Two ways:

- two chip mats: go across one mat if you're not wearing a wetsuit, the other if you are
- a body needs to write down the race numbers of everyone wearing a wetsuit

It's a lot safer to just have separate mats. Then you can download chip ids of whoever went over the wetsuit mat, and use it to update everyone into the new category. All you need to use is one mat/box that's going out at a run turnaround; there's plenty of time to use at the swim, download, clear it, and reposition.

I can think of three ways without even looking at sportstats response.

1) have two separate timing mats for wetsuit vs non wetsuit that you cross before getting in line as a way to check in athlete's. this would be a different mat than the one you cross to start your race.

2) have a small gap (maybe 30 seconds to a minute) after the last non-wetsuit athlete crosses the starting mat before allowing the wetsuit swimmers to enter the water. Anybody after that gap has a wetsuit.

3) have 1 extra timing mat to check athlete's in. let the non-wetsuits cross first to check them in...you now have all the non-wetsuit numbers. let the wetsuits cross next.

Remember that there is a rolling start this year at Lake Placid. It's already been mentioned that if the water temperature is over 76.1F the non wet suited folks with all go first followed by the wetsuited folks. I would imagine they will stop the line at least momentarily between the two groups and mark the change electronically.

YMMV,

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Anybody willing to bet on a wetsuit legal race now?



SatJul 20

73°
49°
Scattered T-Storms
Potential for severe thunderstorms
CHANCE OF RAIN:60% WIND:WNW at 10 mph
Details
SunJul 21

69°
43°
Sunny
CHANCE OF RAIN:0% WIND:NNE at 5 mph
Details
MonJul 22

72°
46°
Partly Cloudy
CHANCE OF RAIN:10% WIND:NE at 3 mph
Details
TueJul 23

75°
52°
Mostly Sunny
CHANCE OF RAIN:10% WIND:ESE at 4 mph
Details
WedJul 24

75°
52°
Mostly Sunny
CHANCE OF RAIN:10% WIND:ENE at 5 mph
Details
ThuJul 25

75°
55°
Scattered Showers
CHANCE OF RAIN:30% WIND:SE at 7 mph
Details
FriJul 26

75°
57°
Showers
CHANCE OF RAIN:60% WIND:SW at 7 mph

IF that holds we are good.

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

Maaaaan I just completely blew my taper plan by doing a 4,000 LCM straight swim yesterday to build my confidence for a no wetsuit swim. Now you're coming back and telling me that I probably CAN wear my wetsuit???

On the bright side, it turns out that I CAN do a 2.4 mile swim without a wetsuit.

Anybody have a recent lake temperature...... Must be close to 80.

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

If it isn't 80 now...it will have to be pretty close to that by friday.

I have been largely offline for the last 7 days. I figure I should check in on this thread to get the latest Konaexpress wetsuit freak out update. The craziest thing is the guy is swimming really strong .... wetsuit or not! A no wetsuit swim probably helps his Kona Q chances!!!

Talking about me KQ...... now that is just crazy talk, plain crazy you Kona Qualifier.

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

What's on deck for overtraining this weekend? How about a pre LP P8 to Champlain uphill TT on Saturday or Sunday? Cement bottles and weight jackets optional!

Last time I did LP Jean "Cement Bottles" Lacroix and I did a 2400m swim at Meech and then did 2 inner loops. One easy and one TT all the way.

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

78 today.

I'm on the fence about 78F today. I would much prefer if it was over 80 and drops to 78 next week. What I don't want is that it is 78 this week and drops right to the bottom of the cutoff. Then it ends up being a really cold swim without wetsuit. I don't mind a no wetsuit swim in warm water, I just don't want one in cold water and 2-3 degrees is a massive diff for me.

76 is hardly a really cold swim. Plus, with all the piss in the water it'll increase to like 78-79 once all the nervous and overhydrated athletes have piled in.

I predict 75 on the day
those couple of low humidity nights in the 40's are going to do it
then not a day over 75 all week?
no problem.

that said....still OWS'ing in skin

I thought it would be a lot warmer. Looking at forecast sub 76 looks very doable.

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

It depends on your physiology....90 F and 90 humidity is not a hot run for me, but it is for others. But I know what you are saying about all the guys peeing, but with a rolling start we don't even get that, because everyone will be on the ground.

7 a.m.
76 degrees

I saw that. I am amazed it is that low. I think we are going to be okay 10 days out and the forecast is definitely cooling for next week.

https://www.facebook.com/...mp;total_comments=42

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

it would be 76 or under on race day base on the forecast...

I like that!

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The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

Dev,

You're certainly exaggerating about your tolerance to extreme weather conditions by this statement. A temperature of 90F. with 90% RH would mean a dew point of 86.7F. and a heat index of 122F. I'd say that would be a hot run for any human being. This is a higher heat index then you'll find in Death Valley where the dew point is way lower. Dew points at Kona are pretty typically ~ 68F-70F on race day. This morning here in upstate NY the dew point was 74F with and air temp of 77F. and I was sweating like a butcher on my 6:30am ride. It's been less humid and with a lower heat index in Hawaii this month than the Rochester area.

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

My wife and I swam for 45 minutes yesterday in Mirror Lake. There was no way we were putting on a wetsuit, it was 3pm, super hot outside, we had just finished a 40 minute slow run and the water felt warm(didn't have a thermometer so can't confirm the temperature). There were tons of tourist swimming in the water and having a great time. In the 5 or so years that I have been swimming in Mirror lake, this is the warmest it's ever felt and the only time I have ever swam the course without a wetsuit. The one thing I noticed is that from time to time, there are definitely some cold spots, some of these were close to the dock(where they'll take the temperature reading?).

We jumped in and didn't even have that initial little shock to the system from the cold water.

So, pack the sleeveless wetsuit?

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

Hugh...drop it....I'm just making a point. I can deal with those hot temps better than most guys 40 lbs heavier than me. You get the point. The same ability to cool myself works against me in 76F water without wetsuit. You're just being "ST argumentative" for no reason. I can certainly deal with much more humid conditions than Kona. It really is not that humid compared to Taiwan, Japan or Korea, or Eastern India in the summer...or for that matter, Houston in July. The point is, we are all different. I'll still swim without a wetsuit in 76F water if I have to, but just saying that I'd prefer not to, just like others would prefer to not race in heat, while I would prefer if it is heat overload.