Race day is more than just performing mentally and physically. All your hard work can be lost without proper preparation in the weeks, or even months before your race. Very little fitness gains can be made in the last few weeks before a Race. Typically the week(s) before the race has you training less which allows you time to prepare your mind, body and equipment for the race.

You will find a pre race checklist here which you should use the week leading up to a race to ensure you arrive in your transition area prepared to focus on one thing only … racing. If you have a destination race then transportation and housing should be taken care of well in advance to eliminate any stress race week. Whenever you can, obtain housing as close to the race start area as possible. This eliminates unnecessary distractions and allows you to have single focus. Obviously budgets and finances play a role in this decision.

When ever possible make yourself familiar with the bike course and run course during your training rides and runs. If this isn’t possible then drive the course in advance. Make mental notes of hills, corners, potential hazards and where the start finish lines are located. If the aide stations are set up make note of any potential problems. Some race directors place aide stations at the bottom of hills making exchanges very difficult. Head down to the swim area and make mental notes of the lay out of the swim beach, start area/exit and if the swim course allows you to site through to the other side or will you have to rely on buoys. Will the sun be a factor on race day (Dark goggles or Clear?)

The weekend before your race is a great time to thoroughly clean your bike and make last minute adjustments. A clean bike is a happy and fast bike. Check your tires for slits and ask yourself when the last time was you changed your tubes. Perhaps I’m superstitious but if I’m putting in new tubes I try to get one or two rides on them before race day. My thought is that if they are going to blow they will do it on the first or second ride. Chains and drive trains which have been cleaned regularly will last longer than those which have been neglected. Check your gearing for unnecessary wear (Teeth that look like a sharks fin versus one which looks square) and excessive stretching of your chain. The bottom line is that come race day you want your bike to perform flawlessly. Checking your equipment in advance gives you the best chance to avoid race day surprises. On that note, if you have mechanical break downs on race day such as a flat or gearing problems you need to handle the situation with urgency BUT DON”T OVER REACT. Throwing your tire, kicking your bike, screaming profanities doesn’t fix the problem. Worry about things you have control over. Flats happen!!! Calmly get off your bike, change your tire and resume your race. If you are a competitive age group racer then the flat will probably cost you your personal best time or an age group placement. Chances are you will have other races on your schedule. If you are doing a half Ironman or Ironman the lost time won’t affect your time over all time too much. If you don’t know how to change a flat then I strongly suggest you practice several times before the race.

On race morning, make sure you have eaten at least 2 hours prior to the start of the race. This will allow time for your food to digest and avoid unnecessary GI problems during the race. Practice your nutrition during your training and this includes what you will eat race morning. Never try anything new on race day that you haven’t practiced in training. Make sure you arrive at least 1 hour before the start of the race so you can obtain a good transition spot and get warmed up before the race. Look for a spot close to the bike exit/entrance as it is easier to run through the transition area without your bike. Set up your transition area in a manner which allows quick movements. See the attached transition presentation but think of the order in which you will get dressed/undressed. Be careful not to throw your wetsuit on your socks or running shoes so as to avoid wet shoes/socks for the run). Remove any unnecessary equipment, such as bags, pumps and extra clothing from the transition area. Position your helmet in your handle bars with your sunglasses inside. Put your race belt on before the swim under your wet suit. Minimize the number of steps you have to take for a quick transition. Make sure you walk the transition area to know where the entrances and exits are for each transition. Make a mental note of where your bike is racked and how you will move from the swim entrance to your bike and how you will get to the bike/run entrances. If you are in a large transition area count bike racks or look for stationary land marks such as a tree, light post or building. Your goal is to make your transition from swim to bike and bike to run efficiently. Make sure your bike is the proper gear for the beginning of the bike course. Don’t forget to put on body glide to aide in quickly removing your wet suit and prevent chafing. If you are running without socks then placing talcum powder in your shoes will make them easier to slip on. Obviously practice this before race day.

Your warm up will vary based on the length of the race but always allow yourself at least 20 minutes before the start of your swim wave. Whenever possible warm up in all three disciplines. Always get in the water and warm up regardless of the distance of your race. The longer the distance the shorter the warm up. If the water is cold get in and out of the water several times with short breaks. This will allow your body and especially your lungs to adapt to the unusually cold water. For Ironman distance races it may not be possible to take your bike out of transition or feasible to run but it is imperative you get to the water early.

It takes a long time to get 2000+ athletes over the computer timing mat and into the water. Just before the start of the swim take 5 deep breaths and engage your lower diaphragm. Position yourself in the swim according to your swimming ability. If you are not a fast or efficient swimmer you don’t want to start in the front row. On the other hand if you are a fast swimmer but afraid of swimming in packs or getting bumped don’t cop out and start in the back. You are making your swim harder by having to swim through or over slower swimmers. Practice relaxation, expect to get bumped and remember it is how you react to the bump not the bump itself.

Develop a mantra for all three events. Relax, breath, focus or right here, right now. Think long and smooth on the swim. On the bike think smooth, with legs like pistons. On the run concentrate on arm swing and driving your knee forward. Heel to butt and bend at the ankles not the knees.

As you approach the end of the swim you should begin to think of your transition. As you come out of the water pull your wet suit half way down and remove your cap and goggles as you run to the transition area. As you approach your bike completely remove your wet suit, put on your cycling top and bike shorts although it is advisable to have these on under your wet suit, put on your bike shoes (if you wear socks it is best to put them on for the run. Putting socks on wet feet is hard to do), put on your sunglasses, helmet buckled and then head to the bike start.

As you begin the bike you should focus on working towards a steady state of breathing. Chances are the frantic rush to your bike and changing quickly elevated your heart rate. Your immediate goal is steady your breathing and get into a cycling cadence which allows you to obtain your target heart rate. Think about the bike course and pace yourself. I try to sit up on the bike for the first few miles to allow my diaphragm to settle. I don’t eat anything for the first 5 miles of the bike and only drink water.

As you approach the last few miles of the bike spin in a bit higher cadence and sit up on the bike to get your body stretched out and ready for the run.

With a little practice you should be able to pull your feet out of your cycling shoes and place them on top of your shoes during the last segment of the bike. Practice dismounting on the fly and you will gain valuable time in your bike/run transition. The bike/run transition should be your quickest, socks on, pull on your shoes, remove your helmet, grab your hat and you are off. Your initial focus on the run should be to calm your breathing and get into a rhythm. Pay particular attention to your cadence and form. Are your shoulders relaxed? Is your heal coming up to your butt and are you driving your knee forward? Do you have a 90 degree bend to your arms and are you swinging your arm back past your hip? Gauge when you will make your last surge and always take in the appropriate amount of fluid depending on the distance and temperature.

A lot of little things go into making your race day a success. Take the time to think and plan ahead. Never wait until the last minute to do what you could have and should have done in advance. A lot of common mistakes can be avoided with a little leg work and foresight.

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