It is all too easy to forget important equipment on race day. In order to save yourself from stressing over what to bring or not bring, here is a check-list of (nearly) everything you could need:
- Triathlon Ireland Race Licence/One-Day License – you cannot race without them! If you’re using a full license, ensure your photo is affixed as advised as this will be checked.
- Bike – ensure that it is in working order, that the plugs are in the end of your handlebars, brakes are working, etc. All of this will be checked at the race. It’s good practice to get on the bike briefly before the race to ensure it’s working correctly.
- Helmet – ensure it is sized correctly (but not too tight!!)
- Cycling Shoes – assuming you are wearing them, runners will do fine if not.
- Pump – for checking your tyre pressure before the race
- Tri-Suit (or whatever you plan to wear on race-day) – just remember not to expose your torso on race-day as you can be disqualified!
- Wetsuit – you may wish to lubricate the insides to help you get it on/off during the race
- Goggles – you may want to consider tinted goggles if it’s a sunny day.
- Swimming Caps – you will get one at registration which you must wear, you may also want to wear another underneath for warmth
- Race-belt – for showing your race number without affixing it to your clothes. If you don’t have one, they’re quite cheap online.
- Runners – consider using lock-laces or equivalent to speed up getting on/off your runners and practice this pre-race
- Drink – water or sports drink on the bike? Water in transition? It all depends on what you want and what you’re used to
- Nutrition – whatever you’re used to. Banana before the race? Gel during? Recovery food for afterwards?
- Lubricant – yes, essential. You want to be able to get out of your wetsuit quickly, into your runners quickly and to race without chaffing. Body-glide, Vaseline and baby-oil recommended!
Optional Items
- Garmin/GPS watch? – personal choice – I like to have mine, more for analysis after the race.
- Heart-rate Monitor? – again, personal choice. You may want to know your heart-rate in a race, but for these distances you may just want to go flat-out
- Elastic bands? – if you’re going to leave your cycling shoes clipped onto your bike, you may want to consider elastics to keep them in place. Don’t attempt this on race day if you haven’t practised it!
- Saddle-Bag? – handy for carrying spare tubes, etc. But ask yourself if you really plan on changing a tyre if you puncture during a sprint or olympic first. If not, don’t bother.
- Cycling Gloves? – most people wouldn’t bother but if you feel you are going to get too cold without them, it’s worth bringing.
- Socks? – if you must wear socks while running, try to limit the time you lose in transition by rolling your socks so that you can slip your toes in and then roll the rest of the sock up your foot. Ankle-socks work best for this. As with everything, practice this before race day.
- Suntan Lotion? – if it’s a rare hot day in Ireland, you don’t want to be getting burnt!
