Wave Starts Explained: the benefits, drawbacks, and strategies
by CBCG athlete Amy VT
Bodies were freckled along the bike path, in the dark of the morning, unmoving and wrapped in blankets. It was Ironman Chattanooga morning and I was baffled as to why shuttles began their 10-minute jaunt to swim start at 4:30 AM for a 7:30 AM start. Why would anyone want to sequester themselves at swim start for three hours, with fewer water resources and porta potties?
Oh! When I got there I realized that the new swim wave start system for age group athletes has some people freaking out about positioning. The estimated time signs (and volunteers wielding them) were already set up as early as 4 AM. The stretch described a full mile (!), and foresightful racers got there three hours early to stake their real estate claim with their blankets.
CBCG athlete Matthew Evans at Ironman Korea
The new system was implemented by Ironman® brand races over the past few years for many half- and most full-distance races, wherein your timing chip ignites when you cross the mat so you’re not wasting clock time between the gun firing and your actual start. From what we at CBCG can tell so far, there are mainly positive reasons and outcomes for the new system. There are some odd, if not awkward consequences, however, which certainly vary among races.
WAVE START BENEFITS
Reduced danger as swimmers are more apt to spread out
Smoother sailing for the fastest swimmers as they have more room at the front, confident their surrounded by like-time swimmers
Incentive for slower swimmers to wait and start towards the back without incurring a timing deficit
WAVE START CONCERNS
Your pre-race routine must account for time lining up in your corral
Self-seeding may creep as athletes line up in a faster corral, hoping to catch a draft ride or avoid getting blocked
The clock at the finish line is rendered erroneous, and the midnight cutoff a full Ironman is hideously awkward as Mike Reilly has to wait for the computer to tell him if someone, is, indeed an “Ironman”
A traditional lineup at smaller races like the Great White North Triathlon
No one wants to compromise her or his best swim possible. So, let’s focus on the controllables and what you can do to strategically approach your next race with a wave swim start.
RESEARCH
CBCG Coach Josh Sutton has his athletes investigate just what the wave start will look like since they vary among races. 2500 participants or 800? Deep water start, or dock, or beach? Wetsuit or swimskin? Timing? Here’s the homework Josh gives his athletes ahead of the race:
“Have a gameplan! Thoroughly read the athlete guide and attend the pre-race athlete briefing so you know exactly how the wave start will work. Physically scout the swim start (and possible corral location) to get the lay of the land. Nothing is worse than going in blind the morning of the race.”
LINE UP APPROPRIATELY
Josh offers this sage advice, “Line up just ahead of your expected pace. So, if you plan to swim 35 mins for a 70.3, line up in the back of 32-34 min group. This positioning should put you in a great drafting position behind those slightly faster swimmers. If you’re a beginner swimmer, or if the swim gives you major anxiety, don’t be afraid to start near the back. Avoiding the chaos up front will lead to a much more enjoyable experience.”
ADJUST YOUR WARMUP
If you have to secure your position long before the gun goes off, alá the run corrals in Boston Marathon, you need to adjust your peeing, trotting, swimming, fueling, and, well, everything you do before race start. Josh suggests:
“Write out a timeline for all of your pre-race activities. ‘Finish transition prep, last solid food snack 1hr before race start, 2nd bathroom stop 55min before, wetsuit on half way 45mins before, get to corral 30mins before, etc.’ These are just examples, adjust the times based on the pre-race scouting and your own individual activities. Don’t forget that those bathroom lines ALWAYS take longer than expected.”
So there it is. Wave starts are awesome as they increase safety and protect the fastest and slowest swimmers. I, personally, predict a creep in self-seeding, and I still cringe at the awkward midnight cutoff nuance, but those are meager fallouts from a largely beneficial shift in race logistics.
Mike Reilly is an ace at adapting and announcing with grace and unwavering spunk. So take Josh’s advice and “Scout, write a timeline-based plan, add extra time for porta-potties, and have your best race.”
One of our favorite venues: Penticton, BC! Photo courtesy CBCG athlete Sue Moote