Dont go.

The course is the course, it is what it is and no "tips" can change this. If you are going to IM, of the WTC brand, Silverman, GFT or any other race you can count on a few things - the swim will be 2.4 miles, the bike 112 miles and the run 26.2 miles...there will be more aid stations that just about anyone could ever need. If you are PREPARED for your 'race' you will know what it takes to go the distance of each - oddly, I presume that in this course of being prepared you have already swam and ridden your bike these distances with out a baby sitter nor constant aid stations. I also presume that you have a long run or two that did not have a mile to mile buffet to keep you over laden with sugar calories, caffeine and orange slices.

If you are PREPARED you will know how to change a tire and where to put your bib number. You will know what wheels are and are not a good option (and to that, ONLY at Kona is this a worry as disks are a no go - any other race that Kona...run what you brung as the car racing scene would say). If you are PREPARED you are not a week out going to ask about how many gels and of what brand to use - and how often. If you are PREPARED you will not ask what shirt to wear, what shoes to wear, how to get your socks on or what to do if the swim is not wetsuit legal.

These questions only prove day to day what I have known. Far too many folks are going out and playing "I hope I can finish" Ironman and are obviously NOT prepared...because if they were prepared they would not have such idiotic questions just days out....days out, one should KNOW they can finish - how fast should be the only question.