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Race Day Checklist

SPRINT/OLYMPIC CHECKLIST

SWIM

  • 2 pair of goggles - 2 separate tinted lenses
  • Swim cap
  • Wetsuit and/or Skinsuit (consider taking both to all open water races)

BIKE

REMINDER: Pump tires before leaving house!

  • Helmet - Clipped on the outside of the backpack
  • Bike Shoes
  • Glasses
  • Socks
  • Water Bottle on Bike

RUN

  • Running Shoes - unless you wore them to the venue
  • Race Belt
  • Socks
  • Visor/hat
  • Glasses

NUTRITION

REMINDER: Never put nutrition on bike the night before at pre-race check-in!

  • 1 - 2 water bottles
  • 2 - 4 salt
  • 2 waffles
  • 2 gels

EMERGENCY

  • 250 - 400 cal extra non-sports nutrition (ex: PBJ)
  • Disposable water bottle
  • 1 tire
  • 2 tubes
  • Electrical Tape
  • 2 extra waffles
  • 2 extra gels or chews
  • Salt tabs
  • Advil or Pain Reliever
  • Immodium + Tums

EXTRAS

  • USAT card + Insurance card + Driver’s License
  • Garmin/Strap - plus chargers if travelling to race
  • Bike charger if a travel race and if bike has electronic shifting
  • Glide/Tri Slide
  • Vasoline
  • Lip balm
  • Sunscreen
  • Small Hand Towel - place at the top of everything that you pack
  • Post race clothes: shorts, t-shirt, flip flops, pull over if it is cold
  • Plastic Bag - place tri kit in after race

TRAVEL RACES CHECKLIST

PICK UP:

  • Nuun
  • Bonk Breakers
  • Honey Stinger Waffles
  • Powerbar Wafers
  • Gels
  • Any other fuel of choice

SNACK IDEAS FOR PLANE AND EXPO/PACKET PICK UP:

  • Greek Yogurt - 2 single servings
  • Veggies and Hummus - as many as you can fit in a Ziplock
  • Fruit: 2 - 3 pieces
  • Nut Butter (Justin’s Butter, yes this is a brand, has 200 cal packs): 1 - 2 packs
  • 1/4c of Nuts or Trail Mix - 2 servings in small Ziplock is helpful to maintain serving control
  • 2x 1/2 PBJ sandwich
  • 2x whole turkey sandwiches
  • Nuun in Water Bottles always
  • Uniform or Tri jersey/shorts
  • Bike shoes
  • Helmet
  • Running shoes
  • Garmin watch and HR rate strap
  • Charger for Garmin(s)
  • Charger for Bike
  • Extra battery for your power meter/quark

SWIM:

  • Goggles (2 pair)
  • Swim cap for practice
  • Extra suit if needed
  • Wetsuit AND Speedsuit - take both!!!!

BIKE:

  • Bike
  • Bike Shoes
  • Socks
  • Helmet
  • Sunglasses
  • Body Glide

RUN:

  • Running Shoes
  • Socks
  • Race Belt
  • Sunglasses
  • Visor/Hat
  • Body Glide

TRAINING APPAREL:

  • Swimsuit & Extra swim cap
  • Bike Shorts, Cycling Jersey or Tri Top, Socks, Bike Shoes, Helmet, & Sunglasses
  • Running Shorts, Running Shoes, Visor or Hat

NUTRITION:

  • Honey Stinger Waffles
  • Gels
  • Tums

HYDRATION:

  • 1 water bottle
  • Nuun

RECOVERY/EXTRAS:

  • Recovery Drink
  • Advil
  • Tums/Pepto
  • Foam Roller and/or Lacrosse Ball
  • Compression
  • Melatonin (if you already are using this as a natural sleeping aid)
  • Ear Plugs/Eye Mask (to ensure a great night’s sleep)
  • Sunblock
  • Chap Stick
  • Glide
  • Pre Race flip flops or throwaways
  • Fix a flat kit (reminder: you will not be able to fly with a CO2 cartridge so pick up at expo)
  • Carry small snack through the expo and packet pick up
  • Pack your pre-race clothes to wear over your jersey (remember - nothing that will cause you to sweat but rather keep those muscles warm)

IRONMAN BAG CHECKLIST

You will be given 5 bags at the athlete check in.  This is a list for you to organize the items in those bags, before you even get to the race.  This will help you save a lot of time and energy when you are there. 

PRE SWIM/ POST RACE BAG:

  • You won’t need this bag most likely.
  • Just in case: Tums and Imodium + Flip-Flops for post race.
  • (You may want to take Imodium after the race - preventative care as much as possible!)

TRANSITION 1 BAG:

  • Solutions Zip Lock Baggie: Tums, Advil, Vasoline/Body Glide, Lip Balm
  • Nutrition Zip Lock Baggie: Waffles/Wafers (2/hr just in case), Salt tabs (1/hr in small container - carry 10 just in case), 200 - 300cal - something different than waffles, in case you need a small bite
  • Small Towel to dry off feet and body
  • Dry socks
  • Sunglasses
  • Race Belt and Number
  • Helmet (if you are not leaving with your bike)
  • Bike Shoes (if you are not leaving with your bike)

BIKE SPECIAL NEEDS:

  • Solutions Zip Lock Baggie: Tums, Advil, Vasoline/Body Glide, Lip Balm, Sun Screen
  • Nutrition Zip Lock Baggie: 200 - 300cal of something solid, in case you need something different from what course provides (Ex: Crustable sandwich)
  • Extra Salt Tabs - in case you have dropped yours or run out
  • Extra solids - in case you have dropped yours or run out
  • Pair of dry socks
  • Extra- tube/tire if you have flatted
  • Extra CO2 if you have flatted

TRANISTION 2 BAG:

  • Solutions Zip Lock Baggie: Tums, Advil, Vasoline/Body Glide, Lip Balm, Band-aids
  • Nutrition Zip Lock Baggie: 200 - 300cal - something different and want it in transition
  • Salt tabs - 1 for every 4 miles (carry in small container)
  • Gels - 1 for every 3 - 4 miles (also available on course if you don’t want to carry them!)
  • Small Towel
  • Pair of Running Shorts in case you are tired of lycra
  • Pair of Dry Socks
  • Running shoes
  • Visor or Hat
  • Sunglasses (if wearing a different pair)

RUN SPECIAL NEEDS:

  • Solutions Zip Lock Baggie: Tums, Advil, Vasoline/Body Glide, Lip Balm, Band-aids (Take up to 800mg of Advil in case you need to relieve any pain)
  • Nutrition Zip Lock Baggie: Extra salt tabs - in case you have lost or run out of yours (no need to pack extra water or gels - plenty provided on course)
  • Pair of dry socks
  • Pair of dry shorts/run clothes
 

IRONMAN COUNT DOWN CHECKLIST! 

4 Weeks Out:

Purchase race day uniform/race day wear

SWIM:

Reserve or Purchase Wetsuit/Speed Suit

Purchase race day goggles

Glide/Vasoline (4 small containers for each race day bag)

BIKE:

Book Tri Bike Transport (if offered to your destination)

Sunglasses (interchangeable lens or transition lens preferably)

Bento box (if needed)

Water bottle/hydration system

Bike shoes and socks

Helmet

New Tires/Tubes

Race Belt

RUN:

Purchase race day running shoes and socks

Compression Sleeves or Socks

Visor/Hat

Sunglasses (interchangeable or transition lens)

SLEEP:

7 - 8 hr/night, if less than 7 hrs take a 20 min nap/day (no more than 20 min)

RECOVERY:

Chiro, massage - 1 to 2x/wk

Compression on all runs longer than 90 min

Compression after all workouts longer than 2 hr

Ice Bath/Cyrosauna - 1 to 2x/wk

Foam Rolling/Stretching - 5 min/day

Elevate Legs after all workouts - 5 min/day

HYDRATION:

2 EmergenC’s/day

2 - 3c Green Tea/day (none after 3pm)

1c H2O, every 90 min, outside of normal training hydration

3 Weeks Out:

SWIM:

Practice 2x 15 - 20 min in wetsuit/speed suit (if you own it)

*Reminder: Rinse out suit, hang up to dry - inside out, and do not leave it in your car

BIKE:

Practice 2 x 1 hr in race shoes and sunglasses

Practice Transitions

“Race Ready” Bike Cleaning

RUN:

Practice 2 x 30 min in race shoes, compression sleeves/socks, sunglasses, and visor/hat

Practice 1 long run in race shoes, compression, sunglasses, and visor/hat

SLEEP:

7 - 8 hr/night, if less than 7 hrs take a 20 min nap/day (no more than 20 min)

RECOVERY:

Chiro, massage- 1 to 2x/wk

Compression during ALL workouts longer than 90 min

Compression after all workouts longer than 2 hr

Ice Bath / Cyrosauna - 2 - 3x/week

Foam Rolling / Stretching - 5 min/day

Elevate Legs after all workouts - 5 min/day

PRACTICE AT LEAST 3X’S THIS WEEK - CHANGING TUBE/ TIRE - NEED AT LEAST 5 TUBES + 5 CO2 (PRIOR TO GETTING BIKE RACE READY)

HYDRATION:

2 EmergenC’s/day

2 - 3c Green Tea/day (none after 3pm)

1c H2O, every 90 min, outside of normal training hydration

2 Weeks Out:

SWIM:

Practice 2 x 15 - 20 min in wetsuit/speed suit (if you own it)

*Reminder: Rinse out suit, hang up to dry - inside out, and do not leave it in your car

BIKE:

Practice 2x 1 hr in race shoes and sunglasses

Practice 1 ride in helmet

Practice Transitions

RUN:

Practice 2x 30 min in race shoes, compression sleeves/socks, sunglasses, and visor/hat

SLEEP:

7 - 8 hr/night, if less than 7 hrs take a 20 min nap/day

RECOVERY:

Chiro, massage - 1 to 2x/wk

Compression after ALL workouts longer than 2 hr

Ice Bath/Cyrosauna - 3x/week

Foam Rolling/Stretching - 5 min/day

Elevate Legs after all workouts - 10 min/day

HYDRATION:

2 EmergenC’s/day

2 - 3c Green Tea/day (none after 3pm)

1 Nuun or Trace Mineral Electrolyte Serving - 3x/day

Race Week:

SWIM:

Practice 2x 15 - 20 min in wetsuit/speed suit (if you own it)

*Reminder: Rinse out suit, hang up to dry - inside out, and do not leave it in your car

BIKE:

Practice rides in race shoes and sunglasses

Practice 1 ride in helmet

Practice Transitions

Pack Transition #1 Contents:

In a zip lock/solutions bag- Vasoline and Tums

In zip lock/nutrition bag- nutrition and electrolytes

Extra PBJ and water bottle for emergency only - made at destination

Pack Bike Special Needs Contents:

1 small coke

Something other than your racing nutrition- roughly 200-300 cal

Tums and Electrolytes

RUN:

Practice 30 min in race shoes, compression sleeves/socks, sunglasses, and visor/hat

Pack Transition #2 Contents:

Change of shorts if needed

In a zip lock/solutions bag- Vasoline and Tums

In zip lock/nutrition bag- nutrition and electrolytes

Extra PBJ and water bottle for emergency only - made at destination

Pack Run Special Needs Contents:

Tums and Electrolytes

SLEEP:

8 - 9 hr/night - try to not set an alarm the last 4 days prior to race day

RECOVERY:

Chiro, massage - 1x/week (no later than Wednesday)

Compression up to 6 hr/day

Ice Bath/Cyrosauna - 2x/wk

Foam Rolling/Stretching - 5 min/day

Elevate Legs as much as possible

HYDRATION:

2 EmergenC’s/day

2 - 3c Green Tea/day (none after 3pm)

1 Nuun or Trace Mineral Electrolyte Serving – 3x/day

NUTRITION:

Pre Race Breakfast throughout the week a couple times

Main meal – Lunch: 400 - 500 cal

Small snacks throughout the day - 100-200 cal

Carry snacks to the Expo and throughout the bike drop off

Smaller Dinner – no later than 5pm Wednesday-Saturday

If needed small snack at 7pm