This comes from me just racing as well as a few of my athletes racing....
PIT STOP- buy it and tape it on your bike....if you flat, release the remaining air in your tires and use the Pit Stop, spin the wheel and top off with CO2- It takes 2 minutes and will hold for the rest of the IM- worried about it- flat a tire at home and use it and see how long it holds....still carry extra tube and Co2 but can be a big time saver
BIKE Location- know where your bike is,..row 1,2.3,18,20...I am a dork I write it on my hand with a sharpie so I am not frantically looking for my bike or trying to remember my race number (although I have my race number handy too)
KNOW your race number - for IM ( I write it on my other hand) if you yell it out as you come into transition or toward your bike sometimes a volunteer will grab your bags or your bike
SPECIAL NEEDS RUN- Aquaphor (for feet in case you have blisters) extra socks in case they are soaked and you have blisters, band aids (you got it- in case you have blisters) guess what - I had blisters in LP. In T2 I have Aquaphor and I lather my feet up - well I usually do and WISH I had in LP. If it may get cold- throw a long sleeve top in your special need bag.
GOGGLES- have 2 pair in your race bag- one clear and one tinted and see what the weather holds race AM-
BIKE HANDLING- if you are wary about grabbing bottles while riding your bike, practice, practice.... If your spouse or friend will not stand in the street and practice handing off bottles and nutrition then find a park with picnic tables and line up bottles, ride by and grab them without getting off your bike. Practice moving bottles from one cage to another while you are riding, Practice getting stuff from your jersey or bento box and open while riding, This should be a no- brainer come race day
NUTRITION- At IMLP on the bike there were usually 2-3 ppl with Ironman Perform and 2-3 with water so it was easy to get fluids BUT if you wanted banana- 1 person and 1 shot, 1 person had bonk breaker bars and 1-2 had Gu and GU chomps. So if you are using the course nutrition be mindful you have 1 shot while riding 10-20 mpg to grab it from a volunteer who may or may not run along side....and waiting another 10 miles may cause you to bonk on the run. SOLUTION- have spares in your bento box or in your tri top that you put in T1
USE THE WETSUIT STRIPPERS- as you run out of the water pull your wetsuit to your waist and drop on your butt and put legs in the air - let them pull it off. As you exit the water pull of cap and goggles and when you pull the sleeves off leave them in your sleeve (they will stay and you don't have to carry them) then drop and let them help you. Grab and go.
GOGGLES - under the cap..... it is a hammerfest and no need risking your goggles getting pulled off. practice this in the pool - it is a bit different. Have a new pair of goggles for racing, they wont fog.
TIRES- after all the time and $ spent to get to Ironman...if in doubt put on new tires, use the old ones for training.
TUNE UP- make sure you have sold ride to do after your tune up- the bike may not be as perfect as you hope and much better to find out on a ride than coming out of T1
That is all for now....
BIKE Location- know where your bike is,..row 1,2.3,18,20...I am a dork I write it on my hand with a sharpie so I am not frantically looking for my bike or trying to remember my race number (although I have my race number handy too)
KNOW your race number - for IM ( I write it on my other hand) if you yell it out as you come into transition or toward your bike sometimes a volunteer will grab your bags or your bike
SPECIAL NEEDS RUN- Aquaphor (for feet in case you have blisters) extra socks in case they are soaked and you have blisters, band aids (you got it- in case you have blisters) guess what - I had blisters in LP. In T2 I have Aquaphor and I lather my feet up - well I usually do and WISH I had in LP. If it may get cold- throw a long sleeve top in your special need bag.
GOGGLES- have 2 pair in your race bag- one clear and one tinted and see what the weather holds race AM-
BIKE HANDLING- if you are wary about grabbing bottles while riding your bike, practice, practice.... If your spouse or friend will not stand in the street and practice handing off bottles and nutrition then find a park with picnic tables and line up bottles, ride by and grab them without getting off your bike. Practice moving bottles from one cage to another while you are riding, Practice getting stuff from your jersey or bento box and open while riding, This should be a no- brainer come race day
NUTRITION- At IMLP on the bike there were usually 2-3 ppl with Ironman Perform and 2-3 with water so it was easy to get fluids BUT if you wanted banana- 1 person and 1 shot, 1 person had bonk breaker bars and 1-2 had Gu and GU chomps. So if you are using the course nutrition be mindful you have 1 shot while riding 10-20 mpg to grab it from a volunteer who may or may not run along side....and waiting another 10 miles may cause you to bonk on the run. SOLUTION- have spares in your bento box or in your tri top that you put in T1
USE THE WETSUIT STRIPPERS- as you run out of the water pull your wetsuit to your waist and drop on your butt and put legs in the air - let them pull it off. As you exit the water pull of cap and goggles and when you pull the sleeves off leave them in your sleeve (they will stay and you don't have to carry them) then drop and let them help you. Grab and go.
GOGGLES - under the cap..... it is a hammerfest and no need risking your goggles getting pulled off. practice this in the pool - it is a bit different. Have a new pair of goggles for racing, they wont fog.
TIRES- after all the time and $ spent to get to Ironman...if in doubt put on new tires, use the old ones for training.
TUNE UP- make sure you have sold ride to do after your tune up- the bike may not be as perfect as you hope and much better to find out on a ride than coming out of T1
That is all for now....
Good tips! I've started racing with Pitstop but am always praying I don't flat because I don't know how well it works. Good to know it actually lives up to its billing.
ReplyDeleteThis was super helpful - I will absolutely be writing all over my hands at IMLOU!
ReplyDelete