Some HIM/IM Stupid Questions for you vets

 So 45 days until the Orlando HIM.. my first HIM and my first tri.. and my first open water swim... yikes.  

I have a few stupid newbie questions...

1.  Clothing.. its a no wet suit.. so what do you guys think, should I invest in one of these tri suits, or just use the tri shorts I have and wear a bike shirt?  My issue is I usually run long with a real tight compression under a looser shirt, as it a. holds the skin together, and b. keeps the nipple chafing away without needing bandaids.  Not sure coming out of the swim if I want to be putting on bandaids or struggling into a compression shirt, and its going to be so hot I am sure.  

2.  I have this Kuota TT bike with older fulcrum 7 wheels and an ultegra setup.  Would it make any sense at all, given that I am just looking to finish, to switch the bontrager race lites that are newer, and the Campy setup off my Orbea road bike?  Just the Orbea seems so much smoother switching gears, and the wheels look a lot better.  (this might be a really stupid question).

3.  Hydration.. I need to plan hydration on the bike.. I was thinking maybe I should just use my camelback, but I see some of these mounted systems that look easy to use too.   I am not the most coordinated using bottles while riding.  Seems like with the heat and sweat, having the camelback on my get really annoying, albeit easier to get my fluids in.   Can you guys make a recommendation there?

4.  I am paranoid that I have never swam in open water and I am never going to be able to sight correctly, and end up way off course.. am I over-reacting?  Will there be enough folks, and the lanes be wide enough, that I can just stay with a pack and be fine, without having to worry too much about sighting?  I'm trying in the pool, but I end up halfway drowning.. I can only learn so much so quickly :)

Honey, you are so far out of my league, I don't even understand half of what you are talking about!  Just wanted to offer my encouragement to you, and I know you'll do great!  Isn't it amazing the things we can do now???!!!

Kim

I'm not even close to out of your league Kim :)  It is amazing.. If someone had told me 18 months ago I'd be taking a weekend trip to Orlando to race in a half ironman, next month, I'd have laughed my head off at them (and then took another bite of the big mac ;)  )

Take a deep breathe, here ya go...

Just wear your tri top and shorts for the swim. I wore my Camelbak in Orlado in 2009 and was thankful I did! I saw some gnarly wrecks at the aid stations because people do not know what they are doing. As for open water swim, the best thing to practice in the pool is swimming half a length with your eyes closed, see how far off  course you are, and work on swimming straighter. In Orlando the boueys are on your left the whole way, so if you breathe to your left you will be fine. Try to get in an open water swim if you can before. The bike course is flat and no wind, so I wouldnt be suprised if you stayed in the same 1 or 2 gears the whole ride, so I don't see the need to switch out cassettes. As for the wheels, go with whichever are faster for you. Go buy a tri top, and wear your compression under it for the swim and the whole race. You got this buddy...

 so you don't think the trisuits are the way to go?  I was thinking of going with one of these http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/17048.htm?color=29819  just so I don't have "crack" issues on the bike :)  just wondering how they are to swim in

Yeah, I wear a tri suit. The picture in my avatar on the bike is my tri suit...

The tri suits are fine as is the shorts and a top.

Some of them fit kind of funky.  I have 2 of them, and one of them is short and I feel like I have a constant wedgie going on.  I have to wear some compression shorts under it to keep it from happening.  It's not a noticable problem swimming or biking, but when I take off for the run it's annoying.

As for the bike ride what's comfortable for you that doesn't always mean fastest.
If you are comfortable and confident in the equipment you will probably ride better which can equate into more speed or more reserves in the tank for when you get off and have to run.

Have fun, and good luck!

you are overthinking :)

i can tell you what i did, and you can go from there. 

1)  i just wore my compression top and compression underwear and tri-shorts.  at transition i just tossed on my running tank top and a race belt w/ my number.  i usually do that setup for basically all my tri's including sprints.  at the HIM distance, you can take your time a bit more in transition, your T time won't kill your overall time.

2)  no clue on your setup, except to say that you'll be fine either way.  unlike Dan in 2009, in 2010 there was some decent headwind on the return leg of the loop, but nothing that will kill you (just slow your average down).

3)  hydration, i wore a camelback on the bike and was thankful, i drained all of it, plus at least one full water bottle i had with me and i took a gatoraide handup @ an aide station.  like dan said, the aide stations can be hairy on the bike, best to steer clear if you can.

4)  i would try to get in at least one OWS where you can practice sighting.  choose a buoy, or sign or tree in the distance and try to keep on track.  when you hit the beach at the beginning of the race, don't panic (i did) when you see the entire swim course laid out in front of you.  it looks huge, but once you get in and find your rhythm, you'll be grand.

like dan said, take some deep breaths, trust in your training and have fun, it was a great experience.  now just drag a TM into the steam room to get ready for the run :)

 Thanks, I am definitely overthinking :)   I am looking how to get an open water swim in... around here we're still in winter in spite of what the calander says.. I hadn't really thought through that when I booked Orlando having never swam before in the fall.. I guess by early May I might be able to get swim in one of the lakes, but obviously I'd need a wet suit which I don't really want to buy just yet anyway, although I suppose I could use it for training deep into summer around here, so maybe I should - though I am not even sure its legal in these lakes to just hop in like that before the official swimming seasons.  either of you guys have a spot near Atlanta or Dallas (I probably will be in Dallas in the next few weeks)

Just realized Dan's note that the buoys are all on the left (wasn't he the one who told me not to fuss with bilateral breathing...).. of course I breathe on the right :)  Not changing that now :)  Gonna try the closing my eyes thing.  You don't think there would be others near me for most of the swim that I could use for bearing?  Or is that a bit too chancy in itself?

I guess I am going with the camelback and the water bottles.. I suppose I can fill them with my beverage of choice (glyco peak is what I have been fueling with) and ice in the morning at the hotel.  You guys seen these types of setups as well?   http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/product-detail/product.jsp?id=NYTSPDFILHYD&sc=CX11T029&cm_mmc=portal-_-googlebase-_-na-_-rrs206-NYTSPDFILHYD

I'm about four hours south of Atlanta, I am able to swim in the ocean right now. There is a sprint tri with a lake swim I am doing on April 9th, will be my first time swimming in a lake in years.