Don't Forget Your... (Tri checklist)
It’s finally race day!!
You’ve put the the hard word training and the weekend is finally here! Whether you are traveling local or flying to another country there is no worse feeling than digging through your stuff and realizing that you forgot something.
Use this prep list to make life easier and run thru it once or twice prior to departing for the race.
PRE-RACE
All races have different transition areas and set-ups. Some point-to-point races might even have two transition areas (one from swim-to-bike and the next from bike-to-run). Some races require you to check your bike in the day before the race as well. All of this information will be available on the race website or athlete guide. Reading thru everything and making sure you are aware of the plan for each of these ahead of time will surely reduce stress on race day.
If you are checking in on race day morning to pick your number and chip up, remember to bring your ID to registration along with USAT license (or $ for the one day license) if it’s a USAT sanctioned event.
SWIM GEAR
Need-to-haves:
- Goggles - Cap (provided by the event)
Nice-to-haves: - Wetsuit (for people who are sensitive to cold water this might be a Need-to-have and this is a Need-to-have for just about everyone if the water temperature is 65F or less
- Extra pair of cap and goggles. - Body Glide (or some type of lube to assist with wetsuit removal)
- Grocery Bag to aid in putting wetsuit on
- A couple towels (one to stand on and one to use for your body/feet)
-Flip-flops to put on after you set up all your stuff.
- A small basin to deep your feet in so that you can get rid of sand/dirt on your feet
*Note on Wetsuits! Some have sleeves and some are sleeveless. The full sleeve wetsuit will keep you warmer and offer more buoyancy swimming (This also usually leads to faster swim times). The sleeveless wetsuits offer a more mobility in the shoulders. If you have a wetsuit, a plastic shopping bag always helps get your feet thru the legs easily. Just put you foot in the bag, slide your foot thru, then repeat with the other leg.
BIKE GEAR
Need-to-haves:
- Bike
- Helmet
- Bike top (can be worn during the swim)
- Biking footwear (shoes or cycling cleats) and socks - Water bottle with preferred nutrition
- Spare tire kit
Nice-to-haves: - Sunglasses
- Race number belt
*Also, worth considering...Body Glide reduces chafing for a wetsuit or any tight clothes (often the case in triathlon). Putting some around your neck is a good idea. Also, putting some on your wetsuit ankles will help with taking it off quickly after exiting the water.
RUN GEAR
Need-to-haves:
- Running Shoes
- Race number - Sunblock
Nice-to-haves: - Hat - Change of socks
- Sunglasses - Race number belt
*Also worth considering, Lock-Laces, are elastic laces that save time in transition by eliminating shoe-tying. A race-belt will also save you time as it easily slips on after the bike (make sure you double check at which part of the race is required to wear a bib. Often times is just on the run and not on the bike, but make sure to double check).
POST RACE
It is always nice to have a post-race change of clothes and footwear for afterwards. There is usually plenty of food and refreshment afterwards too. If you like to bring a recovery drink or something specific, make sure to pack it in your bag. The awards and post race events are always a fun time and worth sticking around for (Especially at SME races!), so make sure you are prepared for that too! You never know what they might be giving away as well!
The best way to make sure you don’t forget anything is to run thru your day in your head thinking about what you’ll be doing at each stage.
