My current IM helmet is an aero road LG Course. I carry 3 bottles - water BTA, 2 rear - carb bottle + perform.

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
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I have never been able to figure out why so many people carry a 6 pack of bottles. I just us an old school profile aero bottle up front (may get one of the newer torpedo looking ones for my next IM since they are a little more aero) and I start with a mix of about 70% Gatorade and 30% water then alternate water and whatever drink they give on the course to top it up at every aid station. I know that I will get arguments but pretty much all sports drinks have sodium, potassium and maltodextrin and almost anyone can try different types to get used to them. I raced Roth in 2001 and they had a new Powerbar drink that wasn't available in Canada at the time so I just used a different type each week so that I got used to anything that comes my way .... maybe I have a cast iron stomach but I have never had any issues. Bottom line: 1 bottle up front and just use what they give you seems pretty easy

I used a LG Chrono aero helmet for Louisville in 2009 and LP in 2006. I have a LG rocket air now and would have used it today in LP if I had been racing.

I carry one bottle between handle bars for HIM and two for IM. Tempted to go with one bottle next IM but there is this fear I will miss a bottle.

I rode IMLP last year with one BTA bottle, everything went fine. I did drop one handoff, but it was the first volunteer in line and I was able to catch another bottle on the way out of the aid station. I did get quite a few comments about it though, most people were admiring the minimalism, one person felt the need to tell me I was crazy.

I also wear an aero helmet for the IM distance. I do remember seeing lots of air attacks last year at IMLP though.

Good point on dropping a bottle. My current thinking (and I have a year to analyze this) is BTA bottle (water) and two small bottles (22oz) behind the saddle (calories). seat tube: aero bottle will be flat kit. If I can stomach Perform okay I could remove one bottle from BTS and replace it with my flat kit in a bottle. But shouldn't I have the seat tube aero bottle just for better aerodynamics? I thought I read that in the Felt forum (Felt B12). *shrug* have a lot of time to figure it out.

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The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.

Im doing an aero bottle for my spare. Furthest aide station seperation is 35 minutes I think.... Most and maybe 25. So low risk in my mind. Worst case I stop for 10s to refill it at a station. Same setup I user for 70.3

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

For a 70.3 I try to be self-supported. This year I am going to try to have one aid-station (half-way) to refill water. I'll try to keep my calories within my bike. I'll see how that goes this year.

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The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.

I suspect these athletes are still sorting out their own nutrition and trusting/relying upon what's on the course. I think as we all do more of these we start to shed alot of extra baggage on the bike and bring only the essentials while researching what's on the course and using that...

cheers
S.

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// qui audet adipiscitur

Trying to make this transition as well, doing one bottle bta and one behind the seat. Just haven't quite figured out whether I'm better off with one bottle water and one a double serving of Infinit or two single servings of Infinit and swapping one with water at an aide station. Tried the two bottle method a couple weeks ago at Door County and had some pretty bad cramping that seemed to reside when I started drinking more water. Though I'm partly to blame for this because I ran out of my Infinit custom blend and went to the off the shelf Go Far blend a week prior to the race.

That's been my strategy more or less. I'll take water for the BTA off the course, and 2 cheap water bottles with Infinit in rear hydration and bring along a bonk breaker or 2 for 70.3 distance.

Pitch the course supplied water bottles and cheap water bottles at designated spots on the bike. However I sure wish there was a really good aero like container I could use as a flat kit instead of those PRO bottle 'kegs'.

cheers
S.

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// qui audet adipiscitur