Water Bottles at IM Branded Races

IMFL used Deer Park water when I was there.  The bottles they pass out go between by arms.  That way my arms keep it secure.  I have my nutrition (calorie) bottle on the down tube.  Behind my seat is a bottle pod for flat kit.

I ran into the same problem with the retail bottle not being the right size for the bike racks.  At the athlete meeting before my first Triathlon  the race director said that all the aid station would have water bottle that fit into standard bike racks and that we could swap out to carry on our bike or else just use them to refill bottles on our bike.  I had a 74 ounce (2.2 Liter) hydration system behind my seat with a straw that came down the cross tube and up to my aero bars so I could drink from that tank with out having to move or reach.  I also have a 18 oz bottle for the cage of my bike mounted on the up bar.  Since I was going to be able to get another bottle 6 miles into the ride at the first aid station I opted to drink all the fluid in the 18 oz bottle prior to the race and just get wait for the aid station to add another water bottle to the bike.  When I got to the aid station during the race I was disappointing to learn the bottle were too small for standard water bottle racks on bikes and that the bottle would fall out if I tired to carry it with me.  So I took a few quick swigs and left it at the aid station and was on my way.  Every aid station I took in as much fluid as I could as I passed through but was not able to get as much fluid from the course as I had planned on and my 74 oz tank ran dry with 10 miles left to go on the 56 mile course.   I might have made it if I didn't have double flat tires that require that I sit on hot blacktop for about an hour on a very hot day.  As it was my legs were cramping before I got of the bike and I had to stop and walk to work out cramps 2-3 times on the run.   I was thinking that in need to get some Koozies and try them out to see if a regular bottle would stay in the bottle rack if I were to slide it into a Koozie before placing it in the rack.  The Koozies could probably fit in the pocked of a tri shirt then I would be ready what what ever was available.    I am on injury with a concussion for a while so I won't be able to try this but yes it defiantly is a problem to only have bottles at aid stations during the bike portion of 70.3 and 140.6 races that you can't take on the bike with you.  

Ironically I would have loved to have a standard sized water bottle to carry with me between aid station on the run in the 95 deg F temperatures but all they offered on the run were 3 oz paper cups of water.  I downed about 5-6 of them at ever aid station but could have saved a lot of time if I could have just grabbed a bottle to carry with me then dumped it at the next aid station.  I would have stayed better hydrated and cooler that way too.