The amount of kit you need for a triathlon is roughly the same as you need for a week’s holiday – from big stuff, like your bike and wetsuit, down to little things like sunglasses and goggles. “I always write a list of what I need before race day,” says Hollie Avil, the youngest competitor in the Beijing Olympic triathlon. “I pack my bag the evening before, so everything is ready to go in the morning. This puts me in a relaxed state of mind.”
Minimising your transition
Preparation and organisation are everything, particularly when it comes to transition, the switch from one discipline to the next, where you can save – or waste – precious time.
Transition is also the name of the area where you set up your equipment, and to which you return after each leg of the race. The swim-bike transition is known as T1; the bike-run as T2. Here’s how to shave precious minutes off your time:
• When you rack your bike in T1, look for a landmark that will help you locate it afterwards.
• Check where you’ll come in from the swim (“swim in”), where you’ll leave transition on the bike (“bike out”), where you’ll “bike in” and where you will “run out”. If there’s time, walk through it to get your bearings.
• “Set your kit out in the order you’ll need it,” advises Team GB’s Helen Tucker. “Work out which direction you’ll be coming from after the swim, as this dictates which way round your bike and all your kit should be facing.” (Handlebars should face towards you, so you can steer straight out of transition.)
• Wheel your bike by the saddle, not the handlebars, so the pedals don’t bash your legs.
• Clip your bike shoes to your pedals and secure them with elastic bands, so you can just slip them on once you are riding.
• Leave your bike in an easy gear.
• Apply baby oil around your calves, ankles and forearms before you put your wetsuit on, to make getting it off easier. Or wear a tri suit – a one or two-piece outfit designed to be worn for the entire race.
• Start taking your wetsuit off as soon as you are out of the water.
• Undo your bike shoes as you approach the end of the bike ride and slip your feet out. Then dismount barefoot, so you can run swiftly back to transition.
• Use elastic laces in your running shoes so you can get them on quickly.
Nutrition
• Eat about three hours before the race, so your body will be at its optimum energy level.
• Start the race well hydrated by drinking little and often in the hours beforehand.
• Take two drinks bottles on the bike in case you drop one.
• Top up energy supplies during the race by carrying a sports drink and energy gels with you on the ride.
Triathlon: Start to Finish by Sam Murphy is published by Kyle Cathie (£14.99).
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