Race day packing reminders: What to bring to your first triathlon

Your first triathlon will bring plenty of nerves, excitement, anticipation, confusion and possibly some exhaustion! You want the pre race to all go as smoothly as possible to save energy, reduce stress and avoid as much anxiety as possible. Below are a few reminders when packing for that first race. Of course, some items are optional meaning that not everyone will own it (it's not a necessity), but if you do you don't want to forget it!

Firstly, pack what you are going to wear throughout the race. Whether this is a trisuit, or you're going to wear swimmers for the swim then pop some clothes over the top. You can read more about this in my article Trisuits for beginners: What are they and do you need one?

The Swim

Starting with some of the obvious ones here:

• Goggles

• Swim cap (if not provided by race)

• Wetsuit (if wearing one)

The Ride

Hopefully some of these first ones don't come as a surprise!

• Bike (with bottles filled up as required)

• Helmet

• Bike shoes

• Tools required if you encounter a flat out on the course (for me this includes tyre levers, spare tubes, co2 canister)

The Run

• Runners

• Hat + Sunglasses if you wear them (can be a great idea on those summer races)

Miscellaneous and other tips

• Watch (charged!)

  • Forgetting my watch is impossible when it's practically attached to me, but remembering to have it fully charged can be a bit more challenging.
    

• Race belt

  • Your race belt holds your number or bib which means you don't have to pin it onto your trisuit. A race belt is not necessary, especially if you are just popping a tee shirt on (you can easily pin it onto that pre race) but is recommended. With a race belt, you can easily rotate your number around the back for the ride then to the front if you want to for the run. I have been in races where it is required to have your race bib on for the ride and others which it is not. Race belts are not too expensive but rather useful. They are also usually for sale at events.

• Spare pair of running shoes

  • Once you have set up transition, your race race runners will be in transition and so if you want to do a run warm up (or even just be comfortable moving around pre race) then it is a good idea to bring a spare or old pair so you're not caught out barefoot.

• Bike computer (if you use one)

  • Again, charge it up! The other tip is to make sure it won't turn off automatically in the time between setting up transition and riding. On my Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, you can turn off auto shut down in the ELEMNT app.

• Towel for transition area

  • Picture this, you're coming into transition, you've just slaved away in the swim. You're running high on adrenaline so your eyes are darting around for your bike on the rack. You've got a black bike. So does everybody else. Ok, so look out for the white helmet you have. You guessed it, so does everybody else.

  • A bright or uniquely patterned towel can help you stand out in this moment of brief panic. Lay it down under your shoes and sticking slightly out from your bike so you can see it easily.

• Nutrition

  • If you have practiced with taking on nutrition (highly recommended for the longer races), don't forget to pack it and plan out where you need it. You might take some pre-swim so keep that on you, or you might have some on the bike/run and leave it in transition or on your bike.