Ironman USA Lake Placid

I'm looking forward to the day after the race so I can register for next year.

Have you done it before? What sort of times are you aiming for?

nice. we are actually in a debate on what to do next year. it looks like imcda is going to win though.


i did imwi last year, so i have done an im, but not imusa. we went up and rode/ran the course over memorial day to get an idea of what to expect. it looks tough, but really like it. i haven't worked out my final goals yet, but off-hand i would like to break 13hrs this year.

Ok we are 16 days, 16 hours and 36 mins away for race start. I am starting to get very excited! Focus on work is hard, and I have a lot of work to get done. I am starting to make my packing lists for all transitions and gear. Only 3 days into taper and I feel like I need to go for a long ride or run or something (although that could have to do with the venti iced coffee I am drinking). Here is my list from last year IMWisconsin (yes i am neurotic):

Morning of, to put on bike:
Gu2o (1 concentrate, 1 normal) • fill aero bottle with h2o • Gus in bento (12) • check tire pressure on bike • Endurolytes in bento (8)

Swim:
timing chip • wetsuit • goggle (2pairs) • triclothes (tri shorts/tri top/sport bra) • swim cap (provided) • Body glide • Gu for right before • Gu2o for right before (1 bottle)

T1 Bag:
Helmet • Bike shoes • Bike gloves • Socks • HRM strap • Towel • Sunglasses • Body glide/Butt Butter • Gu for transition • h2o bottle for transition • Endurolytes (4) • Meds (tylenol, immodium, pepsid) • peppermints • race belt with bike number • gum

Bike Special Needs Bag:
2 spare tubes • 2 spare co2 • Socks • Towel • Body glide/Butt Butter • Gus (4) • Gu2o concentrate (1) • Endurolytes (4 pills) • Meds (tylenol, immodium, pepsid) • peppermints • Coke • food ????

T2:
Visor • Shorts (incase I want to change) • Body Glide • Socks • Shoes with quick lace system • Reflective tape(mandatory) • Gus (6) • Endurolytes (8) • Sunglasses • Towel • race belt with run number • peppermints • Coke • meds (tylenol, immodium, pepsid) • water bottle to run out of transition with filled with frozen gu2o • gum

Run Special Needs Bag:
Socks • Coke • Meds (tylenol, immodium, pepsid) • Blister pads • Gus (4) • gum • a selfserving of biofreeze

(weds, now I now I could loss the peppermints but they work for me, so no!)

Any other unusual things people like in their bags?

Maybe a used, but still OK, tire for bike special needs.

i don't think you should lose them, i just think it's funny how many you had. if you actually ate all of them, you wouldn't need any gu!

are you planning on carrying all your own gu? i'll probably carry the bare minimum and then pick up some while on course.

also, i am still torn about the aero bottle. i don't really like having it on there and i drink plenty from bike bottles without it. my only concern is that i hate the water/gatorade bottles they give you so unless i use the aero bottle, i have to deal with those crappy bottles all day.

Great list. Thinking I might print it out and go shopping!

How do the transition and special needs bags things work? You pull up and someone hands it to you, you take what you need, and hand it back? And at T1, do you go to your bike and ditch your wetsuit there or do you dump it in a bag?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, because I can only really stomach the banana, vanilla, plain, and sometimes the espresso GU.


I agree, but I figure the aerobottle works great for me because I don't have to think about drinking, it is right infront of my face.


Thanks


In transition the bags are in a designated spot and the volunteers direct you to your bag based on your number. this link has some great discussion and pictures that Max posted: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

At wisconsin, the special needs were just laying in a row on the side of the road at the designated spots. You had to stop and get your own bag. once again people were directing you to your number location

You get your transition bag then go to changing tent and change. you can put your wetsuit in your bag then. You leave the bag there and run to your bike. nothing can be left at the bike, not even shoes. (only water bottles in the cages and nutrition on the bike)

Hope this helps. See you there!!!! 15 days and 23 hours

for t1, you run through the racks, grab your bag and continue on to a changing area/tent before you ever see your bike. you take what you want out of the bag (bike stuff, food, etc.) and put everything you are done with back in the bag (wetsuit, goggles, body glide, etc.). you then give the bag back on the way out of the tent and go to your bike.

same thing for t2. hand over your bike, head through the racks to get your bag, and head to the tent to change. put everything you are done with (helmet, bike shoes, gloves, clothes, etc.) into the t2 bag you just took your sneakers, etc. out of and hand it over on the way out of the tent.

often there will be people manning the bag racks that will see you coming and hand you your bag, but it depends on what kind of a crowd you come in with. similarly, there may be someone to pull your bike off the rack and hand it to you and there is almost always someone who will take your bike from you at the start of t2 and rack it for you. therefore, if you have anything on the bike (extra food, meds) you want for the run, grab it before handing over your bike.

then at the end of the race, you will collect your dry clothes/swim, t1, and t2 bags along with your bike and head out. the next day they try to have your special needs bags available (but don't count on it) so you can pick up those tubes, co2, and long sleeve shirt you hopefully didn't need.

as long as you pack all of your bags carefully (ie. don't put your sneakers in your t1 bag), it all works rather smoothly.

will they have different flavors? IMWI only had vanilla the whole day.

I have heard that it is not really decided until the last minute as to what gu will supply them with. i do not want to take the chance!

anyone get their numbers yet?

Nope. I've heard that they tend to be late by a few days.

HAHA! when i saw the numbers weren't up yet, i came straight here. i knew you would be here complaining!

I am not complaining I am just excited and want to see my number. the athlete's guide and spectator guides are up.

by the way is this just a heidi and brad blog?!

atleast it looks like you are just as excited!