Ironman Texas (Page 73)

One more thing to worry about on the swim ....

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/article_11d54231-b9d4-5e9a-b518-7e05e5830aa2.html

Swim in the 400 mile shorts too.  The pad is a buoyant float pad.  I'm going to wear the 400 mile shorts for the swim and bike and switch to regular tri shorts for the run (run shorts chafe the heck out of me on long runs no matter the amount of Body Glide used).

I asked Emilio De Soto the following question a couple of months ago and I'll take his word as gospel truth since he made 'em:

Emilio, 
Does the pad in the 400 mile bike shorts also act as a float pad similar to the pad found in the Riviera tri shorts? I know the pad in the 400 milers is thicker and larger but I wondered if it acted similarly in the water. Trying to figure out my Ironman Texas non-wetsuit swim & T1 options. 

Thanks, 
Bob 

His response:

Hey Bob, Thanks for writing. Great question and the answer is yes. In fact the 400 Mile Pad was the one I made to be able to float way before I ever developed the Float Pad in the Riviera Tri Shorts! What the 400 Mile Bike short pad offers in more buoyancy, the Riviera makes up for with less fabric, so they are the same overall.  Good thinking and move forward in testing with what you are going to wear before you race! 

Emilio De Soto II 

Cool! Maybe there are sharks or pet gators too! Don't forget snakes.

Water Mocassins - check
Gators - check
Alligator Gar - check
Piranha - check
Sharks - unconfirmed, but who knows with this lake.  Apparently it houses all kinds of mystery creatures

I'm doing CB&I Saturday, so I'll be extra motivated.  : )

Tie some turkey necks to your ankles and get some great speedwork in!

The e-mail sent yesterday afternoon for the CB&I race included the following:

 Water Temperature this morning May 4, 2011 was 72 degrees Fahrenheit. It has been ranging between 78 degrees and 72 degrees over the last week.

We've been having cool nights, but that trend's forecasted to end in the next few days. It'll be interesting to see how fast the water heats back up.

USAT Rule book:

4.9 Illegal Equipment. Any swimmer wearing any artificial propulsion device, including but not limited to fins, 
gloves, paddles, or floating devices of any kind shall be disqualified.

Maybe USAT will start banning certain shorts... 

I saw that too.  I suspect with the cool mornings the race will end up just legal for wetsuits.  I swam it last weekend with and without, & I think I am going without a wetsuit regardless of the final temp.

I thought the same thing!

Interesting... is that only true for those specific bike shorts? Or do others have the buoyancy properties?

Another option that I've used in the past, based on others' recommendations, is to simply pull on a pair of bike shorts over the tri shorts. No changing tent needed, then just dump them at T2 (or earlier if they are old ones and you get too warm).

Separate question that may have been discussed already... any word on getting from T1 to the swim start in the morning? Or do we just hoof it?

JD

Dang it, I just ordered some this morning.... good thing there's a 30 day return policy.  thanks for the offer

I'm not sure how much of a chance I'll have to try them out before the race.  It SNOWED on my Sunday for my last long ride.  Its supposed to be 80 this weekend (but 40 in the morning) and its a "dry heat".  Maybe I'll just cruise around Houston Thurs and Fri in a tank top and my cool wings, looking awesome and stuff.