NOOB Question in IM Race Morning Transition Access

natepepper@yahoo.com

 Quick NOOB question on IM race morning transition area access as I get my checklists organized for IMTX. The WTC approach of multiple transition bags / no bike-side supplies is new to me. 

After reading the athlete guide it is clear that we are allowed to enter the transition area on race morning to check tires, add bottles to our bikes, etc. 

My first question: are you able to access bike/run transition bags on race morning to add any perishable items you didn't want to leave overnight, or perhaps add forgotten items? Or are the bike/run transition bags whisked away after check-in not to be seen until transition? 

My second (not quite related) question: the transition area is roughly a mile from the swim start. Do you think it is in my best interest on race morning to drive to the transition site, park, walk to transition, check tires, walk back in the car, drive to swim start, park a second time, walk to swim start.... OR... park once and walk the mile from transition to the swim start? Seems like a trade-off between excess admin time and time on my feet. 

Thanks for the input. 

jwpicciotto

On you transition bags and bike, you will be able to add anything that you need to both on race morning. When you drop off you bags on Friday morning, you will place you bag in a particular place based on you number. All of the bags are lined up on the ground, and if your number is 5, you will place your bag on the ground in between bags 4 and 6. On race morning you just walk up to your bag (this is a good time to confirm that you remember which row your bag is in) and put what you need in it. It is the same scenario for bike and run bags. In the bike, you just walk up to your bike, air up you tires, do a last minute mechanical check and put your nutrition on your bike. You are now ready to relax and enjoy the morning and look at the strange assortment of people walking around.

On the admin question. I would suggest that you park by the finish and then just walk over to the start. Many of the roads are going to be blocked off and it will be a nightmare to drive around. It will take you longer to walk back and forth to your car at the transition than to just walk to the swim start. It's really not that far from the transition area to the swim start.

Coach Patrick

Thanks John!