Are you ready for race season? by Selina Campbell
The race season, especially here in Alberta is painfully short so it is easy for it to creep up on you before you know it and there you are at the start line. But have you done a check to make sure you are fully prepared? You have spent all winter training hard to increase that power output on the bike (and swim and run speeds for you triathletes), so dont let all the hard work slip away on race day due to lack of preparation.
Here is a basic checklist of things you will need – some ‘must have’s ‘ and some ’nice to have’s ‘ to help you have a great race……
Must have:
New tires and tubes (a flat can cost you a lot of time!)
A bike tune up (you dont want a mechanical out there – have your bike checked for smooth bottom bracket, worn cables etc)
Bike repair kit (in case the dreaded flat happens, be prepared to fix it yourself as support can take forever to arrive)
Comfy kit – practise in it a few times before race day so you know what it feels like
Chamois cream (just trust me on this one….!)
HR monitor – essential to know how your body is reacting on race day
Computer/watch to read above mentioned HR on
Nutrition – figure out ahead of time if liquid and/or solid is the way to go for you
Something to carry nutrition in. What kind of setup will you have? Do you need a bento box to carry bars etc? What kind of bottles will you use and where will they go on the bike?
Nice to have:
New bar tape – treat yourself to some new bar tape when you get your bike serviced. It may not make you go faster but you will *feel* faster 🙂
Powermeter. Used in conjunction with your HR, very powerful tools to race to your potential!
Oh and one more ‘must have’….
A big smile for your finish line picture 🙂