special needs bag?



W

WH

Guest
Hi,
Probably a dumb question but what is a "special needs bag"? I've read this
term in triathlon articles but have never quite understood exactly what they
are referring to. In the couple sprint tri's I've done you can pretty much
have what ever you want in your transition or what you're willing to carry
with you.

Thanks,
WH
 
Obviously you will not need a special needs bag on a sprint triathlon, but
if doing an ironman or half ironman your special needs bag can contain
anything (usually nutritional) that you may need during your time out there.
eg. red bull, sometimes something salty (chips) anything that you may need
for your race. These bags are usually not returned to you, so dont place
anything in there that you may want returned to you. eg. sweaters, spare
shoes etc.
Hope this answers your question
 
It is a bag of goodies that you usually pick up at near the half way point
on the bike leg in an Ironman distance event. I have never figured out why
it is necessary and have never used one. Keep it simple and avoid using
one.

Ken
 
I disagree with Ken, a special needs bag can be a life saver. I have used
the special needs bag 2 different ways:

1. As a backup - I put backup nutrition in it just in case I
dropped/spilled my drink/gel/electrolytes/etc. (which has happened). I will
also put an alternative nutrition solution in the bag in case I react badly
to my primary nutrition plan and need to change.

2. As a supplemental - If I need to take more nutrition with me then I want
to carry at once, I will put some of it (usually along with some backup
nutrition like in #1) in the bag. A cold Mountain Dew at mile 80 is
awesome!

Joe

"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It is a bag of goodies that you usually pick up at near the half way point
> on the bike leg in an Ironman distance event. I have never figured out
> why it is necessary and have never used one. Keep it simple and avoid
> using one.
>
> Ken
>
 
Yep, I agree with Joe here.

I used both bags at IMAZ -- put things in here that are not available on
the course.

1) Bike Special Needs: backup nutrition & salt/electrolyte tabs. Even
if you correctly calculate your nutrition requirements for the ride,
conditions may change and the additional supplies will be helpful. I
needed my extra salt tabs given the heat conditions of Tempe that day.
I also tapped into the extra nutrition bottle that I had in special
needs -- the source of nutrition that I was using (Carbo Pro) wasn't
available on the course.
2) Run Special Needs: I put in a bag of potato chips and used this on my
second loop of the run. For me it was a good source of additional salt
and helped to provide some extra calories and put a touch of food into
my stomach after the long day of primarily maltodextrin as a calorie
source. It was a nice change from GU.

Note that the special needs will probably not be cold. :) They were
quite warm from sitting in the heat for hours.

--
Bryan Woodruff
Redmond, WA


"Joe Blow" <joeblow@****.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]:

> I disagree with Ken, a special needs bag can be a life saver. I have used
> the special needs bag 2 different ways:
>
> 1. As a backup - I put backup nutrition in it just in case I
> dropped/spilled my drink/gel/electrolytes/etc. (which has happened). I will
> also put an alternative nutrition solution in the bag in case I react badly
> to my primary nutrition plan and need to change.
>
> 2. As a supplemental - If I need to take more nutrition with me then I want
> to carry at once, I will put some of it (usually along with some backup
> nutrition like in #1) in the bag. A cold Mountain Dew at mile 80 is
> awesome!
>
> Joe
>
> "Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > It is a bag of goodies that you usually pick up at near the half way point
> > on the bike leg in an Ironman distance event. I have never figured out
> > why it is necessary and have never used one. Keep it simple and avoid
> > using one.
> >
> > Ken
> >
 
No problem on the disagreements. Everybody has their way of competing. I
contend that if you prepare yourself for the event you will not need the
special needs bag. I guess I have completed well over 100 tri's and have
developed my way of dealing with them. I train hard, go to win my age group
and would not want to be distracted with a few creature comforts.

I find it satisfying to master the event without the fringies. Some prefer
to be a bit more comfortable. It sort of depends on what your objectives
are.

Actually, to answer your question. A special needs bag is a complement of
supplemental goodies, food, drink, clothing etc. that you think you might
have use for along the course of an IM distant event. They are placed about
half way through the bike and run leg. I have only done 7 IM's, none of
which I had any special needs.

It requires one extra stop, often a very congested area where one can get
into trouble. I prefer to limit those exposures in an event I intend to
win.

Most folks do choose to utilize the special needs bag. There is no shame in
it and for some it will make a difference in the way they finish.
 
Ken wrote:

> I contend that if you prepare yourself for the event you will not need the special
> needs bag.


[...]

> Most folks do choose to utilize the special needs bag. There is no shame in
> it and for some it will make a difference in the way they finish.


But if they need the special needs bag, then they haven't prepared for
the event. Sounds like you're first shaming them, then saying there's
no shame. ;-)

tkb
 
"TenKBabe" <[email protected]> wrote in news:1149154812.659510.225130
@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> But if they need the special needs bag, then they haven't prepared for
> the event. Sounds like you're first shaming them, then saying there's
> no shame. ;-)
>


Actually, if you've ever heard Ken's story about the guy who pulled his
bike out into the road in front of him at the bottom of a hill, you'd know
why he has no interest in participating in the congested melee at the bike
special needs. Also, he's not kidding about the way he trains. Ask most age
group winners if they use their SN bag, and I'm guessing most will say no.
For the majority of the feild, the event is more about making it to the
finish line. For a smaller group, it's about beating a previous best time,
and for less than 20% (my estimate), it's about winning your age group or
the overall event.

Tom
 
WH wrote:
> Hi,
> Probably a dumb question but what is a "special needs bag"? I've read this
> term in triathlon articles but have never quite understood exactly what they
> are referring to. In the couple sprint tri's I've done you can pretty much
> have what ever you want in your transition or what you're willing to carry
> with you.
>
> Thanks,
> WH
>
>


Hello,
It is also nice to have an old shirt or jacket that you can toss (just
in case the weather has changed or you are soaking wet from the run,
especially if you think you will be running in during the dark when it
is colder out). Some people put another set of shoes in the bag or socks.

Some other helpful special needs:
Ant acid.
Vaseline.
Band aids.
An extra tire.
Your favorite gels/drink.

A cold or slightly frozen drink.

A salty treat.

The nutritional thing is good. I have gone to a few races where my own
food and the course food wasn't what I wanted at all, or could not stomach.

My biggest lesson: if the drink is not right, dump it and get a new one.
Don't play with adding water, etc. Just get a new one.

Ken's message isn't being elitist, he is out there for his own reasons
which may or may not be the same as your own.
 
TenKBabe wrote:
> Ken wrote:
>
> > I contend that if you prepare yourself for the event you will not need the special
> > needs bag.

>
> [...]
>
> > Most folks do choose to utilize the special needs bag. There is no shame in
> > it and for some it will make a difference in the way they finish.

>
> But if they need the special needs bag, then they haven't prepared for
> the event. Sounds like you're first shaming them, then saying there's
> no shame. ;-)
>
> tkb


I don't think most people can really claim to be 'prepared' for their
first IM until they cross the line. I got my first IM just about right
(for me) - no energy crises, pretty constant pace throughout, beat my
personal goals. But I know other people who had done as much, or more,
preparation as me and for whatever reason just didn't get it right on
the day. I thought I was prepared but maybe I was just lucky.

Personally I don't bother with a special needs bag because the only
reason I can see for it is nutritional and I'm lucky that whatever else
goes wrong with my race, my body doesn't seem to be too fussy about
where it gets it's energy - gels, bars, drinks, bananas, different
brands all seem to go down fine, I just take on whatever they're giving
out. But if you're worried that your body might need a change in diet,
or another top, or suncream or anything like that then I guess the SN
bag buys you a great deal of peace of mind.
 
"Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote in news:1149243530.851308.177730
@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

> Personally I don't bother with a special needs bag because the only
> reason I can see for it is nutritional


I like to put some extra tubes in it just in case. I carry at least one
with me, but if I flat in the first 50 miles, it's reassuring to know I can
restock on tubes.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"WH" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi,
> Probably a dumb question but what is a "special needs bag"? I've read this
> term in triathlon articles but have never quite understood exactly what they
> are referring to. In the couple sprint tri's I've done you can pretty much
> have what ever you want in your transition or what you're willing to carry
> with you.


Usually for IM distance races only. I've never done a half-IM that's
used them. You get it, if you want it, about halfway through the bike
and the run. They usually don't have one for the swim. :)

As many people have said, extra nutrition is a common thing to put in
them. Spare bike tubes. Extra sunscreen if you burn easily.
Inspirational messages from loved ones. Whatever you think will help.

For the run bag, a long-sleeved shirt is a good idea since if you're out
there late it might start to get cold. I agree with the potato-chip
idea; a mini-can of Pringles is great since it won't get crushed.

I heard a volunteer talk about a guy who had 12 spare tubes and 2 spare
tires in his special needs bag. I believe that is indicative of a mental
disorder.



--Harold Buck


"Hubris always wins in the end. The Greeks taught us that."

-Homer J. Simpson
 
WH wrote:
> Hi,
> Probably a dumb question but what is a "special needs bag"? I've read this
> term in triathlon articles but have never quite understood exactly what they
> are referring to. In the couple sprint tri's I've done you can pretty much
> have what ever you want in your transition or what you're willing to carry
> with you.
>
> Thanks,
> WH


What ever you put in your sn bag make sure you try it out first if it is
nutritional. Pop can be fizzy and give you very bad gas. Chocolate bars
can melt and be disgusting, something might make you vomit.

Race day is not a good day to try out something new, unless that's all
you have left to try.
 
What ever you do, don't depend on it. At ironman arizona they lost special
needs bag on the bike leg and i did not have my vasolene to lube my groin
with. luckily someone had some at one of the aid stations but this was some
70 miles into the bike.
"WH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> Probably a dumb question but what is a "special needs bag"? I've read

this
> term in triathlon articles but have never quite understood exactly what

they
> are referring to. In the couple sprint tri's I've done you can pretty

much
> have what ever you want in your transition or what you're willing to carry
> with you.
>
> Thanks,
> WH
>
>