Ironman Louisville Thoughts? (Page 2)

i just signed up for IM Louisville. Can somebody explain in detail the transitions please? ive read that voluteers bring everything to you and ive also read that you have to go get it?

I can tell you what happened for me.  YMMV.

First, as described in the handbook, you will pack a bag for T1 and a bag for T2, and turn those in the day before the race.

Coming out of the water, I ran into T1 and shouted my number to a volunteer.  By the time I got to the tent, a volunteer was waiting there with my bag.  Grab it, run into the tent, change.  Leave goggles and cap in the bag (no wetsuit!) and leave it sitting in the tent.  You get your own bike from the rack.

Coming off the bike, you hand the bike to a volunteer right after entering T2.  The volunteers are supposed to have your bag waiting for you, but nobody had my bag, so I ran to its spot (they are lined up in order by race number) and grabbed it.  This didn't really cost me any time -- the distance to the tent was the same either way.  Same story here -- you change, leaving whatever in the bag and they pick it up. 

I'd suggest reading through people's IMKY race reports to get a better sense of the range of possibilities.

Experior is right... If you get your bag handed to you - horray - but maybe expect to have to find/pick up your bag yourself if you come through in a peak time.

There will be volunteers in the change tents who can help you with anything you need from tying your shoelaces to packing your bag up for you. But they might be in limited supply.

Swim is like Chinese Algebra

Bike course is unmatched, so beautiful, 112 goes by eaisly

Run is actually ok I thought

Volunteers and wondeful, town is supportive

The Finish...worth the money any day!!!

Edited by hrliles 2010-12-26 8:49 PM

THANKS FOR THE HELP       ....since the bags are in race number order...im guessing the bikes are too?

Yes, both are in race number order.

The entry to the transition area is midway between the swim entrance and bike exit/entrance.  For T1, you run in the entry gate, down the hill and past the transition bags/volunteer on your way to the changing tent, then out the other side and to your bike before leaving in roughly the same place you came in.  It is relatively easy to find your bike since you will have placed it there yourself the day before.  For T2, you come in from the bike in relatively the same place as the swim, hand your bike to the volunteer and then go down the hill past the transition bags/volunteer the same way as T1 on your way to the tent.

What they do not tell you is that you might want to have someone to help you get your gear out of the transition area if there is any chance that you might not make it back there from the finish (about a mile away) before midnight to get it.  We did not anticipate this being a problem for me and did not give my claim ticket to anyone, so DH had to go back to our hotel and get the ticket so that he could get my bike while I was in the med tent.

This is true, I do not believe I have ever heard so many sirens in my life. The heat takes its toll and the run is blazing with little shade to be found.  If you want fast easy course, this is probably not the one (IMFLA or IMAZ).

I'll be honest though, I saw guys sitting on the side of the road (during the bike) under trees totally cooked.  Do most people train for these things or do they wake up and say, any body can do a marathon without training, I think I'll do an Ironman.  The distance needs to be respected and in the heat you need to prepare for it by understanding your sweat rate in those conditions - consume accordingly.