Some questions for the Ironman(s)...
Kathi just posted an awesome race report from IMAZ in the previous post's comments, and some of her experiences got me thinking about questions I know will be answered for me in time, but that I'm wondering about now. So if Kathi or anybody out there in blogspace wants to chime in, I'd love to know...
* How does the Special Needs bag work on the bike? I load it up with whatever I want and drop it off before the race, and then what - at the halfway point or so they see me coming by number and hand it to me? Or do I have to stop and ask for it? Do I get off my bike to get it? Grab it on the fly? Is there a special needs bag on the run, too?
* How does water work on the bike? Do I start with my bottles and ditch them at aid stations whenever they're empty and grab new ones? Is it clear whether I'm grabbing water or Gatorade? What other food/beverages are at Aid stations? Do I stop to grab that, or do I, like, call it out and it's handed to me (sweet - drive-through Ironman) or what? Is it Gatorade Endurance Formula or the regular kind? How few and far between are aid stations on the bike? On the run?
* Is there any kind of roaming bike medic on course, or if I have a disastrous flat tire like last week am I S.O.L.?
* In transition, are there actual changing tents? Private rooms? How does that work? Do I have to ask volunteers to come over and help me or will they be right there to help me with stuff? Where does my wetsuit go after it's been peeled - do they hand it to me or something? Do I re-rack my bike or does somebody take Ol' Blue from me and rack it?
* What are the rules about "outside help"? Can my support crew have food for me? Extra tubes or tires? Sunscreen? A cold Corona? Or will I be DQ'd if I accept anything from anybody not on course?
I think that's it for starters, though I'm sure I'll have more if/as I think about it. I appreciate anybody's input on anything!
3 comments:
Hey Chris :0)
For the special needs bag, there is one for the bike and the run. They are split up into groups of I think 50 to 100 bags. We dropped it off the morning of the race and it was filled with whatever you thought that you would need on the ride or run, but did not want to carry.
On the bike, the bags were given to us on the second lap at mile 63. You would be riding up and there was a person that would call out the riders number. The numbers were facing the streets so you would know where to stop. I did not have one on the bike, so I am not 100% sure that they wouuld give it to you while you were riding, (might be to dangerous) but I think that they would. Someone might know better then I. Most of the people that I saw stopped to get the bag.
On the run, the bag was at mile 14.3 (I think it was .3 might have been .7) and they called out your number and asked if you would like your bag.
Aid stations on the bike were every 10 miles apart. There were four of them. You would start the bike with your own bottles, I had one in the front and then 2 in the cages. I ditched the cage bottles when empty and replaced them with the sports bottles that they offered us. The aid stations offered Gatorade Endurance Formula, Water, Mixed Gu, PowerBar, Bananas, Oranges. The gatorade and water were in there own bottles and you knew forsure which was which. When you would ride by they would yell gatorade, water, gu, banana etc. You could call out what you wanted and they handed it off to you!! So it is a drive by.
On the Run Aid Stations they offered
Gatorade Endurance Formula, Water, Cola, Mixed Flavors of GU,Pretzels,
Chicken Soup Broth, Oranges, Bananas, PowerBar, Fig Newtons. There was an aid station every mile on the run.
For the medical, there where paramedics, but they were just hangin out. There were also roaming race support that would check on you. If you were taken back to the medical tent at the race, then they would not charge you for the ambulance ride. If you had to go to the hospital, then they would charge you. If you had a flat, they ask that you be able to fix it, but there is a roaming technician. And there was a technician tent near the begining of the bike.
For the transition area, there is a tent for the guys and there is one for the girls. You did not have a private room. The volunteers were right there asking to help and seeing if they could help you change or get stuff for you. I am sure that if they are really busy, then there might be a wait.
Your wetsuit is givin to you and then it goes into your swim to bike gear bag. There were people that called out your number and the volunteers grabbed your bike for you before you go on the bike and give it to you. When you come in from the bike, you dismount and they rack your bike for you.
NO NO NO outside help!!! This is an individual sport and they do not allow anyone to help you except the volunteers. You are not allowed to have anyone ride by you or run by you either.
I would bring sunscreen forsure!! It is well worth the small amount of time that it takes to put it on. The volunteers had some sunscreen, but it burnt like HELL!!
On the bike also, make sure what the distance is that they allow so that you will not be penalized for drafting. There were 2 different things that we were told, first of all they told us 7 meters back and 2 meters to the side and then they were like 7 bike lengths back. I waas like 7 bike lengths!!!
I hope this helps, if you have anymore questions, let me know :) !!
smile and get your motor runnin hehehe this weekend.
Kathi
Good luck tomorrow!! Go Chris GO...
It is a rough roads that leads to the heights of greatness!! - Seneca
oops, the above was from me... Kathi
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