Race Preparation

I remember my first triathlon. The right side of my neck was the sorest thing in the days after the event, why? The long walk from the car to transition and the weight of the transition box I was carrying meant I had wrestled my way to transition before the race even started.

I could have lived for a year with the contents of the box; explorers have discovered continents with less kit. My anxiety had led me to complicate a simple process.

For beginners, the preparation for your first race can be as stressful as the actual event. At Tribal we are keen for you to spend the maximal amount of time in the last days pre-race with your feet up stimulating your para-sympathetic nervous system. The alternative 5 P’s of Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance helps to ensure you have a successful event.

Before your priority races you have 3 major tasks-

1. Tapering

The last weeks before your event becomes a critical time when you are aiming to peak your freshness and your fitness ready to race. This process is known as Tapering and can be explored in more detail by clicking this link.

2. Write and Memorise Your Race Plan

Always follow your race plan. It will really help you with overcoming any anxiety, empower you to make good decisions, think clearly when you feel under pressure and help you to respect your mind, body, the course and your tremendous achievement.

Tribal Race Plan- Please click the PDF below to download:

For help with filling out this Plan, go to Race Execution.

3. Pack Your Kit

Here’s a quick guide to everything you could possibly need. Please bear in mind, you won’t need everything on this list.

Create your own list aiming to travel as light as possible including only things you have trialed and used in training and the kit needed to execute your race plan. It is clear once you are regularly competing in triathlon that simplicity is everything when it comes to executing the perfect race.

Always look to refine your own personal list and then keep a copy within your transition bag for ease of preparation for each race.

Basic Kit List- Please click the PDF below to download: