As we enter summer & race season check out GPC’s advice on how to make sure you are organised and ready for your first race of the season.

Before the race:

  • Have your bike serviced
  • Check your tyres for condition to avoid puncture during the race
  • Make sure you have trained sufficiently for the race & don’t change equipment of position 2-3 weeks prior (longer for injury-prone athletes)
  • Practice getting on/off your bike on a grass area
  • Enter online (if possible) and save email/receipt on phone to take to registration
  • Organise accommodation/transport plans to the event incl. parking
  • Check when you can collect your race kit & whether you need to rack your bike the day prior (usually high participation races)
  • Study the course maps and note how many laps you need to do of each leg
  • Pack car with all gear the night before

Equipment to bring on race day:

Don’t try anything new on race day. Use this gear/nutrition in training at least a few times prior to the race.

  • Goggles + spare pair
  • Wetsuit (if applicable)
  • Trisuit or bathers
  • Lubrication
  • Sunscreen
  • Transition towel (bright colour)
  • Bike and race wheels (if applicable)
  • Bike shoes
  • Water bottle
  • Nutrition (incl. electrolyte & carbohydrate based snacks)
  • Helmet
  • Sunglasses
  • Two pairs of running shoes (one for the race & one for warm up)
  • Hat or visor
  • Bike pump
  • Baby powder (for running shoes to make them easier to get on)
  • Spare clothes for post race
  • Toilet paper (event toilets always seem to run out)

Race Entry Kit:

  • On arrival at the race site, report to registration tent & pick up your race entry kit
  • It will contain a timing chip, coloured swim cap (relevant to your swim wave start), numbers/stickers
  • Place the stickers on your helmet & bike straight away
  • Place your coloured swim cap & timing chip in your backpack with your swim goggles/wetsuit to be put on when you enter the water for a warm up
  • You may also be required to have numbers written on your arms/legs in the “number writing area”

Also check out our race day schedule: http://www.gpcsquad.com.au/tri-race-schedule

And Part 2 – Organising your transition