This is one of the questions I’m really curious about what people do. Ironman AZ is coming up and I have been worrying about this.
Do you get off the bike during the Ironman bike leg to pee or just pee on yourself?
WTC typically has aid stations every couple of miles over the entire bike course, not only with volunteers, food, drink, first aid, but also Porto-Potties. That’s where you stop and pee, unless you are trying to win first place in your age group, in which case you somehow pee on yourself instead of taking the 60 seconds to stop. How do you pee? Go back to the Main Triathlon forum and find the numerous threads about “peeing on the bike.”
Check your pre-race info for IMAZ to see how far apart are the bike aid stations; you should be able to time your needs accordingly!
Oh, and of course the same thing holds true on the run course.
BrokenSpoke
I second the “use the porta-potties at the aid stations unless you’re winning your age group” sentiment. I myself enjoy the little break that the porta-potties offer, plus it gives me a chance to refresh the chamois butter if I’m so inclined.
M
I stopped as I never had the guts to try peeing off the bike. At IMC they even had a volunteer standing by to hold your bike, or at least they did at the aid station I stopped at. I can’t imagine volunteering to stand next to a port-a-potty all day but I’m glad someone did.
I just pee while I bike. Of course, that’s a race day only thing. Sometimes the line for portapotties is a bit long, and sometimes I just don’t want to stop as I’m in a rhythm. I usually plan it though so that it’s somewhat close to the next aid station. Then at that station I get an extra bottle of water and just use that to rinse off.
Thanks for the responses. I think I may stop at the porta-pottie.
I also read many posts about peeing on the bike, very interesting.
I get off to pee and relube the bits. I carry a little tube of Aquaphor with me. It’s nice to get off the bike an stretch. I’m a BOPer though, so time is never super important to me.
I just pee on myself. On the bike, I find it easiest when going down hill. I stop pedalling and lift my butt off the seat a little and relax. On a flat course, I’ll coast a little then pee. Unless you’re going really fast (like the downhill to Keene at IMLP), the urine will roll down your legs and into your socks and shoes. I’ve done this in bike shorts, bathing suit-like tri suits, tri shorts—you will have urine-soaked socks and shoes. I warn the volunteers in the IM tent at T2 to not touch my bike shorts/socks/shoes. To get the ammonia smell out of bike shoes, I use pet stain carpet cleaner.
At IM WI I stopped to use the porta-potties 2x. However, the first time I was waiting in a line 5+ people long. Ugh. I don’t like stopping and getting back on the bike - getting going again for me really feels like crap (legs). I was contemplating utilizing the saddle cutout, a funnel, and some tubing to make an “on-board” bathroom. The only thing I’m currently working on there is how to get around the bike shorts. So far any sort of “trap door” I’ve thought of would seem to lend to a higher chafing risk. I’m a skilled seamstress as well, so sewing something up isn’t a problem. It’s just how to do it.
For the past 4 years I have volunteered as a “bike holder” at the Cross Plaines aid station on the IM Wisconsin course. I love my duties as a bike holder and since we stand a short distance from the portapotties, I don’t even notice them. Being a bike holder allows me to interact with the athletes more than just handing them a water bottle and/or gu. And we get to fondle all the nice bikes.
When I was racing Oly and HIM distances in college I was very proud of myself for peeing on the bike. I’d look behind me to make sure no one was in “range”, relax my muscles and go for it. Usually right about then someone would ride past me with an odd look.
Now for HIM and less I usually just hold it (unless it’s that time of month). For IMs, I stop and use the portajohns. If you’re quick about it, I think it actually helps to stretch the legs a bit. Just don’t wait too long or it’s so hard to get back in the saddle.
BTW, for that time of month OB Ultras will last through a whole HIM!
I’ve done the bike thing and the porta-potty thing. I tend to like the porta-potty better. It hasn’t made a huge difference in my time. If you plan to try on the bike, make sure you’ve used ample amounts of chamois butt’r before the ride. It will make things more comfortable down there.
At Moo, the bottle drop was next to the porta-potty - I got hit a few times when I was in there. Freaked me out.
I love the ingenuity of it all! I will bet that instead of heading down the cutout as planned, the pee would just follow the line of your shorts and go down the sides. Me thinks the trap door would make for some good technical snaffoos. :).
I race in briefs and pee on the bike. I stop pedaling and sort of lean out to the side. That way the stream does not go down my leg or bike, and it doesn’t hit my rear tire and come back at me. I don’t know about time saving but I do think it keeps me in the groove. It can be hard to time it right in a crowded race though.
Peed on the bike once in an IM. I wanted to in Kona but there were too many press/photographers/race official cars on the road, so I didn’t. That quick little time off the bike is a nice break to the butt and the leg muscles.
clm
Since I have not noted any advice on this subject, please let me offer a suggestion: use your training to figure out how much is appropriate to drink and then drink as much as you need and no more. If you are peeing on the bike then you are drinking too much. I recommend reading this article on Replenishment vs. replacement.
Here are a couple of the key points:
*the body has remarkably complex and efficient “built-in” survival safeguards that very capably deal with the difference between what it loses and what it can accept in replenishment. The various systems involved are complex, but the bottom line is that only a relatively small consumption will keep you going. On the other hand, over-consumption can easily throw the systems out of whack. *
**
*As you read through our other fueling-related articles, you’ll see this principle applied repeatedly and further details given. It might seem like we’re banging the same drum all the time, but when it comes to fueling, we cannot emphasize enough that less is better than more. Rather than attempting to resolve your fueling requirements by replacing hourly loss with hourly intake, we suggest small doses, generally about a third of what is lost. *
**
Many triathletes simply do not know. Anytime I see question like, “Pee on the bike or make a stop,” I feel the need to interject that if you are peeing on the bike you are just plain drinking too much. I live where summer temps range up to 120 by the end of the ride and if I drink enough to asked have to stop for a break then my stomach is almost always going to be upset the rest of the day.
While you are at it, read the other performance tips on the Hammer site. They know what they are doing and I have gleaned a ton of good info from them over the years.
Chad
There is certainly truth to that, and I think Hammer is generally spot on. But your kidneys continue to produce urine even if you’re dehydrated. If no urine is being produced, there is no blood flow to the kidneys, and they can take that for an hour anyway, but they’ll be damaged if it continues long term.
Then again, there’s a difference between your kidneys working and how much your bladder is holding. Some people can store a lot before peeing!
i pee on the bike. always have in any race if I need to pee, and I always need to pee in an IM, sevearl times matter of fact. i think you SHOULD have to pee during a 5-6+ hour ride. otherwise, i think you are not drinking enough.
it takes some practice to get good at it, but once you have it down you can do it most anytime. downhill is best since you almost have to quit pedaling. I always have a water bottle on my bike and can squirt some water on me to wash off a bit. not that i really need to do that, maybe just to keep the urine smell off.
jana