race day logistics (i.e. how to not look like a newb) (Page 3)

Only noobs stand in line, all the old timers know where the best shrubs are!

That looks like day 3 of Bonnaroo.

Looking like a newbie was the least of my worries.  Then again, I'm not bothered by owning my newbie-ness, and frankly I don't care if others think I'm a newbie.  If you enter a "tri for fun" event that's not officially timed, it's probably safe to say there are a lot of newbies present.  But also, I don't recall anyone standing around pointing out who is a newbie and who is not.  It seemed like everyone had their own routine.  

Unless event security (or cops!) see ya & escort ya OUT!!!! (Yes it does happen)

Another Noob move at set up- Ride bike into T area late & wearing no helmet.

And be considerate of space for other athletes.  I've never had that much room for my set up in local events

Popping Tires:

About 10 years ago my wife was safety boating the Memphis in May Tri and I was doing baby duty (sitting on hill and watching the flow of people).    Once everyone was in the water it got pretty quite but every so often there would be a POP from the bike area.   I finally figured out it was bike tires popping as the day warmed up.  

So based on the experience of one (me) I do know that bike tires do pop,  I didn't go ask any of the folks that were changing tubes after the swim what pressure they were running but it must have been a bummer.

I'm going to do my first Tri in May and will practice changing the tire just to be ready.   (Of course my Tri is up in Auburn CA and won't be nearly as hot and humid as Memphis gets).

Large plastic garbage bags can be worn like a rain poncho ... concealing an empty gatorade bottle for men or an empty peanut butter jar for women. 

 

I really object to the obsession with bucket/no bucket/dork/noob, etc.  I don't see people with buckets and think "what a dork!".  I think "wow, that must be a real pain to deal with and they are not making the best use of their options."   The bucket is simply impractical.   I am not a very fast racer, but I have transitions down.  It's not about looking cool, its about executing an import part of the race well.   I have done enough races that I think my suggestions are pretty good. 

I bring a trash bag for my wetsuit.  I pile my suit under the bike within my area when I take it off (not enough time to drape it on the bar) and then transport it home in the bag where I wash and dry it.    It's the most efficient use of time/space for me.

If you drape it on the bar, you also run the risk of it dripping on your stuff or into you backpack with your nice clean/dry clothes.  No fun! I've seen several old, rusty, bike racks and I don't want to wreck my suit either.  A small pile on the ground is fast and safe.

GoodStash - 2012-02-10 10:13 AM I don't care what ya'll think...I'm keeping the bucket, dammit!! After all the stickers I've put on it to make it look like I'm not a newb, I can't just put it in a dark closet now. I guess anyone who is laughing at me behind my back better make sure that I'm not passing them on the course...Because when I do, who looks like the newb then???.

That's the spirit!!

Everyone knows your wetsuit goes in your neighbors rack space! That's what usually happens to me when I arrive in T1. Oops, your wetsuit fell to the ground when I was navigating my bike into my rack space? My bad.

And if you're doing the Mylar balloon, you should also integrate copious amounts of sidewalk chalk with big arrows pointing to your rack and bike. If transition is in grass, just use spray paint. 

In all seriousness, the questions in this thread are a great reason why lots of people recommend to spectate or volunteer at a triathlon prior to your first race. You'll get lots of ideas on what and what not to do, and really get a feel for the flow of transitions.

Unless that person's stuff is all over your area.  Whether someone is late or not, you don't spread out into another person's space.  If i have no room for my stuff, it is getting moved.

GoodStash - 2012-02-10 11:13 AM I don't care what ya'll think...I'm keeping the bucket, dammit!! After all the stickers I've put on it to make it look like I'm not a newb, I can't just put it in a dark closet now. I guess anyone who is laughing at me behind my back better make sure that I'm not passing them on the course...Because when I do, who looks like the newb then???.

Newbiness has nothing to do with speed.........

On another note:  People keep saying the bucket makes for a good seat.  What I want to know is who sits down in transition?

I have to sit down to put my socks on.

Here are some helpful visual guides for "what not to do" :

Since we are playing with pictures:  Another totally Noob look:

I bet that thing slows you down by....what?.0563 seconds over a 40K?  Yep.....TOTAL noob deal there.

Free speed?

Keep the transition bag at the transition. 

Here's another take on why the bucket is a bad idea (coming in part from my approach to backpacking) - the bigger the bag/bucket, the more stuff you think about putting in it. The more stuff you have, the more stuff you can forget, and get screwed up by.

Keep it simple. What are the essentials? You are going to be wearing your race clothing and your timing chip from the moment you get up and dressed so they don't get forgotten.  You'll need to have your swim cap and googles, and maybe wetsuit. You'll need to bring your helmet and bike shoes. You'll need to have running shoes and a race number somewhere (belt or on your shirt). I also like having socks because at the BOP, the time it takes to put them on <<<< the time lost from blisters.

Beyond that, maybe a water bottle or two; and for anything longer than a sprint, maybe a gel or blocks. But those stay on the bike, so no need to use the transition bag to carry them.

If you have a bucket, you'll want to use the bucket. And pretty soon, you have a change of clothes for after the race, a spare towel, and your mess is spilling all over the transition area.

^^^^^ THIS IS TRUTH!! ^^^

The Ironman and HIM races I've done provided plastic drawstring bags which you label for swim to bike and bike to run.  Most of them have a place on the ground where you line up your bags, but HIM Boise has you tie your T1 bag up off the ground using the bike rack pole.  Your T2 bag is similarly hung on the other set of bike racks at T2 (Boise has the swim and T1 several miles away from the T2 and bike course). 

I really like the two bags approach. I put the bare minimum in each bag, and load the bag so that I can take items out in the order I'm going to put it on.  When the T1 bag is empty, I am done, stuff my wetsuit in it, tie it up, done.  At T2 I do the exact same; empty the bag, reload the bag with my bike shoes, that sort of thing, and go.

Last time I did a sprint triathlon I copied the two bags approach, and tied them up on the bike rack. Worked really well.

Sorry for the newb question, but why do you keep the transition bag at transition? Do you put stuff (wetsuit, bike helmet) in it as you do transitions?

Seems like it's just one more thing to clutter up your spot.

ok, newb question,  I was planning on wearing a pair of compression shorts under my wet suit and then just throw on bike/run shorts over them,  this way I won't be mooning any other competitors (and it's not a pretty sight).

Is there a reason to not take this approach?

thanks