Monday, October 01, 2007

Cheater!

While on our way to LooUHville in August, Sweet Baboo studied hard the rules for his USAT officiating test. And some of the behaviors of other racers I thought were just annoying? They're deal-breakers, y'all!

After the Prairieman, I excitedly asked the Baboo if he got to hand out any penalties on the course and he calmly informed me that it's not about handing out pentalties, it's about making sure that everyone has a good and fair time.

Yeah. Whatever. So did you write any penalites?
Officiating cult mantra aside, I have started to notice the things that he talked about when I was asking him about rule, rules, rules.

Even more awkward, I've seen friends of mine break the rules. I recently saw friends of mine applying body glide to a family member when she came through an aid station, something that they did not offer to other racers on the course, and I've read race reports about people having family members hand them things on the course and seen people whose parents or friends walked parts of the course with them.

I figured they probably didn't know that they were doing something that, if an official saw them, would get them not penalized, but disqualified. The big D-Q. Why they might have done that? Well, the options are
1) They didn't read the rules (stupid), or
2) They read the rules, and decided they don't apply to them, (Jerks) or
3) They read the rules, and didn't understand them (understandable) or forgot them.

I like to go for option 3. You can't teach teenagers who's favorite classroom questions is, "Huh? How what again? What are we doing? I don't get it" without learning to be infinitely patient and assume the best, so here I am, and it's a teachable moment.

Here are some things that can get you penalized or disqualified, if someone sees you doing it. And, they don't have to give you a second chance. This isn't high school, folks. You were supposed to know the rules. All they have to do is see it, and write it down:
.
.
.

  • Riding alongside your very bestest friend or sweetie, chatting away. (Dangerous and annoying). Drafting
    D
  • Getting up on the pedals as that chick was passing you or right after she passed you, Mr. or Mrs. Thang, instead of dropping back out of the draft zone and waiting. Overtaken
    .
  • Spitting out the top of your goo pack, or dropping anything (even a water bottle or jacket) anywhere other than outside an aid station and not picking it up. Littering
    .
  • Having someone, like a friend or relative hand you things on the course. Outside help.
    .
  • Having someone, like a friend or relative, do something for you at an aid station or or hold your special supplies for you, when they don't do it for anyone else. And, yes, that includes salt pills, body glide, or tampons. Outside help.
    .
  • Swearing at another racer, a rude spectator, or an official. Unsportsmanlike behavior
    .
  • Having anyone who is not a registered racer walk or run with you anywhere on the course or run with you through the finish chute. Outside help/Pacing.
    .
    Often the finish chute thing is overlooked, but you know what? It really screws it up for the woman/man finishing right behind you.

    Don't believe me? Watch IronmanLive sometime! Awwww, wasn't that sweet the way that guy, his fiancee, or their kids to run with him or her through the chute? But wait, see that guy running behind them? S/he had to actually stop running and wait to cross the finish line because of you, you inconsiderate idiot. At the very least, you ruined his/her finish line shot!
    .
    Sorry, but there it is.
    .
    Tell your families to stay out of the finish chute!

    .
  • Wearing your ipod on the run. Wearing earphones.
    .
  • Calling your husband or sister from the bike course to bitch about how hard it is (Are you kidding me? No. People I know have actually done this. I don't know the name of the rule it breaks, but I think it's actually a rule against using cell phones on the course. Maybe there's just an overall stupidity or whining rule)
    .
  • Cranking the ac down to 50 degrees F the night before a race so that your spouse wakes up stiff and freezing (Okay, well, it's not a rule, but it oughtta be...)
So there it is. Commonly broken rules. If you're breaking them after this, then you'd decided to risk a penalty, and you've given up your right to be in a fair race, as far as I'm concerned, and you aren't a better athlete if you took unfair advantage or made it harder for others.
BTW, This picture (below) has absolutely nothing to do with triathlons, rules, or racing. It popped up in an image search of "regret", and I realized it was just too good not to share.

I include it without further comment. Enjoy.

18 comments:

  1. I was going to say something profound about those people who have 7 kids with them at the Ironman finishe..
    but then I saw that photo.
    Speechless
    (Did SB write any penalties?)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the tips. I think I was breaking a couple of rules without meaning too.

    I'll do better. I want to know if any penalties were written?

    That picture is too funny. Makes you wonder what the play was about. Things that make you go, HMMMMM?

    Melissa

    ReplyDelete
  3. Not ot be contrary but the tossing of cups or Gu packets or anything that could be thought of as litering falls under abandonment of equipment, there is no "littering" rule.

    Yes, I gave two penalties this weekend. Drafting (person riding alongside another racer chatting away) and Overtaken (Mr. Man gets passed by Mrs. Thang and immediatly jumps up out of the saddle and passes her back...you have to drop out of the draft zone folks...yes, even if the person who passes you just barely pulls it off and then immediatly stops pedaling. I was VERY disapointed to learn this one because I thought the person who barely passed and then took a rest should be peanalized bor blocking but nope, it ain't so.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. How about crossing the yellow line into oncoming traffic? I saw a few pros do that during IMLou to get around the stopped traffic that was obstructing the bike course. Also saw them drop trash directly on the ground...not even an attempt to stash in a pocket...come to think of it....didnt see any pockets at all in the outfit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:28 AM

    Now I'm all worried and thinking...did I break any rules?? I hope not, and don't think I did. I was too far back and alone on the bike to worry about the drafting rules! I did have to remind myself to stay on the right side of the road. It was nice with all that room, and I kept drifting to the middle of the road. I was disappointed to see a couple of water bottles and Gu packets on the road. The people at the mile 2/4 run aid station told me "throw down your cup, we'll pick it up" and I said, "no, I'm a mom and I know how annoying it is to pick up after people!"

    ReplyDelete
  6. The chute policy announced at IM Moo athlete meeting was: no carrying of children, only one family member may accompany an athlete across the line, no dogs. (Apparently at IM Canada a dog crossed the line. Several times.)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well poop. You've totally spoiled my plan of taking my family of 18 across the finish line at my next Iron Man. I'll never be able to draft with a clear conscious again, and now I will think of THAT PICTURE every time I drop a gu packet on the course.

    Thank you Mrs. Geek Girl, for making me see the error of my ways. ;-)

    On a serious note, nothing is more irritating than seeing others break the rules on a course and NO OFFICIALS for miles.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I jumped off the curb at IM WI and ran for a little bit with a couple of people. I knew it was agains the rules but running 100 yards is not pacing. Besides, Lance Armstrong was able to have a pacer for the entire NY Marathon - no one stopped him so I spit on that rule's shoes, at least in a minor way.

    Another rules that is routinely broken:
    Shoes and covered torsos are required on the bike and run course.

    I saw lots of men running shirtless. Apparently that rule is not enforced at all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I know what you mean about the shirtless rule. They made this big fuss last year announcing that it was going to be enforce this year and then...nothing. Yesterday at the USAT sanctioned race, there were three or four guys running shirtless. I'm not even sure why that is a rule, and even less so if it's not enforced.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ok, so how many people do I have to offer tampons to, to make it Ok to offer one to my friend? Everyone? or just a few?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Umm about that picture....Makes me wonder what exactly she is saying to him.

    I had a nice chuckle when I misread Elephant Butte as Elephant Butt. Then I figured it out.

    Nice volunteer job. All of you and your team mates are awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cutting inside the buoys. CHEATER CHEATER CHEATER. Makes me insane.

    It's not about giving every nice triathlete their self-affirmation and a positive course experience. It doesn't give the other 1999 participants a positive experience when they see CHEATER CHEATER CHEATERS get away with it!

    Whew. OK, I'm done.

    ReplyDelete
  13. And YES, 100 yards or 500 yards or a mile. It's pacing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I had something of incredible insight to say then saw the picture.

    yep...too good to pass up.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow- that puts a whole new spin on doing a tri for me. So much to remember.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So did any of the penalties Baboo handed down involve wearing those costumes as punishment?
    SB: "You sir are a being a dick and breaking the rules, you have incurred the punishment of wearing the penis hat for the next 5 minutes......"

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have thought that I must be a stick in the mud concerning your finishing with family comments, because I have felt the same.

    I tend to believe that when my fun begins to impact your fun, I have crossed the line.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Man oh man.. life is really in the details in't it?

    and that picture... it craacks me up! It is definitely burnt into my memory bank. Rules - private parts.

    ReplyDelete

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