Transition Setup/ "Marking your territory"

Fold a towel in half, and place it next to your bike, as close to your bike as possible. At that point, put all your stuff on that towel. That's your space now. Find a pink towel, use it for visibility. Get a helium ballon, tie it to the rack, use it for visibility. Count the order of your rack, no need for visibility, but a bit more confusing when you are seeing stars from a hard swim (just don't swim quite that hard). Get a good aisle space, so when you are running through T1 (and T2) you'll know where you are.

Skip the bucket and just use a water bottle to wash your feet if needed. Also, I'd do it just before the bike so you feet have time to dry before the run. Wet feet on the run can result in blisters and it's way harder to put on socks.

As for marking your rack stand out, I don't think a bright piece of duct tape on the rack end leg would be a big deal at all.

as far as marking, i doubt you could do that successfully in transition...just user your towel/mat and use that as your "space".

in the racks, theres usually a predetermined # of bikes that need to be on there and if you take up too much space, i'm sure you'll find your stuff scooted over if you seem to be intruding.

As far as marking your rack line...tie balloons, bandanas, etc to the rack end

Please please please, no buckets (if you can avoid it).

See post above for some good ideas on finding your rack ^^^^.

I like the helium balloon idea. Is that legal?

x2

I've seen them at most tris that I do.  Just check with the RD to make sure it is okay if you are concerned.

OK... so the bucket is out.  Glad I asked.  I 'll just take a knee and hope I do not cramp up.  I had heard baloons are a good idea, but many people do it.  Im thinkingof ways to take the remembering out of the transition as I am pretty sure I will be to tired to think much. 

How about a big chalk spot on the ground in front of my spot?  

Just count rows.  If everyone put up a balloon or wrote in chalk on the ground, it would be no better for you than counting.

If rows are assigned by numbers, the numbers should be listed on the sides of the rack. 

Just move through transition as a reasonable pace.  IF this is your first race, walking once you reach the racks will not make too much of a difference.  Just be confident and keep moving through your transition steps.

Have fun.

Gordon

I gather from your thinking of bringing a bucket (like others have said, please don't, transition doesn't offer up much space) that you will be tying laces on your running shoes? If that's the case, invest in some Yankz or other bungee lace system that allows you to just pull your shoes on and go. No need for the bucket and much faster.

Small races might let you use the balloon, bigger races don't.

Your transition area should be simple and not too crowded, you don't really need a lot of stuff. As far as memorizing your transition area I always walk from swim exit to my T area and from bike entry to T area and do this a few times, that way I memorize where is it. I also also use land marks (i.e. a tree, count the rows, see how close is to exit, a post, a speaker, etc.) for another point of reference. If you practice this it is really not that difficult. Good luck

Edited by JorgeM 2009-07-06 9:11 AM

Get to the race early. Set up your Transition. Take 10-15 mins walking from the Swim Exit to your rack/transition and walk to the Bike start. Do this several times. You'll know exactly where your spot will be located.

Don't use bike as spotters, cause that P3 with the sweet Disc decals probably won't be there as your marker.

Really there is no need for balloons, sky writing, and billboards. Just take the time and walk your route to your bike 5-10 times. You'll be all set.

x2. I've seen some pretty obnoxious chalk markings and duct tape at local races, which I think are completely un-necessary and scream "look at me! I don't know where my bike is!" more than anything. I don't see what's so hard about counting the racks from the swim exit?

 

Triathletes suck at counting.  Search for forums for "counting laps" to see what I mean.  :P

Heyyyyy, remote detonated smoke grenade!

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My favorites are the great big bright yellow smiley faces. As long as you don't cut the balloon loose (abandomnment), it's just a standard piece of triathlon equipment, just like your towel marking your place, a bucket of water to wash your feet (please don't do this), and even your sunglasses. None of these are against the rules.

AHAHAHAHA!!!!  That's funny.

But, I agree, count your racks AND find a stationary item to mark.  For me it was tree on one end and coming in from the bike I knew to hang a right at the first port-o-potty.  Easy enough, no interference with others and trees and port-o-potties don't move during a race. 

I have a very bright yellow towel that I have always used as my transition marker.  However, I've only raced smaller races - so my yellow towel has always been visible.  It's going to be interesting at Steelhead trying to find my bike.... *laughing*

26 days and counting to be exact.

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We (officials) were told that IMNO was the biggest 70.3 with I think 2800 allowed to register, (2,312 finishers). How many are allowed in Steelhead?

Transition at IMNO was massive. I would have needed a GPS locator to find my rack.

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