Questions about gear bags and change tents

Thanks McFuzz,

So it sounds like other than bicycles, no other loose items should be left laying in the transition. Would that be an accurate statement?

As you described is sounds like everything is handled in the change tent. I would come into the tent with a wet suit / goggles / cap, put them in my T1 bag, and leave the tent already wearing my bike shoes and helmet that came out of the T1 bag.

I realize a lot of this will be covered in the athlete briefing and there is also a separate meeting event for "first timers" that I will be attending. But I do like to figure out as much as I can months in advance so I am well prepared mentally.

I appreciate you explaining it.
Thanks

Ahhhh.....welcome to the early stages of gear bag obsessiveness. Embrace it. It only gets worse.
Your assessment on the process looks correct to me. Although....someone will likely be handing you your gear bag before you enter the tent. .They usually have bullhorners relaying numbers to other volunteers who run and grab your bag and get it to you as you make your way to the tent. The same will happen as you come back from the bike. Someone will grab your bike and you head for the tent and they'll hand your T2 bag off to you.

I've not done Maryland and my IM experience is limited to a single full race. But, I gather they're general operation is all the same.

There'll be nothing but bikes in the racks. No helmets/etc. Nothing on the ground...no towels, buckets, etc. Overnight, there won't be any water bottles/Garmins/etc. Someone else can address shoes. I don't recall the rules on that. You may or may not be able to leave them on the bike. I'm a sock wearer so no way am I running across a wet field from the change tent in sock feet to jam them into cycling shoes so they can squish around for a hundred miles. The T1/T2 bags will be laid out in numbered rows next to the tent.

You almost assuredly have access to your T1 and T2 bags on race morning. You'll also have access to your bike for air/fluids and the chance to add any 'removables' (bags/boxes/taped on thingies) back that you took off before you turned it in.

Just hope that the weather is steady, calm, and predictable leading towards race day. Actually calm doesn't matter. Conditions are conditions. It's easier if they're predictable. I can affirm that you'd rather "just know it was going to rain" or "be cold" than..."it may or may not be cold enough that you might want to account for long sleeve, but then again, it might only be that cold if it indeed rains which keeps changing every forecast....otherwise that long sleeve will be hot"

Edited by jhaack39 2018-05-07 10:13 AM

If this is helpful, this is what the transition bag set up looks like at most IMs. They are in numerical order and have signage so you know where to place your bag the night before. There will be a bank of volunteers when you come into T1 and T2 who will help find your bag - as you're coming in you can yell your number, but it's a good idea to know what vicinity your bag is in so you can run that direction. Once you get your bag, like others said, head into the tent. 

Edited by lisac957 2018-05-07 10:29 AM

Thanks for the additional info, jhaack and Lisa!

I feel a lot better now that I understand the process.