- Are you packing for a training camp?
Or perhaps you're off to a triathlon competition.
Or maybe, you're going on a family holiday
and you're trying to sneak some kit into your bags.
Well, either way, you want to make sure
you have all the essentials,
and most importantly, not too much.
Quite timely, a good friend of mine, Nick Beer,
is joining me for a few days,
and he's an ex-elite triathlete,
and now a strength conditioning coach.
- Hey, guys.
- Nick, I thought you were only coming for a couple of days.
- Yeah, I am, I thought I packed quite light.
- Seems like quite a lot to me.
Do you want me to give you a hand?
- Yeah, if you don't mind.
- Well Nick's not setting a great example here,
but between us, we have done a fair
few triathlon trips over the years.
So, here are a few tips and essentials
you should consider when it comes to packing.
(light trumpet music)
Oh, wow, what is going on here?
- Well, I've taken on board what you've said Mark,
and I'm gonna write lists, so for next time I know,
I can be super organised.
- Alright, well, I'm really sorry.
I didn't mean to offend you.
- Oh, it's okay, I mean it's helpful now,
though just would wish I did it sooner.
- Okay, we'll I'll leave you to it.
- Cheers.
- This is actually a really good idea,
something I used to do all the time.
Just write a really simple list of all the essential items,
especially the ones that you might forget,
like a plug adaptor so you can charge your devices,
especially your electronic gears.
- This is really helpful for races,
as you tend to be nervous about the race,
let alone trying to remember all your kits.
- Exactly, it just takes all the stress out,
that you can just tick off the items as you go,
and then you can get on with your way
knowing that you've got everything.
(light playful music)
- So 5K down mate, should we got for a second loop?
- Second loop?
- Yeah.
- Oh Mark, I don't think I can.
- You're not looking too good mate, you okay?
- I got a confession,
I didn't pack any food, and I'm really struggling in energy.
- You should of said.
- I know but I had so many other things to pack.
- Well let's home then, come on then.
- (sighs) Sorry.
- This can be the worst thing.
- You're telling me.
- Yeah, heading out for training, especially a long ride
without eating enough before, or taking enough with you,
can be horrible.
- It's one of the things that most people
don't remember to do,
but it has such an impact on your training,
so a little tip that I personally use,
when I'm away, is to pack a few gels into one of these.
- Nice trick, well failing that,
if you are on the road and
you haven't taken enough with you,
just stop by a supermarket, pick up some of your
preferred food and energy sources,
be it bars, bananas, you name it.
Just make sure you're prepared.
(light trumpet music)
- Alright mate, we good to go?
- Mark, hi.
- What do you look like?
- I know, how long have we got?
I'm in a bit of a mess at the moment,
I can't seem to find anything.
- Did someone pack a bit too much maybe?
- (sighs) Sorry. - I'm gonna leave you to it.
- Thanks, sorry.
- Okay, we don't want you running out of kit, but equally,
you can pack too much, especially if you're tight for space.
- This depends on the length of your trip,
the training that you have planned,
and the cleaning facilities available to you.
So, for a week camp, I'd normally opt for a few sets of kit.
- A few sets of swimwear?
- Maybe not swimwear, but definitely for everything else,
and really check if there's a washing machine,
and anywhere to clean all your kit.
- Of course, do check the conditions
and the weather that you're heading into.
So, a top tip, check the forecast before you pack.
- Wow, thanks Mark, a great tip.
- (chuckles) Alright, well also think about how you pack.
You wanna make sure it's organised,
a little bit more organised that yours, Nick.
So, another top tip, is to roll your clothes to save space,
and then section into bike and run kit in your bags,
and then you can find it more easily;
and so that you don't have dirty laundry
in the corner your room whilst you're away.
Pack a plastic bag, so you got, like
a mobile laundry basket.
- Hello, mate.
- [Nick] Hey, Mark. - You alright, ready to go?
- Yeah. - Oh, hang on.
Wait, you're not get gonna far if your tyre is like that.
- (sighs) I forgot my pump, sorry.
- Come on, I'll come and sort you out.
- Thank you.
- Right there, lack of tools has got your ride plans.
I'm always having to pack up teth away with my bike.
So, I always have a bag of essentials
ready to grab as I'm heading out the door.
So, let's take a look inside.
First up, we have a tyre,
in case I'm having issues with my tyre.
- Then you have some chain lead,
just to keep your train free-flowing with you're riding.
- Got some electrical tape, just for fixing stuff.
- Then we have the Allen Keys,
for any mechanical issues you may have.
- We have inner tube,
in case you have a puncture,
and a tyre lever to get that off.
- We have a small pump for any
punctures you may have when you're out riding,
and to keep your tyres inflated.
- Should you get caught in the dark,
got some lights as well.
Right, but one of my favourites, is the mini floor pump.
I hate having to rely on others to pump my tyres up,
but equally, I hate having to pack a full size track pump.
But this allows me to get
my tyres up to the pressure I need,
and it takes up hardly any space.
(cats meowing)
(Nick laughing)
- Could you keep it down!
I got race tomorrow.
Right, it took me a long time to get onto the earplug train,
but wow, it is a game changer.
- Especially when you're sharing a room
with someone that snores.
- I don't snore!
- Hypothetically speaking, it's just really helpful
when you are sharing a room with another person.
- Yeah, and especially if that person decides
they're gonna sit on their phone all night, giggling away.
- [Nick] Alright, alright, but have you tried the eye mask?
- You know what, I actually haven't.
- To me, the eye mask was a real game changer.
It really helped me get a really good night's sleep,
and block out the light, which usually would keep me awake
if I'm staying a hotel or a friend's house.
- [Mark] Okay, I'm sold.
I will pack one next time.
Right, last but not least, how about the turbo trainer?
- Turbo trainer, you're not saving
much space by taking that.
- I know, I know, but hear me out on this one.
You're right, it isn't saving space.
But it can be tricky to fit your cycling in,
or be able to cycle, if you're travelling
through the middle of nowhere.
So, a turbo trainer, or an indoor trainer,
can be really useful.
- But if you're travelling via fly,
you're gonna struggle to pack a turbo trainer.
But if you're travelling in a car, and you have the space,
then it may be a good idea to take the turbo trainer
to ensure you keep up your cycling miles.
- Exactly, and I'm all for training outdoors,
and cycling outdoors rather than indoors.
But, there's no denying, that indoor trainers
are great for getting quality training in.
- Whilst we're on the subject of bulky items,
why not take care of your legs as well,
by thinking about taking a foam roller.
- Yeah, a foam roller is great for,
kinda keeping your legs in check,
and niggles at bay,
and really nice feature with them,
well a lot of them is.
But their hollow, so you can actually pack
some of your gear inside them, and
they often come in a baby version too.
Right, there's our list of things to consider
when you're next travelling for a triathlon.
But, we're sure there's lots of other things to consider,
and I'm sure some of you have got
some of your own tips and tricks,
so we'd love to hear them.
Drop them in the comments below.
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