How exactly do the transitions work?

Get tri shorts. They are like bike shorts except with a quick dry pad. You'll wear them for the entire race, as they are swim/bike/run shorts. Take your wet suit off, put bike stuff on, preferably very quickly and get the heck out on the course.

I don't know a thing about wet suits, but I can say practice practice practice those transitions. It will make a difference.

Tri shorts or a tri suit is the ticket. Of course you'll come to the Memorial day B.T. mock tri to get unimagined practice in working on transitions right?

The following is something I've posted on various tri forums in the past. It may be info overkill compared to what you were asking, but I'm too lazy to rewrite something

One thing to remember when planning for transitions is to do as little as possible in the transition area. Don't change any articles of clothing unless you have to. Here are my typical transitions.

A good transition starts the day before the race. After you pick up your packet go look at the transition area and see if spots are assigned or if it's first come first serve. Either way figure out what spot would be the quickest to get in and out of. It is important to try and make sure that the shortest distance you will run will be after you have your bike shoes on and are running with your bike out of transition. Therefore you want to be by the bike exit if possible. Also you always want to be at the end of the rack next to the isle and facing the TA exit when the bike is racked by the brake levers. Then at night set your alarm so that you are one of the first 10 people in the transition area (it does no good to scope out a great spot if you're not there early enough to claim it).

Keep it simple in the TA. Here is what you have to lay out. Helmet, glasses, bike shoes, run shoes, run hat (if needed) and race number belt. After your bike is set up on the rack hanging from the brake levers (and you make sure it's in the correct gear for leaving the TA) put on your helmet and glasses. Then take off your helmet making sure the straps flap over the outside of the helmet, this way when you slap the helmet on your head quickly the straps will be dangling around your chin ready to be clipped. Cradle your helmet onto your aero bars or someplace on your drops so that it won't fall off. I put my helmet on top of the bar end shifter so the shifter is sticking through one of the air vents on the helmet, that way it can't fall off easily. Next put your glasses inside the helmet with the arms of the frame facing you so you can easily grab them and slip them on.

Next to your bike (on the aisle side of your bike) lay out a towel. When standing next to your rear wheel this is how it should be layed out. Bike shoes closest to you opened up and ready for your feet. Next in will be run shoes and further in from there your hat and race number belt. Now that things are set up you're ready to go. Here are the transitions.

NOTE: Always try to wear the clothes that you will be using for the rest of the race under your wetsuit. Nothing slows transitions down like changing clothes.

T1

Exit water and immediatly find a spot to take off your wetsuit where people won't be tripping over you (this spot should be found prerace). The wetsuit comes off easier if it is wet. Don't run all the way to the TA and let a bunch of water run out then try to get it off. Once the suit is off run to your bike, throw the suit under the bike, put on your shoes on, glasses on, helmet on and you're on your way.


T2

About a 1/4 mile before T2 start slipping your feet out of your bike shoes. Only do this if you have tri specific shoes. Regular bike shoe straps open toward the bike and can be caught in the chainring. After your feet are out place them on top of the shoes and continue pedaling to T2. When you get to T2, dismount and grab your bike by the stem and run with it. By grabbing the stem you don't have to worry about balancing the bike. If it starts to veer off course just pick up on the stem and pull it back in line. Get to your transition spot and throw the bike onto the rack. Take off your helmet and glasses (or leave the glasses on if you wish), slip on your run shoes (which should be equiped with EZ laces) and grab your hat and race number belt. Hat and race number belt should be put on after you exit the TA.

First off, I can't provide alot of better info than Joe R did... I think he nailed it. Instead, let me tell you what, in my experience, I've done wrong during transitions.

1. During my 1st triathlon, I spent a good minute or two doing nothing but tying and untying shoes. You need to get some of those stretchy laces.... will make it easy to slip the shoes on and off in seconds. Keep in mind that you will have just exerted yourself greatly... shaky hands make for slow lace tying.

2. I once threw my wetsuit on the bike rack in haste as I was changing... and all of that lake water dripped right into my running shoes below as I cycled. Just throw the stupid wetsuit in a pile on the ground. It isn't like you're trying to keep it clean.

3. As has already been mentioned, bike gloves are a colossal waste of time during a sprint tri, unless you need them for medical reasons (a small % of bikers get carpal-tunnel like symptoms if they don't use them)

4. Joe's advice undoing your shoes and helmet while finishing the cycle portion only should apply to you if you've practiced it a bunch. I'm not at the level where I do that yet... I just do it once I stop, and accept the fact that my T2 will be 15 seconds longer.

Finally, and I'm not sure how to fix this one, the last time I did a T1 in Sept, my wetsuit zipper strap broke! I had to reach way the heck back and actually find and use the zipper. Slowed me down by a good 30 seconds.

Edited by Hazelmn 2007-05-09 2:59 PM

Another thought --

Go to last year's Buffalo Tri results. Look for the finishing places that you are hoping to achieve, and take note of what their Transition times were. Then, go and practice and time yourself, and make sure that you are in or better than that range.

Having two good transitions is one of the easiest ways to improve your placing in a triathlon.

Last year was my first year doing tri's and I just had toe clips on my bike. Easy transition on/off bike. This year I have clippless pedals. I'm wondering how many run (well shuffle or whatever) out of T1 in their bike shoes? I thought the best way was to leave your shoes clipped in and slip them on after you're out of transition area. I just started practicing this and I can kind of do it. I have to stop and get my first foot in the shoe, then I can mount the bike and slip my other foot in the shoe. Then secure both velcro straps and ready to go. I did buy tri-specific bike shoes, one strap to the outside.

Also, I thought it was interesting advice to get out of wetsuit as soon as possible rather than waiting until TA. Makes sense. I don't recall seeing anyone do this but wasn't really looking and my window to see others was short. I was not very good at T1 last year, looking to improve there any way possible. I know my T2 time will be more cause I have to switch shoes this year but the bike shoes and clipless pedals should be a big help on the bike.

Awesome advice everyone. Thanks a lot. I will need to practice some of the swim to bike and will hope to do that soon. Unfortunately i will not be at the memorial day event as i will be in seattle that weekend. As this is my first tri, I am not so much in it for the time, as more for the experience and to try this out. I figure once i have one under my belt i will have a better handle on what to do and what not to do, just more or less going at this as a learning experience and having fun.