The nitty gritty of Ironman distance

JEvaNs

So I am starting to get a feel for what this is actually going to involve over the next 10.5 months (heck - is that all?!!? ) to get me ready for Outlaw, but what about the nitty gritty?

Are there toilets on these courses? How do I possibly carry enough food to get me through 14 hours of exercise? Will there be taps to refil my bottles? Will I be the odd one out if I have a picnic in a rucksack on my back?

And on the training plan side of things... when is the best time to have a holiday? I delayed our summer trip this year because of a HIM and it was not a popular decision and we will need a break before July next year.... I'm thinking end April/early May? Which would give me 2 months of training before the event.

Insights, anybody?

Trogs

Good grief, if you're worrying about some of that stuff already, you'll be a nervous wreck by race day!!

Yes, generally portaloos at transitions and feed stations. 

You really only need to carry food for bike leg and feed stations generally with gels, sports drink, water, bananas are about every 30k on the bike course.  Attach one or two bento boxes to your bike for food of your choice or use the pockets on your cycle top.  Bottles exchanged at water stations empty for full. 

Run feed stations tend to have a wider choice of food - crisps/dried fruit etc in addition to gels and sports drinks/water.

Not seen anyone doing iron-distance carrying a rucksack but someone has to be the first

Holiday probably April just before your peak training period starts.

M.ister W

I overtook someone at IMA with a bottle of pop strapped to a rack on the back of his bike.  You could do something like that or maybe a small picnic hamper.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Think you need to find Iron Min and get a copy of her lists of "stuff" for IM racing  (You will require a large bag just for the lists btw)

Cheerful Dave

Holidays are often tricky, and one reason why it's not practical (or necessary) to stick rigidly to set training plans. On one hand, you'll need some r&r too and it won't wreak your Outlaw to have a bit of a break. On the other hand, unless you're trekking in Nepal or on a 100m square Seychelles island it's fairly easy to fit in a bit of running & swimming at least, as long as you're flexible and fit it in when it least inconveniences everyone else.
At the extreme end you could go somewhere like Lanzarote or Majorca and take your bike to turn the holiday into a training camp for you while the rest of the family chill out on the beach.

Doner Kebab

i thought about wearing armbands for the swim

AndyB99

Jevans...stop panicking..lol....what trogs says is right of course but my advice is this (it worked for me)
dont over complicate it....if you eat...you take blood away from your legs to your stomach...so you'll find pedalling hard..so bear that in mind....i'm not saying no food cause you might get hungry...but graze throughout the ride...savoury stuff..you've enough sweet stuff in gels.
i put all my gels into a bottle and topped it up with a bit of water...practice this so you know how much to take in a go....swig every 15-20 mins..60g carbs per hour..swapped my water bottle at each aid station.(so only 2 bottle on the bike)..had 3 mini sausage rolls out of 6 that i took...on the run i mixed it up...couple of gels...plenty of ritz crackers bit of banana(IMUK)...and loads of water...only switching to flat coke late in the race for a final boost....if you carry a load of food your just carrying weight..and you'll not need it...you need gels and water for energy...and a little something (maybe a couple of bananas) to keep the hunger away.
dont over complicate it

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Managed to train for IM's even tho I did go trekking in Nepal and had a honeymoon in the Maldives before another (did keep up the cardio training on that one tho )

fat buddha

"I overtook someone at IMA with a bottle of pop strapped to a rack on the back of his bike."

if I recall it wasn't pop but Liptons iced tea....and he had one stuffed in his bottle cage as well.

IronM.in

Did someone call?

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Some one needs a list (and the recipe for the legendary Min butty)

JPenno

Theres a picture of Rosey somewhere from IMUK 2009 with about 20 bottles

Iron Rose

Lol, it was 4, but yes it was excessive.

I have revamped my PSOF guide to IM training/racing so will crack on with that and hope to have something by October ish time, still waaaaaaay before you need to worry about feed stations tho

[Deleted User]

I had my fuel in a drinks bottle on my bike but threw it away at the 1st pirate feed station instaed of my water bottle, think i got a bit excited  .

For the rest of the race including the run I just had what was on offer at the feed stations,high5 gels, bananas and water on the bike and gels, coke and water on the run, they was very well stocked.

Toilets are all over the course but you only need them if you need a dump

Outlaw is a great race, very well organised. You'll love it!

FerrousFerret

You could also holiday in the 3 weeks prior to the event- you should be tapering anyway so exercise less important (and hopefully the holiday might mean you relax and stress less about the race).

fat buddha

do you ski Jevans?? I always get a ski break in (2 if I can) with whatever training I'm doing and that's a great break as you keep fit and have a holiday. if I get 2 trips in it's end of Jan and mid/end of March.

JEvaNs

Thank you so much everyone.

I realise it is a bit premature to be thinking about these things (note: thinking - not really worrying/stressed), but holidays in particular having been a problem in the past, made me wonder if everyone just misses out for a year..! I think end of April should work out ok. Will try and make sure the place has a gym and suitable pool for swimming (intention is that it would be too hot to run further than to the bar.... for water, of course).

It was the toilet issue that I was most interested* in. I'll be out a long time - though didn't need anything throughout HIM. I also found that I didn't eat much during HIM either. I did make sure I ate some malt loaf and jaffa cakes as I felt if I didn't have something I wouldn't make the run. I had three gels too which I always struggle with in training, but guzzled when on the bike/run. They have never tasted so good!

Funny the mention of Lipton Ice Tea. That is what I was hoping to have on the bike, but I couldn't find it anywhere the week before the race. 

Do people generally stop during the bike then? I've spotted boys stopping, but that's because they like to water the trees en-route.....

*possibly the wrong word!!

JEvaNs

FB - I don't Ski. A couple of people have said I should, but it just doesn't appeal to me. I'm a bit scared that I would break my leg and ruin everything.

FerrousFerret

Stopping during the bike is optional.  If you can master peeing on the bike then that's one less reason to stop, but some of the race organisers (particularly North American) are not keen on riders doing this or indeed watering the trees.   

AndyB99

hang on hang on...LIPTONS ICED TEA????

IT is called IRONMAN you know.....not TEABREAK MAN.

gels dont taste great Jevans...but they are the best way to get carbs to your working muscles...and if your gut is full of fat...or your stomach is trying to digest food...that will hinder that process. so it doesnt matter what they taste like..it matter that you FINISH!
for continuous exercise you need about 1g of carb for each kilo in bodyweight (as a rough guide although i worked on slightly under)...you have to fuel fuel and fuel. Ironman is an eating and drinking (right and enough)competition with some swimming cycling and running thrown in.
forget iced tea.....use energy ...if your worried about hunger use energy bars or bananas.
Its Ironman....a war...when was the last time you heard of Liptons iced tea on the front line

JEvaNs

I never heard of a banana on the front line either....

Cake

 Some folks stop and have a fag on the bike bit just for the comedy value.

DON'T PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aitch!

I tried, but I just could not bring myself to wee on the bike! Stopped at a portaloo instead.

FYI on the bike at Regensburg a couple of weeks ago I managed 17 gels, 1 and a half bananas, 3 bottle of high 5 and 3 bottles of water. The gels got a bit blergh towards the end, but it meant I was well fuelled for the run! Works better for me than anything resembling proper food!

[Deleted User]

Iron Rose wrote (see)

I have revamped my PSOF guide to IM training/racing so will crack on with that and hope to have something by October ish time, still waaaaaaay before you need to worry about feed stations tho

Would like to see a copy of that in prep for the Outlaw. Is it something that goes on the website?

Golden Boots

What's the situation with nudity at IM races? At Wales I was planning on slipping cycling shorts on and then run shorts - so I guess I would be swimming in jammers.... am I ok to whip the little man out in transition (both T1 & T2) or am I likely to get disqualified or put on some kind of sex offenders list?

Aitch!

At Regensburg it was strictly NO nudity in transition (DQable offence), but they gave you a bag and you could put kit in there and go and change in the change tent. I sawm in an old pair of tri shorts, changed in T! (in the tent) into cycling shorts then changed in the tent in T2 (although this was VERY open so I was practically half naked and on view) into run shorts. I am guessing as Wales is IM brand, the rules will be similar.

Cake

Shaun all depends on the race some they will provide a place to change and others it’s just a case of getting on with business. I’d wait until you hear the race briefing before you find out what the best way is.

M.ister W

It does matter what gels taste like because if your stomach won't tolerate them you'll throw them up, along with everything else in your stomach and that's a quick route to dehydration.  I took gels in a bottle at IM and found very quickly that they tasted too sweet so I couldn't use them (yes, I'd tried them in training and they were fine).  So I improvised and started taking an energy bar and half a banana at each aid station, along with energy drink and water.  I was absolutely fine, which demonstrates that having problems with nutrition doesn't have to mean the end of your race and plan B can be as simple as "try whatever you can get until you find something that you can eat".

fat buddha

"At Regensburg it was strictly NO nudity in transition (DQable offence)"

I think that's the German Tri Federation enforcing that - it's also a BTF rule in the UK but some IM aren't that bothered. IM tend to work to local country rules for each race

At Switzerland, there aren't changing tents and you have your kit next to the bike, so change there - you'll see nudity all over. (Unless IMCH have changed since 2005 and 2009 when I was there last)

Pebble will tell a story of a young lady getting changed in T1 in front of him at IMCH 2005 - he couldn't sit on the bike comfortably for a while....

Aitch!

Teehee! They didn't seem that bothered when I pitched up in T2 and they had completely open tents and I had to whip off my shorts to change! I thought it would be a bit more covered up, like in T1!