• Bags and Men Made of Iron 26th Jun 2011

  What happens when you type into Google ‘which person needs a bag most?’

  
  

  OK, so at this point your probably thinking that I have too much time on my hands or I need to get out more. And on both counts you’re probably right.

  
  

  However, this is the very activity that fills me with useless knowledge about bags and carrying needs. On this occasion my thirst for useless knowledge was satisfied… who would have thought that bags are so important to iron-man distance athletes.

  
  

  
  

  Rich Roll – Endurance athlete

  
  

  Most iron-man races have a bag system for each transition. You load up a T1 bag with ‘swim to bike’ stuff and load up a T2 bag with ‘bike to run’ stuff. There is a ‘special needs’ bag that you can put anything you want in at the midpoint of the bike and run stage.

  
  

  Understandably so, it turns out that on race day a ‘special needs’ bag comes in handy for a competitor. It also turns out that there is much deliberation and debate as to what one should carry in their ‘special needs’ bag.

  
  

  Personally this makes an interesting topic as I have always loved the idea of completing an iron-man, but then having looked at the dynamics of the race I have taken the safer option of the sofa…

  
  

  
  

  Photo courtesy of Paul Saulius Flikr

  
  

  The ‘special needs’ bag can be an invaluable tool to see you well on your way to your target time and even better it. Having the correct nutrition and enough fluid is a fundamental requirement in completing an iron-man. Special needs bags offer an opportunity to restock on vital nutrition and also allow you to race without the weight of extra bottles, gels, bars and salts you will need on the day. I can’t recall seeing too many Iron-man champions with a panniers bag strapped to their bike.

  
  

  But as the saying goes ‘different strokes for different folks’, everyone is different. Some choose not to use the ‘special needs’ bag for nutrition and opt for extra tires, inner tubes and CO2 canisters and some opt out of the special needs bag altogether – I’m struggling to see the logic behind this one. As an arm chair iron-man I probably know what’s best.

  
  

  
  

  Pattern of Swimmers, photo courtesy of Wayne Levin

  
  

  Triathlete Europe offer an interesting insight into what two iron-man distance athletes carry in their special needs bag.

  Veteran iron man distance athlete Belinda Granger has completed 36 iron-man races and has been a winner of 14, it’s fair to say that she may know a thing or two about ‘special needs’ bags. What she carries: bottle of Carbo-Pro and two PowerGels, four caffeinated PowerGels and five salt tablets.

  Offering a different take is David Thompson, a rookie iron-distance athlete who debuted with a third-place finish at the 2010 Rev3 Full at Cedar Point. David suggests that you should try to limit what you carry with you and plan on picking up your ‘special needs’ bag if you can’t get what you need at the aid stations. What he carries: One high-calorie blueberry muffin, one Snickers (king size), one McDouble (frozen overnight) cut in half, two gels with extra sodium and caffeine.

  
  

  I like the idea of a Snickers and a blueberry muffin…
  By Rob
  
  

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