No finish line friends at IM and HIMs

<WHEW>  We can now stop hearing about all the injuries and problems caused by supportive families at IM events. 

I think this is a great idea!  I hope they finally enforce it.  It's not like it would be hard to enter a DQ for those crossing the line with their grandmother, dog and 3 month old.

Outside of a seperate finishing chute, you start 'alone' you finish 'alone'.  Support is for all the times inbetween.

I think its a good idea.  I standed at the IMFL finish line for many hours this year and saw:

1.  A dude come through with about 15 other family/friends.

2.  A mother come through with her son.  The son ran in front of her and "stole" her finisher tape...so she had to stand there until they could get the reserve tape up and then she crossed.

3.  A kid almost get dropped as he was handed over the fence to a finisher.

I think sometimes it is good, but not usually.  And if one person can do it, every has to be able to do it.  So I like the rule against it.  Hope it gets enforced.

They annouced this rule at both of the IMs I did.  Didn't change a thing.  At the pre-race rules review they talked about this almost toungue-in-cheek as if to say 'these are the official rules but we're not going to enforce it...just be careful'.  At least that's the message I got.

I've not seen too many family members cross along with KQers.  Usually the family members go across with the BOPers.  I say let them get out there and cross with their loved ones.  They paid $500 for the experience and if they want to share the finishline crossing with their family, let 'em.  But that's just me....I'm easy....I ain't cheap...but I am easy.

I never can find anyone that wanted to hug me when I'm dripping with sweat and smelling like I just s/b/r 140.6 miles!

~Mike

I hear the tattoo parlors have gotten a lobbyist to fight this,, after all will people be allowed to get an Mdot tattoo if the get DQ??  With the economy the way it is they are very concerned.

I've never understood the need or desire for finishers to cross with other people. Yes I understand the whole family sacrifices for IM training, blah blah blah. But in my mind, the FINISHER crosses the FINISH line. No one else.

I sincerely hope they enforce it.

See, where I disagree with this is....they are potentially ruining another athlete's finish line experience.

I did my first IM at AZ in November.  I was VERY surprised towards the end how important it became to me to have the finish chute to myself.  There were so many people around me all the time that I didn't think it was going to happen.  Then magically about a quarter mile from the finish I found myself...alone.  I turned the corner and there was NO ONE ahead of me...I looked behind me and NO ONE there either.  I was SO stoked.  The finish line is important to people.

I would hate for someone's finish line experience to be less than what they wanted because some dude's family ahead of him couldn't get out of the way.  You can't blame another ATHLETE who gets in the way...you both are racing.  But I would be pizzed if someone's family was in my way.

Hey, leave DQ out of this!  I happen to love Blizzards.

Maybe they should just post a sniper at the start of the finish line run and pick off anyone in the DMZ w/o a race number!

Point being, how the heck do you enforce this?  Are you really gonna withhold someone's medal just because their 6 yo got all excitred when she saw Daddy running down the shoot after waiting for him for 16 hrs?  No.  You're gonna smile like everyone else watching.  It's part of the game!  It's the emotion of the finishline and you can try but you will never be able to regulate it! 

~Mike

You might feel that way, but clearly that doesn't mean that others will feel the same way.

Give them their medal but list them as an official DQ.

Yes. Daddy needs to communicate with his family prior to the race what the rules are.
I've also never understoond the mentality of "the rules don't apply to me."

OK then.  I will smile and feel the warmth and love and you can get angry becuase you had to wait 10 seconds to get your solo photo.  ;-)  Just teasin'.

~Mike

well, how could you understand, because you don't have kids? 

I agree with. Rules are rules - if the rules are not enforced by the officials, that's a problem, but I still don't think it means that people should just ignore the integrity of a sport and forego the rules...if you don't like the rule, don't do those races. There are plenty of non-branded 70.3 and IM-distance races out there.

THe only reason I"m going back to IMKY is that I missed the little kid I was trying to push down, This year I"ll get him

Heehee exactly. Actually, I have a family who comes to almost every race I do. I communicate with them prior to every race things like parking, timing, how far they should expect to walk, what they should bring, not bring, etc. I see kids and the finish line as the same thing. Just let them know what to expect and follow the rules! How hard is that?

Or just leave the family at home!  Triathlons are not exactly spectator sports! 

The reason people think this rule does not apply is, like I said, they announce it tongue in cheek.  The rules official at my last race read the rule and then kinda chuckled and made some joke.  Start DQing IM finishers becuase some spouse got overwhelmed with emotion when their loved one finally showed up ran to them and see what that does for the sport!

 Unbelievable.

~Mike

But the reverse is true - what if the presence of someone's spouse or child makes that victory even sweeter for that particular athlete?  I agree the rules are the rules and if this is what they are going for then they should enforce it.  But, I'm not sure I agree with the rule. 

A friend of mine had a good point - athletes will have to weigh the need for a finishers medal against the family finish.