For many of you, the Chicago Triathlon will be your first triathlon, which is usually accompanied by anxiety and nervousness. That being said, we have created a pre-race checklist that covers just about everything that you will need for your first triathlon in addition to some tricks of the trade.
Pre-Race:
Pre-race preparation should start the day before your race. Using the checklist below, it is highly recommended that you layout all of the equipment, clothing, nutrition and anything else that you will need for the day. Once it's all laid out, then you can check it off your list and start packing it up for the next morning. Ideally, you will have all of your bags packed and ready to go by the middle of the day so all you have to do is relax and eat dinner before going to sleep.
o Sweat Pants
o Warm up Top
o Beanie
o iPod-charged
o Water Bottle (sports drink)
o Snack (granola bar, Powerbar, etc...)
o Comfortable shoes/sandals
o Socks (throw away)
o Heart Rate monitor wrist watch
o Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap
o Transition bag
o Dry Clothing bag
o Time Chip with ankle strap
The key with the pre-race clothing is to be as comfortable and warm as possible. Sweat pants and a warm up top should be comfortable and will keep you warm. Some people prefer the beanie to keep their heads warm and the iPod should be loaded up with a mixture of calming musing and then a playlist with some motivational music for the last 10-15 minute before you start. You should have a water bottle that is filled with either a sports drink like Infinit Nutrition or water. Make sure you bring a snack, there is usually a lot of hurry up and wait in the morning. The dry clothing bag is something like a trash bag- you will put your pre-race sweats, iPod and all that other stuff in there before you race. When you get dressed in the morning, don't forget to put your HR chest strap on, you can swim with it on. Last, but not least, put your timing chip and ankle strap on before you leave your hotel room or house- that way, it's there and done.
Swim:
For the swim, make sure you know where you are going to (start line)
and what time you are supposed to be there. Make sure you are lubed up
with either Body Glide and/or Suit Juice. Don't forget to apply
sunscreen.
o Swim suit/ race suit
o Wet suit/ swim skin
o Towel(s)
o 2 goggles (1 clear/ 1 tinted)
o Goggle defogger
o Sunscreen
o Body Glide/Suit Juice
o Race Swim Cap
Bike:
When you get to the transition area, make sure you setup your area
immediately. Once that's done, you will have plenty of time to relax
and listen to the iPod. Make sure you lay out your area in an organized
and systematic way so everything is where you need it. A good piece of
advice is, put your helmet, upside down, on your aerobars or next to
your bike if you don't have aerobars. Then, put your sunglasses inside
your helmet and then your race belt on top of that. If you are going
to carry the spare tire kit(s) in the back pocket of your jersey, put
that in the helmet too, along with whatever gels or bars you are going
to carry.
When you get into the transition area from the swim, sit down to take
off your wetsuit, it's easier. Dry off your feel, put your cycling
shoes on and then stand up. From that point, you taking stuff out of
your helmet and putting it where it needs to go. The gels, bars and
spare tire kit goes into your back pocket. The race belt around our
waste with the number on your back side, sun glasses on your head. The
last thing to grab is the helmet, which you need to buckle immediately.
From there, grab your bike and head out of transition.
o Bike
o Bike Shoes
o Sunglasses (clear or tinted)
o Helmet
o Race Belt
o Race Number
o Spare Tubes
o CO2 cartridge(s) w/ adapter
o Tire Lever(s)
o Bike Pump
o Water Bottles (filled)
o Nutrition (Gels, bars, etc...)
o Socks
o Baby Powder
o Sunscreen
Run:
Once you get back into transition, rack your bike and sit down. Take
off your helmet and immediately replace it with your hat or visor.
Then take off your cycling shoes and wipe off your feet, put your socks
on then your running shoes. Remove and/or add what you need from your
back pocket. From there, stand up, turn your race belt so the number is
in the front and off you go.
o Running Shoes
o Socks
o Hat or Visor
o Run Nutrition (Fuel Belt, gels, water bottle, etc...)
Post Race:
When you're done, it's time to get comfortable and relax! Make sure you
change back into your comfortable sandals and put on a dry top (if
possible) and whatever else you find comfortable. Pack up your gear and
enjoy the post-event party!
o T-shirt
o Shorts
o Money
o Recovery Drink
o Pre-Race sweat pants, warm up top and sandals
Coach Ryan is a USA Triathlon and USA Cycling Certified coach, the
Founder and Head Coach of Break Through Multisport Inc. Ryan has earned
a Masters Degree in Biochemistry and Organic chemistry and is currently
working towards a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. You can reach
Coach Ryan at Ryan@BreakThroughMultisport.com with any questions,
comments or for all of your coaching needs.
Filed under: coaching, Events, News, Races, Tips, Triathlon
Tags: Break Through Multisport, Chicago Triathlon, Ryan Riell, Transition Area
Hi David,
What do you do with your pre-race stuff (warm clothes, ipod) when it's your turn to get ready to go into the water? Should I have to rely on a friend to hold it, or is there a gear check for that stuff?
Also, do you have any idea which divisions generally start first? Just wondering if I'll be able to hang out with my husband pre-race at all. Thanks!
At Chicago, there is a normally a LOT of time between when transition closes in the morning and the waves leave. I had so much time after I set up transition last year that I went to my in-laws hotel and slept for 45 min and had breakfast before I headed over to the start. There is not a gear check, but most families hangout at the swim start. You can talk/be with them pretty much until the time you jump in. So I would give your stuff to them. I'm not sure about the waves(divisions) for this year's race, some races switch up the waves every year and some don't. So you will find that out at race check-in. One more recommendation, to add to Ryan's list: Bring a flashlight. You will need it setting up transition. It will be really dark and the lights they set up aren't adequate. If you are out there with your flashlight setting up, you will be everyone's friend, and they will think that you are super prepared.
Laura Koerner
Assistant Coach
Break Through Multisport
Just a quick clarification - there IS a Swim Gear Check available at the Chicago Triathlon. So, you can wear some comfortable shoes, bring your iPod, a book and some extra food/drink with you and you'll have a way to store it while you race.
One other possible use for the Swim Gear Check - since the transition area is not only over a mile away from the finish, but won't re-open until approximately 11:00am, you can leave some dry, warm clothes in your Swim Gear Check bag and head over there after you finish to pick them up while you're waiting for the transition area to open back up.
If you're in one of the early, Sprint waves, you might have several hours to wait around before you can get your gear out of transition!
Hope that helps!
Mike Norman
Chicago Endurance Sports