Triathlon Packing List...Why, Oh Why, Do I Tri??

I really enjoy the multi-sport aspect of triathloning, but every time I pack for a race and prepare for all 3 sports in a single day, I desperately wonder why on earth I signed up.  Triathloning requires a ton of gear, and if you are traveling over night to race the packing can literally take hours.  So, I've decided to blog about a packing list so that I can forever memorialize my packing list and maybe, just maybe, packing for the next one won't be so bad.

*Disclaimer, this is a packing list for a longer race which includes an overnight stay!

Pre-Race

• Body Glide, Body Glide, Body Glide
• Chamois Butter
• IBuprofen
• Trisuit
• Sunscreen
• Sport Watch and Heart Rate Monitor (Don't forget your charger)
• Safety Pin (To pin your timing chip so you don't lose it.)

Swim

• Wetsuit
• Wetsuit Lube (Depending on how tight your wetsuit is, you may need some sort of lube to get your wetsuit on and prevent wetsuit burn.)
• Goggles (Bring extra goggles!)
• Water Socks (Some races allow them, but even if your race doesn't you might want these for the pre-race practice swim if the race entry is particularly rocky or just plain gross...Geist anyone?)
• Wetsuit Sleeves (These are really not necessary, but I have a sleeveless wetsuit, so if expecting particularly cold water temperatures, these are nice because they pull on.)
• Flip Flops (I recommend wearing flip flops that you can bare to part with in case you leave them.)
• Swim Cap (For the practice swim, or you can double cap with the race cap.)

Bike

• Bike
• Helmet
• Socks
• Bike Shoes
• Biking Gloves (I don't wear them, but some people do.)
• Biking Glasses
• Bike Water Bottles (And all of the mixes, powders, fuel items that will need to along into your water bottles.  If you have an aero bottle don't forget straw(s) and gauze to keep them from splashing on you.)
• Bento Box and Fuel (Gu, Shot Blocks, Sport Beans, etc.)
• Extra Tubes
• CO2 Cartridges
• Tools
• Extra End Caps (If you lose one, they won't let you race without them.)

Run

• Running Shoes
• Hat or Visor
• Sunglasses (If different from your biking glasses.)
• Race Belt
• Bike Jacket/Rain Jacket (If there is any chance of inclement weather.)
• Water/Fuel Belt (Especially important if it is really hot.)
• ABSOLUTELY NO IPODS - Triathlons do not allow you to wear earphones!

Transition

• Transition Bag
• Extra Body Glide (You may want to lube your feet after the swim if you are prone to blisters in long distances.)
• Extra Chamois Butter (Also a good lubricant for other body parts.)
• Towel (I usually don't dry off after the swim, but you may want to wipe your face and I use a bright colored towel draped over the bike rack to help me find my bike!)
• Transition Mat or Extra Towel (I put this on the ground and arrange all of my transition items on top of it.)
• Bucket or Milk Crate (Some people like to have something to sit on to get their wetsuit off and change shoes.  The milk crate has proven useful for carrying items.)
• Bike Pump
• Extra Water or Gatorade (You might be thirsty at transition and be carrying smaller bottles on the run that you want to reserve.)
• Extra Fuel (In case you drop a Gu or your pack of Sport Beans on the bike course.)
• First Aid Items
• Extra IBuprofen
• Extra Sunscreen
• Chap stick
• Packet of Kleenex (You never know when you may appreciate having a toilet paper like item at transition or in your bike trunk.)

Additional Items

• Extra Swimsuit or Trisuit (For pre-race practice swim.)
• Extra Trisuit (For pre-race short bike and gear check.)
• Hemorrhoid Cream (I know this sounds crazy, but if you get blisters that have not popped this will dry them out over night.  It is seriously amazing.)
• Saran Wrap, Plastic Target Bags, Scissors and Packing Tape (I use this to pack my bike for transport.  See my tips for packing your bike for transport below.  Also, the scissors may come in handy if you need to trim a straw.)
• Bike Lock
• Medication
• Toothbrush and Toiletries
• Extra Fuel
• Wet wipes
• Clothes/Shoes for after the race (Remember you may be desperate to get your shoes off or or trisuit off if you are chafing.) 
• Camera

Packing Your Bike For Transport
First, I realize that most people just put their bike either in the car or on the back of the car and go.  But, when I am towing my bike for any distance, I like to protect the seat and handlebars.  First, my handle bars and seat are white, and second I don't really want a soggy seat when I arrive.  (And, yes, I realize that when I triathlon I end up with a wet but on my seat.  But there is a difference between a slightly soggy seat and a seat that has been through a torrential downpour.)  So, here is what I do to pack my bike for transport.  I remove all of my bike bags (bento box and rear trunk).   I also remove my aero pads so they don't get wet.  I then use the saran wrap to methodically wrap the bike seat and handle bars.  I would also recommend wrapping the ends of the handle bars to secure the end caps so they do not get knocked off during transport.  If you tie the saran wrap to the bike frame the saran wrap holds up pretty well to the wind.  You can secure the leftover end of the saran wrap after you are done wrapping with packing tape.  I then take the extra step of tying a grocery bag around the bike seat and handlebars for good measure.  Just remember you will want to pack your bike for transport back after the race, so you will want to bring the saran wrap and extra grocery bags (the original grocery bags likely won't survive the wind) with you.  The scissors will help you when it comes time to unwrap the bike.

I would love to learn about tips and tricks others use for triathlon packing especially if anyone else has any weird items on their list like I do.

Hopefully this is everything, if I think of anything else, I will definitely update this post!