Race Day Essentials
You’ve logged the miles and put in the hard work. Don’t let not having the right gear slow you down on race day. Here are tips for packing everything you need in your race gear bag.
Colorado weather is warming up and that means that prime racing season is underway. There are so many exciting races to choose from, from urban road courses to mountain getaways on the trails. You’ve put in the miles and are ready for the start line. From exercise-specific sports clothing to high tech running shoes to proper nutrition, it takes a lot to reach your peak performance. Don’t let not having the proper equipment slow you down. Here are ideas for what to pack in your race day gear bag.
Nutrition: For longer runs, it can be important to have a nutrition plan in place. From sports gels to energy drinks, you can go longer and faster if you take in the right amount of calories. It’s best to try out different options on your training runs. And while you can depend on the race aid stations to offer the right mix of energy drinks and gels, if you’re going for a long race, it might be worth it to bring your own race nutrition. That includes bringing your own hand-held water bottle or water in your backpack, or maybe even a type of race belt to hold your gels. And I’ve been to too many races where they didn’t have the right fuel at the finish line to help me recover, so I’ve gotten in the habit of packing a few food and drink options of my own for after longer distance races, just in case I need something specific after my race that the post-race food tables don’t have.
Blister Prevention: With the warmer weather and sunshine, we tend to start sweating a lot more. There’s nothing fun about having blisters on our toes and chafing under our arms to derail our race times. I like to slather on petroleum jelly before a race to help keep my skin from rubbing, but now I prefer Body Glide, and there are other products that work well too. KT Performance and Blister Tape stays on through sweat and helps prevent blisters, chafing and hot spots from developing.
Sun Protection: Colorado sunshine is intense and I’ve run a few races where I’ve gotten burned. From the tops of my ears to my shoulders, it’s easy to forget the sunscreen when you’re getting up and starting a race in the dark. Pack a waterproof sunscreen that won’t melt away when you sweat. My gear bag also always contains a pair of high performance sunglasses, like the Rudy Project prescription sunglasses I currently use. I prefer to always run with a hat on to keep my face shielded from the sun.
Clothes and Sandals: My gear bag always includes a dry, clean change of clothes for after racing and a pair of sandals or flip flops. I get pretty wet and stinky after I’ve finished running and have cooled down, so I don’t like to drive home like that, especially when it can take an hour or so to get back after an event. So I always make sure I have a change of clothes, which also helps to keep my from shivering. My feet need a treat from the long miles I’ve logged, so I like to get my wet socks and uncomfortable running shoes off as soon as possible. I let my feet breath with recovery sandals, like the PR Soles I’m currently wearing or the Hoka One One Ora Recovery Slides.
Happy Trails,
Derek Griffiths | Publisher