I am racing IMLV on Sunday and going for an AG podium, ideally KQ. To me, seconds matter…
The forecast is low of 45, high of 60 and rain. I am guessing I wont see 60 degrees on the bike, low to mid 50’s is more realistic if that forecast holds. On a training ride, if it is below 60 and cloudy I am wearing arm warmers and maybe gloves. 50 and I am busting out the leg warmers. Rain will make it feel colder I am guessing.
Coming out of the swim in cooler temps I am usually just fine because I am warmed up and the adrenaline is pumping. I am gonna bring cold weather gear so I am prepared for anything, but I prefer not to take the time to put it on in transition or to take the aero penalty riding.
What do the other people that are RACING an ironman do in colder temps?
TL DR: Neoprene is your friend if its cold and wet.
My gameplan for 70.3 Weymouth (low 50’s, torrential rain for the entire bike, 20-25mph winds rising to 40-45mph):
Long sleeved neoprene (0.5mm) rash vest under wetsuit but over the trisuit which I left on the for the bike. Great windproof layer, tight so no aero penalty, and in heavy rain warm and wet beats cold and wet. Nothing really keeps out hours of heavy sustained rain so focus on the warmth side.
Neoprene socks/booties were allowed in the swim due to water temps. I kept mine on for the bike. Happiest bit of the race was splashing happily through T1 to get my bike - watching other people get the ‘cold water, feet wet already ugh’ look.
Neoprene gloves (check you can operate gears/access your food with them first - so quite thin)
Obviously removed the neoprene top, swapped booties for nice dry socks for the run which was another huge boost to morale. My T1 was quick as I had no layers to put on, T2 a bit slower but any losses were minor and dwarf time loss if you are freezing and demoralised on the bike. Double that for full distance.
T2 was carnage, guys shivering in the corner drinking tea trying to warm up, others running around shouting for help, unable to remove their helmets due to cold hands. They had to hire two double decker buses to rescue people off the course. MPRO Will Clarke was leading the bike with 15km to go - had a puncture, by the time he fixed it he’d gone hypothermic and had to pull out.
I race the Israman (featured here in January) almost every year, where a cold year meants 3-4 degrees above freezing - but the start is 700m of altitude below most of the bike course, so there’s no way to tell what the temps are like “up there” when you get out of the water.
I prioritise fast transitions, so my strategy for years where the forecast is not as extreme - similar to what you’re describing, 10-15c - I usually reach for a skin-tight baselayer (mine’s an Adidas) underneath my regular trisuit. I swim in it, it dries quickly enough (if it’s not raining) and costs no time in transition. Removal in T2 (if it warms up) costs no time since you can do it running off the bike.
Calf sleeves help take the bite off the cold (and some even claim to improve aerodynamics!), as do toe-covers. I’m considering experimenting with the Orca tri-booties, Kienle-style, this year. Consider gloves (which can be taped to the bike and worn on the fly), but I guess that’s personal preference.
On colder years I’ve raced in the dhb Aeron top - it’s snug, no wrinkles whatsoever, but I don’t have any data on aerodynamics. For sure it’s more aero than all those racing with a nylon vest…
I’d worry about your nutrition plan if it involved a lot of liquid calories. You won’t be sweating and it will be easy to overdrink or not be able to get all your calories in.
I think it’s good to remember that everyone else will be racing in thr same conditions so if the goal is KQ, you don’t have to beat a time goal, you just have to beat other people.
That being said, rain is an x factor, but I’d stash some hand/toe warmers in your kit pockets. If hands or feet are going numb, that’ll solve it real quick and you can discard them when no longer needed. Packages are thin and easily stashed away with no aero penalty. And they cheap.
Cover vents in your aero helmet (use duct tape that can be peeled off if needed)
Knee warmers under your wetsuit
Neoprene or Latex (velotoze) shoe covers
If you have a very snug long sleeve jersey pull that on in T1 over tri top
** Consider lining the front of that with a garbage bag OR if you can get a very snug rain top (not easy to find) OR Very snug vest
Gloves! … There are some cheap work gloves that have a lot of rubber on them for grip and warmth
… consider adjustment in fueling in that you won;t need as much hydration and most will feel and be more hungry when weather is colder
Cover vents in your aero helmet (use duct tape that can be peeled off if needed)
Knee warmers under your wetsuit
Neoprene or Latex (velotoze) shoe covers
If you have a very snug long sleeve jersey pull that on in T1 over tri top
** Consider lining the front of that with a garbage bag OR if you can get a very snug rain top (not easy to find) OR Very snug vest
Gloves! … There are some cheap work gloves that have a lot of rubber on them for grip and warmth
… consider adjustment in fueling in that you won;t need as much hydration and most will feel and be more hungry when weather is colder
instead of Duct Tape, try KT tape. A little easier to come off. Or Electrical tape – much easier to come off if necessary (test to see if it completely stays on). I can imagine the duct tape being so sticky that you cannot get it off without (almost) crashing.
I often hear of using nitrile gloves under bike gloves when it gets wet and cold. I have not tried that since hearing of it.
Racing IMLOU on Sunday as well. So far the plan is gloves/arm warmers/shoe covers. Will add knee covers if it’s going to be close to 50f for substantial portion of the bike.
I raced in Louisville in similar temps, but no rain. I had a vest (tight) and arm warmers that I ditched at 2nd aid station (otherwise I wore normal gear – no toe warmers, gloves, etc.). I agree with your assessment about being warm coming out of the water – starting the bike warm is way different than starting cold and trying to warm up. You might not be quite as lucky with rain – current forecast is +42% chance through noon, but that will change. Anyway, I would advise planning so that you can remove and toss (or pocket) the extra stuff when it is no longer needed.
Cover vents in your aero helmet (use duct tape that can be peeled off if needed)
Knee warmers under your wetsuit
Neoprene or Latex (velotoze) shoe covers
If you have a very snug long sleeve jersey pull that on in T1 over tri top
** Consider lining the front of that with a garbage bag OR if you can get a very snug rain top (not easy to find) OR Very snug vest
Gloves! … There are some cheap work gloves that have a lot of rubber on them for grip and warmth
… consider adjustment in fueling in that you won;t need as much hydration and most will feel and be more hungry when weather is colder
instead of Duct Tape, try KT tape. A little easier to come off. Or Electrical tape – much easier to come off if necessary (test to see if it completely stays on). I can imagine the duct tape being so sticky that you cannot get it off without (almost) crashing.
I often hear of using nitrile gloves under bike gloves when it gets wet and cold. I have not tried that since hearing of it.
Clear packing tape works great for this. Plus, it doesn’t look ghetto since it’s clear. Leave the back vents (if any) open.
Make a small ‘tab’ folded over itself in a corner, so if you want to remove it mid-ride, you have an easy way to grab it.
You can leave your swim cap on for the bike, if it’s really cold and/or rainy.
Easy enough to remove later if it gets too warm.
Toe booties are a no-brainer. Plus more aero!
Full finger bike gloves. Might not keep your hands ‘warm’, but less cold might just be enough.
You could try something like SealSkinz for this too, as they’re supposedly more waterproof.
You don’t have much choice especially if it is raining. 2013 IM Lake Tahoe was 32 degrees and everyone had to do a full kit for the bike. Took 21 minutes in T1 since everyone was in the tent doing a full change with booties, warm jackets, etc. A few years ago during IM Arizona, it unexpectedly started raining and I ended up dropping out early on the run as I couldn’t stop shaking. T2 was another mass of people trying to due a full kit change out of wet clothes. I unfortunately didn’t expect rain and nothing to change into.
Thanks everyone for the input. I was really expecting the response to be just man up and ride in your normal kit, which has been the direction I have been leaning, but now I am giving cold weather gear more serious thought.
Doing IMLOU as well. My first, and not particularly stressed about transition times, although I’d like to be relatively quick just for my psychology.
I am a skinny dude. 5’10" and 128lb race weight. I get cold easily.
I plan to wear my tri-suit under a full wetsuit. In T1, I will leave on the tri-suit, add arm warmers, and a tight fitting waterproof LG cycling jacket. There is some benefit that the jacket pockets can already be stocked with my nutrition, and whatever glove strategy I decide on. I have a pair of non-chamois tights I will pull over my tri-suit if the rain continues to look nasty. Toe covers are already on the shoes and I will wear wool socks (I typically go sock-less). I’ll probably have some hand warmers taped to the bike frame or in the jacket pockets.
Hopeful the run can happen in just a tri-suit and arm warmers.
I am getting to LOU early Friday AM to scout the bike course. Friday AM and Saturday AM look similarly chilly, so I plan to test my clothing strategy then, perhaps just out of the practice swim for realism.
Note also you are probably looking at downtown Louisville weather depending on the site. Do the effects of an “urban heat jungle”, they might be a little warm. I suggest you also see how things look over in La Grange.
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