Or get a set of dedicated light weight race tubes- latex ones are super light- but not durabe enough for daily use. Use these in combination with some very light race tires for some added speed.

And this has decreased your odds of flat-ing with the exceptions of said nail or tack?

Good to know. I will have to take care of that before next weekend. :) Thanks!

See this is where I disagree. The old tires have stuck you through all of your training. They are proven to work well so far. Why through variable? Maybe you didn't seed the tube down right, you might pitch the rim strip and open up a mess there, the tire might be a fluke tire that is weaker then most. All of these are pretty slim chance and then again so is your old tire failing.

I say personally I always race with what is proven so far. If you are trying to shave seconds on a sprint then maybe but for the IM or a HIM stick with what you know works.

I don't switch out before each race either...like I said..If it's long or important or my gut feeling says do it....After 30 years I sort of have this moment when I look at a tire and can sense an inner corruption...that something isn't right...so I change..In 10 years of racing multisport, I've had one puncture during a race. When I road raced in the 80's...never.
And I always go with what I know...but it's a new "What I know" Conti comps for IM's and other "A" races but they will be fresh with less than 100 miles on them...and well inspected. Mind you, I'll leave tham on my race wheels or peel them off and use them again next season or use them as training tires and so get plenty of milege out of them...
Many atheletes simply ignore their tires...never check for nicks, cuts and blown out side walls. That is just as important as checking all the bolts. Losing time is a race is not the only issue...A bang flat during a 50 or 60 mph descent can be...nasty. A slow leak is usually NBD...a rapid air loss at any speed,for some folks, can be un-nerving.
Again as with so much here...It's however YOU need it to be.

Just wanted to say that ever since I put on a product called Mr. Tuffe between my tubes and tires I haven´t had a flat.

My wife a couple of months ago got a cut in her tire the tire was ruined but the Mr Tufee prevented the tube from contacting the pavement. And we rode home safely. The tire had like a tumor with the Mr Tuffee showing out through the cut but it never flatted. After that she went for new Continental tires but that´s another story.

I concur with the if it ain't broke, don't fix it folks. I have one tube that has at least 3000 miles on it. No reason to change it now. I've never had a tube spontaneously combust while riding. It's always some sort of road debris that causes a puncture and there's nothing a tube can do to prevent that.

There is definately a finite life to tires and you just need to keep inspecting them and you'll know when they're done for. I think used tires run faster than brand new ones...