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Special Needs Bags

David LeventhalDavid Leventhal
in Ironman CDA

I've heard two different things regarding special needs bags::

  1. You can't get them back at the end of the race
  2. You can't get them back at the end of the race

The reason I ask is that I was thinking about putting an extra pair of contact lenses in my bike special needs bag - just as a precaution.  But if I won't get the bag back I'm not going to do that.

Anyone know which statement is true? 

Thanks

David

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    Al TruscottAl Truscott
    First of all, regarding contact lenses. I wear them for racing. In over 100 tris and over 25 IMs, I have never had an issue with them. That said, I do place spare lenses in my T1 bag, feeling the swim is the most likely time something will go wrong, like my goggles flooding and making a lens muddy from the lower salt content of water vs my own fluids. Never had to use those spares, though. Of course, you do get T1 bag back. Sometimes, I put on glasses in T2, having placed them in T2 bag on the morning of the race. I get a little thrill out of throwing my lenses onto the ground while doing this. What's your reasoning for putting lenses into special needs?

    As to getting those bags back ... I routinely put a CO2 and a tube into bike special needs. On occasion I have been able to retrieve. Most times, it's not worth the hassle, as the bags are either unavailable or piled in no particular order. Rarely, they may be available in boxes of 50 consecutive numbers, reducing the number you have to sort thru to find yours. Don't count on it, though. Another sunk cost, IMO.

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    David LeventhalDavid Leventhal
    Thanks Al. My reason for putting them in the special needs bag is simply a "just in case"

    Sounds like the better place for them is in my transition bags.
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    Mike RobertsMike Roberts

    David, don't count on getting it back.  At TX, they told us we weren't getting them back, and they didn't lie.  That said, I didn't hesitate to put a cheap $30 tubular and $10 worth of CO in there as my Oh Crap insurance policy in case I faced a multi-flat scenario.  I didn't want to spend 6 months training, who knows how many thousands of dollars, just to DNF because I was too cheap to plan for a bad-tire day. Well worth the peace of mind.  For me.

    I used to race in contacts.  Kept a spare in Swim-Bike bag in case one got dislodged during the MMA portion of the swim.  Not likely to lose one between Miles 1-60 on the bike, IMO.  If worried, you can stash a pair in your bento, saddle bag, taped to a seat rail, etc.

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    judsonjudson
    Last year the bags were put in a massive pile near the transition area the next day and people could try to dig theirs out. Kind of resembled a really bad free garage sale. Don't leave your favourite socks in there!
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