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What's in your Special Needs Bag?
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Hey folks! I'm new to Slowtwitch, enjoying learning from previous threads. First time post here, so forgive me if this has come up a lot before.

I've done a couple 70.3's now. And even though I swore I would never do a full IM. Now I'm signed up for IMTX 2020. Naturally I'm already thinking ahead to race day gear, nutrition, etc. I have a basic idea of what I think I might put in my special needs bags. Just based on doubling the nutrition I use for a 70.3. But I'd love to hear what other people do.

So.... What do you put in your special needs bag? Anything unusual? Do you try to be self reliant and only use special needs in an emergency? Or is it nice to plan on a quick break to refuel at the halfway mark? How much time do you typically lose stopping to get your special needs bag? What about on the run course? Is that special needs bag faster to access since you are already on foot and not getting off/on a bike?

Not necessarily looking for advice for myself in particular. Just curious in general what experienced IM athletes are doing. Thanks Y'all!
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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Early welcome to the club.... Especially IMTX. I'm local for IMTX, done it every year. One of the remaining 13 who have done every year. Special needs bags..... well, for me it's mostly a reload of what I had on the bike to start with. 3 gels, a bottle with pre-mix calories, 1/2 a Clif Bar, and some nut-lube.
On the run, it's 2 gels, and some disposable socks.

Team Zoot-Texas, and Pickle Juice
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [Taugen] [ In reply to ]
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As a back of the pack type I will get off my bike for 2 minutes at Special needs (if it’s roughly half way, which it generally is in our two full IM events) and eat my 2 x jam (jelly) sandwiches. I always cut the crusts off as they are impossible to chew when your mouth is fried from all the gels etc - and yes I do have all my own teeth!
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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I try to be self/aid station reliant and use special needs as a back up.

Bike - tube + CO2, a gel or two. Thinking here is: if I flat before special needs I will stop to grab the tube and CO2, otherwise no stop.
Run - Small container of vaseline, a gel or two, candy. Vaseline in case of chafing; candy for if/when I get tired of eating gels.I have found the run special needs bag readily and quickly accessible. In past races the volunteers have had my bag out and ready to go without even asking for it.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [mhepp] [ In reply to ]
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mhepp wrote:
I try to be self/aid station reliant and use special needs as a back up.

Bike - tube + CO2, a gel or two. Thinking here is: if I flat before special needs I will stop to grab the tube and CO2, otherwise no stop.
Run - Small container of vaseline, a gel or two, candy. Vaseline in case of chafing; candy for if/when I get tired of eating gels.I have found the run special needs bag readily and quickly accessible. In past races the volunteers have had my bag out and ready to go without even asking for it.

x2. Change "candy" to "liquorice all sorts" and this is me. By putting a tube and a CO2 into bike special needs it shows you're ready for a flat, and Murphy's law states that if you're ready for it then it won't happen.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [mhepp] [ In reply to ]
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This is exactly what I was thinking of trying. All my friends say they stop on the bike for a few minutes to restock on nutrition. But I feel like I' don't have to unless something goes wrong on the first loop. Glad to hear the special needs bags are easy to dive into on the run. I LOVE SIS gels on the run and pop one every 20 minutes. The only problem is they are quite large. IMTX is a 3 loop run course so reloading each lap will make that way easier.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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Nothing.
never used one never will, unless i was finishing in the dark, i would have a flashlight and a jacket, or if i thought the race might get cold, i would throw in some warm stuff. besides that if your racing, i don't see the point
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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a_harleyyy wrote:
This is exactly what I was thinking of trying. All my friends say they stop on the bike for a few minutes to restock on nutrition. But I feel like I' don't have to unless something goes wrong on the first loop. Glad to hear the special needs bags are easy to dive into on the run. I LOVE SIS gels on the run and pop one every 20 minutes. The only problem is they are quite large. IMTX is a 3 loop run course so reloading each lap will make that way easier.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!


They typically only allow you to access your bag once. They throw the bag away once you take it, they don't put it back in place.

At IMTX the run special needs area is about 1.5 miles into the 8.5 mile loop. So you go past it roughly at mile 1.5 (obviously you wouldn't get it then), mile 9 and mile 18.5
Last edited by: g_lev: Aug 1, 19 11:19
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [g_lev] [ In reply to ]
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That's good to know, I could've been in for quite the surprise on lap 3 if you hadn't said that lol. Thanks!
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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I put stuff in I have no intention using but can fixate on mentally. A frozen snickers bar, sweet tarts, a bottle of orange crush.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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I would try avoid usimg them actively and only as backup e.g. inner tube and co2 if you flat and need new flat kit.
Ofcourse if you cant tolerate course nutrition put some in special needs.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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On the bike I put an extra flat kit, and a reload of nutrition. I always stop to get the nutrition as I prefer only carrying half of my nutrition and I'm going to stop midway through the bike anyway to use a portapotty (no reason to pee on myself when I'm 2 hours slower than a KQ).
My stop at SN's has never exceeded 2 minutes on the bike.

On the run - definitely some SIS gels, vaseline, an extra pair of socks (in case mine get wet and I'm getting blisters), and a small can of pringles. I tried to freeze a snickers bar at Whistler last year, but it was over 90F and was completely melted by the time I got there.
Run SN's is just like walking through an aid station. Just slow to a light jog or quick walk and you'll be able to get everything you need and dump the bag.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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On the bike nutrition and do a bottle exchange. I don't use on the run
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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On the run I put in a fresh pair of shoes and socks. How stinkin grateful I was for doing this, took about 1 minute.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [bearlyfinish] [ In reply to ]
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SN stops shouldn't take very long. In most cases, 30 seconds for the bike and basically like walking an aid station on the run. I waited a couple minutes in Cozumel on the bike because they weren't very organized and didn't have a method of calling out your number before arriving. Sadly, everything was a mess and hotter than hell so I didn't take any of it.

I typically I start the bike with whole food (musubi) and will restock on more at the SN. For the run, like many others, it looks more like a first aid kit (bandages, aspirin, vaseline, antacid, gauze, smelling salts, pickles, coffee, vodka) because if I need to stop halfway through the run things aren't going well and I'll need whatever I can get to get back on track.
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Re: What's in your Special Needs Bag? [a_harleyyy] [ In reply to ]
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a_harleyyy wrote:
Hey folks! I'm new to Slowtwitch, enjoying learning from previous threads. First time post here, so forgive me if this has come up a lot before.

I've done a couple 70.3's now. And even though I swore I would never do a full IM. Now I'm signed up for IMTX 2020. Naturally I'm already thinking ahead to race day gear, nutrition, etc. I have a basic idea of what I think I might put in my special needs bags. Just based on doubling the nutrition I use for a 70.3. But I'd love to hear what other people do.

So.... What do you put in your special needs bag? Anything unusual? Do you try to be self reliant and only use special needs in an emergency? Or is it nice to plan on a quick break to refuel at the halfway mark? How much time do you typically lose stopping to get your special needs bag? What about on the run course? Is that special needs bag faster to access since you are already on foot and not getting off/on a bike?

Not necessarily looking for advice for myself in particular. Just curious in general what experienced IM athletes are doing. Thanks Y'all!

Whether I take it or not I on both the bike and run I put a PB and J sandwich + a can of coffee (high brew or Peets or something like that) on the bike special needs bag. Then an extra jersey, extra tube and tire, maybe a couple of CO2's

For the run a singlet, a pair of socks, a pair of shoes, and a towel

That's basically it for me. I don't stop too long at those. This past weekend I got the PB and J from the bike special needs and put it in one of the pockets (never ate it) and chugged the coffee right there. My stop was basically 1 - 2 minutes at the most.

On the run I ended up using nothing but the towel on the way home to wipe out my face as it felt very salty and sweaty (plus i needed a small break right on that moment)
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