Newbie questions on Bike wear & Special Needs Bags
So I will be doing my first full IM in 3 weeks in Louisville...I had been planning all along to wear my one-piece Tri-Club Tri suit (my EN top will not arrive in time)....but as completed my last RR and dialed in my nutrition I reallize that I have been primarily cycling with a traditional cycling jersey on and storing my Clif Bloks/Gels & 2nd half bike loop Perpetuem Powder packet in the back pockets...I wont have these/anypockets if I were the tri suit!....
Questions:
A.) Do any of you were traditinoal cycling Jersey for the bike portion then change into a different top for the run? Seems feasible and not time consuming as the bike top is a full zip...(then I would go with my 2-piece tri kit...the pockets on that top are avaialable but not as spacious and accomodating as a bike Jersey..)
B.) Would you put a 1/2 the ClifBloks/gels and a pre-mixed bottle of nutrition in the Bike Special Needs bag v. carrying it with you? Any concerns with the Special Needs bags?
c.) What kind of things do you put in the run special needs bag? Socks?....
Comments
Seems like what you do and wear is a matter of comfort and expectations. Trying to k Qualify? Go tri kit b/c minutes and seconds count. The less moving parts in transition the better. Typically smoother and smooth is fast in T1. I wore tri shorts and a tri top under my wet suit. BUT to answer your questions:
A: I saw plenty of folks in cycling jerseys doing IMLP. ENer Steve Ross wore a cycling jersey for example. If I had to do it all over again I probably would have thrown my Jersey on for the sheer fact of sun protection. I got really badly sunburn during the race even after using lots of sun screen and putting on throughout the day. The jersey would have taken care of that. I wouldn't recommend putting your cycling jersey on under your wet suit if you are wearing one. Not sure the impact of the Jersey versus tri top in terms of Heat.
B. I would put your pre mixed bottle in the SN and carry the cliff bar/gels with you or better yet tape them to your top frame in the morning. This gets into the whole smoother thing. having an exta set of ALL nutrition in your SN isn't a bad idea in case you accidently leave something in your T1 bag. Would get the scoop from a Louisville vet on SN setup and "concerns"...I saw a post of somone recommending actually putting some water in your bike SN b/c they ran short on the course last year.
C. I had an extra pair of socks and some salt pills in my run SN
B. I don't have any concerns with SN during the race, so yeah, put 1/2 of your nutrition there so you don't have to carry it. But don't put anything super valuable in a SN bag because after the race it might be lost forever.
C. Think about an extra pair of socks, band-aids, long sleeve in case it gets cold at night, etc. Plenty of good stuff here in the forums/Wiki about SN contents that I won't repeat here. But another advantage to running in a bike jersey is that I made a little medical care baggie with band-aids, tylenol, salt tabs, etc., and shoved it down a pocket in T2.
Joseph,
a) Nate coverer this pretty good, go with what you are comfortable with and have used on the race rehersals.
C) Depending on your finish time I put a long sleeve shirt in my run special needs. I'm not sure how cool in will be in Louisville after dark but at Lake Placid or IM Canada it can get cool. Just make sure its a shirt that you don't want back as you may not get it returned.
It will be hot and with the water being poured over you head I'm not sure that socks will be useful. I have also put the end of a duck tape roll in the run special needs in case of blisters or hot spots. I've never used it during a race but have in training when I've developed a blister it works for me.
Full zip = likely relatively easy to put on, though I would practice it a couple times when I was wet. I often cycle to the pool and change into my bibs/jersey in the lockeroom when all wet. The bibs would be a disaster but the jersey basically goes on like a jacket. I think I would have the stuff in my jersey pockets already vs doing that in transition or on the bike.
Again, practice when wet. You'll be surprised at the stuff that go wrong in a chaotic changing tent...
That said, I use infinIT and gels. I taped my 5 gels to the top tube so I didn't have to put anything in my pockets for food. In my one pocket I had some salt pills as back up, but that was it. If you can put it on your frame, do it. Another option for you might be a bento box. Also, remember to open all your solid food packets on race AM so it's easier to eat during the race!
Thanks for all the great responses....and will test out a couple of options over the next week/
@Rich - I think the zip top (full zip) will be easy...though i will try it...and have the pockets already to go....
or
@Pat - Primarily Perpetuem as a nutrition source...though I have been supplementing recently with Cliff Block on the bike; I have always been a gel guy...because I can't tolerate the Blocks on the run...but they are fine on the bike...and relieves any gel fatigue when I get to the run...and allows me to take fluid and/or gel on the run without carrying.....I do have a Bento Box- during training rides I usually carry my phone/multitool/levers/money in there...as I won't need these items on race day I could put the ClifBlocks in there along with my supply of S-Caps....and all I would have to put my small multitool + tire levers in a small bag and tape them under the seat ...I'll give that a try too.
....and I will very likely go with a pre-mixed bottle of Perpetuem/second half nutrition in the Bike Special Needs Bag...
It's been a while since I used gels on the bike, but I disagree about pre-opening them. Instead, attach each gel to the top tube with a full revolution of electrical tape (to hold it down firmly), such that the edge of the electrical tape is right along the "tear line" of the gel. Pull them up/off, and they self open. Works perfectly. Zero hassle, and one fewer thing to dispose of during the race (no top).