheel, then no call the pass at all. Surprise someone like that and they are more apt to lock up and start weaving all over the place

Thanks, guys. It should be interesting. I guess that if you're stuck behind someone who's going just a little bit slower than you are, you need to hammer it to get pass him and not clog everything up.

Yes, basically you need to stay behind the guy and wait for the right oppurtunity to pass.

In most of the races I have done, I have never had any issue with clog points on the course. Because people are exiting the water at various times, I have never come across any large "packs" of riders. Maybe 2 or 3 in a clump but nothing worse then that

I'm not sure if this is true for all races, but I did a sprint last year where if you were going to pass someone you had to pass them in under 40 seconds, or something like that. I had only heard about it at this one race but I keep it as a rule of thumb so I don't get any penalties.

Now how cheesy would it be if someone came out of the run and decided to jump on someone else's bike?

That person would deserve a collective beating.