Transition site strategy

X2 

You will most likely be assigned a row. Not necessarily a spot on the rack, but a row. If many cases, the transition is set up so that you come in one side and exit out the other, and then vice versa, so that everyone has to run through the basically the whole thing, so distance is less of an issue.

A quick peek at your race logs shows you've done exactly one sprint. You really need to get out more.

At least half of my races are first-come, first-serve. My ordered preferences are:

1. an end spot,
2. on the right of the aisle (so that I grab/move/nount my bike from the left, non-drivetrain side)
3. near the bike exit.

This is such a small tight-knit triathlon community that there's a group of regulars who get to the smaller races early and help set up the racks (if they weren't set up the night before). Really gives you the best pick of the spots. 

Yeah, damn those long distance events .......

But I did say "small" not "short."  Even the Chessieman race which had all of about 300 participants total had designated spots.

"Short" usually means "small," at least around here. There are more of sprints, supply and demand and logisitics keeps them small. 300 participants around here is not "small." The biggest local triathlon, CajunMan, is a sprint that caps registration at 450. The next biggest is probably <250.

I have had all three styles - mostly first-come-first-serve.

If you have an assigned spot - well, there's your answer....

Other races have racks with ranges of bib numbers assigned.  You can pick your spot anywhere on the rack.  I like to pick the end closest to the bike out.

The first come first serve races, I put my bike as close the bike out as well.  I think I'm faster running without the bike than with, so the least amount of time/distance I need to run without the bike the better.  Even if it means long runs out of the swim or out to the run.

SOME people consider a location that's easy to find.  No point of looking for a quick spot if you can't find you bike.  But I only had that problem once.  People use a lot of creative way to find their rack.  I find a landmark (suchs as the second rack after the silly balloons or chalk arrow some one put down).  Then I have a loud neon towel that can't be missed.

Maybe a bright yellow bucket can solve all those transition problems!

Read the thread. Some races thy're assigned, some races they aren't.

Dude, that is just D-U-M. 

You're right, Everyone knows red is faster!

Sorry, that last posting that spoke about individual spots wasn't up when I was writing my question. When it was said "assigned" I assumed it was referencing a range of numbers per rack. I was just checking my race etiquette.

Yeah, even if they only specify a range, the position on the rack is first-come first-serve. RiverCities (1300 participants) is like that. I was like the 10th person in transition but someone had already  beat me to the end spot on my assigned rack.