As the saying goes Քime waits for no manՠor in our case waits for no Team! Here we are only days away from our flagship event – The Big Ben Nevis Triathlon – and members are already proposing a truly Emotional day, and I havenִ even mentioned the heavy rain forecast outlined by the Met Office. We all to an extent couldֶe done more, my swimming went from semi regular to non existent whereas others cite injury, mechanical problems, work or just plain old laziness as a pre-emptive excuse to a difficult time on course. But hey, this is what weֲe all about, we are all amateurs in the truest sense of the word, trying our best wherever possible but often stumbling and veering off the sacred path into something a little less sweet smelling. But this is what makes us, this is why we compete on behalf of Team Emotional @ PhysioRoom.com because we love the challenge!
What time will no longer allow for, we can at least guarantee that we prepare fully behind the scenes to hopefully ensure a safe and injury free few hours throughout the race. If you want advice then you would like it from someone who you respect, trust and ultimately look up to and in terms of triathlon no-one else on the planet has done more for raising the profile of this sport than Chrissie Wellington (in my humble opinion) plus a couple of added extras from my good self and the race organisers.
General
Large sealable plastic box to store goods and keep them dry
Energy gels/bars and food
Camera for those all important shots pre/post event
Swim
Wetsuit
Cap (x2 will help make the water seem less cold)
Silicon earplugs
Goggles
Lubricant (apply to areas prone to chafing, plus ankles/wrists making for easier wetsuit removal)
Weaker swimmers start at the side or towards the back
Bike
Repair kit
Spare inner tube x2
Tyre levers
Pump
Multi tool including chain splitter
Sunglasses
Helmet
Secure bottles/gels to the bike before the start of the race
Run
Running kit (to include full body cover waterproofs, we are expecting heavy rain)
Ideally a multi terrain shoe as conditions will be difficult under foot
Whistle
Hat and gloves
Small rucksack to include food
Mobile phone
Post Race
Wash bag and towel Рhot showers available after the event
Dry warm clothing
Flip flops (essential – blessing for sore/hot/blistered feet)
Replace fluid and refuel
Undoubtedly I wouldֶe missed something, any comments via the site are more than welcome – in fact it is a must! Tips, recommendations from beginner to seasoned pro will all be considered on their own merits Рthank you in advance! On one final footnote, in keeping with the general ethos of our cobbled together squad we will once again be raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care via our Just Giving page: http://www.justgiving.com/teams/teamemotional/
‘aut viam inveniam aut faciam’
Author: Ben Dinnery