i only put in things i won't need back.
some put in an extra gel flask or an extra spare tube.
i have a friend that grabs a mountain dew and snickers bar out of his

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Fruit snacks are for winners

Special treat nutrition yours can't get on the course like in uncrustabes pb&j, snickers etc.

I hate running with my regular glasses, so I put a spare pair in run SN and swap sunglasses when it starts to get dark. I know there's a chance I won't get those back, so I use a spare pair and roll the dice.

I'm an Infinit user. I start off the day with three bottles on the bike. I put two iced bottles with an ice pack (or frozen if it's a hot race) in my bike special needs bag and throw away the bottles I've used. Something about stopping for 10s and getting something cold is always refreshing. I don't normally eat anything solid, but I know that's a normal SN item for some people.

For Challenge AC in my bike special needs bag I had two ziplocs with Infinit - one double strength, one normal. Dumped them into my bottles and the volunteers had jugs of water to fill them and my BTA bottle up. I also had a soft pretzel and a handful of bite-size Payday bars. I kind of wish I'd put an extra tube and an extra CO2 or two in there too (two flats in quick succession about 20 miles into the ride had me nervous about flatting again for the remainder of the ride).

For my run bag I had another soft pretzel and a bottle of flat Coke. I should probably have put fresh socks in there.

Good stuff! I like the soft pretzel idea and a mountain dew. I didn't incorporate that into training but having those as an option may be nice. I think something small, solid, and easy to digest would be beneficial to me. Definitely the spare tubes, co2's, etc, too.

Never used them.

I don't think you need to either if you're asking us what we'd use.

If there was something you really needed - I'm sure you'd have realised this by now.

Louisville is my first one too! I was going to throw in a spare tube and co2, gel, aspirin and a snickers. I am putting it in a smaller ziplock back so i can just grab it and go.

Oh and good luck sunday!!

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2020 Team Zoot MTN

socks on the run special needs!! without them I don't think I would of finished IMCDA because of all the water being poured on me. Sunscreen!! (like the individual packet size so you can toss it if not needed) I put a butterfinger and cranberry red bull in each special needs bag. On the bike it was a beautiful thing. I chugged the drink and downed the butterfinger and tasted like the best thing ever!!! On the run, just the sight of the red bull and butterfinger made me want to vomit. Of course just the sight of any nutrition made me want to vomit on the run in fact I am feeling a bit nauseous right now just thinking of it bllleeccchh!!! Thats my two cents :)

I'm also doing LOU as a first time. For the run you may want to consider how long you're going to be out there and what time you'll be picking up your run special needs bag. We're starting later and the sun is setting sooner so don't be surprised if it gets even more chilly as the sunsets if you're still on the run.

I plan on putting in some cold-weather gear in my run special needs bag. Jacket, pants, gloves, etc that I don't care if I get back or not. I may need them, I may not but better safe than sorry

edit: words.

This is what I do too (Infinit is really working for me), but I don't care too much about the temperature of the bottles in special needs. The quick stop at special needs once is better (quicker/safer) than shuffling with on-course nutrition at multiple aid stations.

While I usually have trouble with solids during races, Picky Bars have been really good to me. Two bottles of Infinit, a Picky Bar and a single 'serving' size of chamois cream (in that order) is the winning combo for my bike special needs. Having something to chew on that doesn't upset my stomach is pretty nice. Eat half right away and jam the other half in your sleeve for ~10 miles later.

Haven't used a run special needs bag yet. I could see stashing another flask of Napalm in one.

If I did a race that I knew I would get the bags back, I would probably put an extra tube/co2 in the bike bag. Probably still would not use a run bag though.

Be careful with this...I have a friend on his first IM (Louisville actually) that put on dry socks at special needs because he had been running in such wet ones. His feet were fine when he put them on but at the end of the marathon they were a bloody mess and he was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks because of his skin blistered off and was raw...doctors say his skin was so soft from being wet the dry socks acted like sand paper. Seems far fetched to me and could be unique to the circumstances (I couldn't figure out why the socks didn't just immediately get wet from the wet shoes)...but I admit it has scared me from trying after seeing the state he was in.

I think special needs depends on what your goals are. If you are trying for specific times and/or use specific nutrition than it can mean one thing. If this your first and you want to finish and you know you are going to be 15+ hour finisher then I think making it a mental break and reward is great. I know some athletes that the IM was a 1 and done and they just wanted to finish so they used special needs a reward (mt dew, diet coke, oreo, candy bar, etc. or something reminding them why they are doing the race). Practically I think spare tube and co2 on the bike (never know when tacks are going to be on the road...better safe than sorry). I personally like a iced drink...cold drink on the bike to me is awesome....I've never used my special needs on the run.

Louisville weather looks like it could easily be in the low 60's at night so if you are still running and get cold easy (and you will be wet)...arm warmers my be the thing. Just my $.02