You’ve put in the training and race day is quickly approaching. With a three sport race, there are a lot of items to remember and if you aren’t properly organized, you could forget something essential. Whether you are doing a sprint triathlon or an Ironman, you will still need the necessities that will get you through a swim, bike and run leg. And I mean, we at least want you to look like you know what you’re doing…isn’t that half the battle?

A race tune up is highly recommended leading up to the big day. At the very least, make sure your tires are pumped. Our bike mechanic right here at Well-Fit can check over your bike or do a full race- ready tune up. (Email us to schedule any bike services). It’s also a good idea to mark your belongings with your name and phone number.  When you rack your bike in transition area, make sure to find a landmark, or walk the transition beforehand—if it’s a big race, it is easy to get lost or turned around.

The transition area is usually pretty packed, so set everything up as you will use it. Use the small towel as the base—that is typically all the room you will have.

Use this gear checklist so you are well prepared for race day and can just focus on going FAST!

Swim

  • Tri shorts and suit or tri suit (We recommend a tri suit, preferably with a Well-Fit design!)
  • 2 sets of goggles (In case one breaks. Helpful to have one tinted pair and one regular pair.)
  • Cap (Most races will give you one)
  • Hand Towel
  • Wetsuit (Use our ROKA discount to get one of these bad boys. Always check race rules and guidelines because some warmer races aren’t “wetsuit legal.”)
  • Body glide

Bike

  • Bike (If you’re in the market for a new bike, try out our guys at Get a Grip Cycles, they are some of the best in the bike biz!)
  • Helmet (Use our team discount on Rudy Project)
  • Cycling shoes and socks
  • Sunglasses (Rudy Project)
  • Water bottle(s)
  • Tool kit (including tube, CO2, levers, multi-tool)
  • Sunscreen (Use our Zealios code- it’s the best sunscreen around!)

Run

  • Running shoes
  • Extra socks (in case your feet are still wet)
  • Race belt with bib attached
  • Hat/Visor (We have Well-Fit hats/visors for sale at the front desk!)

And don’t forget…

  • Your Garmin
  • Bandaids
  • Nutrition
  • Change of clothes post race (keep in gear check)
  • Your ID (for identification AND the post-race beer of course)
  • USAT card
  • Charger for bike computer or sports watch
  • Tri bag to put it all in!

Coach advice:

“Know your equipment. If you have deep race wheels, know you will need a valve extender for your spare. Learn to change/fix your own flat. It’ll be a shame if 4-6 months of hard training get ruined because you don’t know how to change a flat. Test everything before the race. For the cold waters of Lake Michigan, wear two caps! It will give you just a little bit extra warmth on race day.  And most importantly, ALWAYS thank the volunteers!” – Coach Mauricio Andrade

“Plan your race and race your plan. Identify the distance and apply the right throttle for success. PRs don’t just magically happen. They are rehearsed in practice. Know what HR zone, watt or RPE you should be in. And on top of that, have a practiced fuel plan that supports the conditions of the race. Don’t just race harder, race smarter!” – “Koach” Keith Klebacha

“Read the Athlete Guide before you travel to the race. This will help you plan your pre-race logistics so you don’t miss out on anything important like athlete check in or the pre race meeting, which is often mandatory. Reading the athlete guide may also provide a little information about the course, which should help ease pre-race jitters.”
– Coach Ted Ramos

Well-Fit Partner Discounts: 

ROKA: To automatically receive ROKA discounts from now on, all you have to do is simply create an account and login on their website. To active your Well-Fit team account, the team handle is “WellFit” and the password is 7907. Note: the team discounts only show up at checkout.

Rudy Project: teamwellfit