A Guide To Transitions - Triathlon Week

Jordin · 03-01-2006, 04:18 PM

A Guide To Transitions
Written By: Jordin Agnew - [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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The Transition Area

There are two transitions during a triathlon. The 1st transition is from the swim to bike (T1). The second transition is from the bike to the run (T2). Training for the transition area is just as important as training for the rest of the triathlon. It's almost like a 4th event. In this guide I will be giving you some insight on how to setup your transition area and have smooth and quick transitions.

Transition Area Setup

The way you setup your transition area is very important.
I try to apply murphy's law to the transition area. "If something can go wrong it will go wrong".
This means that if your shirt is not weighed down and could blow away, it will blow away. If your bike isn't secure and
could fall over, it will fall over. You get the idea.

The first thing you need to do is rack your bike. Before you do that, you should do
make sure your bike is in an easy gear so that when you hop on, you can start pedalling instead of trying to crank a heavy gear right away. Once that is taken care of, you can rack your bike.
I generally like to rack mine near the entrance or exit so I don't have far to go but it really doesn't matter.
To me, it is just easier to find my bike if it is close to an entrance or exit. After you have picked your spot, you need to
rack your bike. Some people like to hook their handlebars or brakes and others like to rack their seat. There is no right or
wrong way to do it, just personal choice. Sometimes your bike will be more secure one way or the other and if that is the case, I
recommend racking it the most secure way possible. The last thing you want is to come into T1 and find that someone has knocked over
your bike and your rim is bent or the brakes have been pushed against the rim. Once your bike is racked, take a look at where it is in relation to the entrance & exits. You don't want to come into T1 from the swim and not be able to find your bike.

After the bike is racked and you can easily find it from the entrance / exits, I suggest you lay a towel beside the bike.
This is where I place all my gear. I like to put my helmet on the ground with my sunglasses & race belt/number inside it. I make sure my water
bottle is filled and secured to my bike. I then check my tires to make sure they are full of air and that my brakes work properly and there are no problems with
my bike.

If you have bike shoes that clip onto your bike pedals, you have a choice. Some people like to clip their shoes onto the pedals before the race so that they can grab the bike and go. They will
put the shoes on while they are riding. Other people like to put their bike shoes on in the transition area. I'm not going to talk about which way is better because they both have advantages and disadvantages. I will say that trying to put yoru shoes on while you are on your bike
is a lot more difficult and requires some practice to perfect it. Try both ways for yourself and see which one you like better. Some people like to just wear their running shoes on the bike which makes T2 easier. Next, I place my T-Shirt beside my bike helmet and i put my bike shoes on top of it so it doesn't blow away. Behind that, I put my visor on the ground with my running shoes on top of that. I usually put an extra water bottle on the ground beside my running gear so I can take a quick sip before I head out onto the run. Some people like to keep a small tub of water to rinse off their feet in T1 from the swim to bike because sand from the beach might get stuck on your feet but I have never had a problem with this. The grass cleans everything off for me. Some people like to wear socks, again, it's your choice, just be aware that this is going to take more time. If you do choose to wear socks, I recommend buying short ones so you don't have to pull them up as far and there is less material to get in the way.

Transition 1 (T1: Swim - Bike)

As soon as you come out of the water, unzip your wet suit if you are wearing
one. This will keep you cool and will make the run to the transition area easier.

The next thing you will want to do is take off your swim cap and goggles. I've noticed at a few races that some people like to take off their wetsuit as soon as they exit the water. If this is you, please move off to the side and out of the way. Be courteous to your fellow triathletes. Once you get to the transition area, take the wetsuit completely off. I like to toss mine over the bike rack beside my bike.

I don't want to come back to T2 and find my running gear soaking wet because my wet suit was on top of it. Also keep in mind that there are a lot of people running around the transition area, some of them not being very careful.
If you put your wetsuit on the ground, you are risking having it stepped on, rolled over and generally getting damaged. The first thing I put on is my bike shoes followed by my t-shirt. I then put on my race belt, bike helmet and sunglasses.
Once you have everything on, the last thing you do is get your bike. You are not allowed to unrack your bike without your helmet on. Just remember this, if the bike is off the rack, your hemlet is on your head. With your bike, head out of the transition
area and towards the bike course. There is a line you must cross before you are allowed to get on your bike. Once you have crossed the line, jump on the bike and have a good ride!

Transition 2 (T2: Bike - Run)

When you are coming in off the bike course, there will be a line where you must dismount your bike. If you are on your bike and cross the line, you will be penalized.

If you are using bike shoes that clip into your pedals, you may want to take your feet out of the shoes while you are on the bike and dismount barefoot. The other options is to unclip your shoes from your pedals and take the them off in the transition area. I suggest trying both ways and picking what works best for you.
Once you are off the bike, run with it into the transition area and back to your spot. After you have the bike racked, take off your bike helmet and put on your running shoes. I recommend using quick laces for your shoes so you don't have to tie anything up. There is more information on quick laces in the equipment section of our website. Once your shoes are on, grab your visor if you have one, take a sip of water if you need it and head out onto the run course!

Transition Tips

Transition Tips
Practice your transitions in training
Keep your transition area neat and clean
Put talcum powder inside your shoes. They will slide on easier and absorb moisture.
Adjust your helmet before every race to ensure a good fit
Check your bike before the race (Aerobars secure? Tires Inflated? Etc)
Make sure your bike is secure on the rack
If you have a bike computer, is it on the bike?
Ensure your shoes are open and ready to be slipped on
Put on sunscreen before the race
Remember: If your bike is off the rack, your helmet is on your head.
Make a note of where your bike is and practice getting to it from the entrance/exits
Use Body Glide or Runners Lube if you are wearing a wetsuit (Not Vaseline)

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