This is a quick breakdown of what gear I am taking/using for Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire this time around. I like to do a post like this so that I can look back and see what stuff I need next time I am packing for a triathlon but also, but someone new to the sport may find this of use as well. I certainly remember trying to figure out what I needed for my first triathlon and it was a very daunting task. There is a heck of a lot more kit than just rocking up to a local 10k with a vest, shorts, trainers and socks.

Those who read my recent IRONMAN UK 2021 GEAR post will probably notice that pretty much all of the gear for Staffs is the same as Bolton. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Fuelling

Before driving down to Stafford on race morning, I will have my breakfast at home. This will be a bowl of porridge and a coffee. I will also toast a bagel to take with me and eat whilst waiting around at the start. Also, I will take a 500ml bottle of Maurten Drink mix 320 to drink on the bus from Stafford down to Chasewater. This will just top up the carbs prior to the race.

Whilst on the bike I will be taking two 900ml bottles, both filled with one and a half sachets of Maurten Drink Mix 320. Again, this will continue that carb intake, replacing some of what is burned during the bike leg.

I am expecting to take a bottle of the event provided Gatorade thirst quencher at the second aid station around 40 miles into the bike. The forecast is looking like it will be a warm day so I need to ensure that I stay on top of the hydration.

Every 35 minutes during the bike leg I will take a SiS Go Energy Electrolyte gel. This is to replace some of the electrolytes, sodium and potassium lost during the bike through sweating etc. In addition to that take a bite of the flapjack every 20 minutes. This provides extra carbs to fuel the body, I have tried this mix of gels and solid fuels for a number of years and it seems to work well for me.

Then for the run leg, I will be using the event provided Maurten Gel 100 every 30 minutes, so I am expecting to take 2 maybe 3 of these during the run. Ironman is now using Maurten as their gel provider which is nice as these are the gels I use for all of my long runs and races.

Swim Gear

Once again I will be racing in the Team Zoot trisuit for Staffs this year, as well as the Rymora calf sleeves. I have had tight calves on and over for the past year so I race in these to improve the blood flow. Does it work? I am not entirely sure but it doesn’t do any harm so I am continuing with the sleeves for now.

New for Staffs is the Garmin HRM Pro. Previous I used the Garmin HRM-Tri but that has been playing up for a month now. During Ironman UK it stopped working completely 2 hours into the bike so it’s gone and I am now using the Garmin HRM Pro. So far I have run in it twice and it has been ok, it gives a heart rate reading, that’s all I want. I am also using the Garmin Forerunner 935. Again, this has also been playing up for a month as well. It has stopped recording the elevation and the temperature sticks at 43’c. It does the basics though, time, pace etc so for now, I am sticking by it.

More specifically for the swim, I will be using the HUUB Archimedes II GB Edition wetsuit. This is over 3 years old now and showing some signs of wear and tear. Some little scratching and holes on some of the seams but it still does the job fine. Another thing that will need replacing shortly I think.

I use Body Glide around my wrists, ankles and neck. This helps the wetsuit slide on and off easier and helps to prevent chafing around the neck area.

Goggles, I am using my 2018 Zoggs, I like these as they have a bigger lens, this helps to see those around me in the water and helps when sighting the buoys. These are also showing signs of wear and tear. A lot of scratches and the protective film on the inside of the lens is coming off in places. I have just brought a new pair to use after Staffs, pretty much the exact same goggles but with a mirror lens.

That’s about it for the swim kit. At registration, Ironman will provide us with a disposable face mask to use on race morning when in T1 and waiting for the swim start.

T1 Gear

In my T1 bag I always leave a little hand towel, usually, this is to just dry my feet so that I can quickly put on my Enertor Energy Run socks but with the weather forecast looking warm and sunny I will also use the towel to dry off my arms, neck and face before putting on the Premax sunscreen. I am expecting to be finished before the warmest part of the day but still want some sun protection.

My race belt is the FitLetic Ultimate II. I love this belt as it does its basic belt duty of holding the race number but has a zipped pouch that can hold 3 or 4 gels or has loops on each side that can hold up to 6 gels. I use this belt a lot during the long summer training runs to carry my nutrition and phone.

More specific bike gear, I will be wearing my Fizik R3B 2018 cycle shoes. These are another item I may look to renew in the coming months, they are starting to show their age and anyone who has had cycle shoes that have seen 3 years of use indoors will know, they get a little sweaty. It’s not so easy making them smell fresh after that kind of action. The helmet is a Kask Mojito, again, something else that may well get an upgrade shortly, something a little more aero may be next on the list, but for now, the Kask really does the trick and keeps the head cool during the summer.

Sunglasses for the bike are the Oakley Jawbreakers, Cavendish edition and I will be using the Wahoo Element Roam head unit with the Staffs 70.3 route loaded up, this gives me a heads up on what is around the corner. I can see the route profile ahead and where any sharp bends are.

In the blue bike bag I have one SiS Go Energy gel, this just gives the body a top-up before hitting the bike.

T2 Gear

Not a great deal of kit in the run bag. Once I have got rid of the bike gear I have a white new balance running cap, white so as not to get too hot in the sun whilst screening my head from the direct sun. Roka Kona sunglasses, I love these glasses and have used these for pretty much every race since mid-2019.

As the run is a half marathon, I will be racing in the Nike Vaporfly Next% once again.

Race Day?

How did race day go? head over to my IRONMAN 70.3 STAFFORDSHIRE 2021 RACE RECAP to see how I got on and whether this gear worked for me.