"No matter how expert you may be, well-designed checklists can improve outcomes."
Triathlon is a complex sport that requires a significant amount of gear to participate, even in the shortest of distances. As the race length increases so too do the gear requirements and the headache of making sure you have everything you need.
To ensure you never leave anything behind that could ruin your race, it is a good idea to put in place processes that help you to eliminate silly mistakes from derailing all the hard work you have put into your preparation.
My favourite process for managing gear is… checklists.
I outlined the benefits of using a checklist in detail in a previous article that I wrote for runners but to summarise them here for you, checklists can help to …
Reduce anxiety and build confidence.
Save mental and emotional energy.
Save you time.
Form part of your pre-race ritual.
With so many things to worry about when planning and executing a race, checklists help to bring simplicity and order to a sometimes overwhelming situation. The simple act of checking items off the list as you go.
Don’t Leave Anything Behind
To kick start your process of working to a checklist, I have put together a simple checklist that you can download and use. This checklist covers the basic items you’ll need, and you can easily add any additional items that are specific to your race or tastes in the spaces I have left blank.