To Pee or not to Pee?

Congrats on your IM!! Good luck!  I only have HIM experience - but here's my 0.02$:

a) There are loos at the rest stations on the bike and on the run - at least there were at Steelhead.  I thought I could make it - but decided that it would be more comfortable for me to stop.  However, there is some technique involved in peeing on the bike if I understand correctly - and many do.  So it's up to you.

b) I would use a loo at one of the rest stations or in transition if you needed - but that's just me.  (They were everywhere.)  You could definitely carry TP and find a bush as well.

c) I carried a tube and a 1$ bill in case of a sidewall tear.  I figured if I ended up with 2 flats my day was done. (I did put brand-new high end tires on my bike 1.5 weeks before the race.)

There are portajons at all the aid stations.  The volunteers need someplace to use the bathroom as well.  Unless you are in contention for an age group win, or a Kona spot, there is no reason to yourself on the bike.  Take the extra 3 minutes to stop at the aid staion and use the facilities.  Most tri courses are on public lands, and on public roads.  Would you want someone stopping in front of your house, and peeing on your lawn?

Again, for taking a dump, use the portajohns.  However, don't do what almost happened to me on my first ironman, I stopped during the run at a portjohn to take care of business, and as I was sitting there, inside the hot portajohn, I started getting dizzy.  Almost thought I was going to pass out.  And then I realized that if I passed out inside the portajohn, no-one would know.  They would just think that it was occupied, and I wouldn't be found until they cleaned them up the next day.  I figured I really didn't want to die in a portajohn, so I pulled myself together, finsihed up and got out of there.  Funny, looking back at it.

As for bike issues, yes, there usually are some support vehicles, but they are quite spread out, so you are really responsible for your own issues.  Carry AT LEAST one spare tube, a pump or two CO2 cartridges, and a patch kit.  I recommend carrying two tubes, three CO2 cartridges, and some sort of wheel patch (dollar bill, or something specifically made to patch a large hole in the tire)  You can throw another spare tube and CO2 in your special needs if you want, so that if you end up using one tube, you can grab the extra one from the special needs, but really, might as well just carry two extra tubes;  the extra weight won't make hardly any difference, and the peace of mind in knowing you are well prepared is quite worth it.  I also recommend carrying some sort of multi tool, as well.  You never know what might happen out there on your 112 mile ride.

Finally, the week or two prior to the event, take your bike to your local LBS, and have them do a tune up, make sure they know that you are doing an IM, so they can look for any issues on the bike that might not stand up to 112 miles of riding.

The other ones have been answered so I'll just pick "C". I've got a pack of three of these in each of my under the seat bags:
http://www.bikesomewhere.com/bikesomewhere.cfm/product/354/2992/141...
http://bikepartswarehouse.com/itemdetails.cfm?libid=41204
Park Tool Emergency Tire Boot (TB-2)
There’s no easier or more effective way to patch a cut tire on the road or trail than carrying and using Park Emergency Tire Boots (3 per package). These thin, extra-tough patches peel and stick to the insides of tires to repair cuts and contain the tube until you can replace the tire.

Then I don't have to use currency and I don't have to remember to bring a bill of some sort

Yep, those are exactly the things I was referring to.  REI carries them, as well, and they work great.

Thanks!  So, do they at least wash off with a water bottle?  Sorry, had to ask.

I stick a few Handi Wipes individually packaged in my bento box for this reason. You'll be eating throughout the day and just touching anything in a porto john freaks me out. I'm a bit of a germaphobe but better safe than sorry....

Ha! Sorry, I had to laugh.  I hit no less than 12 porta potties in my IM and rarely "washed my hands".  By the end of the day I'm sure I wa sso filthy yet really didn't care.

I bet I even picked up food I dropped on the road.  I can't even imagine trying to stay "clean" during the race.

I read one post in anther thread where a person said they peed on themselves 7 times on the bike. ZOINKS lol


When I get down around 8:55 for an IM I will think about peeing on myself on the bike

I've done it (peed on myself on the bike).  And in my wetsuit too.  Neither proud, nor embarrassed.  I realize some may think it's nuts, but there's nothing 'clean' about you when you are exercising through a 10+ hour day.  Spray some water if you want to rinse off, but the reality is that nobody will know at the end of the day.

For the OP, in the case of #2 I would hope you can make it to a port-a-pot.  And you should absolutely be prepared to repair a flat on your own.  If you are talking about a more catastrophic tear in your clincher TIRE, you might want to ride with something to use as a 'boot' (e.g., used gel wrapper, folded dolar bill, etc.) as carrying a spare clincher would be unusual.  There are usually bike support vehicles out and about but you shouldn't be relying on them. 

I just want to point out that people choose not to stop at a porta potty for reasons beyond time savings so you don't have to be a KQer to justify peeing on the bike. I personally have a hard time with loss of momentum so stopping, getting off the bike, walking to the porta potty, going and then getting back on would be hard for me on race day. During a training ride, fine, but in races I need to maintain forward momentum.

I've never successfully peed in a race but did finally manage it on a hundred mile training ride so I know I'll be able to on race day if needed. It really is no big deal. It was pouring rain so that helped, I'll just keep an extra water in the race or just grab one at the bottle exchange. Being clean will be the least of my worries that day!

X2! I'm a total germphobe in life but cannot believe the gross things I accept as normal during long training days and races. Once you've been forced to go barefoot in a porta potty all notions of cleanliness change!

My only question for you all who have pissed your self on the bike is this.. What about your water bottle that's right under your seat? You would all over it then drink from it.

It's really not that hard to not all over your water bottle. 

Have you ever looked at all the crap that gets on your water bottles from the roads, especially on wet days?  At worst, the pee is sterile. 


Edit:  Apparently, you can write 'crap' all you want, but 'p!ss' is filtered out. 

Edited by JohnnyKay 2009-08-17 1:45 PM

Actually, the way to do it is determine which way the wind is blowing, and direct it down the appropriate leg.  Hopefully the wind carries most of it off before settling into your shoe   The down tube water bottle isn't really an issue, but if it is just rinse it

Writing this in a public forum pretty much eliminates the last shred of femininity I had left but it really isn't an issue. I stood up about an inch or two off the saddle, while coasting a downhill and just went. It mostly goes down one or both legs. None went on my actual saddle (until i sat down) or the bottle below. It does get in your shoes so be prepared for that. You can always take your bottle out if need be to avoid a mishap, or better yet, keep the pee rinse bottle in that cage

Yep. Going on yourself is hardly unsanitary at that point. The urine coming out of you is sterile and probably far cleaner than the rest of your body. If you take the break while you're still moving at a decent rate (preferably coasting downhill), you don't have to worry much about it hitting the bottle below you. Then again, so what if it does? Sure, sounds gross, but it's still probably cleaner than the bottle is.

The primary drawback that I've found is that you tend to end up with a rather soggy foot. I try to hold off until just before an aid station and grab a bottle of water to rinse off with as I roll through.

Great points all, and thanks for the info.  And also a great point on momentum - you're right, someitmes if you're in a real groove, its hard to get back on track if you stop.  Here's to hoping that they have porta potties at the top of some climbs before the downhill.  Seems that'd be the best place to stop, so you can get back up to speed on the downhill and get the legs working again without stressing them right off the bat.

My standards are pretty low...but barefoot in a porta potty is definitely below my standards.  NEVER EVER.  NOPE.  NOT GONNA.

That was probably me during IMLP and I was not anywhere near 8:55, but I'd do the same thing again. All of us have our own personal goals even if they don't approach the 8:55 mark. Mine was to go under 13 hours for my 1st IM on a tough course and if I stopped to pee every I might have missed my goal. I would have rather not have to pee at all while on the bike, but such is life. While training in FL I had to drink tons of water to stay hydrated, but in hindsight I should have drank less at IMLP. You live an learn. That said, I did change socks at T2 and used the potta potties on the run. I also carry those moist booty wipes with me so I don't have to run with the crunchies.

This is also my 1st IM:

a) I plan on stopping to pee b/c it will force me to chill & pace myself (time to stretch out).

b) No comment. I just hope it doesn't happen!

c) You can also get emergency tire boots at Performance. Cheaper b/c it's their store brand. The dollar bill works or, you can cut up your beer box into business card-size & use those instead.

Personally I use the port-a-johns but I am not FOP and need a stretch every once in a while so the stop is not bad for me. 
But, during IMFL a few years ago a guy in front of me decided to go on the bike and not so descretely gave the world a peep show I did not need to see..and because of the wind and pace it hit those of us behind him.   As a fellow racer I beg the men out there to either keep things in your shorts to make sure flow goes down or aim to the side of the road (not at those passing you beacuse you slowed a bit to relieve yourself).
Same race, I gave a tire to a fellow competitor because she slit her sidewall about 10mi from the bike finish.  You can get aid from other competitors, but I would not rely on it.  I carry 1 tube, 3 CO2, 1 spare tire, patch kit, just in case.  I have used GU packets and dollar bills in a pinch for the tire as long as the tear is not too big.

If I think I had a chance of qualifying for Kona then I'd pee on the bike.  Chances are I wont be peeing on the bike