Ironman essentials

tritriagain

Hello need some advice on what will be needed for Ironman Vichy. As a newbie to the ironman below is a list of things I think I will need. Some I have already got, I need to know what is essential and worth getting;

Arm coolers/ cool wings

Rear mounted bottle cages

White triathlon clothing

Separate bib shorts for bike leg

Aero bottle 

Compression socks

Running cap

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Zacnici

Wouldn't suggest bib shorts, problem at toilets but agree bike shorts and then run shorts
Hydration/nutrition strategy V important coincidentally just posted this link
http://www.highfive.co.uk/min_leaflets/guides.html
CO2 pump/carts/sealant (in race or pretreat)
Sun screen
Baby wipes

tritriagain

Thanks, got gas and will get baby wipes, thinking these of for cleaning up when changing? For nutrition using a company called infinite, liquid food basically. How do you feel about White triathlon clothes?

md6

hmm, white clothes? I wouldn't - a light colour yes but not white - i had the misfortune of being behind a bloke in white shorts once...needless to say i wasn't best pleased (and the sh*t stain idicated he wasn't either). What's the weather going to be like? Do you need arm coolers? I find the more things i need the more thing i have a chance to forget. I would suggest sunglasses (obviously helmet bike shoes etc), i think its quick personal to you, i didn't use seperate bike shorts, compression socks etc. I tried to stay as basic as possible. Helmet, trisuit, bike jersey (full zip short sleeve) gloves and sunnies (i managed to leave the gloves in T1 and sunnie in the hotel). Bottles, a few powerbars, spare contact lenses taped to the back of the seatpost, bottle cages and aero bottle. oh and socks! with a change for the run (which i also forgot to use). Other things to consider - painkillers (you may need them - my feet were in agony at the start of the run) other needs baby wipes - definate (take some or some tissues on the bike and run with you - portaloos are not guaranteed to have any paper!) And the most important thing is a big smile! like that - or bigger

ris

if white kit makes you happy then fine, and maybe it will help a touch with the heat, maybe not (wasn't macca in red at kona? if white was going to provide a marginal gain worth going for then i'm sure he'd have it), i'm not sure i'd want to get it wet, though!

i presume you have all the tubes/repair kit/pre-stretched tub/levers and all that stuff.

Im Spartacus

I'm going with bib shorts. For me the extra comfort (keeping my back covered) outweighs any possible quick exit problems.

I may not be saying that if I need a quick exit of course.

revershed

Are you running in bib shorts? Might what to train in them way before. Heard some savage nipple stories even only running 21km.

tritriagain

Hmm white clothing is seeming less and less like a possibility, maybe a white tri top, good point about shorts, and also contact lenses and tissue paper,
Thanks

tritriagain

Also I have a 2xu endurance tri suit, i have used it for a half and it was fine has anyone used one for an ironman? in terms of temperature it is going to be 35 +!! Arm coolers will be a necessity!

Im Spartacus

Revershed. I've witnessed first hand nipple issues, very nasty.

I'm changing after the bike into run gear.

md6

I wore a 2xu endurance shorts for the 3/4Im Marshman+ last year and that was fine, I also only wore a tri suit for IMCH last year which was also fine. I think that i had just spent long enough in the saddle in training to feel Ok - i also had a good saddle and the position worked. It might be easier to just go with normal shorts rather than bibs - quicker change in and out, plus bathroom breaks. But IMO they aren't needed if you ahve a good saddle and spent plenty of time in it during training. But then again that's just my opinion...I'm sure plenty will disagree. 35+ ...that's pretty warm - maybe a lightweight, white long sleeve top would work?

TRIumphant

I went with 2XU compression shorts under the wetsuit, then a pair of cycle shorts on in T1, and whipped them off in T2, and ran in the compression shorts. Only took a few seconds, but comfort was priority for me, and I'll be doing the same this year.

tritriagain

Plenty of good advice it sounds like its down to personal choice short wise. I have a 1/2 im this year in July so will perhaps test out the changing then. I think if I can do some longer rides in my 2xu suit and get used to it, it may not be a problem. I suppose the thing to remember is that transition times are not that much of an issue in an im, whereas comfort is. I think i am going to get the arm coolers, its another bit of kit. Has anyone has any feelings on rear mounted bottles? I am just wondering if anyone has feelings on which are the best?

wyno70

It was all about comfort for me.

Tri suit on the bike then quick change into running shorts and a clean shirt for the run. Probably took me about 2 minutes to change and it was worth every second.

On a long bike anything with an elasticated waist gives me gut problems so it's always either a tri suit or bib shorts. It always amazes me how many people complain of gut problems during IM and this never gets mentioned, it's always dodgy water, bad food etc etc etc. For me, I just can't handle an elasticated waist in a tucked position for hours! Each to their own!

Don't quite get the arm coolers thing, sounds like unnecessary kit to me but if they make you feel good then go for it. Same with wipes. I'll grab some grass or a leaf if it gets that bad!

I went for a front mounted aero bottle with 1 bottle in the traditional cage. Drank from 1 and refilled from the other.

Most essential bit of kit for me was accessible nutrition (bento box), plenty of nutrition and sun glasses.

jonE

Compeed,plasters,my personal choice is a roll of micropore tape,can be used on alsorts from blisters to cuts to botched bike repairs.

Rear mounted bottle cages,I use an X-lab on my tt,and a profile on my road bike,if fitted properly no problems,but there are stories of bottles being catapulted off,and at IM Austria,I did watch one bottle holder vibrate loose and fall off,only problem was it held the guys,tubs,spanners and spares,debris all over the road.

The more you take,the more you can forget,keep it simple.

md6

jon.E wrote:

Compeed,plasters,my personal choice is a roll of micropore tape,can be used on alsorts from blisters to cuts to botched bike repairs.

How could I forget tape! Yes that is an essential - i had a roll of both micro pore and electrical in my rear mounted bottle cage (cut the top off a bottle and used that...thankfully it didn't fall off, but i had used some tape over the top to keep things secure.

jon.E wrote:

The more you take,the more you can forget,keep it simple.

Couldn't agree more

pip

Dont forget the chamois cream.I put an extra pair of shorts over my tri suit when i do anything over 40k but not bib just pull ups.They take seconds to get on and off and make it so much more comfy on on the bike ,but i must stress CHAMOIS CREAM

GHarv

Sun cream

TRIumphant

Imodium, Pepto Bismol and Ibruprofen tablets, always carry them with me, just in case