The big day is here… For me, it’s 10:45 pm the evening before my second triathlon, the ‘middle distance Cowman. My first attempt at a triathlon was very nearly a disaster before it even started due to being poorly prepared so by writing this I’m mostly hoping to keep myself prepared. Of course, I don’t really know what I’m doing so don’t blindly follow this and expect it to be perfect advice 😅
So with that out of the way here is my checklist of things I will probably need for a triathlon.
- Wetsuit - may not be mandatory but definitely recommended. Make sure you practice getting it on and off, and cut your nails to avoid damage to the delicate neoprene
- Tri-suit - You can wear normal cycling gear though it won’t be ideal for the run
- Goggles - recommend having both clear and tinted. If in doubt go tinted, being able to see where you are going is crucial for a good swim
- Swim cap - These are usually provided by the event organisers but it’s a good idea to wear two, one under the goggles and the official one on top of the goggles
- Towel for the transition area
- Bike - Make sure di2/power meter/computer/lights are charged, and make sure it is clean (especially drive train) and mechanically solid. Top up tyre sealant and pump up tyres the night before to check for leaks.
- Bike computer, preloaded with race route and power plan (e.g. best bike split)
- Heart rate monitor - I have a Polar H10 which goes on under the tri suit - make sure it’s paired with the watch and computer before the start.
- Rear light - not strictly required but I don’t like riding on the road without one
- Calf guards - in case you forgot/don’t want to shave legs
- Helmet - put the race numbers on and make sure visors are clean (again tinted better than clear but having both gives options if the weather isn’t as expected)
- Puncture repair - for me, that’s some tubeless plugs and a CO2 canister and valve attachment
- Toolkit - I take a small socket set and electrical tape just in case, though haven’t needed it yet
- Pump - I take an electric pump for speed and a floor-standing one as a backup
- Cycling shoes
- Water bottles/hydration system. I like to have an extra one to leave in transition - partly in case of losing a bottle on the road and partly to reduce the amount you need to carry with you
- Hydration tablets/carb powder - can prepare bottles the night before but just in case of leaks I like to bring the pouch with me and leave in the car
- Sunglasses for the run if it’s likely to be sunny
- Running shoes with elastic laces
- Socks for running
- Hat for the run if it’s likely to be hot
- Race belt with bib number and gel pouch
- Nutrition/gels - pre-calculate the amount of carbs you need for bike and run, bring some spare for leaving in transition and possibly caffeine ones for before the swim. Some sodium tablets in the race belt pouch and pre-mixed in water bottles with carb powder too
- Camelback for easy transition fuel
- Body glide/vaseline to aid wetsuit removal
- Sunscreen if sunny
- Change of clothes for after the race
- Transition Bag - something to put everything into, ideally easy to carry from the car to transition
- Phone/watch/keys/wallet
- Headphones to get pumped up pre-race
