Here is a nifty check list (quite thorough) for those of you agonizing over finding, packing, procuring and transporting all the gadgets and gear necessary for your race. As a self-confessed race minimalist, a triathlon oxymoron if ever there was, I have reduced the plethora of options down to a sparse few. The RCVman bare-bones tri-gear check list:
YOU (as motor, finely tuned, lubed, oiled, fueled, rested, polished, and ready)
Tri suit (wear under wetsuit and keep on until done)
Goggles
Wetsuit
Race belt
Bike
Helmet
Shoes
Spare tube and Co2 kit
Cap
Sunglasses
Running shoes
Nutrition (strategy will be dictated by distance)
Smile
Of the above the two most important by LIGHT YEARS are the first and the last. Unless you are a Pro Triathlete racing for livelihood or endorsement, (and I can't recall Andy Potts or Chrissy Wellington posting here) the idea of triathlon is to enjoy a morning of healthy outdoor fun in a non-threatening, positive environment. You can bring your 10K worth of speed weaponry, every tracking device imaginable, the latest fashion in tops, shorts, suits, hats, gloves, socks, shades and shoes and be miserable.
We want to have more fun that is probably legal. I will be riding a $300 rebuilt frame, wearing a tri suit that is now eleven years old, and running in schwag shoes. I found my sunglasses by some outback roadside, and my DeSoto two-piece neoprene suit has been out of production for at least five years. I am baking race day nutrition (pinole) as we blog.
This racing sandwich is fat free. It is not supersized, not garnished by excessive bling. What's between the motor and the smile is choice. And please don't get me wrong, I like toys, there are some great tools out there that can make your day a lot easier. I love bike porn. I simply chose to fill my race bag with confidence and gratitude, rather than swishes and logoed junk.
It is, and always will be, about the motor. Pack happy.
The pix are in T2 from last year's Branson, MO 70.3. Neatness counts!
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