Bartleys Tri (Triathlon for Beginners: Part 2)

The Bartleys Tri series of posts is my what-I-wish-I-knew-then summary of things I would've liked to know about triathlons before I ever started. In Part 1, I wrote about triathlon distances, how to choose one, checking in, and setting up. Part 3 is all about what to wear for a tri, covering the basics and the would-love-to-haves. There, you'll see my guide to buying tri gear, no matter what your budget. Part 4 covers the first of the race-day madness itself, the swim.

Let's take a step back to make sure we have all the right stuff to bring to the event!

Here's what's in my race-day tri bag:

• A - Running shoes
• B - Water bottle(s)
• C - Energy gels - about 1 for every 45 minutes I'm out there.
• D - Bib number belt (completely optional)
• E - Bike shoes
• F - Towel - second towel optional. One for the transition area and another to shower/dry off post-race
• G - Tri top
• H - Socks
• I - Goggles
  
  You should be wearing your swim gear already... I'll get into apparel later. You should obviously have your bike and helmet on you.
  
  I've seen people gather up all this stuff VERY efficiently in their own triathlon pails - literally plastic buckets that they throw and carry their gear in... much better than my method of hauling things around and picking 'em up off the ground when I drop them! You can also use a good string bag as well.
  
  Advanced: Gear companies make special triathlon transition bags that are designed to hold you gear and organize it for your transition. They're expensive and I'm not sure if I see the real value in it - maybe somebody can tell me otherwise.

Race Day Gear and Equipment

Basics:

The general message is to bring and race in all of the things you've practiced and trained with. I ran the Chicago Marathon in brand new shoes against all better judgement, and was so injured my the end I couldn't run for the next 4 weeks (I even had to wear a boot to heal!). Don't make my mistake!

• Running shoes. Bring the shoes you've been training in, or the ones you typically race in. I like lighter shoes like lightweight trainers because they give you a little more cushion and support than a racing flat. And obviously, go get fitted at your favorite running store! [end shameless plug] But seriously, go get fitted. It may save you black toenails, blisters, stress fractures, and other horrible fates.
• Socks. I bring socks to put on after the swim to help prevent blisters. Over the course of the bike and run, especially if it's a relatively long distance, you'll be glad you spent the extra 30 seconds to put your socks on!
• Bike Shoes. Necessary if you have clips on your pedals.
• Bike Helmet. 
• Bike. Any kind of bike is allowed in a triathlon, and some races even have separate Fat Tire race divisions specifically for riders on mountain bikes. Your bike will have some effect on your speed capacity, but if the goal is finishing your first triathlon, no need to take out a loan to fund this habit.  
• Swim goggles.
• Swim cap. Given to you at race check-in. 

Advanced:

Nice to have, but not 100% necessary to finishing the race. I have a few, but not all, of these items. Some of these require a considerable investment. Ultimately, this is up to you and what you're willing to spend. Try a couple races out first and you'll figure out which things are more important to you!

• Wetsuit. Wetsuits aren't really necessary for warmth, since nearly all of your triathlons these days will take place when the water temperature is reasonable (they are legal when the water is 72 degrees or cooler, which covers pretty much all tris). But, wetsuits apparently give you a buoyancy advantage and force you into using efficient form, which is why they're favored in longer triathlons. They come at a cost! If you want to buy one, you're looking at about $400+. You can rent them for $100 on race day... sometimes local race management companies or specialty bike/run stores will have them available for rental on site before the event.
• Aerobars. They're supposed to help you stay in a low, aerodynamic position (get it? aero-dynamic-bars?) on your road bike. Prices for these things range hugely too, but you can get some basic aerobars for about $125. 

Aerobars, installed

This is how you ride with aerobars!

• Bib number belt. I think this is totally worth the investment! These cost somewhere along the lines of $10, and you attach your bib number to it. In the swim, your race number is pretty much the magic marker on your arms/legs. When you get off of the bike (and maybe on the bike too?), you need to wear a run bib. Except there are 4 safety pins needed to secure the bib to your shirt - which takes time! The bib number belt is a lifesaver. In your transition between the bike and the run, you can simply pick up your bib number belt with your bib number attached to it and snap it on! Here's mine, which retails $8. I haven't gotten a chance to use it, but after fumbling around with apparel and pins on my first two races, I'm already sold.
  
  

  Here is another version, since some are built to hold gels while you run, ideal for long run distances. Again, gels are intended to be taken for every 45 minutes of activity, and I like to gel it up when I'm getting toward the end of a run, period. Maybe it's mental. I just do it.

  

  
  
• Fuel Belt. The cousin to the bib number belt! You can fill your little bottles with anything - Gatorade, Endurox, water, Perpetuem, scotch (oh wait, did I say that?)...  this is my bud Mel from our training group modeling the fuel belt during the hot!-hot! Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10.
  
  
  
  
• Sunglasses. The longer the race, the more important these are! I put them on as soon as I put my helmet on for the bike, and they stay on through the run. Until I got a real pair, I never realized how much different real running sunglasses were compared to the cheap ones I used to buy (because I would inevitably sit on and break a few pairs each summer). Here are mine:
  
  
  
  I like them because they're light and block sunlight extremely well. They're super adjustable and the lenses come out and can be replaced with a different color or shade.... and same with the nose piece. You can even change the nose piece color! I can't even describe how uh-mazing these are for driving...
• Water bottles. I had regular water bottle cages on my bike for a while - on long rides, I had two cages installed like this.. except I used cheap plastic water bottles.
  
  
  But then I realized that I couldn't grab a bottle and drink while I was riding, without losing control of my bike! So then Ben ordered me one of these fancy pants Speedfill hydration systems, that triangular looking thing in the middle of the bike. It's basically a plastic battle that has a tube running out of it that snakes up to the handlebars. See that black lid on the top? You can take water from hydration stations/bottles during the race and dump them into the open top to replenish your water on the go.
  
  
  I wasn't very convinced I needed something like this, but after having ridden my first long rides without and with the Speedfill, I am a believer!! No more almost-falling-off-my-bike! It's crazy how much longer you can last on a bike when you're hydrated!
• Stuff bag. I'm not sure what the real name for it is, but check out the little "stuff bag" on the back of my bike seat. It just holds wrenches, CO2 cartridges,  and spare tires, and Sport Beans - my favorite! Confession: all that tire-changing stuff would do me no good.... I still don't know how to change one.

• Wheels. Another thing you can rent on site or purchase yourself. Check out these disc wheels on this guy's fancy pants bike. Oh, the things people do for aerodynamics! I love how the guy is hardcore cheesing... probably  because he is thinking about how sweet his helmet is. Anyway, there are literally wheelsets that cost more than my car, take it for what it's worth... if you have a bazillion dollars lying around, do it!
  
  
• Sunblock. Do you burn? Then bring some. This might be considered a non-negotiable.
• Hat. Along those same lines, a hat can help block some of the sun glare during the run. Try choosing a running hat, though, which will wick some moisture away from your head. It'll be made of light, airy material to help you keep cool.
  
  
• Speed laces. There are different types of "speed laces," but all of them are designed so you can get your shoes on and tightened quickly during your bike to run transition. See how it has the little squeeze-lock thing? Call it shoe technology.
  
  

So that's pretty much it for today! 


Did I forget something? Or, if you're an experienced triathlete, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment! 




If you haven't checked it out, see Bartleys Tri (Part 1) for about-tris, signing up, checking in, and setting up.
Or, go on to Part 3 to read about what to wear in a triathlon and how to buy tri gear without taking out a second mortgage. Good to go? Hit Part 4 - The swim!