I’m preparing for my first 70.3, and I noticed the athlete’s guide doesn’t list any info about gear bags. I was under the impression that we are given five gear bags to athletes during check-in. Is this an omission from the athlete’s guide, or are gear bags no longer provided?
Also, the water temperature of our swim start is quite cold (~10/11 C), and I don’t anticipate that the lake will heat up by the end of the week. Any tips for managing the cold? Any sense if the swim portion of the race might be cancelled and reassigned?
I’m preparing for my first 70.3, and I noticed the athlete’s guide doesn’t list any info about gear bags. I was under the impression that we are given five gear bags to athletes during check-in. Is this an omission from the athlete’s guide, or are gear bags no longer provided?
Also, the water temperature of our swim start is quite cold (~10/11 C), and I don’t anticipate that the lake will heat up by the end of the week. Any tips for managing the cold? Any sense if the swim portion of the race might be cancelled and reassigned?
Lastly, any tips for the newbie?
Take care!
Gear bags are for full IMs, I’ve never seen them at a half.
I don’t recall receiving gear bags for the 70.3s I’ve done. They do provide gear bag stickers that you can put on your own gear bag. I’ve found they don’t stick too well, so I always put two or three on my bag. The ones I’ve done have had one T area, so your bike and run gear are all together at your rack location. I’ve only used the gear bag to help carry everything I needed to my spot. I used the plastic bag given at packet pick up. It always was large enough to hold most, if not everything, I needed.
I can’t answer your swim question, as all mine have been 65f+ swims.
Newbie tips (since I’ve only done three, I’m still a newbie):
take a towel to wipe your feet in T1
take your own sun screen (if needed), so you have control over it
hang your helmet on the handlebars, so you don’t run off without it
don’t worry about rushing through transition. if you rush and miss something it’ll cost you more time than taking your time in transition
lay out your biking items in front of your running items and stack the items in the order you want to go through them (e.g. socks on top of shoes, number belt on top of hat, or whatever)
fuel more than you think you need.
If IM branded,
don’t wear your number belt on for the bike
don’t worry too much about where the “stem” bike sticker goes. they don’t provide a diagram and I saw no “standard” place to put it - except somewhere on the stem
set time goals for each of the disciplines and not the whole race. If you’re bike split goal is 2:30, then just focus on that during the bike. but don’t stress about them.
focus more on having fun. This will also make it easier to sleep the night before.
Start every discipline of the race easier than you think you should. The first bit of the swim, bike, or run will feel like a breeze and it’s easy to get caught up in the adrenaline of the race. You can always increase your speed on the second half of the run if you start too slow. If you start too fast then it’s a long and painful drag to the finish.
It is not unusual in Euro races to require the bib on the bike, better check the athletes guide. Also, gear bags are not entirely unheard of in 70.3 racing, the past two years I’ve raced I think two races with gear bags (70.3 Oman and Slovenia). If there are gear bags you figure out whatever you need in each T, repack each seven times to make sure you did not forget anything and then drop them off at bike check in. I don’t know however what the fourth and fifth bag is for, I’m only familiar with 3 (T1, T2, post race).
As for the water temps I really have nothing. Sounds like gloves, toe covers and maybe even a gilet might be warranted to not freeze to death on the bike. Neoprene swim cap with ear covers and neoprene footies would also be something to look for. For race morning make sure to have a proper warm up (cool up?) swim to reduce the thermal shock at the beginning.
I’ll also add that with the toe warmers on cycling shoes to put a heat pack in your toe warmers on top of shoes. It was advice given to me for a race I did last year. Simple idea I wouldn’t have thought of, and very effective!
The link to your athlete guide didn’t work, but I’m guessing you are doing Victoria this weekend?
The gear bags are not an omission. Halves are very situationally dependent regarding gear bags. The only one I have done that used gear bags exactly like a full was Dubai; that won’t be the case here. You have a single transition and will set up under your bike like you do for any garden variety tri. The only bag you may see is morning clothes, and I didn’t see that mentioned. Something to find out is if/where you can leave a transition bag while you race.
The swim will be a question…there is a formula involving outside air temperature and water temperature that I don’t know exactly but that’s what they will use. Below a certain point they will cancel it. If it’s borderline and not super cold as far as air temp, they may shorten it. If you can, get a neoprene cap and Vaseline for your face. Consider ear plugs also. Pour some lukewarm water into your suit before you get in. At 10-11 deg C I think you will legally be able to wear booties as well if you want.
Temp wise it depends on what you are comfortable with, but I might consider a two piece kit so you can put on a dry top in transition. A shortened swim keeps you from getting hypothermia in the water, but you still get out wet and cold. If race day is cool, I’d try to start out on the bike relatively dry.
If they cancel the swim, they may replace it with a short run or do a TT start. Hard to know what they will pick; try keeping an eye on the race’s FaceBook page if you aren’t already.
Editing to add…if you are at Victoria, you won’t need your bib on the bike. The toe cover tips others have given are perfect, including the hand warmer. If it’s really cold on the day, dish gloves will save your fingers from freezing. You can also stuff a trash bag down your front (which is easier to ditch than taking off a jacket).
Have a good race!
11C is pretty cold, so here’s a few more cold water tips:
If possible, get in the water everyday between now and the race to acclimatise. Either a shorter swim or even just sitting/floating for gradually extended periods will prove a beneficial. The body does adapt to cold water with regular exposure.
Have a hot drink (tea, hot water, etc) shortly before starting the swim.
Poor some hot water down your wetsuit prior to starting.
Have another hot drink waiting for you in T1.
Fill a 1.5 to 2 litre bottle with hot water. Wrap your cycling top/s around it to insulate the bottle while you swim. In T1, poor the hot water over your body, dry off, put on your nicely warmed dry cycling top. Just be careful not to splash people’s gear around you.
I ordered a cap and boots, just in case. I’ll leave them in their purchased bag just in case the swim portion is cancelled.
Great idea keeping warm/hot water in T1 and hand/foot warmers! You’re all pros!
Sorry the athlete’s guide link didn’t work. I will be doing the Victoria race, and Penticton later this year. I must have got my research mixed up with the transition bags.
I’ll welcome all the additional advise you folks have!
Start every discipline of the race easier than you think you should. The first bit of the swim, bike, or run will feel like a breeze and it’s easy to get caught up in the adrenaline of the race. You can always increase your speed on the second half of the run if you start too slow. If you start too fast then it’s a long and painful drag to the finish. This for sure!
Elk Lake was 15-16C this weekend. Fresh, but not bone chilling. It will be fine. Take ear plugs and two swim caps. Might rain though on Sunday, so be prepared for a wet ride.