My Bags Are Packed & I’m Ready To Go

Packing for a race can be anxiety-causing if you go about it carelessly. Forgotten items may be hard to secure even at a race-fair. Plus, it can upset your equilibrium for the event.

Prior to your next overseas Ironman or 70.3 race, here are some packing considerations:

1) Get a ‘what-to-bring’ list drawn up first. Source it from seasoned competitors if this is your maiden race.

2) Place your race-kit aside (racing attire, helmet, race-belt, shoes, flip-flops, heart-rate monitor, speedometer, Bento-box, sunshades, wetsuit, Ziploc bags, body-lubricant, spare water-bottle, and plastic carrier bags for gaining entry into your wetsuit). Note: Lay out your race-kit and nutritional aids according to the three bags (S, B & R) so as not to leave anything important out.

3) Check the condition of your race-kit for potential wardrobe malfunction, or mechanical malfunction (stuck zippers, tears in the fabric).

4) Bring extra socks, running-shoes, energy gels, energy-bars, goggles (one dark/one clear), and salt-tablets.

5) Pack your bike into the bike-case at least two days in advance (dismantle/loosen cockpit, saddle/seat-post, and pedals) in case you face mechanical difficulties like stuck pedals. Ensure that you have adequate bubble-wrap that you can purchase from your local bike-shop. Better still get your bike-mechanic to pack it properly into your bike-case. 

6) Nutritional package for your ‘Special Needs’ bag (Bring Your Own stuff that you trained with; fresh solid/comfort food can be purchased from the nearby supermarket near your race accommodation). There is one bag each for the Ride and Run.

7) Prepare both wet-weather/cold-day attire (arm-warmers) and additional nutritional support (your raised metabolism from shivering, will require more calories).

8) Pack your tools in the bike-case (Allan-keys, spare-tubes/tyres, duct-tape/masking tape, foldable scissors, and old water-bottles to discard at aid-stations). If you use tubular tyres, then pack used and flexible ones as race-spares (easier to dress on your rims during a flat).

9) Re-check your list (see if you left out anything).

10) Buy your CO2 canisters at the race-fair (anything else like duct-tape, international socket, bring from home). Bring enough money for the pre-race and post-race merchandise shopping. If you are an iPod person, bring your digital music along on race morning.

Packing can be a stressful process. By doing it early, you can determine if anything is faulty or missing. You still have time to borrow or purchase the items. Once you travel, you want to minimize your pre-race stress levels to a manageable level. Race with assurance and presence of mind!

9 Ways To Stay Calm & Composed Before the Big Race

This piece is for Saturday: The day before the Hong Kong Marathon. I decided to squeeze in several days of posts in advance in case I enjoyed my break too much. Stay tuned for our interview with adventure racer, Ironman triathlete, and coach Wilson Low next week!

*****

You have done the time. Time to deliver the goods. Even with the best-trained and recovered athletes, other factors like concerns, worries and doubt can disrupt optimal performance on race day. If you experience pre-race jitters, how do you manage them? When left uncontrolled, anxiety and nervousness can sap away at our race energies. Emotions can drain your physical energies and put you in a less-than-optimal state. Here are some thoughts on how to exorcise some of these energy parasites.

1)    Listen to your favourite choice of music and songs.

2)    Rest. Take a nap. Keep your feet off the ground.

3)    Enjoy your Social Media (Tweeter, Facebook, blog, etc.).

4)    Avoid strenuous physical activities, like going for a run to burn excess energy off.

5)    Enjoy a good comedy. There are plenty of funny animated films available.

6)    Shoot the breeze with friends, except with those who are highly competitive and talk about racing strategies.

7)    Sit on a bench at a park, and watch the world go by.

8)    Be realistic about your goals. Complete or compete. Avoid giving yourself heightened expectations that are hard to meet.

9)    Stay near the start-point so that you get extra sleep, and not worry about reaching there on-time.

Well, that’s what I’ll be doing from today onwards until Sunday’s race. I will be running at 6:20am with thousands of runners at the Hong Kong Marathon. Then, the real race begins as I grab lunch and head for the airport, to Shanghai for a teaching assignment. It should be a blast!

To those who are racing this Sunday: Have a great day!

The Long Ride

Tomorrow morning at about 4.30am, I will set off with a group of riders into Malaysia to do a challenging ride.

Orchestrated and initiated by our leader, Clifford Lee (of the popular TriFast blog) we will ride a grueling 180km into relatively unchartered riders' territory. Over the past week, we have enjoyed intensive information relating to the distance, route, terrain and weather. Some of the 22 committed riders are feeling anxious; some are excited; others are playing it cool. It is akin to the day before an Ironman triathlon.

It will be a memorable day I'm sure, as this is a tune-up for some of us doing Ironman Malaysia at end-February. A 180-kilometre ride is a good rehearsal before the race, and this has the elements of an Indiana Jones adventure: frying-pan heat, suffocating humidity, and gasping hills. This is also a welcome respite as there is a long stretch of vacation coming up, with lots of feasting involved. This is like punishment before the pleasure. We will celebrate in style tomorrow, after the ride, as we have decided on our menu (that reads like a glutton's festival). My take is: 'Melts in you mouth, goes to your heart!' In a good way, of course. We would have deserved it after ploughing through the long distance and rolling roads.

Resting up today - okay, maybe some swim drills, bike check and my nutrition package ready for tomorrow. More on this ride tomorrow. Happy weekend to all!