Pool Swim Tri Question

Unfortunately with pool swims, there will be a select group that incorrectly input their time regardless of every attempt by the race director to correctly seed everyone (mostly too aggressive, some too conservative).

The race director should address this, but typically you tap their foot and they wait at the wall for you to pass (and works both ways, if someone taps your foot you have to wait at the wall).  There should be volunteers at the ends of the lane and if they see someone slowing people down, they'll make them stop at the wall and let everyone pass.  It's very dangerous to try to pass in the lane, especially since you'll be swimming in oncoming traffic.  My brother had that problem during a sprint a couple weeks ago, it was a snake swim and some guy almost hit him head-on twice during a 300yard swim.  He had to stop and put his feet down in the pool before the guy realized it because he was trying to pass someone mid-lane.

Do you know if it's a snake swim?





Edited by strostertag 2009-05-04 8:30 AM

I believe it's a snake swim, but not positive.  That makes sense about tapping the feet and waiting at the wall.  The idea of passing mid lane sounds dangerous which is why I was so curious.  Thanks!

It depends on the pool and distance of the swim. Generally about 300 meters is normal, if it is a 50meter pool, then you shouldn't have any head on traffic each lane will probably be only one direction. A 25meter pool will be more congested then the wall is the best place to pass. You will have time to see prior to the race and can adjust your strategy from there. Good Luck!

This past weekend was my first and I can tell you near the back of the pack (I thought I would be butt slow, but butt slow is really slow) there is alot of passing everywhere... I assumed I'd be in the 8-10 min range on a 300 yd swim and didnt want to be in others way... I passed people before we hit the first 25 yd wall... it was terrible, in one lane I passed 6 people... I ended up 6:44 and things would have been alot smoother and faster for me, had I put a more realistic time. Lesson learned.

Thanks everyone!  I'm a fairly fast swimmer so unfortunately I do think I'll have a lot of time to watch much passing before I start ... or at least that's my fear.  If I'm in that situation, I'll just tap the foot and coast at an easy pace until we get to the wall.

What if ... I tap the person's foot in front of me, coast behind them, then someone taps my leg before we get to the wall?  I'm assuming I'd have to let them pass even if I've tapped the person in front.  Is that correct?  Basically what is the rule in a traffic jam.

Just did a pool swim this weekend, it was 400m in a 50m pool, snake-style.  I'd timed myself for 400 yds in a 25yd pool, and my best time (out of only 2 trials) was 8:11, so I figured add in another minute, plus the fact that it was longer, before turning than normal, so I put myself in the 9:30 group.  Turns out it was easier than I thought, and I was able to swim an 8:15, which meant I was faster than most in my group and I ended up  passing at least 6 people.  It was no problem at all, the lanes were plenty wide.  I didn't need to tap anyone, I just went around them.  I saw some people swimming 3 wide with no problems.  Key is to be courteous at the end of the lanes, if you're slower, allow someone next to you to go under first.  If the lanes are narrower then you'll need to be more aware, and tap the foot of the swimmer in front.  But if it's an olympic size pool you should have plenty of room.  On a seperate note, it was amazing to see many swimmers just bonking out 150m in, over ambitious time estimates, then not able to maintain pace.  I was nervous standing around waiting to start, but after watching many swimmers in the faster groups struggle I felt better about my chances.

This is the way I look at it, if you are slowed down by the person in front of you, you tap their foot, and the reason the person behind you tapped your foot is because you had to slow down, keep going.  Once the first person is out of the way, get up to cruising speed and see if that person taps you again.  If they do, let them pass at the next wall.  If they're really hounding you (multiple taps before the first wall), hold up and let them go, it's really a judgment call.  The person behind you *should* be right around your ability level so once the person clears out of the way, you should be good to go.