I swear the same thing happened a year or so ago in Ft Worth. The whole thing was live streamed too and you could tell in the video that the person was struggling.
Sounds like these events need more lifeguards in the water.
5692
BadAspie2 days ago
+2370
CrossFit Games was the first thing I thought of as well, although I remember part of the reason that was a whole scandal and not only a tragedy is because it wasn't a triathlon, and they did the swim *after* a run, whereas for modern triathlons you're supposed to do the swim first precisely to avoid people becoming too exhausted in the water
2370
Frankdiddly1 day ago
+942
Also caught flack for not having trained life guards, just volunteers on paddle boards. 10 feet away.
942
Kinsdale851 day ago
+156
Yeah, that was a frustrating watch.
156
Airewalt1 day ago
+331
Untrained amateurs providing a false sense of safety. We had this at a climbing gym. Volunteer to spot falling youth athletes so they land on their feet and you can compete in the general population competition the next day for free. Was one of the last gyms still using above floor mats for padding that would be positioned under the climbers as they move. A combo of kids who were used to flat landings mixed with clueless volunteers made for over a dozen ambulance calls in just the first session. Gym spent the 6 figures to replace the flooring afterwards, but damn… risk awareness level zero.
331
Spire_Citron1 day ago
+94
Over a dozen? I feel like you call the whole thing off after maybe the first two or three.
94
Airewalt1 day ago
+40
If I’m remembering correctly it was 13, but that may have included the following day. Was in 2011. Mostly sprains, strains, and dislocations. Gym had ambulance calls weekly for the two years I climbed there. Was around the time standard wall heights moved from ~10ft to 14-16ft
40
starone71 day ago
+25
If depends where you’re from. Canada and Australia have the best trained lifeguards in the world. For Canada it’s three 80 hour courses each with a practical exam, timed swim and dead weight lift from 12 feet of water. To get to those exams you also have to complete certain classes as well. The lifesaving society runs the certifications which have to be retested every 2 years. For triathlons they specify the number of trained guards placed on the course by numbers of participants
From what I understand Austrian life guards put ours to shame and they train as a profession which does happen here on a very limited basis
25
obeytheturtles1 day ago
+6
This is pretty much the same as BSA lifeguard in the US. Anyone certified for open water is going to have those qualifications. YCMA/ARC is generally an easier standard for pools, which is less focused on physical endurance, and more focused on first aid and pool injuries (and how to get obese people out of the pool).
6
-Yazilliclick-1 day ago
+34
If I'm remembering right that's also the one where someone tried to go to rescue the person, or raise alarm, and they turned them back.
34
Druuseph1 day ago
+9
The water temperature was also too high which lead to increased exhaustion. Swimming outside in Texas is a horrible idea for any competition.
9
BananaBaby16161 day ago
+4
AND the water was warm. So awful
4
MentalDisintegrat1on23 hr ago
+2
CrossFit has a track record of pushing dangerous things expecally when it first starting gaining traction.
I believe there's a fork of it for people that don't want to associate with CrossFit but want to keep doing the workout philosophy but safer.
Edit a big problem as well is that would make crazy wods with untested stuff I remember one guy broke his neck doing one of the workouts that was clearly dangerous for most people.
2
HawkTheHatchet2 days ago
+742
2024, CrossFit Games. I had the same instant thought.
https://www.fox4news.com/news/fort-worth-possible-drowning-crossfit-games.amp
742
SardonicWhit2 days ago
+913
Yeah but for the CrossFit event they put the swimming last. Which shows you how much brain power your average CrossFit participant possesses.
913
boner791 day ago
+430
"Let's take a very non-buoyant person, who doesn't train swimming, tire the shit out of them, and then have them go for an open water swim and see what happens."
\- CrossFit geniuses
430
eastboundunderground1 day ago
+166
I swam in college, DI, went to NCAAs, swam for my (non-US) country.
I HATED swim workouts that took place after anything else: weights, cardio, whatever. Swimming had to come first, or else it was an uncomfortable, difficult struggle. Yeah, don’t put amateurs in open water after a lot of prior exertion. What the hell were they thinking?
166
oroborus681 day ago
+24
Thinning the herd.
24
tmac49691 day ago
+5
Not even to talk about how terrifying open water swim can get when you are exhausted. Panic is more often than not a component in drownings. Going into an open water swim exhausted is just lunacy
5
eastboundunderground1 day ago
+5
Very good point, and I think some pool swimmers underestimate this. I don't have a lot of open water experience - only one serious race, which was a kilometre loop twice. It was so gruelling that I would've quit at half way were it not a team triathlon. I had a cyclist and a runner waiting for me. It was a rude wake up call to how much harder open water is than a pool race, even if you're capable of swimming much further, much faster in the pool.
5
SelfServeSporstwash1 day ago
+207
Brought to you by the minds who brought you “tearing your rotator cuff makes you stronger” and “good form is a lie made up to sell you stuff… somehow”
207
fermenter851 day ago
+15
Don’t forget the “rabdo until you pee for the gains!!!”
15
SelfServeSporstwash1 day ago
+5
Kidneys are for losers anyway
5
fermenter851 day ago
+3
That’s because if you live a truly caveman keto crossfit sav lifestyle your pee starts to naturally just filter itself.
3
howdyhowdyhowdyhowdi1 day ago
+37
I mean if you've ever seen a crossfit person do a pull up you know what you're working with here lol
37
MerlinsMentor1 day ago
+59
The Crossfit games, in particular, have a terrible reputation for how the athletes' bodies are taken into consideration. I remember one year, they had people whose skin was falling off of their hands, because the events required them to do pull-ups on metal pull-up bars that had been sitting in the hot sun all day. That was considered a "just deal with it" sort of issue. I can't recall if that was the same year that they had a bunch of people collapse from heat exhaustion (it was probably at least ten years ago).
59
HCAndroidson1 day ago
+48
Crossfit seems like modern flagellantism for people who are disgusted by the weakness of their flesh.
48
verrius1 day ago
+28
It's for people who conflate "I feel like shit" with "this must be healthy", so they try to maximize how shit everything is. Given how most unhealthy people feel if they go to the gym once a year, its understandable how they got that association, but its honestly distressing that people who are supposed to be trained professionals are encouraging it.
28
MerlinsMentor1 day ago
+23
The thing about it is, that at its core, it's not a terrible idea. I did crossfit for like 6 years. I was always the worst athlete in every class, so I'm not the person you're thinking of when you think of as a crossfit person -- but I did do it for long enough, at a couple of different gyms, to have a fairly decent understanding of the experience. Cardio and weights, and intense training can be good for you... it's just that even at its best, Crossfit drops the ball on the implementation. Some things, like Olympic weightlifting, just shouldn't be done for high repetitions and speed.
The coaches that I had almost always encouraged good technique, and emphasized that good technique was important -- but then it was "well, when you're doing a hard workout, technique will suffer, and that's normal." There's definitely a disconnect there -- and I suspect that there are other places that "teach" Crossfit that are more dangerous and "gung-ho" than the places I went.
Eventually, I wound up basically always having some sort of chronic injury, particularly tendons/ligaments/joints (even then, I was older than everyone else -- and that matters when it comes to recovery). That, and the gym I went to was big into "team workouts", and since I was always the slowest person in any team I could be on, it got frustrating. So I stopped, and never really missed it.
I actually knew someone who qualified for the Crossfit Games (the top level, that was broadcast on ESPN). He was, by far, the fittest person I've ever met. He was injured trying to do one of the workouts in the Crossfit Games, and had to withdraw.
23
OneT_Mat1 day ago
+9
This was my experience as well as a participant for years. Got to a point when I was not only plateauing but starting to move backwards so i’m back to cycling outdoors and powerlifting at a regular gym.
I really did appreciate the coaches but I was never top of the class and stuck to strict pull-ups instead of kipping and my shoulders were already in tough shape so it limited my overhead movements which I think in the long run saved me quite a bit haha.
Bench press dead lift and back squat for the win
9
CAPS_LOCK_STUCK_HELP2 days ago
+150
Ironmans used to be the other way around (swimming last) but then they quickly realized it was a bad idea
150
eljefino1 day ago
+51
In addition to the life safety problems, it's bad tv. You've got two contenders crawl swimming so you can't see their faces on camera competing for the win. Way more drama if they're on foot or on a bike.
51
unwisest_sage2 days ago
+219
Yeah reading this surprised me. I used to do trialthons. When I did my first one I was a very slow swimmer, I was back of the pack, and I had some dude following me in a kayak the whole time, seemingly waiting for me to pass out so he could rescue me.
219
Tenderhombre1 day ago
+73
I want to say if you're really struggling you need to recognize that and just do an easier stroke and slow. But cramps can come on quite quickly and drowning happens fast and with little noise. They should give participants those chemically inflated vests or somerhing.
Tragic that happened. Its easy to forget swimming in open water without life vests always carries some danger.
73
insertAlias1 day ago
+39
They’d have to be forced to wear them. It wasn’t that long ago that the Tour de France didn’t require helmets, so nobody wore them (about 20 years ago). They only wore them once it was a requirement. I’m not sure whether or not these competitions allow such devices, but they’d likely have to be mandatory to really gain any adoption.
39
BigRedFury1 day ago
+20
Swimmers in a proper triathlon-style wetsuit will remain buoyant if things get really dicey and I had to remind myself of that in the LA Triathlon one year when the waves at Venice Beach were breaking at 10 feet high.
Half the field didn't even finish the swim but the LA County Lifeguards made sure everyone got out of the water safely.
The thing with drowning though is that it can be due to water inhalation than sinking to the bottom. What makes waterboarding such a terrifying form of torture is that it directly simulates drowning.
The swims in triathlons are always a shit show.
You''ll have gender/age group waves of 200+ people entering the water five minutes apart.
In each of those waves you'll have maybe 50 people who routinely practice open water swim starts, another 50 with some experience, and 100 people who've been training in a pool and suddenly kook out when the gun goes off.
Imagine a hoard of WWZ zombies rushing into the water for a swim and you'll have a general idea what it's like.
I'm a decent swimmer and would always start at the back and take my time getting into the water to avoid the fray at the start. Even then, I had more than a few weird incidents in the water that ended by having to physically shove someone or literally swim over them to get away.
20
zeromnil_partdeux1 day ago
+17
I do most of my triathlons in the pnw so wetsuits are all but mandatory, I had a few friends do them in TX and they typically don't wear wetsuits there, which sounds a little more insane.
also
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtG1BRW0XNo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtG1BRW0XNo)
17
BigRedFury1 day ago
+15
Yep. That commercial is pretty accurate.
When I got into triathlons I was lucky to have a friend show me what it was really like when it comes to open water swimming. It has to be the only sport out there outside of skydiving where just trying it for the first time is a guaranteed panic attack.
Swimming is a lot different when you're suddenly part of the food chain.
15
zeromnil_partdeux1 day ago
+8
I did about 3 months of open water swimming before my first triathlon and was so freaked out I though I was doing it wrong. something about staring into the abyss.
8
SlowDownToGoDown1 day ago
+9
Open water swimming compared to pool swimming is amazingly different. I was amazed at how I could check out just following the stripe on pool floor, tapping the ends every 50 meters, counting laps, instead of sighting buoys, trying to swim in a straight line, no sense of accomplishment every 50 meters...just so, so different.
9
cinnamon-toast-life1 day ago
+3
This is so interesting. I don’t do triathlons but grew up at the beach and we would always swim out to the buoys and swim from buoy to buoy for fun. I just never really thought about the water below me.
3
Thurwell1 day ago
+5
Anyone serious wears a wetsuit regardless of the weather, because triathlon wet suits make you go faster by holding you a little bit farther out of the water.
5
jdmetz1 day ago
+10
Only if the water is cool enough. Wearing a wetsuit in water temps above 78.0F (for many US triathlons) or above 76.1F (for Ironman) will make you ineligible for awards. And above 83.8F they are not allowed at all due to the possibility of overheating.
10
Thurwell1 day ago
+4
That's true, been a few years since I've done triathlons so I forgot about those temperature rules.
4
CascadeKidd1 day ago
+3
Unless IM has different rules wet suits are not allowed for swims where the water is over 75 degrees.
3
muttonchops2151 day ago
+3
Hardest part of swimming in open water is swimming straight. Add in that breathing is also when you get your bearings. However, my first swim coach always had the useful saying "Head Down, Butt Up". As in, for any stroke (front crawl, back, breast, fly), if you lift your head up, your hips (butt) drops. So breathing is extra exertion in general in open water, since front crawl is the fastest for most swimmers. Plus, many triathletes (amateurs) don't train as much in water. So they might lift their head up for too long, drain momentum and exert extra energy to keep the head up. Last, one thing that is extremely relevant, swimming is the shortest distance by far, because of participant ability.
3
Ok-Airline-84201 day ago
+4
Lifeguarding open water events can be hilarious, you can spot the pool swimmers straight away. - head down, swimming hard and fast, and in entirely the wrong direction and usually followed by four or five others who clearly assume that someone going that fast must be going the right way.
Ive sprint paddled after people literally 90degrees off course and they get really cross when you stop them until they realise.
4
KayakerMel1 day ago
+24
The dude in the kayak was simply bringing up the rear. The vast majority of races, being a safety boater is pretty boring because there's no need for water rescues.
24
olibum862 days ago
+134
2 athletes died at an iron-man event in Ireland in 2023 as well
134
giantrons2 days ago
+26
In the swim section?
26
Huge-Bat-15011 day ago
+44
Yes, both drowned
44
brendax1 day ago
+36
that was the one they went ahead with in a storm swell, 100% on the organizers.
36
somewhatcompetint1 day ago
+6
Definitely a swimming section then
6
Tooters-N-Floof2 days ago
+37
I was just wondering about the guard situation at this event
37
bfhurricane1 day ago
+36
I’m curious how strong these swimmers are to begin with. I do triathlons, know plenty of incredible runners and bikers that think they can do the swim and still have major trouble.
36
new_math1 day ago
+40
Most are very strong swimmers I think and under ideal conditions probably wouldn't struggle much swimming a few miles but based on the numbers I think there are a few issues.
First is you have people who are extremely competent in the pool but not very experienced with open water swims, so they're in a mild panic trying to deal with currents, waves, staying on course, and getting kicked/splashed by other participants. Pool is so different than open water, but due to safety and ease of access most competitors understandably do the bulk of their training in the pool.
2nd is cardiac events can happen as you're starting up, especially when you throw in cold water. In Ironman events you're not allowed to use a wet-suit unless the water is below \~76 degrees Fahrenheit (a rule they should probably change). There have been issues in the past with having proper time and areas to warm up for swimming but that allegedly has been corrected.
The third is on the organizers having too many people starting together with not enough trained lifeguards. If you watch the events there's literally hundreds of people all splashing and causing chaos, often with everyone in black clothing and in brown/grey open water. It doesn't matter how good a lifeguard you are, it's simply not possible to track that many people and know who is struggling for their life versus just struggling with the congestion of having so many racers in a small area. Hence people keep dying and they don't even realize it until they have to start looking for the body.
40
CascadeKidd1 day ago
+35
It doesn’t matter how great of a swimmer you are in a pool, the first time you have to swim with your face down in dark water with 100 people thrashing around is terrifying. It’s like the triathlon version of the old Tyson quote “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”.
35
Scout2881 day ago
+10
I wouldn’t say most are very strong swimmers. They’re very athletic people but in the competitive swimming world most triathletes are beginner level. A lot of triathletes come from other sports. It’s really hard to learn good swimming technique on your own as a 30 year old having played tennis as your primary sport.
10
bfhurricane1 day ago
+8
Your points make sense, but from my point of view anyone who suffers from those points isn’t experienced enough to do an Iron Man.
Swimming the two miles to start an Iron Man with only pool swimming experience is absolutely idiotic. Likewise, by having not done that before I imagine people will struggle with the temperature change, dealing with waves, and the sheer number of bodies kicking and clawing at you.
I’d be curious what the overlap is on people dying in triathlon swims, especially Iron Man’s, and having never done open water swim competitions beforehand.
My point of view is that of a former competitive swimmer (D1 distance swimmer). The challenges present in an Iron Man - as you mentioned, the differences between a pool and a cold ocean - shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone competing.
8
Jscapistm1 day ago
+4
They do need to have them wear bright colors and a proper number of trained lifeguards to participants ratio but I can't imagine wearing a wetsuit in water over 70 degrees for intense athletic activity, the risk of overheating or cramping from it sounds pretty high.
4
Kingy101 day ago
+10
To put into context, I believe she had podiumed before and qualified for 70.3 worlds on several occasions. So, wasn't your typical "influencer tries couch to ironman". There's reports she had the flu in the week leading into the race which possibly contributed to her drowning unfortunately.
10
bfhurricane1 day ago
+3
Tragic. Thanks for the context.
3
Figsnbacon1 day ago
+7
A close friend of mine from high school died at the Alcatraz triathlon several years ago. You might have seen it on the news. He died from a heart attack. He was a very experienced triathlete, healthy and fit.
7
LiGuangMing19811 day ago
+5
I'm a decently strong cyclist, and can run a 10k in a pinch, but I'd never consider signing up for even a sprint triathlon simply because I'm such a shit swimmer and even a short distance would not be something I could do.
5
HustlinInTheHall1 day ago
+2
Especially in the ocean. People who train in a pool then go open water never realize how sucky it is.
2
joesighugh2 days ago
+45
I was a "kayak lookout" for swimmers here in a CA triathlon event and there were dozens of people who when I picked them up had no feeling in their legs, or ability to move their arms.
When you do such an extreme event and put your body through so much swimming is a risky sport to mix in I feel like
45
IllAlfalfa1 day ago
+29
Swimming is always the very first part though. So their bodies wouldn't have gone through anything. People just really underestimate how hard and dangerous an open water swim is.
29
tessartyp1 day ago
+34
It's more complicated than that. Even experienced triathletes can have sudden cardiac arrest early in the swim section. Lifeguards, firefighters, people with dozens of race starts.
A few years ago when I was still actively racing there were a few deaths that led to an investigation and what Ironman called the SwimSafe procedure, mostly enforcing availability of a warm-up area, and fewer mass starts. IIRC the main findings were related to sudden cold water exposure, i.e the first dive into the water after the start can cause a shock that isn't necessarily predictable.
34
FlashFlood_291 day ago
+6
I've got a few events under my belt and even still, the shock of the cold water on my face when trying to swim makes my body SCREAM to get my head out of the water, and completely fucks with my breathing. Have to do breathing exercises in the water, then warmups, and then ideally an in-water start.
6
dmont892 days ago
+10
The death rate in extreme sports like this is higher than people actually think.
10
twostroke12 days ago
+91
They typically have quite a good amount. Especially at the actual Ironman events.
I’ve done several triathlons and Ironmans, the issue is the amount of chaos in the water. There are sometimes like 2000 people in the water at these things. It’s mayhem. Keeping eyes on everyone at every second is almost impossible.
91
Evan_802Vines2 days ago
+14
Mostly panic attacks and inhaling water. Sometimes you get kicked in the face trying to draft.
14
IIIaustin2 days ago
+204
If someone died, the safety precautions were inadequate.
If it is not possible to have adequate safety, which you seem to he implying, maybe we shouldn't do this kind of thing.
204
HopandBrew2 days ago
+65
Yea, that was my thought too. Just do the water part as a time trial or reduce the numbers. I get that the whole point is to do all this in one session and basically test the limits of humans, but this doesn't exactly seem to be a rare occurrence.
65
DefensiveTomato2 days ago
+39
Or you do it in staggered groupings with more manageable numbers
39
Objective-Amount13791 day ago
+14
I think this makes the most sense. Other events have staggered start times for this reason. I've only run races, nothing close to anything this hard and the sheer mass of people at the start is overwhelming. And that s on land. The idea of lifeguards being able to track massive numbers of swimmers is crazy
14
Formergr1 day ago
+6
> Other events have staggered start times for this reason.
Triathlons *do* have staggered swim start times. It's still got some level of risk.
6
eMan1172 days ago
+29
Or lessen the amount of competitors until safety standards can be met.
29
jeterix73872 days ago
+15
No. I was at my first TRI and someone in the water had an aneuroism and died. Nothing the lifeguards could do about that.
15
euph_221 day ago
+6
While I do agree that simply citing "someone died" is not enough to determine if the organizers were taking appropriate precautions. However, she went missing atleast an hour and a half before she was found. (maybe 3 hours, I have seen conflicting times). That demonstrates a failure in their safety precautions.
6
AgentGorilla1 day ago
+3
That’s going to be an issue in any body of water without perfect visibility. Once someone goes underwater, it’s extremely hard to find them. Unless you have a watcher per person, there will likely be issues
3
futfacker2 days ago
+18
If you sign up for a mass start triathlon, and if you decide to be competitive in the swim and mix it up in the main swim pack, you have to be aware that you're going to be slapped and kicked in the water, and that if you go under someone might not see you. Someone that wants to pass you might even grab you by the ankle, pull you under water, and swim over the top of you. It's mayhem and that's part of mass start triathlons.
If you want to be safer you can start in the back of the pack and swim on the outside of the group or behind the group. Even then you are swimming 2.4 miles in open water and if 5,000 people do that on the same day the law of big numbers says someone is going to have a stroke or heart attack.
18
bfhurricane1 day ago
+19
Competitive swimmer (D1 college scholarship), triathlete, and former beach lifeguard here:
There’s a level of risk involved in open water swimming that no one can fully account for. It’s unfortunately impossible. Same for those just casually visiting the beach. Every year, countless people get swept up in rip tides and are gone before a lifeguard can get to them.
When I race in open water I’m not assuming anyone is going to save me if I, for whatever reason, sink underwater and am unable to save myself. It’s a risk, because no one can possibly account for all swimmers and they can’t see underwater if someone goes under.
19
trikywoo1 day ago
+7
This is a crazy statement. They are adults with free will. You can't tell people not to have swim races.
I get better warnings or awareness of racers, but life has risks. Should we shut down mountain climbing too? Its hard to rescue people from a mountain.
7
RedstoneRay2 days ago
+6
You don't even know what killed her yet. What if she had a heart attack in the water? What safety precaution prevents that?
6
bruhimdiamond1 day ago
+4
Ok no idea what her cause of death was but safety precautions were inadequate!
quick to want to take away something athletic while you mumble garbage from your couch. We do not live in a risk free world
4
StevenXSG2 days ago
+2
It's not exactly the kind of event that expects to need to run a swim test before you are allowed to sign up.
2
deadliftthugga1 day ago
+8
They don’t do mass starts anymore. They’ve been doing rolling starts since Covid, in part to combat what you’re describing. It’s still crazy but not nearly like it was.
8
heart_of_osiris1 day ago
+3
I know in Penticton they always had a bunch of scuba divers in the water, but the swim spans a pretty large area, so I can see how it would be difficult to track every swimmer.
3
AdorableTrashPanda1 day ago
+2
Our local one had scuba divers underwater.
2
Heart_robot1 day ago
+2
My friend drowned during a triathlon in France, heart breaking
2
prisbear2 days ago
+1760
I did triathlons for a few years a while back, and I would hold off at the start for like 30 seconds to avoid the chaos. People will just swim right over top of you if you're in their way and you will get slapped and kicked, unintentionally but still can mess you up. Lost my goggles one race from some one hitting me, in a saltwater swim, so I was swimming pretty blind at that point. I wasn't winning so I was ok giving up 30 seconds on the start to avoid all that.
1760
eaguayo2 days ago
+496
Might be a dumb question, but why don't they have participants staggered to start at different times. Like have one group start, then 2 minutes later another group and so on. That way people can still win without having to risk their lives.
496
Andrewj312 days ago
+329
Depends on the race, but a lot of the Ironman branded event have moved to staggered starts. Typically, it's \~3 people lined up into the water every \~5 seconds. In my last few races, it's been quite comfortable. That being said, people have to decide their pace ahead of time and much like marathons, people overestimate themselves. It's pretty much 100% that you are going to swim over or be swam over at least a few times in a race.
My number one advice for anyone getting into the sport is getting extremely comfortable in open water. Also, be able to recover if you swallow water, get kicked, etc.
Local races can be a total free-for-all though. I do a few local sprint tris near me every year and it's typically waves of \~40-50 people diving in at the same time. You either line up at the front as a strong swimmer and get out ahead, wait until everyone else in in, or try to go out wide.
329
aggie820051 day ago
+58
You’re spot on about getting comfortable with open water. I did a sprint tri about a decade ago so maybe more info is out there, but when I looked for training information nothing much was said about open water. All my training was in an indoor pool. I would have been in very serious trouble if I hadn’t been swimming in the back and overhead one person tell another to backstroke as long as they needed. It was windy that day and I was unprepared.
58
trombing1 day ago
+13
First tri I did they asked all the water polo players to come to the front and everyone else to hang back.
Everyone seemed to get the message.
No one wins a tri on the swim. It's like less than 20% of the time.
13
Crayshack1 day ago
+6
Every sprint tri I've done did ~5 second individual staggers fir the start. It still made the water a chaotic mess.
6
tobaccoYpatchouli1 day ago
+19
They do. They start 5 people at a time, 10 seconds apart, it's not a mass start. But you can't hold them back more than that as there are thousands of racers and you need to get them all in the water in a timely manner
19
brendax1 day ago
+31
That is the new norm for most large ironman style events, rolling starts.
The root cause is just that in an effort to maximize profit, there is no effort to ensure people signing up for these things \*can actually swim\*. The main target demographic is 45 year old investment bankers who put on a wetsuit for the first time that morning.
Rolling starts take away a lot of the experience of it being a \*race\* as you have no idea if the person you are passing later in the day is actually ahead of you or not.
They are safer but they take away a lot of what makes the event what it is, and continue to reward people who can't swim well. Imagine making it so you're not allowed to bike faster than 30kph in a bike race, eg.
31
Hayden23321 day ago
+18
How are staggered / rolling starts and limiting your speed remotely the same?
18
FlashFlood_291 day ago
+7
> Rolling starts take away a lot of the experience of it being a *race* as you have no idea if the person you are passing later in the day is actually ahead of you or not.
Maybe for the top, like, 5% of the event who care, but for the casual-self-competitive types that make up the rest of the event, the experience is just being out there with a ton of other people and the celebration of it all.
7
joshocar2 days ago
+91
My former colleague would do the opposite, she was very fast in the water and would start at the front so that she could avoid the chaos. She would end up passing a bunch of the men since they started right before the women.
From what she told me, apparently, a lot of people don't put a lot of effort into training for the swim and will even avoid kicking to save strength. They just get through it and make up for time on the bike/run.
91
prisbear1 day ago
+53
I've seen quite a few first timers that only ever trained in a pool absolutely panic in open water especially an ocean swim. I was taught to just kick enough to keep your body horizontal in the water, letting your arms do the majority of the work and then only kick hard the last 50 meters or so to prevent getting dizzy when you suddenly stand up and start running to your bike.
53
anne_marie7181 day ago
+5
I grew up swimming year-round competitively. I don’t swim a ton now, but just the fact that I have pretty good form automatically makes me faster than most triathletes on the swim leg. But I WAY underestimated the difficulty of the open water swim start of my first tri. It was a mass group start by age group, I was getting kicked a bunch and couldn’t see when I tried to lift my head to sight because of all of the splashing around me. I ended up totally panicking and had to flip onto my back for a bit to bring my heart rate down. I won’t underestimate the open water aspect again (not the mass start). It’s a COMPLETELY different situation than a pool swim.
5
BJJJourney1 day ago
+16
That is pretty much the strategy. Being the fastest swimmer gives you maybe a couple mins on the field while being the fastest on the bike can create a GIGANTIC gap. There is a saying, "the swim is the ticket to the race." Basically, get through the swim and you can actually do the race.
16
CascadeKidd1 day ago
+11
I’m a slow male swimmer and was passed by females from later groups all the time while I backstroked to keep my cool. I was a bottom 25% swim, mid bike and top 10% runner.
11
handdownmandown131 day ago
+6
The pull in swimming contributes way more propulsion than kicking does, so limiting your kick is smart in a tri so you can go harder on the bike and run, and it doesn’t sacrifice much time at all (and it keep your heart rate down too).
Everyone should be doing some kicking but it’s common to use a 2 or 4 beat kick instead of 6 at longer distances, sometimes even a minimal 2 beat kick just for balance and rotation.
You actually even see this in real high-level swimming competitions. For example, Katie Ledecky changes between 2,4, and 6 beat kicking depending on the distance of her event and you’ll even see her switch between the kicks within the same race.
If it’s good enough for the GOAT it’s definitely good enough for us mortals
6
Think_Monk_98791 day ago
+3
You honestly barely need to kick in long distance swims. Kicking can help you stay afloat and you can do a two beat kick. But mainly for balance and positioning.
3
wedgiey11 day ago
+2
I was a collegiate swimmer 25 years ago. I did a triathlon and was shocked at how abysmal these athletes were at swimming. I was in 12th place after the swim…. Finished 250th or so cause I suck at the bike part lol!
2
Chas_Tenenbaums_Sock2 days ago
+8
I wouldn’t wait, but similarly to avoid much of the chaos, would start all the way to one side. People still on the other but I at least had a place to go if I was getting too much interference or needed to take a moment. Less stressful leading up to it too.
8
Deathbyfapfap1 day ago
+7
I got donkey punched in my first sprint triathlon. I finished 3rd for my age group.
7
I_Am_A_Nonymous1 day ago
+2
Ironman does do self-seeded pace times to start. So theoretically, you should be swimming around the same pace as those around you. Though some people get a little too optimistic about their time...
2
Ok-Airline-84202 days ago
+1206
I'm a lifeguard and also qualified as a water safety manager for events like this. I don't know what happened here, but reading the comments below I feel like I should chip in a bit.
There are a lot of safety issues surrounding tri's over the last decade or so, mostly surrounding the start. Big mass starts are super dangerous, and big mass starts where everyone jumps in the water at the start are dangerous too.
Main reason is something called the gasp reflex. You're standing about getting hot in your wetsuit and then suddenly dive in cold water. You will gasp involuntarily and swallow water.
A similar problem is it can mess up your heart. Your blood pressure will drop and at the same time your heart rate goes up and this can trigger heart attacks. This is an interesting one as it generally shows up after a few minutes of swimming so 400metres out people start getting in trouble.
Lastly, a LOT of these events don't have lifeguards trained in open water, and inadequate cover. Pool lifeguards are not qualified. A bunch of volunteer kayakers are not qualified.
Looking at the photo attached to this post, that boat is completely useless. You have no chance of getting an unconcious casualty into that boat. I'd put money on the prop being unguarded, so you can move into the swimmers to get to them. I don't see any boards or tubes on board, and no-one is prepped and ready to go over the side.
Also tons of stuff on water quality, weather, visibility...at least they've all got nice bright caps on here.
Happy to answer any questions.
Edit - reading the post on Lazar Dokic someone posted. That's almost a classic - run on a hot day and then straight into cold water is asking for casualties for the reasons above. I'm surprised there wasn't more.
1206
Ditches-Vestiges15491 day ago
+66
Just adding that water (Lake Woodlands) is only used for swimming during events like this, otherwise there is zero visibility and it's prohibited.
66
Fragrant-Poo421 day ago
+215
You sound like a very competent person in your field. Thanks for keeping people safe in water.
215
placeholder571 day ago
+24
I was a lake lifeguard for many years and worked a triathlon held there a couple times. The race had clearly defined waves for the start. We had a bunch of lifeguards on paddle boards in the water and 2-3 boats with trained guards and full lifesaving equipment on board along the course. Even with all that, it was still hectic and a few people were pulled from the water both years. The first year we had some of the worst fog I'd ever seen on that lake, and it was pretty stressful.
24
Ok-Airline-84201 day ago
+4
Fog and lightning are immediate red flags. Do not start. This should be in any risk assesment and contingency plan
Easy to say, hard to do when 500 people in wetsuits are yelling at you that 'it's ok, we'll be fine'
Basically, you need a full 'if this happens we will do that' plan and everyone is aware of it.
4
tessartyp1 day ago
+40
Gasp reflex and the heart issues it can cause a few minutes in is spot on. There was a series of deaths in Ironman races about 10 years back and the investigation that followed suggested this was the main cause. Experienced swimmers died, not underprepared.
As a result, Ironman mostly phased out mass starts in favour of staggered starts with groups of 5 setting off at fixed intervals. Much less congestion and stress in the early stages of the swim.
40
Ok-Airline-84201 day ago
+10
Staggard starts are the thing to to. Also, competitors should start in the water after five or ten minutes of immersion. So, everyone gets in the water, gets used to the temperature gradually and anyone reacting badly can be easily reached. It also means you can give each wave a diffferent coloured cap so that the lifeguards can spot someone stuggling more easily - if someone from wave one is mixing up back with wave five, you really want to keep an eye on them.
10
ReplaceSelect1 day ago
+34
They’ve been phasing out mass starts. I can think of one that I’ve done since COVID, and it was still just my age group instead of the 2k people at once. That has been a good change IMO. However that essentially makes it a time trial race. It sucks when you get beat by a few seconds by someone that you never see on the course. Positives outweigh the negatives though.
34
JudiesGarland1 day ago
+14
Just wanted to underline the bit about adequate training, and cover, for open water swimming. Volunteers are great, volunteering is a noble endeavour, but it's rough to see events becoming over reliant on them, especially re safety - for the competitors sake, but also, for the mental well being + risk exposure, of the volunteers themselves.
One of the first volunteers on scene posted about it on Facebook - he was there, on a paddleboard, with his 12 year old daughter. According to him, the alarm (whistles, waving) went up from some "younger" volunteers in a kayak. He crossed the race field to get to them, they said she had gone down right underneath them. *(So, it sounds like it could have been a cardiac event/medical issue, and that she might have have gone under, while resting.)*
He dove for her, says he felt her briefly once, with a foot, but was unable to find her again. *(The visibility in this lake is near zero, swimming is usually prohibited.)* He posted his watch data, showing his movements - it looks like it occured at about 800 meters. *(1/2 mile.)* It's unclear if there were any professional lifeguards/rescue divers on scene as well, or if he was searching alone. He acknowledged that he didn't really process the risk to himself that he was taking on, until later. *(He might also have lifeguard qualifications, idk, but it doesn't really sound like it, and his listed profession is criminal lawyer. A search to confirm the legitimacy of the account reveals he's currently running for District Attorney.)*
The part that really stands out to me, is that he claims he dove for her for approx an hour, before dive teams showed up and asked him to clear the scene. She was located at 9:30ish, by the Woodlands Fire Department, via radar, approx 3 hours after the emergency services call.
I feel for her, and her loved ones obviously - but I also feel deeply for the volunteers, especially the young people, who witnessed this, and I hope they have good coping mechanisms to process any feelings of guilt that might hit them - it's not their fault, but, feelings don't care about that. It sounds to me like the coverage might have been adequate for providing rest stops, but lacking when it comes to emergencies - especially considering the known visibility issues, going in. I am not an expert, just a kid who grew up on/in the Atlantic *(+ who was successfully resuscitated after being pulled off the bottom of a lake - all blessings to lifeguards, thank you for your service)* but it seems like they should have been prepared to deploy equipped divers, much faster than they did.
14
Ok-Airline-84201 day ago
+3
Open water rescue is a very distinct skill. Untrainied helpers can be useful as lifeguards can't be absolutly everywhere and if this casualty immediately sank (very unusual) then I don't think much could have been done on this one. Super sad.
3
[deleted]1 day ago
+3
[deleted]
3
trustme1maDR1 day ago
+3
JFC what did I just read?? This sounds like a nightmare scenario. Thanks for the summary
3
cheshire-cats-grin1 day ago
+13
Will add - there are cold swimming courses which go through these risks and others and how to manage them. I highly recommend them if you do open water swimming or triathlon
One from NOWCA is: https://nowca-education-portal.teachable.com/p/cold-water-induction
13
Ok-Airline-84201 day ago
+2
You can acclimatise to cold water immersion if you do it a lot, and it will suppress the gasp reflex. The blood-presure/hear rate paradox though you can't acclimatise to, and being hot and jumping into cold (or cooler) water will trigger it.
It's precisely the reason every year you read stories of teenage kids drowning on a hot sunny day in a calm lake. They were hot, they jumped in, and their bodies went haywire.
In-water starts, a delay while everyone gets comfortable in the water after walking in, and staggaered starts by wave are the way to go.
2
Global_Crew39681 day ago
+10
I dropped my phone off the dock into the water once. Had to have been like 65 degrees or lower in the water and it was already a cold day above water. As soon as i jumped in, I am immediately gasping for air and out of breath. I treaded water for about 15 mins just trying to catch my breath and get the shivering to stop. So wild. Never felt that before. My heart beat was goin crazy too.
10
Just_here20201 day ago
+3
Also: Swimming induced pulmonary edema (SIPE), also known as immersion pulmonary edema, is a life threatening condition that occurs when fluids from the blood leak abnormally from the small vessels of the lung (pulmonary capillaries) into the airspaces (alveoli).[2][3]
Actual open water swimming races don’t wetsuits but triathlon / iron man do.
You can train to suppress the gasp reflex fairly easily. No idea on the blood pressure drop. You cannot stop physics and a lot of pressure on your lungs.
Also wetsuits increases the risk of *hypothermia* which is a real risk with any higher temp water and linger swims.
3
atika1 day ago
+2
\>Lastly, a LOT of these events don't have lifeguards trained in open water, and inadequate cover. Pool lifeguards are not qualified. A bunch of volunteer kayakers are not qualified.
I grew up right by a river, so my childhood summers were basically just spent in this fast-moving, murky water. I was a decent swimmer, but I had friends who were way better.
It wasn't until I got older that I realized how different pool swimming is from the real thing. I’ve seen people who are amazing in a pool totally struggle in open water. It’s a completely different game. All that perfect form and technique you learn in a lane doesn't mean much when you're dealing with currents, waves, and zero visibility.
2
That_Communication712 days ago
+141
Didn't this exact same thing happen last year at a cross fit event?
141
euph_222 days ago
+91
There were atleast 16 deaths in the swim leg of multisport races last year globally (from a list on Wikipedia so not necessarily comprehensive). 2 in the other legs.
91
Wonderful-Process7922 days ago
+35
For every 100,000 runners of a marathon, on average one will go into cardiac arrest. Marathons have cut their death rate in half in recent decades through better medical response, but open water swimming obviously makes that a lot more difficult.
35
HopandBrew2 days ago
+11
That is shocking to me. 16 completely unnecessary deaths. Figure out a better way to hold these events.
11
HawkTheHatchet2 days ago
+55
Yes, 2024 and also in Texas. I put a link in another reply.
55
Toxic_Lantern2 days ago
+703
Terrible way to go, especially doing something you supposedly “train for fun.” Open-water swim is no joke, honestly wouldn’t hate mandatory recent swim tests or smaller wave starts for these big races.
703
scottawhit2 days ago
+282
The smaller waves for sure. Open water is rough enough, but getting kicked in the face and pushed around in those huge open starts is a nightmare.
282
Southern_Loquat_44502 days ago
+138
Yup. She may have been kicked in the throat. I lost 2 teeth from a kick 1 year, I found that running was still much safer and stayed to that. 😀
138
edarcy19851 day ago
+9
it was a staggered start not an open start
9
scottawhit1 day ago
+5
Any staggered start I’ve done has still been groups, not singles. It’s a little less than full on, but you still get hit a lot.
5
XYHopGuy1 day ago
+3
I did a staggered start once seeded slowest to fastest. What a nightmare lol. I think I came out in a 1:05 pace or some shit just to get out of the chaos.
3
hexiron2 days ago
+122
Considering her placements in other races, it wasn't her swimming experience. It seems she was sick with flu like symptoms the week prior. Sounds a lot like an unexpected cardiac event.
122
h_danielle2 days ago
+22
I was sick about a week before the annual physical testing for my lifeguarding job & failed. I thought I was fine, which is why I didn’t ask to reschedule, but I guess my body was more fatigued & weaker than I thought. Ended up passing a couple weeks later when I redid it 🤷🏼♀️
22
Trickster1741 day ago
+12
Caught a lot of daycare viruses from my kid during his first year of attending daycare. Each illness would knock my biking/cycling progress back noticeably for 2-3 weeks after recovery. Felt like I spent a solid year just trying to catch up to where I had been before. Important for everyone to take it slower and take downtime after an illness even if you don’t think you necessarily need it.
12
Wonderful-Process7922 days ago
+25
Hopefully an autopsy can tell. Apparently they sometimes cannot.
25
Just_here20201 day ago
+8
Cardiac event or Swimming induced pulmonary edema (SIPE). Damaged lungs can cause this to be worse.
8
Casswigirl111 day ago
+3
I posted this elsewhere but I've seen swimmers faint in the pool at a race so could be as simple as that.
3
irespondwithmyface2 days ago
+32
I highly doubt they had swimming issues. Seems more likely they had a secondary medical episode in the water and drowned as a result.
32
Daren_I2 days ago
+35
Or something simpler like realtime localized trackers. If a racer falls behind and is not visible on the surface, time to move in.
35
Mixels2 days ago
+12
Believe it or not you can still drown even when visible from the surface.
12
euph_222 days ago
+26
Really hard to make a tracker that works consistently in water.
26
ketomachine1 day ago
+60
An old neighbor of ours died during the swim portion of a triathlon. He had a cardiac event. He was a Dr and left behind a wife and three kids. So tragic and heartbreaking.
60
PirateStarbridge1 day ago
+17
Same happened to my uncle last year.
17
User__-_-__Name1 day ago
+56
My first tri, I made the mistake of jumping feet first into the lake sinking a couple feet below the surface with dozens of people jumping on top of me preventing me from surfacing. It was terrifying.
Now I know to jump out and kind of belly flop to avoid sinking below. I now try to hang towards the sides and back to avoid getting kicked and hit as much. I’m not out there to break records, so if it slows me down, so be it.
56
ImThe1Wh01 day ago
+23
Just before you hit the water, have your arms wide like you're going to fly and then clap hard as you enter the water. The swing and force will keep you above water, allowing you to not go under.
23
Tigerlily_Dreams1 day ago
+15
God, that sounds terrifying. I guess I hadn't pictured it with all those bodies jumping in at once. Sounds intense. This story is just so sad that someone so full of life and just out there living it could be killed in a regulated competition. I guess it goes to show that anything involving multitudes of other humans can go really sideways fast in certain conditions. I feel so bad for her loved ones.
15
SnapCrackleMom1 day ago
+9
That sounds horrible. I don't even enjoy sharing a lane at the Y.
9
Crayshack1 day ago
+38
Triathlons are particularly prone to drowning risks because some of the people competing have a running or cycling background and treat the swimming as a "I just have to get through this." But long distance open water swimming is a grueling sport. The Ironman is longer than other triathlons and has people swimming a distance that even some competitive swimmers might struggle with alone.
With cycling, if you get too tired, you can just coast. With running, if you get too tired, you can just walk. With swimming, if you get too tired, you drown. Experienced swimmers might have the option to switch to a different stroke or just tread water for a bit. But for many people, treading water is as intense of an activity as running. Some people who aren't swimmers challenge themselves with a triathlon and think they can just push through and make it work because they are generally fit, but they lack the skills to make the swim safe.
For context, the swim portion of an Ironman is 3.9 km. Some people can't *run* that distance, let alone swim it. The swim itself is a challenge, even if you're the only one in the water. Now imagine that with a crowd of swimmers splashing water everywhere. It's rough.
For context, I've never done an Ironman, but I have done an Olympic Length. The swim was the wasy part for me because my background is swimming (the run is the tough part for me). But that experience made it very obvious how a weaker swimmer might be in some real danger.
38
shnwllc1 day ago
+28
My dad did some Ironmans and triathlons a while back and he always said the swimming portion was super chaotic. Just a huge group of people trying to swim over one another.
28
_Erindera_1 day ago
+13
They started doing rolling starts because of that.
13
Ok_Breath_82131 day ago
+25
>Preliminary investigations indicate she drowned during the swimming portion of the event.
I'm glad they could clarify that much for us
25
AndromedanPrince1 day ago
+3
at least it wasnt a pit of fresh asphalt
3
Marginallyhuman2 days ago
+145
Imagine being a veteran triathlete and they refer to you as a “fitness influencer” in the headline …oof.
145
Ok_Introduction56062 days ago
+44
The Ironman Texas does have multi wave starts. At least they did last year. It helps cut down the chaos. From what I saw she allegedly came into trouble pretty early on. Health issue or gulped water and couldnt recover.
Most of the water safety are volunteers on kayaks. Definitely not trained enough or adequate coverage to watch the huge stream of swimmers
44
kdubstep1 day ago
+20
Having done triathlon I can tell you from experience the swim is a blood sport. Getting kicked, elbowed and intentionally yanked by ankles - all from a bunch of weekend warriors who’ll be lucky to finish in the top 100. This is truly horrible news and I can only fathom how devastated her friends and family are.
20
Wild4fire1 day ago
+34
Apparently, she had flu-like symptoms and ignored several warnings to not participate. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15749053/influencer-ironman-race-volunteer-save-texas.html
I read some Dutch articles about it today, this is the first English one that popped up referencering her flu-like symptoms.
34
Silent_Medicine17981 day ago
+10
I have a good friend that competed in Irons and he said that even though he was a strong swimmer he would always stay to the outside because people drowned in that scrum. This is not the first time by a mile.
10
ItsRaampagee2 days ago
+7
Are there not some sort of swimming vests or arm things that are inflated but can be used in case of emergency? Ofc this would disqualify you then?
7
silverlakekaren2 days ago
+13
This happened to other fit, young swimmers.
It could have been due to SIPE: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming-induced\_pulmonary\_edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming-induced_pulmonary_edema)
Additionally, there is risk of fainting if one hyperventilates before a swim:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freediving\_blackout](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freediving_blackout)
13
Just_here20201 day ago
+5
Everyone says heart attack but sipe is actually more common.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9481897/
Actual open water swimmers in master’s level don’t use wetsuits - it’s triathlons and those types that do.
5
Machts1 day ago
+5
The whole survival of the "fittest" thing can be counterintuitive sometimes..
5
jonnyrottwn2 days ago
+16
In the Sydney Olympics.. during the swim in the Sydney Harbour.. they had scuba divers following from underneath...but that may have been for shark and crocodile protection...but still if you had divers spread amongst the course..and I know a lot of divers would volunteer...perhaps they could prevent drowning...its a thought
16
TheRose221 day ago
+3
Wow really? Thats neat
3
yourlittlebirdie2 days ago
+64
I guess these events really don’t keep track of the participants during the race.
64
ALilMoreThanNothing2 days ago
+71
Lol they definitely do… every athlete has a tracker chip but open water swims are just inherently dangerous
71
unwisest_sage2 days ago
+26
Is it really a tracker? I've done dozens of triathlons and I thought the chip was just to scan you Everytime you went through certain checkpoints so you could see your splits end of race? They have scanners set up at certain points so when you see your results page you can see how fast your run, bike, and swim were individually as well as your transition times. I didn't think it actually was a gps tracker.
26
IllAlfalfa1 day ago
+17
Yeah, RFID chips and GPS trackers are very different things
17
OperationIndigo1 day ago
+13
At most triathlons, the chip is just for when you go through the timing gates and is not gps. At Ironman branded events, they have GPS on them, you can track athletes throughout the race with the ironman app + bib number of the athlete.
13
ALilMoreThanNothing1 day ago
+7
Ive had actual GPS on my bib the last few times I raced. Unless they use some predictive models and its not a real GPS ive had family members track me during events
7
ncolaros1 day ago
+6
I just tracked someone running a half marathon, and when they stopped to get water, I could see them stopping on the app. Definitely GPS.
6
tobaccoYpatchouli1 day ago
+5
They do, and the swim safety team and other participants saw her go under and immediately called for help.
5
not_limburger1 day ago
+5
When I see the large numbers of triathlon swimmers packed in so tightly during the swim portion, I fear drowning in the swim portion of a triathlon. Also, I can't swim so there's that too.
5
sunburn741 day ago
+5
Theres a device you wear on your wrist which is an inflatable if you get into trouble. Would have saved her here
5
Dreams-Visions1 day ago
+2
Are they required? If so, I’d have to wonder why she wouldn’t use it?
2
sunburn741 day ago
+5
They should be is what I'm saying. No excuse at this point when the tech is c**** and available costing 25 dollars or so for really c**** ones. They make them wear helmets during the bike part but no safety device for swimming?
5
theultimateal32 days ago
+14
I’m from this area and it feels like somebody dies every single year during this swim. So crazy
14
pointblank15551 day ago
+11
Saw this on Twitter and some a****** said “and that’s why it’s ironMAN”. Looked at his profile, and of course he had bible quotes and something else about loving god in his bio. Called him a f****** loser and he deleted his tweet not long after.
Tf is wrong with people?
11
CaseClosed441 day ago
+3
How the f*** does that happen? That's awful.
3
imironman20181 day ago
+3
When I swam in Ironman Wisconsin, in 2006, they did a mass start and I swam with thousands others in very choppy waters. I had a wet suit on and I was a very good strong swimmer. But open water swimming and also visibility under water was extremely poor. People were slapping and kicking me by accident. I really felt like I was swimming in a washing machine. It was utter chaos. I am not shocked that there are people who drown because it is impossible to see if someone is struggling in a large race. They have watchers on kayaks and boats but the sheer number and chaos makes it impossible.
3
fxkatt2 days ago
+16
>*"And even with the speed of the machine blurring the landscape, look out the window — for at any moment, the train will drop you off at the eternal station.”*
True, even for those in perfect health and in top physical shape.
16
fss711 day ago
+3
I feel like I hear a story like this every year
3
Pittedstee1 day ago
+3
Serious question: What is the procedure for a drowning person during the swim leg of these? I feel like with how many people are swimming at once it would be hard for the rescuers to reach them without potentially hurting another swimmer.
3
Smart_Restaurant3811 day ago
+3
I remember competing in Ironman races in the 90s. Almost everyone attempting one of these events put in serious time and effort into training properly. Even seasoned professionals in the shorter triathlon formats rarely made the jump up to the full Ironman distance.
3
Wizzle_Pizzle_4201 day ago
+2
They’re no joke. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Did one, crossed the finish line and told my buddy I’m never doing this again. The swim scared the shit outta me.
2
GoldenveinsSUNO1 day ago
+3
I feel like those airplane floaties should be mandatory in case of emergencies, built into swimsuits for this very situation.
3
RicRacer2 days ago
+4
That's surprising. Usually at these events there are lifeguards-types watching for this short of thing. Did they not have lifeguards or did the lifeguards just miss her drowning?
4
nigevellie1 day ago
+2
Influenced me not to swim there
2
Goodswimkarma1 day ago
+2
It's not the waves that are scary, but the people around you who might kick you in the face or drag you down.
2
firepitt1 day ago
+2
Almost every tri I completed in had several people on boats and/ or kayaks along the swim route. But even with that, with all the swimmers congested in a small area, it's easy to get kicked in the face and go under unnoticed.
198 Comments