Unlike other sports, triathlon races requires a complex gear and traveling preparation due to all the necessary equipment for each discipline. Getting organized for a triathlon weekend is something that takes time and should be done with attention so you won’t forget anything. The same should be said for race day, as one energy gel that you may forget can negatively impact months of training. In three years in this sport I’ve seen it all: athletes forgetting bike shoes, run shoes, transition bags gone missing, flat tire without a spare and much more.
To avoid these problems, we have elaborated a checklist for your triathlon events. It contains two sections, the first is race day gear and the second is general things for pre-after the event and traveling. You may also download this file as a PDF, print it out and carry with you to your event.
Race day gear
– general:
[ ] trisuit or swimsuit
[ ] tritop (if you are not using a trisuit)
[ ] trishorts (if you are not using a trisuit)
[ ] ankle strap for chip
[ ] sunscreen
[ ] watch or GPS
[ ] pre-race hydration
[ ] pre-race food
[ ] compression socks (if you are using it)
[ ] arm sleeves (useful for cold races or sun protection)
[ ] warming up clothing
– swim:
[ ] goggles
[ ] spare goggles
[ ] anti-chafing lubricant (vaseline, BodyGlide etc.)
[ ] wetsuit or speedsuit (when allowed)
[ ] swimcap (usually provided by the event)
[ ] towel (if you want to dry/clean your feet during transitions)
– bike:
[ ] bike (check if all main bolts are tight and brakes/gears working after assembling)
[ ] race wheels (check if correct tyre pressure)
[ ] bike shoes (check if cleats are working well)
[ ] helmet
[ ] water bottles (with water or anything else)
[ ] nutrition for the bike leg (gels or something else)
[ ] sunglass (can be only one for the entire event)
[ ] spare inner tube or tubular tire
[ ] CO2 cartridge to change a flat tyre (if you are running tubulars you will need 2x16g or 1x25g)
– run:
[ ] racing shoes (with elastic laces)
[ ] socks
[ ] visor or hat (visor has the benefit when watering your head for cooling purposes)
[ ] race number belt
[ ] nutrition for the run leg (gels or something else)
Others:
[ ] food (energy bars, electrolytes, etc.)
[ ] hat
[ ] sandals
[ ] snickers
[ ] dry set of clothes for after the race
[ ] warm up clothes
[ ] air tickets
[ ] electrical tape for emergencies
[ ] ID (passaport, driving liscence, etc.)
[ ] hotel booking receipt
[ ] National Federation or local triclub card for official races and insurance
[ ] music
[ ] cash and credit card
[ ] bike pump
[ ] alarm clock for race morning