Normal weight vs Race weight

Little to no difference for me.  Only consideration is that I do prefer to race at 162-163 if possible (doesn't matter the distance, frankly), so if my daily weight is more than a pound or so above that, I might make a bit of an extra push on calorie restriction during taper to get where I want to be.  I try to keep my "normal" weight <= 165 as a general rule...having dropped from 240 a few years ago, weight maintenance discipline is more important to me than pretty much anything else.

There's a lot of myths about weight fluctuation and training floating around this site, btw.  In my experience (and from what I've learned from research), there's no reason to experience significant fluctuations in weight for most ordinary endurance athletes.  Race weight should actually be a pretty healthy, sustainable weight for most people.  A lot of people overfuel, often significantly.

I float from 150-160 but I can easily hit a particular weight in that range whenever I feel like it, if I pay attention.  CdA which is hilly, I raced at 150.  On a flat course I don't really care -- although I tend to be on the lower end of that range when I'm run-focused.

I have about a 5 lb range (138 - 143) that I typically stay within depending on where I am at in my race preparation process.  The bottom of that range was about three weeks out from an Ironman and I'm approaching it now since I will be trying to run a BQ marathon in a few weeks.  I don't try to hit a certain weight however, it just seems to naturally happen. I eat to replace my caloric needs and not feel hungry most of the day.  

I recently read though in Runner's World that a proper carbo load should cause you to add like 2-3 lbs because by carb loading over the course of two or three days before a long distance event your body needs to take on water and those lbs are water weight that you'll obviously be sweating out on race day.  Just something to consider. 

If I am racing in a particular season and can muster up the ability to care, I have a race weight of 108-110.  This is my "perfect" nutrition weight - no extra anything that doesn't contribute to my diet.  So, no alcohol, etc. 

My regular weight is 115.

I notice the biggest difference in my performance at race weight is in my running and climbing on the bike.  I'm 5'4".

Andi

Just after the Holidays my weight may creep up to 170-172#. I'm 6ft/53 yrs old & my "race weight" has been 163-164.  So I often gain ~5% in off season.  That said I got down to 160 for my 1st IM last week (B2B, which was awesome).  But that 160 is lowest I've ever been going into a tri so I might gain 7% this year

the answer to the question is:  "because it's about fitness, not fatness".

Wow there are a lot of feather weights doing IM.  I'm 185 +/- 2.5 and I'm 6ft.  But I know I don't have an "ideal" triathlon "body" skinny legs and big shoulders, back (upper body in general).

As has been said a few times be the weight that allows you to perform at your best and minimise injury.

In regards to wrestling though...  I used to be as low as 7% body fat and playing football, I was instructed to get it above 10% because being an impact sport and having no (minimal) cushioning makes you very prone to more injuries especially like corky's.  Not sure how much impact is involved in wrestling, but I would just be cautious with getting your fat % too low during wrestling season.