1. grab at aid stations
2. whatever works, I don't really use it anymore but when I did it wasn't rinsing off. Vaseline just sounds.... messy. Whatever you do don't touch your googles after vaseline application.
3. For a half I use once concentrated nutrition bottle and then swap out bottles. I bring one old bottle, toss it at the first aid station and get a new one. Also depends on your overall nutrition strategy, etc. so it depends what they're filled with. Don't need three bottles of water (typically) as there's more on the course.

2. I'd take all my own gels if it was me. You never know exactly what they will end up having at the aid stations, and gels are small and easy to carry, so why not at least know with confidence you have what you need.
3. Buy a bottle of water with sports top (like what they will hand out on the bike course) and use that for one of your 3 bottles to start, then you can just toss it at the first aid station and switch.

Good luck on the race.

I would say don't do anything on race day you havn't used in practice. I think some of us (myself included) have tenancy to want to try a new trick on the race but we should generally ignore that distraction.

More specifically - I've never carried gels on the run. You've used what they will have on the race and that is a big tick IMHO. You might find out how frequent the aid stations are or ask at the briefing. If there aren't many stations, there is big gap on the course or you just know it's going to worry you then carry a few but I can't imagine carry 6 without them bothering me in someway.

Cream. If you are pretty happy with the cream you've got and tried it post swim then, again, that's good prep. If you have a sim to bike before the race left to practice then maybe try something like a 50/50 cream/petroleum jelly. You always hear that petroleum jelly damages neoprene but I don't think a practice and possibly a race will do much harm if you are aware of it and rinse it same day. But if you don't have that chance to practice then go with what you know.

Bottles. Like gels research helps a lot. It isn't a hilly course is it? So weight isn't top priority. I'd go with what you are happy with. I've always drank from one bottle and had one small spare. But you can work out how quickly you want to drink, the station spacing and allow for messing up one station. On a hot day you might play it safer. I wouldn't take a nice bottle at the start of a race, just cheap generic bottles. Equally if the race brands there bottles I might plan to have a few of there's on the bike when I finish as nice souvenirs.

If you aren't going to be worrying the podium then you can argue whatever gives you the most comfortable race will work out best. Then fine tune the details as you do more races and learn from the experience.

This is great, thanks everyone for the info! Def not in the aim for the podium, just want to have fun and finish without blowing up.

I feel like I am pretty much in the same situation as you: did lots of triathlons in Europe before I moved to the US 3 years ago, and Cour d’Alene will be my first triathlon after having stopped triathlons for almost 3 years. After all this time I have lots of doubts and questions.
The main question is about hydration. They will provide Gatorade Endurance Formula (orange on the bike and lemon on the run). I have been using this product in my training and works for me, but I wonder how this drink will be handed during the race.
On the bike what size of bottles / bidons do they hand (24 fl oz)? Do they typically dissolve the Gatorade powder in the bottle (and in that case how many scoops of the Gatorade powder do they put in each bottle), or do they hand factory made 24 fl. oz. bottles (each bottle having 180 calories and 620mg of sodium)?
Basically am trying to understand how many calories and sodium are contained in each bottle handed on the bike.
What about the run? How is the Gatorade handed? Bottles, glasses, other... How can I know the concentration (calories & sodium) of the drinks given during the run?
Thanks for your help.

some general stuff...

Gatorade endurance on the bike will be in "commercial" bottles - no need to worry about the mixture concentration. Water should be in water bottles like you might get at the store with a top that is like bike bottles.

I'm a total cheapskate, so, I start with two of my bottles mixed the way I like (cytomax w/a little red bull and water - a "thin" mix). I have them in Gatorade bottles that I've picked up from previous races, or, at the store. I never take from my own stash my decent bike bottles. Re: Gels or "blocks" I bring my own. For an full IM on the run I usually have a couple in my hands for awhile. On a HIM I'd do the same. Then, rely on aid stations beyond that. You may find they won't have the flavor(s) you like, and/or won't have any caffeine (if that floats your boat). I guess I just don't worry too much about that.

Also...
On the bike the bottles are usually handed out quite efficiently. Keep your head about you at aid stations. FOLLOW THE RULES. The bottles will likely be "loose" in your cages and having a bottle launch is quite possible. With that in mind I try to drink some liquid pretty quick to both lighten the bottle (therefore reduce the likelihood of launching) and, to make sure I get some fluid in the event I do lose the bottle.

Enjoy CDA, it's a tough but fair course.

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
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Get some of this gold bond sports friction cream from Walmart. I've been using it for years and it's better and cheaper than body glide. It lasts through a 70.3 with no problems and doesn't mess up your clothes.

https://www.walmart.com/...p;findingMethod=p13n

I’ve used buttonhole successfully for two half irons. It blows anything else I’ve tried out of the water. Not specifically for tri, but seems to work better than chamois butt’r. Also, skip Vaseline, unless it’s for your feet/ankles to get your wetsuit off or your shoes on.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Thanks for explaining how the drinks work: that was very clear. Thanks a million!!

For the run just grab gels at the aid stations; they are really well stocked.

You have three cages, figure out how you want to use them. I have all my gels in a bottle (with a little water so they flow a bit better). That is going to stay on your bike so you can use a nice bottle. Start with one bottle (usually an old one) that you can chuck at the aid stations. Have water in the two cages, one to drink, and one to spray yourself with (get salt out of your eyes, keep your clothing wet, to "rinse off", and as a backup if you lose the drinking bottle). They have bolcks and gels at the bike aid stations, but they are hard to grab at speed.

Have a PlanB nutrition plan. If you lose your gels on the bike, what's your backup? If they are out of gels or Gatorade on the run, what do you do? It's a lot easier and less stressful if you have a plan ahead of time, and you are less likely to mess up your nutrition. At my last 70.3 my gel bottle ejected 1/2 through the bike. I already had a plan, so stopped at the next aid station, grabbed three packs of shot blocks to stuff in my beto and rolled on (probably cost me 20sec., but no stress).

For chamois cream, go with what you are used to .

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