Tri2O guide to becoming a master of transitions

Think SMART:

Specific - know exactly what you have to do in each transition and practice those specific actions.

Measurable - time yourself through T1 and T2 in training to measure how efficient you are and what impact potential changes can have.

Achievable - set yourself time goals for T1 and T2 but keep them realistic and achievable. Do not aim for a ‘pro-style' 30 second T1 if you know you have no chance of achieving it.

Reactive - on race day be prepared to react to any issues that arise and be ready to adapt your routine where necessary. People often say “if it is going to happen, then it will happen on race day”.

Tink - stay relaxed and calm and think about each stage of your transitions.

Take Transition seriously: Transition is often the area where the greatest gains can be made with the smallest expenditure of time, effort and money. Effective and efficient transition can transform your triathlon race times and finish positions and as such particularly as a beginner it should be taken seriously and practised. If you practise your transitions in training, it will allow you to remain calm, focussed and relaxed on race day.

Keep it Simple: Try to minimise the number of things you need in transition so you remain uncluttered and organised:

• Bike - Hydration, Nutrition, Spares and Tools all attached in correct gear for start of ride.
• Helmet - clasp undone, helmet upside down on tri / handle bars for easy fitting.
• Bike Shoes - Experienced - attached to pedals.
• Bike Shoes - Novices/Beginners - shoes open on towel ready for fitting.
• Towel - to wipe feet and mark your place in transition; preferably brightly coloured / unique.
• Running Shoes - Laces loosened, with socks for longer events or if your feet blister.
• Number Race Belt - if not worn under wetsuit.

Running Cap, Visors & Sunglasses optional.

That's it - No More! Everything else should be pre-attached to your bike [spare inner tube / tyre levers etc.].

However, be careful not to be so ‘minimalistic' that you eliminate items such as sun cream or waterproof tops if you know there is a chance you might need them.

The more you try to do the greater the scope for error so reduce the number of things you are trying to do AND do as many of them as you can in your pre-race set-up routine [e.g. pre-open your nutrition bars or bananas / hang your sunglasses on your handlebars or on the front of your helmet so they are easy to find / attach any nutrition and hydration to your bike].

Whether you have a small space on the ground or a transition box in which you have to put your kit, you should aim to maximise your efficiency by laying things out in a logical order. For example, if you know you are going to exit the swim and use a towel to wipe your feet before you put socks on, then place the towel on top of your kit; place your socks [with a little talc inside] on top of your shoes etc.

Know your Routine: If you know exactly what you need to do in transition then you can do it in the most efficient way possible. Think about each transition during your triathlon as a number of stages, for example:

T1 might be:

1. Exit water
2. Run to bike
3. Time spent at bike
4. Run to bike mounting line

You can then plan what you want to achieve during each of these stages, for example between ‘Exit water' & ‘Run to bike' you might plan to remove the top half of your wetsuit and take off your swim hat and goggles.

If you think about each stage separately and practice your transitions huge time savings can be made.

Familiarise yourself with transition areas: It is advisable to spend a few minutes getting to know the quickest routes you can take to enter and exit transition for both T1 and T2; it is always worth thinking about where the largest volume of fellow athletes will be when you consider this. If you have any doubts about routes or entry / exit points then ask a Marshall. Spending time familiarising yourself with these routes and mentally rehearsing your race day routine will also help you identify and plan for any possible problems.

Also, make sure that you are familiar with where your individual transition area lies in the overall transition area floor plan - a brightly coloured towel can work really well to help you find your place amongst hundreds of other people. Find out where the nearest toilets are just in case you find yourself needing to go on race day.

Practice makes perfect: Think of your transitions as an integral part of your triathlon race, just as a pit-stop is to a Formula 1 driver. Try to practice them physically, which is often easiest by incorporating it in to your regular training sessions; and run through them mentally to see if you can identify potential issues and areas where time might be saved. If you are doing a ‘brick' training session then make it more realistic by running through your routine as you transition from one discipline to the next, this is often a good time to experiment with new ideas you may have.

Once you have finalised your transition routines, make a note of each of the stages; this will allow you to think about any problems and build a great checklist of the kit you will need.

Prepare for your transitions: Give yourself plenty of time in advance of race day to make sure you have all of the essential items on your checklist. It is often useful to lay all of your kit out together to make sure everything has been included AND is in good working order. If everything is gathered together and packed perhaps in a transition bag before race day you have the opportunity to add any missing items and then turn your attention to other things.

A Beginners Golden Rules for Race Day:

1. Give yourself plenty of time to lay out your kit, familiarise yourself with the entry and exit points and the transition area and mentally run through your transition routine.
2. Unless absolutely necessary, try not to attempt something new in your race day transitions.
3. Take a couple of spares [goggles / inner tube] - even if you don't have a last minute blow out you can guarantee someone else will have.....and it may be you next time!
4. In T1 you cannot touch your bike unless your helmet is fitted correctly [clasp done up]. In T2 you must rack your bike before removing your helmet.