Beginner Questions - First Tri on Sunday

You can do fine without a race belt.
I run with a visor so I did not need sunglasses.
I did my first try 2 weeks ago and forgot an xtra pairs of socks.
It was raining that morning and changing to dry socks would have been nice.
Water proof bag or something to cover your transition stuff in case its raining (can you tell it was raining that morning! LOL!)

Body glide - around your ankle for the timing chip - the usual places - if you are wearing a wetsuit - around your neckline.
Hmmmmm.

Good luck! It was a blast to do my first - so much so - I signed up for another one as soon as I got back

Good luck with your first race and hope you have a great time with it. Here's the first place to start for great articles.

As for your questions:

1) A race belt helps you to have a faster transition and is easier to use than pins.  Besides triathlon, you can also use it for your road races.  But, no, its not necessary.

2) people forget all kinds of little things like their nutrition to helmets to shoes, etc.  The list is endless.  Here's a list stolen from Ron:

don't forget your bike....that would just suck

1- try to get a race belt if you can. Otherwise you will have to put a shirt on over the tri suit in transition with the race number on.

2- a small hand towel to wipe your feet with in T1. ???

3- nothing under the tri suit, unless you need more support for the "ladies". Then you can put a sports bra under that.

4- if I'm NOT wearing a wetsuit- I don't put body glide anywhere. I don't know what you know to say what you are forgetting.


GOOD LUCK!!!! I can't believe it's your first one! Since you took on that 1 mile OWS I figured you were already racing on a regular basis!

1) If you use a race belt, you can have it ready to grab & go. If you pin your number on, you will have to stop and do this during your transition, since you can't really swim with a number on, too well. The problem isn't with the pins coming open. It's that you have to take the time to pin it on DURING the race. Or try getting an extra piece of clothing over your wet head and body, which is not fun.

2) flip flops. You'll be leaving your biking/running shoes in transition, but you have to get to the swim start. If the ground is cold or you have tender feet, you might want flip flops.

3) NO UNDERWEAR! Never wear underwear for biking or running. This causes chafing.  The trisuit is designed to be a swimsuit AND a bike short AND a running outfit, so you need nothing else. (Except maybe a synthetic sports bra underneath.) You would not wear a swimsuit or underwear under your bike shorts when going for a bike ride, so don't do it on race day! Especially if you have access to a trisuit!

4) Armpits - depending on what you are wearing, you can get major chafing under the arms from swinging your arms during the run while wearing wet clothes.


>"I'm wearing a tri-suit for the most part"<

You should just wear it, and only it, for the whole thing. That's what they are for.


Also, some first timers don't realize there is no place to change clothes, so I'll just mention it. I was lining up for my very first try, and a lady was asking if everyone was putting their stuff in the locker room for changing clothes. You just run to your bike, get what you need to get, and go. There is no changing area.

Best of luck! I hope you have a great time!

I made myself a race belt out of a piece of nylon webbing and an old fastex buckle. I think there's some electrical tape on there securing the ends. It's worked great for every race I've done. Another idea would be to pin the number on a t-shirt or something that you would put on in T1. The lady racked next to me at my last race was having the same predicament and was about to pin the number on her swimsuit. I suggested she pin it on her race shorts (they were loose running shorts) that she'd be putting on in T1 and she did.

I definitely agree with being prepared for rain by having a garbage bag or something covering your stuff. What I might eventually do is get a small rubbermaid bin with a lid - only big enough to hold my shoes, socks.

I try to keep it simple. I remember being up for hours the night before my first race organizing my stuff, but the next race it seemed so simple - bike shoes, running shoes, helmet, goggles, socks, done!

Good luck!