High Cloud Foundation - Because Dreams Come True

Hello friends!

Wow, we cannot believe that it is March already! On Thursday, March 4th, we gathered at GRC with some great folks that were new to triathlon or interested in trying their first race. At this event, we were able to answer questions about triathlon training, local races, equipment, techniques, nutrition, etc.

One of the topics that we discussed was the importance of preparing not only physically but mentally for race day. In other words, don’t wait until race day to think about how your Swim, Bike and Run might go in general.  A nice plan that you can memorize in your head and a quick checklist, will help your race not only to go smoothly but it will help balance / remove some mental and physical obstacles that will prevent you from performing to your full potential.

When creating our own checklist to prep for a great Race Day, we cannot forget:

First and foremost, the main goal should be to enjoy the “experience” regardless of the final result! “Remember that Spirit has fifty times the strength and staying power of brawn and muscle.” (From the Matrix)

Now below is the Checklist that we have used for different Triathlons, which contains a lot of great advice from some good friends.  You can customize anyway you want to make your race an amazing day:

Pre-Race

1. Remain calm and flexible
2. Carry race wheels onto the plane; put pedals in the carry on with shoes
3. Eat healthy for the week. Drink lots of water
4. Make sure bike has 2 tubes, canisters and the immediate pit stop canister for the tubular wheel

Night Before The Race

1. Get to bed early, 8:30pm at the latest. Have all bags packed and ready to go
2. Set out clothes for next morning
3. Don’t forget the body glide and the sunscreen!!!
4. Eat meal which includes fish, veggies, carbs and fruit (oranges & tangerines, etc)
5. Prepare race drink mix (or tea etc), for the morning

Race Morning

1. Breakfast at 4am – tea with sweet and low, 3 oranges and a vanilla Powerbar
2. Drink a bottle of water
3. Perhaps an orange before the swim

Swim

1. Focus on you
2. Don’t worry about anyone else
3. Focus on long strokes
4. Use drafting to your advantage, if you can
5. Spot every 6 strokes
6. It’s your swim. Enjoy the water!!

Transition Bags (T1)

1. Bottle of Tea
2. Small First Aid
3. Open Oranges
4. Bike helmet
5. Socks
6. Bike shoes
7. Biking gloves
8. Race belt with number
9. Fuel Belt should be with your favorite food (Clifshots, etc)
10. Sunglasses
11. Suntan lotion

On bike:

1. Bottle of Tea
2. 2 Bottles of sports drink
3. Food (bars, gel flask, gummy Clifshots) on little Bike bag.

Bike:

1. Try to stay in the aero position as much as possible.
2. Pull up on the hills. Think about circular motion, pulling up your knees, high cadence. Push and pull.
3. Use the downhill to your advantage. Keep pedaling, switch into a higher gear and think cadence
4. Drink approx. every 15 minutes
5. Try to get through 1 water bottle every 45 minutes.
6. Eat every 20 minutes. First, gels, then bars, then gels, then bars.
7. Pick up drink at every 10-mile mark – water/sports drink/water/sports drink. Should take about 45 minutes, so should be finishing and picking up at the same time.
8. Use Enduralytes salt tablets every 3 hours if needed.

Potential issues

1. Flat – Take a deep breath and start changing it.  This is where the practice during training pays off!
2. Crash – check all parts to make sure you are ok, if so, get up and keep going

T2

1. Congratulate yourself on making it to T2 on time! You knew you could do it! Celebrate! YAY! Now only a run to go!!
2. Drop bike shoes and get your running shoes!

Transition Bags (T2)

1. Sun Visor!
2. Sunblock
3. Extra socks
4. Running shoes
5. Race belt (should be on me)
6. Re-load Fuel belt (should be on me) with 3 gels in there, a few salt pills and a Powerbar!
7. Open Oranges
8. Salt packets

Run

1. Start off jogging slow
2. Drink and eat at every aid stations
3. Get gels as well.
4. Finish the run and celebrate!

And now, we leave you with our quote of the week “You have to accept whatever comes, and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.”
–Eleanor Roosevelt

Thanks for stopping by the Triathlon forum on March 4th, we can’t wait to join you in so many races this year and celebrate with you countless triathlon finishes!