Friday 5: Triathlon Race Day Tips

I am participating in the Trifecta Friday Five link-up hosted by Cynthia at You Signed Up for What, Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, and Mar at Mar on the Run.  I am sharing my top 5 triathlon race day tips for having a smooth & enjoyable experience.



1. PREPARE: Get everything ready the night before and lay out your gear to make sure you have everything. I start with the Swim: Tri Kit, TIMING CHIP, Wetsuit, Glide or Tri Slide, Race Swim Cap, & 2 pairs of goggles, watch, & heart rate monitor. Next up the bike: Bike Helmet, Bike Shoes, Place Race Numbers in all the appropriate places (typically helmet, top tube, & stem). I set my tire pump by my bike so I can pump them up in the morning. At this point, if it is a longer race, I organize my nutrition. Last the Run: Sneakers with fast laces, visor, fuel belt (if using one), & number belt with race bib attached.

2. ENVISION THE DAY: I go through everything and visualize the race, getting in & out of the water, heading to transition, getting on my bike & heading out on the run.  Envisioning the process, helps me make sure I have everything I need and prepare for any obstacles that I may encounter.

3. ARRIVE EARLY!: I have to admit that I am not typically an early bird & have been known to get to places right on time or be fashionably late. However, when it comes to a race I Always get there early. It helps alleviate anxiety and helps keep my heart rate stay down as I am not rushing around frantically trying to set up everything. The other plus about arriving early is you will avoid some of the race day traffic.

4. ORGANIZE TRANSITION: After you arrive early, you can set up your transition. Try to keep it neat and put out only what you need. I use a small towel to place everything. I set my bike shoes down first with my glasses placed on top ready to put on , then I put my helmet over them. This setup allows me to put my helmet on first, as this is the Most Important Item & you can not leave transition without it on & snapped! Next, I put my race number belt down and place my sneakers on top of it. I open up the shoes and put a little glide on the heals to make them easier to slip on. I also sprinkle my socks (if wearing them) with baby powder. Then, I place my running visor on top. Again, this is all methodical so that when I come into T2, I put my visor on, next my shoes, & last my number belt.

5. REVIEW THE COURSE: In a perfect world, we would be able to swim, bike, & run on the course we are racing on before the event. However, this is not always an option when we are traveling to events out of town. I like to review the course on a map or drive the bike & run course before, just so I am a little familiar with the roads and can plan for anything that could catch me off guard on race day. I also like to familiarize myself with the swim course on race morning once the bouys are in the water and I can check out what land marks are good to use for sighting.

These are a few of my favorite tips, I hope you find them helpful! As always, please let me know if you have any questions!