With a lot of out-of-town racing coming up with Superweek, Michael Kelly (South Chicago Wheelmen) reminds me that this is a good time to hone your pre-race checklist. You don’t want to be three hours from home and realize you’ve forgotten your shoes. (Or the key to your roof rack, which I’ve seen happen more than once.)

Kelly sends along this pre- and post-race checklist from Smart Cycling of Glenview, which one could use as a starting point for coming up with one’s own checklist.

Here’s a spread of things I brought to a stage race last year. I always try to pack the night before, so that I have a chance in the morning to figure out what I’ve forgotten. Then as I leave the house I do a quick mental scan from head to toe -- Helmet! Sunglasses! Jersey!  Gloves! Bibs! Socks! Shoes! -- and try to remember packing each of these essentials.