Historically, has IMTX been wetsuit legal? If no, what suits are deemed “ok” for non wetsuit legal races? Thanks for the input. Monty
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I haven’t done the race yet, but I know last year was legal, the year before was not (not legal if you wanted to compete for prizes/Kona). I think it could go either way. I’m racing in 2015, and I plan to bring my wetsuit, but train and prepare for a non-wetsuit race.
It was wetsuit legal this year. Every other year it has been wetsuit allowable (that 76.1 to 84 degree range) for those not chasing awards or KQ.
Historically, has IMTX been wetsuit legal? If no, what suits are deemed “ok” for non wetsuit legal races? Thanks for the input. Monty
Last year was definitely a fluke with a last minute cold front. In previous year(s) the water was actually above 83 a couple weeks prior to the race, with a hard rain savings the wetsuit in the days leading up. So expect a non wetsuit race. There is a list of skins that are allowed for non wetsuit races, same as Kona. Most will wear those.
Yeah, I was there this past year it was wetsuit legal…and it was a brawl.
In the past, they started two waves…non-wetsuit wave, then the wetsuit wave (aprox 10 mins behind, I believe). It helped to break up the amount of racers starting. This time around, the entire crowd started at one time.
I have never, ever experienced such a rough swim. If you don’t dart out quick and stay ahead of the pack, you better take martial arts classes.
So if you decide to swim with a wetsuit you take a 10 min penality on the swim basically?
No penalty on time. you still get the same amount of time to complete the race. you just start 10 mins before the non-wetsuit crowd.
Gotcha. thanks for the info
No penalty on time. you still get the same amount of time to complete the race. you just start 10 mins before the non-wetsuit crowd.
Just to be clear, the wetsuit wave starts ten minutes AFTER the non-wetsuit wave.
So if you decide to swim with a wetsuit you take a 10 min penality on the swim basically?
I asked that question when I raced in 2012 and basically the only “penalty” is you will only have 16:50 to finish the race. If I remember correctly, they still allowed 2:20 after the wetsuit group started to finish the swim but I could be wrong on that. After the practice swim I knew I would have melted in a wetsuit so I didn’t wear it.
Now I have a question…
So in IMFL when the swim was canceled and they went to the time-trail format and seeded the participants by their race # and yet they told us the same cut-off times would apply to everyone regardless of where they were seeded… It did not seem fair to me because I had a number high in the 2700’s… I started approximately 1:20 after they stated sending bikers out – how is it fair that the same cut-off times would apply to me as opposed to someone who started an hour earlier? Just curious – I had no problems at all with the cut-off times but I have always wondered how this exactly works…
how is it fair
It’s not. Much of AG racing is not fair.
Time trial format is inherently unfair (how can my time me compared to yours when we started 2 hours apart)? There are temperature differences, wind differences, traffic differences, congested course differences.
It’s not fair, you either accept it and race your ass off or you hang onto the hold up and waste your time and energy.
I used to do the latter, now I do the former.
how is it fair
It’s not. Much of AG racing is not fair.
Time trial format is inherently unfair (how can my time me compared to yours when we started 2 hours apart)? There are temperature differences, wind differences, traffic differences, congested course differences.
It’s not fair, you either accept it and race your ass off or you hang onto the hold up and waste your time and energy.
I used to do the latter, now I do the former.
That’s pretty much what I did… Great advice! Thanks!
I competed at IMTX in both 2012 and 2013. Both years the water was super hot for a wetsuit (between 80-82). So, you if you don’t care about Kona, you could wear one - at the risk of broiling! As someone else mentioned, a last-minute storm helped bring down the water temperature below 84 degrees in 2013. The lake still felt like bath water. Prepare for a non-wetsuit swim.
Yeah, I was there this past year it was wetsuit legal…and it was a brawl.
In the past, they started two waves…non-wetsuit wave, then the wetsuit wave (aprox 10 mins behind, I believe). It helped to break up the amount of racers starting. This time around, the entire crowd started at one time.
I have never, ever experienced such a rough swim. If you don’t dart out quick and stay ahead of the pack, you better take martial arts classes.
Yep, worst part of the day
Curious at the actual water temp for IMTX? Is there a website that we can check out to get a read?
Last year the Facebook page for the Swim Shops of the Southwest updated the water temps almost daily: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Swim-Shops-of-the-Southwest/127782025587?fref=ts. Looks like they’ll probably do it again as it gets closer.
Curious at the actual water temp for IMTX? Is there a website that we can check out to get a read?[/quote
Stop obsessing…this race is 5 weeks away. Prepare for no wetsuit, but bring a wetsuit in case of a cold front. Then the day before the race (or race morning) they will tell you what you can use.
Rule #1 about Ironman racing…do not waste energy on things that are outside your control. Focus on what you can control…you can’t control if they make you wear rubber or not. You can control bringing your wetsuit and your swim skin and putting on whatever they tell you to put on. and be prepared for either. If you don’t have a swim skin, your option is swim in tri shorts and put on your singlet in transition (or wear a one piece tri suit).
Wetsuit is extra protection against alligator bites. Here is a pdf of where the biggest ones live in Texas. I’ve seen a 10 footer in the area before. I suggest everybody wear at least two wetsuits at once.
http://www.dfwwildlife.org/Alligator%20Distribution%20in%20Texas.pdf