How will these things work on race day?
I've got a couple of logistical type questions on race day... I would like to understand how a couple things will work...
In T1, I 'm carrying my wetsuit up the helix and some EN doode hands me my bike 
. What happens to my wetsuit? Will the bike handler also have my shoes and helmet?
I plan to use my Garmin 305 on the run. I figure I don't need it on the bike. I've used it to know the course a couple times. I have a wired PT. Is there any advantage to wearing it on the ride and run?
What happens to my bike after the race? Do I grab it that night or Monday morning?
Did I hear someone correctly that we do NOT get our special needs bags after the race? Do we sacrifice everything we put in there which we do not use? Should I position a familiy member close to the SN area so I can hand them the bag?
Comments
Excellent questions!
In T1, you get your wetsuit stripped, and you carry it with you into the Monona Terrace. You pick up your T1 bag (which you packed a day or two earlier) and head into the changing room. A volunteer helps you with anything you need. your t1 bag contains helmet, bike shoes, sunglasses, any additional bike clothing, a towel, and whatever else you want in there. your wetsuit will go into that bag when you leave T1. You put on your helmet, shoes, sunglasses, and head out to the bike area. Volunteers smear sunscreen all over you. Maybe you use a porta-potty. A volunteer hands you your bike, and you head out on the course.
After your race, you or one of your sherpas picks up your bike using the ticket that they give you at athlete check-in. Definitely have to pick it up that night. Same with transition bags.
You may or may not get special needs bags back. I've have about a 75% success rate at WI. Get there early on monday morning. it's thousands of bags, fairly unorganized, and they've been sitting out there for a few hours since the middle of the night, unguarded.
The garmin could be a nice backup if for some reason your PT goes on the fritz. At least you'd have mileage and time on the bike if the PT computer gets screwed up. But definitely optional. If you don't take it on the bike, you'll just put it in your T2 bag and pick it up then.
T2 is similar. You ride up the helix to Monona Terrace and you give your bike to a volunteer who then racks it. You run in and get your T2/run bag, go to the changing area and put your bike gear in that bag after you've changed. Then head out on the run.
Have you watched the Four Keys DVD? Mandatory viewing.
Just be prepared to do everything yourself and you will not have any issues and be pleasently surprised when a great volunteer is there to help you.
Sorry I always post this, but I actually overheard someone complaining last year that their T1 was slow because of the volunteers being to slow ... they are their to help you, not do it for you.
Also, I would not suggest handing anything to a family member as that is a penatly. Just don't put anything valuable in your SN bags and then it isn't a big deal if you get them back or not.
This isn't huge, but I gave my helmet to the bike handler who took my bike at T2. One less thing to deal with in the changing area. It was strapped to my bike when I picked it up.
I'll throw in this....
I go into T1 and T2 calling (OK ,maybe a little sing-song yelling) for a volunteer. "I NEED A VOLUNTEER!!!! Or I'll literally tap one and have her come with me, if that scenario presents itself. While mayhem sems to be going on around you, some are standing idle. Then I "boss" them around.
Of course I am not really bossy in tone, but I clearly tell then what I need and what I would like them to do for me. They aren't mind readers, and they will do anything you ask--so long as they know. It's all my years being mom to an army of boys, I swear! 
Having someone assist you is hugely helpful.
Men prolly don't, but I always hug my volunteer before I leave.
It depends... if the volunteer is a pretty, young coed, I'd proably at least TRY to give her a hug... don't know if she'd LET me... I'm just sayin'. :-D
Of course you would. You dawg! LOL!
Also does anyone leave their shoes clipped into their bike? I've typically done this at shorter events but then I've never had a volunteer get my bike?
One more...if you are using infinit how do you handle it on the run? I use a fuel belt when training and will probably do the same for the race so that I can keep consistent nutrition but hate the idea of carrying the extra weight around the course (you know bc my body comp is already as ideal as it's gets
You do have access to your bike the morning of. Good thing to pump your tires too!
I believe I've done it both ways (leaving shoes on and taking them off). But frankly I think it's a little safer to take them off and carry them to T2 with you- that way you know for sure they will make it into a bag you can retrieve later.
Jennifer- you will have access to your bike the morning of so that you can put your water bottles/feed bottles on the bike and pump up the tires.
So Matt, if I pump my tires morning of, what do I do with the pump?
That's what Sherpas are for
There will be volunteers in transition with bike pumps. You can use one of those OR bring your own and hand it to a family member to bring back to the hotel. I'll be using a volunteers pump- no need to pack that in the luggage.
I handed mine off to my wife/sherpa.
Getting a volunteer is a very good thing, if you can. They will pack your bag back up if you ask them and you can just go on your way. That is especially nice for your wetsuit!
Lots of people wear the fuel belt. Personally, I've become more of a fan of the Nathan sprint hand-helds, particularly the little ones. You don't even realize you're carrying them. Two bottles is 20 oz.
Personally, I started my first IM with the fuel belt and hid it in a bush for later retrieval by mile 2. Couldn't stand it--the weight or the taste of Infinit. Plus, once I ran out, what was I going to do anyway? Last time I just used coke from start to finish and I was A-OK. I was glad not to be carrying anything. Planning that again this time--here's hoping it works.
For IMWI I recommend you run IN your shoes with your bike to the bike mount line. Within a few feet of mounting your bike you are rolling down the helix = no real room to put your shoes on, unless you lean your bike against the wall before the mount line and do it there....which is the same idea as a lot of other people
. Bottomline, you gots all day. If you ride Looks (me), maybe put on a fresh set of cleats.
I ride looks and I could of used new cleats at timberman or I would of PR's by another 10 minutes
If you are RACING then:
What has worked really well for me is to carry my shoes in my hands while I run to the bike rack. This works for me because my bike is racked close to the bike out. Therefore I am running barefoot for about 3/4 of the tranistion and passing a ton of people trying to run in cleats. When I got to my rack I stop and put my shoes on next to the rack while an outstanding volunteer ;-) grabs my bike for me. I have my shoes on right as he is handing me my bike and I only have about 1/4 of the tranistion to run in bike shoes now.
Of course if your bike is racked much further from the bike out, this strategy may not work as well.
However, I now realize I just don't want/need that many calories while running, and I'm generally tired of drinking perpetuem after the bike ride that I can't bear to drink any more of it on the run. Also, I discovered coke! It's an amazing way to get some calories on the run along with a bite or two of a solid bar here & there, and some type of cliff blocks/luna moons/honey stingers, etc. Those are all things I can carry on my race number belt (with elastic loops) or in a pocket. I really like not having to carry the extra weight of a fuel belt.
So, that's my experience. A lot of people do great with the belts. I'd go with whatever you trained with on your long runs.
I am planning on pumping my tires when I drop off my bike on Saturday.
X2 David. I have this thing about never pumping up tires race morning. But that's just me.
Really good to know. This is a very helpful thread!!
If you are using latex tubes ... I definitely recomend you DO NOT pump them up on Saturday. Also, if it is hot on Sat and forecasted hot on Sunday, this is a bad idea as well as the tire pressure will drop over night when it cools off and then raise again on Sunday.
There will by multiple pumps in T1 race morning. Get there early and you will have no problem using one with little to no wait. I can almost alwasy borrow one from someone at the same rack as well.
Matt-prolly a really stoopid question, but how do u know if the tubes are latex?
Kathy,
If you have tubulars then it would depend on the brand and model of your tire, but I'm guessing you have clinchers. In that case, you'd probably know if you had Latex tubes because you really have to go out of your way to find them. Standard butyl tubes are the black ones that you can get anywhere, latex are thinner and finnickier. Anyway, if you fill up your tires and you still have decent air pressure in them the next day, you've got butyl! My tubulars with latex tubes drop from 110 to 80psi over the course of a single night.
Another question, anyone who's done an IM yet this year with the Powerbar Perform stuff know what flavor they've been handing out? Like last year at Moo, from what I remember they only had orange Gatorade Endurance. I'd like to try the specific flavor of Perform that they are going to dish out. I'm planning on using on-course nutrition for the run for better or worse. I tend to favor RnP's nutrition mantra to err on the side of too little rather than too much. I mostly stick to water, taking in calories in the form of sports drink when needed, I'll probably grab some coke too because that went well in training. I'd like to try pretzels and broth but I have not had those during training, suppose I could try it at this weeks long run but I don't think my long run nutrition really compares too closely to how I'm going to feel when I'm a good ways into the IM marathon, really it's a whole different ball game.
EDIT: Ok a few more newbie questions. How much of a pain is it to get your special needs bag on the bike? I'm planning on having some extra frozen nutrition bottles in there to pick up, how long does it usually take to get your bag? Do you grab your stuff out of the bag then give the empty bag back to the volunteer?
There was a lot of talk about using volunteers in transition, what are you all having these volunteers do for you? I know I need someone to give me my transition bag, and I'll want someone to help put on sunscreen, but what else do they usually help with?
Thanks!