Essential IM Special Needs Bag

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2010-05-03 3:09 PM

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Subject: Essential IM Special Needs Bag

I am gearing up for my first IM in July.  Lake Placid here I come!  I have been getting crushed with flat tires on my long training rides.  It had me thinking of my SNB.  Many people carry two tubes and put two in their SN bag…basically I am looking for some veteran advice as to the “must haves” in a bike SNB and a run SNB?  Advil, Tylenol, spare tires, tire pump, new socks, xtra CO2s, something called PIT-Stop for tires?  I feel overwhelmed…please help me simplify it!

 

2010-05-03 4:05 PM
in reply to: #2834062

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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag
First: IF YOU ABSOLUTELY 100% NEED IT AND CAN'T EASILY GET IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE, CARRY IT WITH YOU!

at IMCOZ they lost my bike SN, even though I put it in the designated spot. Fortunantly, the only thing I really needed from it was advil, and another competitor gave me some. I was REALLY glad I carried all my nutrition with me!

IMCOZ was my first and I wanted to be extra-prepared:

BIKE SN

Extra bottle Infinit (3 hours at 220 calories/ hour)

Chapstick

Extra tube

Extra CO2 cartridge

Dry socks

Advil

Tums

(I had a CO2 cart and 2 tubes on my bike with me)


RUN SN

Miniature body glide

Dry socks

Advil

Tums

Long sleeved t-shirt
Bug Spray

Good luck and have fun !
2010-05-03 4:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag

Personally, I don't use them.  I cary three tubes and 3 Co2's on the bike.  As for nutrition, I live off the course.

I just did an IM two days ago, and if I were to do it over right now, I might pack a long sleeve shirt in my run SN because it got a little chilly.  I could deal and I barely noticed the cold, but it would have been nice.

2010-05-03 4:47 PM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag
Kevlujohn - 2010-05-03 3:09 PM

I am gearing up for my first IM in July.  Lake Placid here I come!  I have been getting crushed with flat tires on my long training rides.  It had me thinking of my SNB.  Many people carry two tubes and put two in their SN bag…basically I am looking for some veteran advice as to the “must haves” in a bike SNB and a run SNB?  Advil, Tylenol, spare tires, tire pump, new socks, xtra CO2s, something called PIT-Stop for tires?  I feel overwhelmed…please help me simplify it!

 



 any idea why you are getting the flats??  is it the course you are riding, old rim tape sliding over, pinch flats?

it's really easy to over pack yourself on the bike and with special needs. I'm not sure about LP but for many IM's it's not guaranteed you are getting it back, so I wouldn't put anything in there valuable. 
I think I had an extra tube/co2 cartridge with a cliff bar, uncrustable just in case I wanted to switch, What I wished I had was a tynelol, since that day was my worst migraine ever.  but it was in my T2 bag.
run bag was just an extra pair of socks.

What trishie? said about carrying stuff with you is good advice, just don't overdo it and have stuff for the one in a million chance you might use it.  Just the basics you know you will use..

If you can train with what they will be giving out on the course so you are used to it by race day
2010-05-03 4:52 PM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag
Don't bring advil or any type of drugs like that. Not a good match for endurance training or racing..see IM St. George thread to see what can happen....BTer had to DNF due to complications of taking advil the whole day.

This is from my spreadsheet from IM Canada last year....there you absolutely will not get a your sn bags back as they throw things out or sort into donate piles as you go through area.

Bike SN
CO2-2
sealant
back up tubular
back up jet fuel bottle-my calorie source


Run SN
in ziplock
4 more jet fuel bottles & light for hat in smaller ziplock

Black LS tech shirt
pink throw away vest
body glide
change of socks
small towel
Gum
tube w/8 hour tylenol, lava salts, immodium
2010-05-03 10:59 PM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag
Didn't check in a bike SN bag at my first IM and didn't miss it.  Did have one for St George last weekend, but didn't stop for it...basically just had a third tube and fourth CO2 cartridge in case I somehow flatted twice in the first half of the ride.

I've used my run bag in both IMs, though.  At Vineman, I went into the race injured and had an elastic bandage and athletic tape in the bag...needed it to wrap my thigh to finish the race as it turned out.  At SG, I packed those again (and Body Glide)...couldn't hurt to have them, I figured...but also stuck in a cheap long sleeve T-shirt from TJ Maxx in case the run went south (it did) and I was on the course after dark (I was).  An extra layer for after dark is a pretty good option for run SN if you don't want to have it on you out of T2.

Edited by tcovert 2010-05-03 11:03 PM

2010-05-03 11:10 PM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag
trishie - 2010-05-03 2:05 PM First: IF YOU ABSOLUTELY 100% NEED IT AND CAN'T EASILY GET IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE, CARRY IT WITH YOU!

at IMCOZ they lost my bike SN,


...And when I stopped for my run SN Saturday at St. George, they couldn't find it for what felt like forever.  All I wanted was the long sleeve T-shirt I put in there...wouldn't have been the end of the world if I didn't get it, but I was not happy when they couldn't find it, since I went to the trouble of checking it in (and I'd worked bike SN at IMAZ, so I knew the drill).  Finally they looked in the box with the bags that had already been picked up and handed back...for no apparent reason I can imagine, it had been either put in there or left in there.
2010-05-04 7:40 AM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag
Thanks Everyone! 
2010-05-04 2:03 PM
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Subject: RE: Essential IM Special Needs Bag

At Coeur D'Alene last year, they were calling them "Special Foods" rather than "Special Needs" bags. 

Any kind of low-value item (since you might not get it back) that can help get you to the finish line. 

Bike
An extra tube and CO2.
(Maybe an extra, cheap, tire. ) 
Immodium/Pepto Bismol tablets.

"Special" food (something that you might look forward to stopping for, in my case, some dark chocolate M&M's) that gives you a reason to ride from mile 50 to mile 65. 

Run
Extra layer of clothing. 
Stuff to take care of blisters and chafing.
Lip balm
Extra socks
(I've heard of people putting a toothbrush and toothpaste in their run bag. ) 

More "special" food. 

Even if you never stop for the bag, put a couple food items in the bag.  Pick at least one sweet, one salty, one sour, and one crunchy choice in each bag.  If your day goes South, these items give you a reason to continue on even when your race plan/goals are toast and you start the debate "Is it worth it?" 

In general, avoid any over-the-counter pain medications (asprin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, Naproxin) during endurance events.  They're hard on either your liver (Acetaminophen) or kidneys (the others).  (You'll see links touting Tylenol as "safer on your kidneys than Ibuprofen" which may be a misleading half-truth...Yes, it is safer on your kidneys only...)  Doesn't mean don't have them in special needs, just be aware of the risks before you pop a couple in your mouth.  (I did take a couple asprin during my run, but by then I was out of "race" mode and well into "finish" mode. ) 

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