General Discussion Triathlon Talk » IM & 1/2 IM transition prep Rss Feed  
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2005-04-12 10:17 AM

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Pro
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Subject: IM & 1/2 IM transition prep

Just read Tiger Phil's IMAZ report and I have a lot of questions about transition and overall organization type things and how they differ from sprint and oly races.

-He said that someone was supposed to get his bike for him at T1...is this standard?  So you don't actually run down the rack and grab your own bike?  And where would you keep all your other transition stuff..is there another place for transition bags and does someone hand that to you also?

-He mentioned 5 gear bags for an IM...I can come up with 3.  One at each transition and a "special needs" bag at the mid-point of the bike. 

-How do you (or the race organizers) keep track of all your gear from transitions?  Since you grab your transition bag and go to a tent or other area to do your gear changes you don't have a single place to leave behind your other stuff like in short course races.  So is it basically a matter of jamming everything you leave behind back into your bag and someone else is responsible for collecting all the bags and getting them back to the racers when all is said and done?  What about your wetsuit?  Having other people responsible for making sure I get my stuff doesn't sit well with me.  I'm sure they all mean well but if someone messes up it's me who gets screwed so I'd much rather be responsible for myself.  I guess that's just the way I've always been in life.  If it's important enough you do it yourself so it gets done the way you want and the only person to blame is things go wrong is yourself.  I can handle failure if it's my fault but I'd be soooooo pissed if I did everything right someone else caused the wheels to fall off the cart.



2005-04-12 10:37 AM
in reply to: #141571

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Elite
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Subject: RE: IM & 1/2 IM transition prep
Yeah, They have volunteers at the bike racks and they call out your number as you come down the row. They grab your bike and try to meet you in the aisle. They got my bike right as I got to my bike. I think it is standard.
All of your stuff is in bags. There is no set spot for your stuff like in a sprint. Ths bags are
Morning warm clothes which holds your clothes for before and after the race.
Swim to bike You take out your bike gear, helmet, glasses, jersey, shoes/socks etc. Volunteers help you put in your wetsuit goggles and cap. then they take it and you don't see that until after the race. They have an area just outside of the changing tent. This area has 2 bags for everyone. You run down the row and they call out your number when you get to your area then they hand you your bag as you run by.
Bike special needs This bag has whatever you want for the last half of the bike. You get one shot at it. If you take something out, they throw the bag to the side and won't find it again until Sunday.
Bike to run this has your running shoes, hat, sunglasses fuel belt, etc. Again a volunteer helps you put your stuff back in the bags. Then off it goes
Run special needs bag Again, anything you need for the halfway point in the run.
As far as being responsible for your stuff, just make sure that you can roll with the day. It's a long day and a few min. won't kill you. If you checked it in, then it's there. It might take a second to find your bag, but it's there
Hope that helps
Tom
2013-06-18 10:38 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Subject: RE: IM & 1/2 IM transition prep
Originally posted by madcow

Yeah, They have volunteers at the bike racks and they call out your number as you come down the row. They grab your bike and try to meet you in the aisle. They got my bike right as I got to my bike. I think it is standard.
All of your stuff is in bags. There is no set spot for your stuff like in a sprint. Ths bags are
Morning warm clothes which holds your clothes for before and after the race.
Swim to bike You take out your bike gear, helmet, glasses, jersey, shoes/socks etc. Volunteers help you put in your wetsuit goggles and cap. then they take it and you don't see that until after the race. They have an area just outside of the changing tent. This area has 2 bags for everyone. You run down the row and they call out your number when you get to your area then they hand you your bag as you run by.
Bike special needs This bag has whatever you want for the last half of the bike. You get one shot at it. If you take something out, they throw the bag to the side and won't find it again until Sunday.
Bike to run this has your running shoes, hat, sunglasses fuel belt, etc. Again a volunteer helps you put your stuff back in the bags. Then off it goes
Run special needs bag Again, anything you need for the halfway point in the run.
As far as being responsible for your stuff, just make sure that you can roll with the day. It's a long day and a few min. won't kill you. If you checked it in, then it's there. It might take a second to find your bag, but it's there
Hope that helps
Tom


I've only done 2 IMs, but I've never had my bike brought to me, however after the ride they do take it and rack it.
Also, you can re-stuff your swim gear into your T1 bag and your bike gear into your T2 bag if you choose, I didn't have a volunteer help me do that but they do take the bag and deal with it until the end of the race. For IMFL they had all of the bags sorted by T1/T2 and numbered for you to pick up. In IMTX they had the bags hanging on your bike when you went to collect it (which was awesome). Don't count on seeing your special needs bags again, I got mine back in FL but didn't in IMTX.
Pretty straight forward really.
2013-06-25 9:04 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Subject: RE: IM & 1/2 IM transition prep
I did IMAZ last year. Great race you will have a good time.

There are two areas for your transitions bags, one for the swim-to-bike bags(T1) and another for bike-to-run bags(T2). All the bags are put in a row(s) by bib-number. There are sections marked by signs for bib number x to xx. The day before you put your bags in its correct place. Walk around and look for landmarks to help you find it when you run by. Same thing you do for finding your bike. You can also re-check on your bags on race morning.

Your T1 bag will have all your bike stuff, shoes and helmet. Like someone mentioned when you are done swimming all your bike stuff comes out of the bag and wetsuit goes in the bag. You leave the bag in the tent. A volunteer will put it back where it belongs in the correct row in order. That is where you find it when the race ends. Same for T2, run stuff out, bike stuff in.

I grabbed my own bike and my own bags. There are only so many volunteers and if so many people come through at once no need to wait.

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