The short answer
Wake about 3 to 4 hours before your start, eat a familiar carbohydrate breakfast, get to transition with at least 60 to 90 minutes in hand, set up, warm up and be at the swim start 10 to 15 minutes early. The exact times depend on your race, so work backwards from your start time and check the athlete guide for when transition opens and closes.
The timeline, worked back from the start
This example assumes a 7:00 start and a 20 to 30 minute trip to the venue. Times are estimates built from typical athlete guides; replace them with your own race's transition and body marking hours.
| Time | Before start | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 3:30 | 3.5 h | Alarm. Drink water, use the bathroom, eat breakfast. |
| 4:15 | 2 h 45 min | Last check of the bag: helmet, race belt, shoes, nutrition, goggles. |
| 4:30 | 2.5 h | Leave for the venue. Park early, the queues are not worth it. |
| 5:15 | 1 h 45 min | Transition opens. Rack the bike, set the kit, check tyres, fill bottles. |
| 5:45 | 1 h 15 min | Body marking and timing chip. Walk the swim exit and bike exit once. |
| 6:15 | 45 min | Bathroom stop, sip a drink, wetsuit on if allowed. Transition often closes around now. |
| 6:30 | 30 min | Easy jog or mobility, then a short swim warm-up if the organisers allow it. |
| 6:50 | 10 min | In your wave or your self-seeded spot. The last bathroom stop is behind you. |
For a Half or Full the same shape holds with a longer lead: more food, more bag drops and a transition that closes well before the start. Find your race on the races page and read its athlete guide.
Breakfast: what and when
Sports nutrition guidance (Burke et al., 2011) recommends 1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg of body mass in the 1 to 4 hours before exercise lasting longer than an hour. For a 70 kg athlete that is 70 to 280 g, a wide range on purpose. A common rule of thumb (an estimate) is to land toward the low end if you eat close to the start and the high end if you eat 3 to 4 hours before.
Pick foods you have already eaten before long sessions: oats, white bread with jam, rice, a banana. Keep fat, fibre and anything new low. Sip water or a sports drink steadily, and avoid gulping in the last hour. The carb loading calculator covers the days before; the triathlon nutrition calculator covers the race itself, and triathlon nutrition basics explains the numbers.
Setting up transition without stress
Arrive with your list ready. The packing list is built for exactly this bag. At your rack, line things up in the order you will use them: for T1, shoes, helmet, sunglasses; for T2, run shoes, race belt, cap. Put the bike in an easy gear and note where your spot is relative to swim in, bike out and run out, because every transition looks different once a thousand bikes are racked.
Rules that catch beginners (helmet clipped before you touch the bike, no headphones) are in triathlon rules for beginners.
Wetsuit, warm-up and the last 15 minutes
Under World Triathlon rules the head referee announces the official water temperature and wetsuit status one hour before the start, so you decide in the last hour, not the night before. Put the wetsuit on slowly and check the zip. Details on the swim itself are in the swim start guide.
Warm up lightly: 5 to 10 minutes of jogging or mobility, arm circles and, if allowed, a few minutes in the water to get your face wet and your breathing settled (estimates). Then stop. Standing around is fine; burning energy is not.
Sources
- Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SHS, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci 2011;29 Suppl 1:S17-S27. The 1 to 4 g/kg, 1 to 4 h figure is as reported in the GSSI review of dietary carbohydrate for the endurance athlete; the 2016 joint position statement (Thomas, Erdman and Burke, Med Sci Sports Exerc 2016;48(3):543-568) covers the same ground
- World Triathlon FAQ: head referee announces water temperature and wetsuit status 1 hour before the start
- The timeline is an estimate; your race's athlete guide sets the real transition and body marking hours
Published 2026-10-20. Your race's athlete guide always has the final word on its rules and times.
Questions
How early should I wake up on triathlon race morning?
About 3 to 4 hours before your start. That gives you time for breakfast 2 to 3 hours before the gun, travel and a calm transition set-up. Check when transition closes in your athlete guide.
What should I eat before a triathlon?
A familiar, carbohydrate-rich breakfast such as oats, white bread with jam, rice or a banana. Sports nutrition guidelines suggest 1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg of body mass in the 1 to 4 hours before, with less fat and fibre the closer you eat to the start.
What time does transition open and close?
It varies by race. It commonly opens 1.5 to 2 hours before the first start and closes 30 to 60 minutes before, but your athlete guide has the real times.
When do I put my wetsuit on?
About 15 to 30 minutes before your start, after your last bathroom stop. Under World Triathlon rules the head referee announces the wetsuit status one hour before the start, so check before you commit.
Should I warm up before a triathlon?
A short, easy warm-up helps: 5 to 10 minutes of jogging or mobility and a few minutes in the water if the organisers allow it. Keep it easy so you start fresh.