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IM special needs (Page 2)
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 2015-06-19 2:56 PM in reply to: JohnnyKay |
 Alpharetta, Georgia Bronze member |  Subject: RE: IM special needsOriginally posted by JohnnyKay Originally posted by ChrisM Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by axteraa I hear you, but I have only had 2 flats in the last 5 years of riding! hard to get my head around 3 in a day. Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by axteraa I will already have 2 spare tubes wedged under my seat and 3 co2 bottles. More than that seems like over kill. A spare tube and CO2 for the bike is all I would do, on the odd chance I use one prior to that. I agree but what if you double flat in the first half? Having it there doesn't mean you have to stop for it but it would certainly be nice to have the option in the unlikely scenario you need it. Sorta like gearing? Better to have a gear you don't need than need a gear you don't have......I mean you can take that philosophy to the extreme, and likely you'd find someone to give you a tube...maybe... or the sag wagon would eventually show up. But it would be a shame to DNF something you've put so many hours in for something as easy as tossing a $4 tube in a bag. In my IMs I carried two tubes and had one in SN, never needed to stop. I always got mine back however (but wouldn't care if I didn't). I want to hear just one story about someone who went through all their spare kit in the first half of their IM, stopped at S/N for their extra, and then used it in the 2H of the IM and it kept them from DNF. I get the anxiety and that it seems like a small investment for 'peace of mind'. I just think that peace of mind is sort of ephemeral if you really look at the likelihood of that scenario playing out--(I've yet to hear of a single instance but imagine it must have happened?). There are so many other things that could go wrong, it's funny to me that planning to solve this one little low probability one makes people feel better. But if $4 buys someone peace of mind, then it's money well spent! My first time volunteering at an IM... I was in women's T2 at IM Wisconsin. Last woman to make the cut off was crying tears of joy as she ran into T2 because she had flatted FIVE TIMES (and still made the cut off). She had used the 3 she had between her bike and special needs, and had waited on SAG twice. Clearly something was wrong with her tire or wheel or user error or whatever... but there's your story |
| 2015-06-19 3:13 PM in reply to: ChrisM |
Member  1748    Exton, PA | Subject: RE: IM special needs Originally posted by ChrisM Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by axteraa I hear you, but I have only had 2 flats in the last 5 years of riding! hard to get my head around 3 in a day. Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by axteraa I will already have 2 spare tubes wedged under my seat and 3 co2 bottles. More than that seems like over kill. A spare tube and CO2 for the bike is all I would do, on the odd chance I use one prior to that. I agree but what if you double flat in the first half? Having it there doesn't mean you have to stop for it but it would certainly be nice to have the option in the unlikely scenario you need it. well, now you've just jinxed it My back up plan if I need more than to is- I have 2 friends in this event that will be 20 minutes behind me in the swim, and I'll put another hour on them in the bike, worst case I wait for them or sag to throw me a third tube. |
| 2015-06-19 4:51 PM in reply to: lisac957 |
| Subject: RE: IM special needs Originally posted by lisac957 Originally posted by JohnnyKay Originally posted by ChrisM Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by axteraa I hear you, but I have only had 2 flats in the last 5 years of riding! hard to get my head around 3 in a day. Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by axteraa I will already have 2 spare tubes wedged under my seat and 3 co2 bottles. More than that seems like over kill. A spare tube and CO2 for the bike is all I would do, on the odd chance I use one prior to that. I agree but what if you double flat in the first half? Having it there doesn't mean you have to stop for it but it would certainly be nice to have the option in the unlikely scenario you need it. Sorta like gearing? Better to have a gear you don't need than need a gear you don't have......I mean you can take that philosophy to the extreme, and likely you'd find someone to give you a tube...maybe... or the sag wagon would eventually show up. But it would be a shame to DNF something you've put so many hours in for something as easy as tossing a $4 tube in a bag. In my IMs I carried two tubes and had one in SN, never needed to stop. I always got mine back however (but wouldn't care if I didn't). I want to hear just one story about someone who went through all their spare kit in the first half of their IM, stopped at S/N for their extra, and then used it in the 2H of the IM and it kept them from DNF. I get the anxiety and that it seems like a small investment for 'peace of mind'. I just think that peace of mind is sort of ephemeral if you really look at the likelihood of that scenario playing out--(I've yet to hear of a single instance but imagine it must have happened?). There are so many other things that could go wrong, it's funny to me that planning to solve this one little low probability one makes people feel better. But if $4 buys someone peace of mind, then it's money well spent! My first time volunteering at an IM... I was in women's T2 at IM Wisconsin. Last woman to make the cut off was crying tears of joy as she ran into T2 because she had flatted FIVE TIMES (and still made the cut off). She had used the 3 she had between her bike and special needs, and had waited on SAG twice. Clearly something was wrong with her tire or wheel or user error or whatever... but there's your story Well there ya go! |
| 2015-06-19 7:09 PM in reply to: mike761 |
Master 3205 ann arbor, michigan | Subject: RE: IM special needs For me: Bike SN: Two bottles of my bike nutrition to replace the two that I have drank on the first half of the bike. I have a very specific fueling plan that is supplied by those bottles. If by chance I didn't get them I can live off the course but so far in four IMs, I have gotten my bag every time. One spare tube and a spare CO2 for the same reasons that everyone above has delineated. Peace of mind more than anything. Run SN: I don't turn one of these in any more. There is nothing I need at run SN. I did turn one in at Tahoe because I was concerned about finishing after dark in the cold so I threw an old long-sleeve race shirt in there that I did pick up and put on. I read some place about a guy who bought $20? Starbucks gift cards and put them in his SN bags. Once he got his stuff out he handed it back to the volunteer and told them that there was a gift card in there for them as thanks for being out there supporting the athletes. That sounds like a very cool gesture and I am planning on doing the same thing at my next IM. It will make me feel good and will hopefully make a volunteer feel good as well. |
| 2015-06-21 10:55 AM in reply to: wannabefaster |
Veteran 740 The Woodlands, TX | Subject: RE: IM special needs Think about using gel flasks. I can put all the gels I need for an IM bike leg in two flasks. I slip them into jersey pockets in T1. From my perspective, it makes things a lot simpler. I don't have to worry about gel hand-ups at aid stations, and I don't have to worry about messing with wrappers along the course, either ripping them open or trying to put the gooey package back into a jersey pocket. I add just a little water to the gels in the flask to make sure they flow easily through the nozzle. Works great for both training and racing. |
| 2015-06-21 1:41 PM in reply to: mike761 |
Master 2406 Bellevue, WA | Subject: RE: IM special needs I've done ten IMs, and I like to keep my special needs simple these days. Special needs is never a "must have" for me, but something I would like to have. If it's a "must have to finish", then strapped to my bike or in my T1 or T2 bag. Backup saltstick tablets. Backup T-shirt for the run (if the weather may get cold). Backup nutrition (something I'd like to have but I mostly live off the course). Backup contact lenses. Backup sunscreen. Backup this and that. For "special" food, in my last few IMs I've put cherry PopTarts in both bags. I cannot tell you how wonderful those have been sometimes. I wrapped in a little cardboard sleeve once to prevent being crushed to bits like happened once.
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