I was just looking at the T1 times from Wisconsin last year. The fastest I could find was 4:11!!! How far is it from the water to the bikes? Where are the timing mats?
-Colin
UUUUH, just a wild guess but i think its around 400 500 meters, and you need to climb a lot too.
Fot me, it felt like 2km though 
don’t you mean the fastest? there were many, many 10 minute + splits last year.
I think a 4 or 5 minute split for T1 at IMWI is fast.
Yes, sorry, fixed that. The fastest was above 4:00. There were a lot over 10:00.
-C
Pretty sure the timing mats are very near the water exit and at the T1 exit. Lots of real estate in between; guesstimate: 100-150 yds from water to helix; ascend 3 or 4 story parking garage helix; 50 yds from helix top to hotel entrance; 75 yd journey thru hallway to room full of transition bags to changing room to hotel exit; 50 yds from hotel exit to bike corral entrance (east end); about 100 yds from east end of bike corral to exit at west end, grabbing your bike along the way. With the excitement of cheering crowds lining much of this route, blood pooling from swim, and surplus of adrenalin at this early stage, it is very easy to go anaerobic – difficult not to.
I just did three rough estimates on the “sueandpaul.com” pedometer, and have gotten a min of .54mi and max of .63mi. This is with the swim ending at the small patch of sand (you can see it on the satellite image at the highest zoom), three turns on the helix at Pinckney street, and then picking the point halfway at MLK blvd. for the conference rooms.
I don’t know about the other years, but in 2002 I believe they actually gave a QR bike for the fastest total combined splits.
Most should be prepared for 15 min worth of time between T1 and T2
Hide your shoes, socks, helmet, sunglasses in a plastic bag near your bike. Run to the bike and go from there and save 3 minutes. Always thought about that as a way to go faster through the transitions. T1 is lengthy! T2 is not so bad. Just hide that second bag with your running shoes and hat!
OK-- just plan for long transitions. Cuz if I see your bag of stuff hiding in the weeds and it fits, its mine!
p.s. hoping you have a nice Lance Armstrong Giro TT helmet to boot!