Pre-Race Rituals - Do you have any?

For most all "A" Races:

1). Haircut the week before (At a Barber with Clippers and Straight Razor)
2). Massage (About 2 Weeks Out usually during Taper Time)
3). New Shoes (Usually do my last Long Run in them)
4). Do my last Sunday Workout before the Race in what I am going to wear
5). Make a Point to thank folks in my life. (For thier Support and encouragement)
6). If I am the Local Kid, Make Plans/Reservations for the FE

That is about all I can think of and most of this is pretty automatic at this point. My monthly shoe order from RRS usually arrives right on time and my regularly scheduled Monthly Massage usually fits right in also. (Nothing Special to do here)

 underwear? Whats that??

Bagel w/  PB. Sometimes honey. 

 AC/DC  - Hells Bells  - gets the blood flowing 

"different from your competitors" ?

 I can only assume that I (we all) poop pretty much the same way.

 Beyond that, I always listen to Know Your Enemy - Rage Against the Machine before every race. Works like a charm!

~B

Do you count the last-minute scurry to collect all important race gear (including the frantic phone calls to my personal race-support) that I thought I had put together ahead of time? 

Other than that...nothing specific. 

I usually barf in the bushes.... not a ritual really, it just seems to go that way.

A 20 oz Mountain Dew is a must!  Can't start a race morning without it.

<--- and just in case you were wondering about "post-race".

If only there was some way to make a list of the gear you'd need for a race and print it out. Some sort of checklist...

For tris I'm doing from home, I like to back the car into the garage and then rack the bike on it the night before so I can just pull straight out of the garage in the morning. It's the only time the car is backed into the garage.

I also like to do at least one thing for another racer before each race. Lend someone my bike pump, give away some wipes in the porta-potty line, something. It helps me to see the big picture and not get too wrapped up in my own head.

I know this is going to sound bizarre...but the night before, dinner must include steamed clams.

I know to some this sounds like courting disaster.

But by coincidence I had steamed clams the night before my first two tri's, so I figured "if ain't broke, don't fix it".  So, now its before every race.

You'd think that might help...until the backpack with all of the checklisted gear doesn't make it from the hotel room to the car.  Luckily, the hotel was only 1.5 miles away. 

1. Pre-mix my Infinit bottles as carefully as a chemistry expriment 24+ hours before the race and put them in the freezer.

2. Up three hours before the race for coffee, eat two hours before the race (always oatmeal), warm-up one hour before the race (always at the hotel) and stretch a zillion times worrying about every niggle or minor twitch.

3. Whizz twice right before the start.

4. Kiss my DH and tell him how much I appreciate him for being my sherpa (he is my extra Infinit holder) and semi cheerleader.

I have a lucky t-shirt that I have to wear before every race. It's from a running race from a few years ago where I got hurt slipping on some leaves. Getting hurt wasn't lucky, but I figure that it's pretty lucky that I got better and I'm still able to run..

I also like to listen to music before a race, and 2 songs that I absolutely must hear are AC/DC's Highway to Hell, and the first movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. An unusual combination, but it works for me.

Vegetarian Combo C from Playa Azul...My favorite local Mexican restaurant.

VC C consists of Bean Burrito, Cheese Enchilada, Bean Tostada, Beans and Rice!

Why do you need a designated hitter in a triathlon?

I probably have the oddest pre-race meal because it involves no carbs. I've found I do better by eating a ton of carbs the night before, then race-day morning I have nothing but a protein shake, some flax seed oil and fish oil capsules, and half a can of low-carb Monster energy drink. How's that for weird?