My Ironman Special Needs Bags

In full Ironman events (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) you are given five plastic bags at check in. One bag for transition one (swim to bike), one for transition two (bike to run), one morning clothes bag (for clothes and whatever else you may want to keep around before entering the water) and one bag each for about the halfway point on the bike and the run. Each of the special needs bags will be waiting for you with whatever you want to have in it. Here’s what I’ll have in mine…

Bike Special Needs Bag

• Vittoria Pit Stop Road Racing Kit (Rather than changing the whole tubular tire on the course, this has been recommended to me by many as the standard for changing tubulars mid-race. I will have a can of this on the bike as well as an extra tire, but this will be my first line of defense.)
• One, forty (40) ounce bottle with three hours worth of my Infinit Nutrition blend. This will replace the three hours worth that I will put on board in the morning.
• One dry pair of socks. Ideally I won’t have to change my socks, but you never know!
• One small stick of body glide. Chaffing happens.

Run Special Needs Bag

• Two, eight (8) ounce Fuel Belt bottles. These will each have one hour of my Infinit blend and will be replacing the two bottles that will have been on my Fuel Belt from the beginning.
• One dry pair of socks. Again, hopefully I won’t have to use these.
• One small stick of Bodyglide. Again, chaffing happens.

That’s all I can think of for now, and I’m sure I’ll add a few things along the way, but I’m trying to be a bit minimalist about it. You are told that you likely won’t get your special needs bags back, so it’s best not to put anything in them that will be sorely missed.

Check back soon for more race prep!