General Discussion Triathlon Talk » I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!! Rss Feed  
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2006-06-26 12:37 PM

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Extreme Veteran
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Los Angeles
Subject: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
And that's how I feel!!!

Maybe I was overheated. Wait... am I'm making an excuse to my own stupidity?

Yesterday, at the SanBernardino Tri (a backwards Tri), my cousin told me that another cyclist said that I cut the course short and turned around at the wrong street. I was sure I didn’t do that and found the athlete who said it and said I wouldn’t do something like that and had proof on my Garmin Forerunner 305 that I didn’t. She said she didn’t see it happen but someone else said a cyclist cut it short and told her to find him. She didn’t find the person and said not to worry about it.

So I didn’t. But she described the person as Asian (like I am), and had a blue shirt (which I did), but did not have facial hair (which I have). But two out of three?!?

I was adamant about knowing that I turned at the right place so I thought I was satisfied with at least telling the other cyclist who I was etc.etc.etc – especially with my Garmin as proof! IT EVEN SAID 9 MILES ON IT!!!!!!

It was eating at me during the 'after race' festivities. After the course opened up I drove down the street and found the street where I turned. At the time there was a squad car, a uniformed person and another person standing there. They didn’t wave me through, they didn’t tell me I was turning at the wrong area and so I did.

And yes, it was the wrong street!!! HOLY S***!!! I drove down a mile and half more and found the actual turnaround street.

I realized it was them (the cop(?) and civilian) who told the cyclist that someone cut the course short. But why weren’t they yelling at me? Or maybe they were and I didn't hear? I assumed it was the turnaround point and feel so sick about it now for ONE - NOT really completing the Tri and TWO - shortchanging myself on the race. I had no reason to cheat as these people may think I did. I was only racing with the fact that I had to go pee and it was very hot but I was far from spent or dead tired or even close to the verge of wanting to quit!!!!!! My HR info showed I was cruising on the bike (which means I should try harder next time). But I was enjoying the ride!!! UGH!!!! I'ts beating me up!

I uploaded my Data on to motionbased website and saw exactly my course and had only cycled 6.2 miles instead of the 9 that I was supposed to do.

I didn’t look at my cycle computer at the time, I didn’t look at my Garmin while I was cycling, it was only after I drove the course that I realized my stupid blunder. I tried to figure out how to look at the data on my Garmin (2nd time I’ve used it) and found that it recorded that part as 6.2 miles. I saw 9 miles recorded when I first checked and showed it to the cyclist as proof. So I was ABSOLUTELY CONFIDIENT that I did the bike course correctly. What I didn’t realize was the 9 miles it was showing combined the run and bike times together (multisport mode) as I switched to bike mode after my run.

GOD I FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!

I couldn’t sleep all night long thinking I did ALL THAT WORK (the run in heat, the torturous uphill ride) to eventually realize I didn’t even do it all and some people thought I cheated!!!

I’m going to contact the race director and tell them about my stupidity because I feel guilty for having a time recorded that really isn’t the right time at all.

I hate myself. How could I have made that mistake?


2006-06-26 12:45 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Resident Matriarch
N 43° 32.927 W 071° 24.431
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

this is one of those stories that you will look back on and laugh at in a few years.  At least it should be.

Contact the Rd, explain what happened, take your DQ, and get back to training for your next race.

 

2006-06-26 12:48 PM
in reply to: #466020

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Elite
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Evans, GA
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
TriMom217 - 2006-06-26 12:45 PM

this is one of those stories that you will look back on and laugh at in a few years.  At least it should be.

Contact the Rd, explain what happened, take your DQ, and get back to training for your next race.

 



Ditto. People make mistakes. I respect you for your honesty. Kick booty in the next race, this will be great motivation.
2006-06-26 12:55 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Crystal Lake, IL
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

If you quit now you'll never get a chance to correct the mistake.  Use it as fuel for the fire.  Come back next year and smoke the bike leg in the same race.

 

2006-06-26 12:56 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Expert
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Lake Forest, Illinois
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

The fact that you were so fired up about it and went through the effort to prove it one way or the other shows that you are NOT an idiot.  An idiot would have just been smug and insisted they were right and never looked at the actual data that could prove it.

The fact that you found out the truth and are going through all the steps to get the error corrected shows that you ARE the type of person who should be doing Tris.  You ARE the kind of person other racers want in the sport.  Everyone makes mistakes, the people who work to correct them are a huge asset to this, or any other, sport.

 Just my opinion.

2006-06-26 12:59 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Master
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Red Sox Nation
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

You are hereby absolved of all guilty feelings. 

Yeah, I'd probably be beating myself up too, if I were in your situation.  But you're doing everything you can to make it right.  There is so much emotion on race day.  I volunteer at a fair number of races and have chased down a few atheletes who've gotten off course.  You get focused and can sometimes make mistakes.

As posted above, you've also got my respect for how you handled both being confronted by another athlete and for going back over the route and your equipment to get to the truth.  You can not quit triathlon.  You're the type of person I hope to be racing with when I hit a course!

Good luck in your next race!   



2006-06-26 1:01 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Pro
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Los Angeles, CA
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

As I was reading this, I was going to say that some people think all asians look alike but as I kept reading, that wasn't the case. 

How was your time on the bike, did your come in first?

2006-06-26 1:04 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Master
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Athens, Ga.
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

Definitely don't quit. The above posters are right. What happened was an accident. It's not like you went looking for a way to shorten your route. Explain what happened to the race director. They need to know what happened - because if you made a mistake like this, it could happen again next year - whether it's someone shortening the course or adding distance because they got off-course.

Stick with it. Let it be a lesson, not a complete roadblock to future tris!

2006-06-26 1:07 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Extreme Veteran
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Los Angeles
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
Thanks all... Really, a lump in my throat for the kind thoughts. I took my wife aside last night and told her about what had happened I was so upset with the whole thing I was nearly in tears. Well, not crying tears - figure of speech tears.

She said to let it go but I just couldn't!!!

After the race I felt like I couldn't wait to do another. Then after someone 'thought' I cheated I was sooooo distraught. Then, after the discovery that yes, they had all the right to think I cheated, I was so deflated I thought I had no motivation to ever do another Tri again. Almost as punishment for being... an idiot!

Triathlon has changed my life completely.

Thanks for the encouragment.
2006-06-26 1:26 PM
in reply to: #466057

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Extreme Veteran
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Los Angeles
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
auto208562 - 2006-06-26 11:01 AM

As I was reading this, I was going to say that some people think all asians look alike but as I kept reading, that wasn't the case. 

How was your time on the bike, did your come in first?



Come in first? LOL Far from it. 35:56 for 6 miles. Kinda slow. I was on cruise mode enjoying the ride.

"All asians look alike?" Hmmm...

The cyclist also said she would recognize him if she saw him. I'm convinced it was me she was talking about. I was standing right in front of her. What if it was a murder case? I'd be free and clear! LOL
2006-06-26 1:31 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Resident Curmudgeon
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Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

There was a guy in front of me yesterday who missed a turn, cut at least two miles off the 14-mile bike leg. He appeared in the initial results with a 27.5mph bike average, at least 3mph faster than the next fastest guy. Don't know if he confessed but he was eventually DQed.

Stuff happens. 'Fess up to the RD and put it behind you, hit it harder the next time out.



2006-06-26 1:34 PM
in reply to: #466039

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Elite
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Muskego, WI
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

jmcelroy - 2006-06-26 12:56 PM

The fact that you were so fired up about it and went through the effort to prove it one way or the other shows that you are NOT an idiot.  An idiot would have just been smug and insisted they were right and never looked at the actual data that could prove it.

The fact that you found out the truth and are going through all the steps to get the error corrected shows that you ARE the type of person who should be doing Tris.  You ARE the kind of person other racers want in the sport.  Everyone makes mistakes, the people who work to correct them are a huge asset to this, or any other, sport.

 Just my opinion.

Exactly.  You are welcome to continue in the sport.  You have our blessing.

2006-06-26 1:59 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Champion
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Beautiful Sonoma County
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

All kinds of stuff like this happens.  Last year, at the first race of the season, I completely missed the turn in the trail for the run.  I wound up running nearly a half mile before turning back, meaning I ran an extra mile.  And, sadly, two or three other women followed me.

When I went back along the course, I realized that I had to be blind to have missed the turn.  The course was very well marked with yellow plastic streamer-tape, and that I had to step over it when running.  

The only excuse I can come up with is that right around that spot, there was a man off to the side... ahem... who had apparantly over-hydrated, and was relieving himself.  I remember looking to the side and seeing him and think "ew... well, when nature calls..." and I must have totally missed the tape.

The extra bad news... I probably would have placed in my division based on my avg per/mile speed.  Oh well.

Stuff like this happens.  We all get tunnel vision in races, and even in training (who was it that rode by a car accident 10 times before realizing it?).  Just forgive yourself and start planning for the next race.  And on that one, you might want to preview the course before hand, just so you feel better about not making the same mistake twice.   

2006-06-26 2:39 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Elite
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Bay Area, CA
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

It's easy to do as you get really focused on the race, and obviously you THOUGHT you were doing the right thing, and you weren't trying to cheat.  In fact, if you hadn't talked to someone after, you might not have realized it.

These things happen.

Tell the RD - this isn't really a huge deal, and I bet you make sure you know the course next time.

I almost did that in my very first tri - it was a mtn. bike tri on a trail, and I was going off on the wrong trail when I realized what I was doing (asked someone) and got back going the right way.  Who knows where I would have ended up.

2006-06-26 3:04 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Extreme Veteran
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Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
I emailed the RD and hope to hear from him or her soon.
2006-06-26 3:10 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Regular
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Rhode Island
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
Well, people always say it is the racer's responsibility to know the course. I know I personally never thought about the course when I raced. I just trusted the signs, volunteers and other racers. I think this is a good story to get people to have a better understanding of why we should at least have an idea of how the course goes and where major turns are.

See, you helped others!


2006-06-26 3:30 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Pro
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MA
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
I've done that before on the run last year, got DQ'ed, and almost did it again this year on the bike. Stuffs happen.  Don't stress over it.  Next time, check the course before the race. 
2006-06-26 3:40 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Extreme Veteran
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Anaheim
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!

Sounds like you made an honest mistake, and you have already taken charge of the things you can correct. Now you must face the hardest part of your A type personality. You have no control over absent minded volunteers, poorly marked courses and other competitors. There really shouldv'e been a checkpoint at the turn around!

Personally I wish I raced with more people like you, not because your DQ will help my times  but because of your conscientiousness the results will more likely reflect the truth of sport.

 



Edited by Broompatrol 2006-06-26 3:44 PM
2006-06-26 3:59 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Regular
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New New York
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
You're in danger of living up to your screen name. I think you're overreacting a little. You didn't intentionally cheat, it was an honest mistake. Contact the RD, make sure you are DQed and find another race. I accidentally cut one loop off of a 4 loop bike course once and didn't realize it until after the race. I went to the timers and told them what happened and considered it a lesson learned.
2006-06-26 9:05 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Expert
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Denver
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
Same type of thing happened to me last year exvept on the run. I only ran 3km instead of 5km. I realised my mistake as I came up on the finish line ina world record 5km time of 12:03 for the run!!! I told the oficials right away that I must have missed about 2km of the race. An official came with me to the part I missed and we figured roughly 2km. They actually took the blame saying the course was so poorly marked(They had also changed the race route the day before the race due to construction). I didn't feel so bad when I found out that at least 20 other competitiors had done the same thing. Oh well, we live we learn right. Go back next year and smoke that course.
2006-06-26 9:41 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Extreme Veteran
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Los Angeles
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
I spoke with the RD. Nice guy. He said unless it made a difference as far as rewards (if I got one) that I should not worry as the times have been submitted. Of course, I was not an award winner.

I consider this a DQ and will add it to my race list as such.

I feel much better.


2006-10-03 4:11 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
You were right to let the RD know, and the RD did the right thing - my complaint is with RDs that are notified about racers who did not complete the entire course and fail to change the results! This has happened twice to me (that I know about - I suspect there are more) in the past two years at one of the biggest local fall triathlons here in the Seattlle area. The race promoter (a for-profit organization) spends tons of money and attention trying to catch the cyclists drafting, blocking, and failing to move back after being passed. Then, on the run portion, all supervision goes away and people can run whatever course they want. Last year it was a woman who only ran one lap of two around the little lake, this year it was a woman who did not do the second leg of a "T" course. No one was there to check on either course - just a guy handing out water cups. Here is a clue to all you triathletes who want to improve their times - relax on the bike course and cut the run short! If you want to know which triathlon I am talking about, it rhymes with . . .
Well, just look for people who suddenly improve their pace by a minute or more per mile while running twice as long.
2006-10-03 4:15 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Master
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Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
You made an honest mistake and look at how far you've gone to rectify it! You are honest and you care!

That makes you an exemplar triathlete.
2006-10-03 4:48 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Master
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Keller Tx
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
if you cut it short and knew it, shame.....but you didn't have any idea you did, so great race!  No shame in doing all of the course as you knew it

Edited by Doughboy 2006-10-03 4:49 PM
2006-10-03 5:02 PM
in reply to: #466004

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Extreme Veteran
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Kuna, Idaho
Subject: RE: I'm an idiot I should quit Triathlon now!!!
Thank for having such hi personal values. You will be a better person for it.
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