I like to race with HR as I tend to get excited and go too hard on the run. I do a lot of my training with RPE, but I find it hard to judge a few miles into the run. I don't find the strap irritating, so I use it. I also like to see my HR and tell myself that I can keep going because I know I can sustain a certain HR.

As for shorts, just change in T1. The tent makes it very easy, and probably adds only 30 seconds to a long day.

Good luck and enjoy your race!

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Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite (yes, but I am not ready for a woman straight away) -Stephen Roche's reply when asked whether he was okay after collapsing at the finish in the La Plagne stage of the 1987 Tour

I'm a big fan of changing if it's your first and you're not going for a Kona slot. No matter what you do it's a PR, right? It's going to be a long day in the saddle 6-7 hours for most people and comfort is king. I can usually change in T1 and be out of the tent before some of my friends who don't change.

I would also recommend wearing your HR monitor. Keep an eye on it on the bike but it can be useful to help pace yourself on the run. Find a range that works for you and keep it towards the low end in the beginning. I don't know many people who have said "wow, I went out way too easy on that Ironman run". In fact, I don't know anyone who has said that... it's always the opposite.

It is not an issue to swim with bike shorts under the wetsuit. They do not soak up too much water. They will not slow down your swim, and there is no issue biking afterwards. I have done this many times for ironman, and for aquabikes. I do not like running more than 5 miles in bike shorts though, so I have changed in T2.

One thing I did not like, but I figured it out with a practice swim, was bib shorts plus race-fit jersey under the wetsuit - a bit too constricting. But if you can practice different combinations, do so.

I wear TRI shorts under my wetsuit, they have thinner padding than regular bike shorts, such that you do not get the diapers effect. But you should test shorts in training, probably you will not have time for that. So I advise change.

As to the HR monitor, what does your coach say about it? Don't you trust her? I mean if you have a coach why do you seek here for confirmation?

haha I do trust her and will confirm with her. I'm pretty sure she'll say not to worry about since it's not what I've been training with. and yes, most likely I will change to bike shorts.

Agree with changing in T1. I wore swim jammers under the wetsuit then changed into bike shorts in T1. Yeah takes some time but I wanted to enjoy the experience since I wasn't going for a podium etc.

I'm just thinking it will take me like 2 seconds anyway. I'll still wear tri top and leave that as is and put on bike shorts and socks.

I just finished my first full at IMMT a couple weeks ago. I went without the HR monitor, as once fatigue set in I knew I could have cared less. Especially on the back half of the marathon it was about survival at that point. I rode in tri shorts, not until about mile 70 or so did I start to wish I had bike shorts so I was fine with just tri shorts. Only way I would do a change is if I had some really nice shorts that cradles my manly parts in a sensual fashion.

As someone who was in your shoes 3 weeks ago,

Things I'm glad I did:
Drank tons of Gatorade and gels on the bike. Forced it down my throat at every stop, and refilled with a nice cold one.
Ate a huge breakfast at like 3am. Stuffed an entire box of waffles down my gullet.
Used race support entirely for my nutrition other than my first bottle on my bike already on my cage in T1.
Skipped the HR monitor and got the race fully done on my 910xt
Went to the banquette before (a must for all first timers!)
Got in line early for registration.
Got my coffee cups and swag early (save for finisher gear as I didn't want to jinx myself)
Had an easy dinner for when I got home. Do it... That was my biggest stroke of genius I've ever had.

Things I wish I did:
Showed up earlier and got registration done on day one (you can thank my slow family on the drive up for that)
Spent less time walking the Friday before.
Got a chance to preview the Dulpissee. Make sure if at all possible to practice the hardest climb of the day.
Convinced my family to stay longer so I could go to the victory brunch. Not so much for the happy feeling. But later I had absolutely painful hunger.

Mistakes I made:
Not practicing the Duplisee...
Getting too busy during the week.
Seriously for F*ck sake not going up that climb

Recommendations to a fellow first timer:
Race your race. Just finish.
Go to the banquette and enjoy all the pomp and circumstance of Ironman.
Get swag early.
Register early.
Most importantly... And it's often overlooked. Have a plan for dinner when you get home.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

I see no reason to ditch the HRM. Why not keep the data point? For example, mine helped me on my last IM run. It was a long hot day and around the 15 mile mark, my BP jumped way up. It would settle quickly when I walked an aid station -- and then it dawned on me -- I am dehydrated. I upped my Gatorade intake and shortly afterward my HR reconnected to where it was supposed to be. I am not sure when I would have figured it out without the HRM (my RPE in no way matched my HR), but I would guess I would have done a lot more damage before I did.

Tri shorts under wetsuit is a personal choice, but I have done it with no problem in all but a cooler IM (46 degrees ambient and I chose to do a complete change to stay warm). I lube heavily with A+D ointment which is highly water repellant. I also wear my HRM under the wetsuit. If you are at all like me, my brain tends to only be half there in the transitions. So I try to keep it as simple as possible. Wearing tri shorts and HRM for the swim reduces the things to do in T1, reduces the stuff in your T1 bag, and reduces the overall level of stress that you got everything done right (e.g., didn't lose something when you emptied out your T1 bag, etc.).

Have a great race -- and keep in mind during the bike that you have a marathon to run afterwards ; ).

good advice. oh yeah. I'm definitely half there in transition at best. I'm definitely very paranoid about over biking and really hydrating well on the bike.

I'm planning on all liquid nutrition on the bike but will still bring gels and clif bars as backup. I tend not to drink enough so I've been training drinking on the bike on a schedule. every 15 minutes so I get 24oz/hour. depending on temperature of course.