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transitions
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 2008-03-05 3:37 PM |
 10 |  Subject: transitionsi am training for my first triathlon and i am wondering, what is the easiest and most efficient way to transition from the swimming to the biking and the biking to the running? |
| 2008-03-05 3:47 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Expert 934    FL | Subject: RE: transitions Practice |
| 2008-03-05 3:48 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Expert 934 FL | Subject: RE: transitions Also, there is a video here on transitions: |
| 2008-03-05 3:54 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: transitions Practice. And once you've had a chance to practice, get in the habit of visualizing what you'll be doing in the transitions prior to racing. |
| 2008-03-05 4:13 PM in reply to: #1254660 |
Extreme Veteran 364 | Subject: RE: transitions Aside from practice, which is a no-brainer... here are a few tips I was given: - Never try to change shirts in T1 especially in a sprint/olympic tri. You'll be a little wet starting the bike but you'll soon dry off - Clip your shoes into the pedals (assuming you have a clipless setup) before the race so that you can just grab your bike and run out of T1. Once you start on the course carefully slip your feet into your shoes and away you go. This is a little bit of an advanced technique and will definetly take some practice to get proficient but it does save time. - There's always the popular, place something unique at your rack location. Most people use balloons, or colored chalk, or a streamer. There's nothing more embarassing than charging full speed into the transition and then blowing by your rack and having to search (speaking from experience...) |
| 2008-03-05 4:40 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Elite 3088  Austin, TX Gold member | Subject: RE: transitions Transitions are free speed. T1: - don't bother drying off, not even your feet. It's a complete waste of time. If absolutely necessary, give your feet a quick rinse. Some stray grass stuck does not make it necessary. - do not put on more clothes or change what you're wearing. Start and finish the race wearing the same thing (wetsuit excluded, of course) - have your helmet upside down on your aero bars, straps hanging outisde - sunglasses inside the helmet, open and ready to put on - shoes already clipped to the pedals - if wearing a wetsuit, strip it down to your waist on the way from the water, at your spot, pull it down below your knees and then alternately step on it to get your feet out. If you're really good, you can put your sunglasses and helmet on while doing this. - avoid socks whenever possible. This will depend both on you and your cycling/running shoes. I wear socks only for 1/2 IMs and longer - if you do wear socks, put them on before the race and then ROLL them off. After the swim, put them on like a condom (crude jokes aside, it's the most accurate visual). It's far easier than trying to cram your damp/wet feet into a dry pair of socks. - minor point, but learn to steer your bike by holding on to the saddle, not the handlebars. Once you get used to it, it's far more efficient. T2: - take your feet out of your bike shoes well before the dismount line and ride the last bit with your feet on top of the shoes. - just before the line, stand up, swing one leg over so your standing on one pedal completely on that side of the bike. At the dismount line, just step off. You can transition to a jog immediately. - if you can manage with one hand, unbuckle your helmet on the way to your rack - use Yankz or your preferred alternative on your running shoes. I use them always, since they provide a consistent fit. - use a race belt and have it laid out under your shoes. Grab it and put it on as you run out of T2. As mentioned already, practice will make you faster. The mount and dismount need to be practiced just to be able to do. Race day is NOT the place to try it for the first time. Edited by dgunthert 2008-03-05 4:47 PM |
| 2008-03-05 4:42 PM in reply to: #1254715 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: transitions mmakaryk - 2008-03-05 2:13 PM Aside from practice, which is a no-brainer... Not a no-brainer at all...lots of folks I've met at sprints never considered the idea of practicing transitions. Not trying to be argumentative, but for someone doing their first tri, I'd say taking the time to set up their transition and actually do both transitions more than once before race day will be the single biggest time saver of all. And that includes the bike dismount, by the way. Either practice it or take it slow. The time I wasted in my fall at the dismount in my 2nd tri was a lot more than I would have gained from having my shoes on my pedals on the mount. And, if you have the opportunity to find out the geography of the transition area prior to race day--so that you know what directions your various moves are going to be in (which might inform where you try to rack your bike, etc.)--that will only help. As in so many areas of life, prior preparation-esp. mental preparation--is the single biggest path to efficiency. Edited by tcovert 2008-03-05 4:42 PM |
| 2008-03-05 6:36 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Extreme Veteran 503 Lapel | Subject: RE: transitions some very good advice has been given and I just wanted to reinforce the idea to practice your set up several times before race day. I didn't and learned a lot of the things the hard way having an almost 5min T1. (the "trying to stuff wet feet into dry socks" thing really killed me). If feel the need to throw on a shirt after the swim, just get it over your head and arms through the armholes- you can pull it down later on the ride as you dry out. Also, if you normally wear glasses and don't have prescrip goggles, make sure you have something really, really florescent or odd that sticks out so you can find your bike. when you are coming into T2, make sure you don't even touch your helmet until you are firmly off the bike. It would suck to get dq'd for unstrapping the chin before dismount. |
| 2008-03-06 7:09 AM in reply to: #1254603 |
Expert 1158 A Husker stuck in VA | Subject: RE: transitions I cannot express the need to practice the dismount enough!! After a 40k or 20k bike ride, when you swing your leg over to coast in on one pedal, your leg WILL feel like it is about 40 pounds. Alot of people say to spin at a higher cadence near dismount to loosen your legs but that still won''t get rid of the heaviness. You need to pactice this at least once to know what is about to happen rather than let it catch you by suprise....trust me! |
| 2008-03-06 11:16 AM in reply to: #1255647 |
Master 2202 St. Louis | Subject: RE: transitions NavyTRIChief - 2008-03-06 7:09 AM I cannot express the need to practice the dismount enough!! After a 40k or 20k bike ride, when you swing your leg over to coast in on one pedal, your leg WILL feel like it is about 40 pounds. Alot of people say to spin at a higher cadence near dismount to loosen your legs but that still won''t get rid of the heaviness. You need to pactice this at least once to know what is about to happen rather than let it catch you by suprise....trust me! I actually fell after a rolling dismount because I got a MASSIVE cramp when I swung my leg over. It sucked so bad... but it only cost me a few seconds, and a little pride. Unfortunately, all the practice in the world wouldnt have prevented it. Luckily, it was my only cramp during the race. |
| 2008-03-06 2:35 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Expert 913 St. Louis | Subject: RE: transitions Take all the great advice and strategy you've heard here already and roll it into a couple "workouts" where transitions are the focus. I periodically do this by running through my T1's and T2's about 5x each. 1. Wearing just tri shorts, run across my yard to my bike. 2. Gear up for the bike and head out - just around the block once or twice, THINKING about how T2 will go. 3. Execute T2 quickly. (If I'm not happy with it, I do it again.) Run around the block once, THINKING about what T1 will entail. 4. Ditch all the run gear. Quickly get your TA back in order (glasses in the helmet, shoes arranged neatly, etc.) 5. Repeat Step 1.
Transition times DO matter. You WILL eventually get beaten, or beat somebody in your AG solely because of your transition prowess...or lack thereof. Good luck! ~B |
| 2008-03-06 2:38 PM in reply to: #1254784 |
Expert 750 Plano, TX | Subject: RE: transitions dgunthert - 2008-03-05 4:40 PM Transitions are free speed. T1: - don't bother drying off, not even your feet. It's a complete waste of time. If absolutely necessary, give your feet a quick rinse. Some stray grass stuck does not make it necessary. - do not put on more clothes or change what you're wearing. Start and finish the race wearing the same thing (wetsuit excluded, of course) - have your helmet upside down on your aero bars, straps hanging outisde - sunglasses inside the helmet, open and ready to put on - shoes already clipped to the pedals - if wearing a wetsuit, strip it down to your waist on the way from the water, at your spot, pull it down below your knees and then alternately step on it to get your feet out. If you're really good, you can put your sunglasses and helmet on while doing this. - avoid socks whenever possible. This will depend both on you and your cycling/running shoes. I wear socks only for 1/2 IMs and longer - if you do wear socks, put them on before the race and then ROLL them off. After the swim, put them on like a condom (crude jokes aside, it's the most accurate visual). It's far easier than trying to cram your damp/wet feet into a dry pair of socks. - minor point, but learn to steer your bike by holding on to the saddle, not the handlebars. Once you get used to it, it's far more efficient. T2: - take your feet out of your bike shoes well before the dismount line and ride the last bit with your feet on top of the shoes. - just before the line, stand up, swing one leg over so your standing on one pedal completely on that side of the bike. At the dismount line, just step off. You can transition to a jog immediately. - if you can manage with one hand, unbuckle your helmet on the way to your rack - use Yankz or your preferred alternative on your running shoes. I use them always, since they provide a consistent fit. - use a race belt and have it laid out under your shoes. Grab it and put it on as you run out of T2. As mentioned already, practice will make you faster. The mount and dismount need to be practiced just to be able to do. Race day is NOT the place to try it for the first time. Excellent advice here! |
| 2008-03-06 2:57 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Master 3022 | Subject: RE: transitions Echo the sentiments about practice. I did my 1st Sprint last fall and my transition time was L O N G. It was exceptionally cold that day but still... One question I have is regarding shoes. Do you really think it saves anytime having the shoes already clipped in? I know your transition time is shorter, but don't you just give it back on the bike segment going slower as you try to get your feet in the shoes, etc.? |
| 2008-03-06 3:02 PM in reply to: #1256979 |
Expert 750 Plano, TX | Subject: RE: transitions dangremond - 2008-03-06 2:57 PM Echo the sentiments about practice. I did my 1st Sprint last fall and my transition time was L O N G. It was exceptionally cold that day but still... One question I have is regarding shoes. Do you really think it saves anytime having the shoes already clipped in? I know your transition time is shorter, but don't you just give it back on the bike segment going slower as you try to get your feet in the shoes, etc.? There are varying opinions on this, but last year, I went with shoes off and tried to put socks on wet feet. TIME CONSUMING. This year, I am going sockless (I have been training thusly, and am ready for it), and shoes will be on the bike. I am not going to do some Lone Ranger flying mount or anything, just step on my shoe, give it a good push (make sure to be in the small ring) and pedal several times before slipping in the shoes. It will absolutely save time. Slowly spinning away from T1 while I put my feet in the shoes beats the hell out of sitting down, fumbling with wet feet and dry socks, running in awkward biking shoes and then mounting up. Just my opinion. Chris |
| 2008-03-06 3:07 PM in reply to: #1256979 |
Member 1699 | Subject: RE: transitions Please note that biking and especially running without socks is something you had better do in training. I had pretty significant blisters after only a mile without socks on the treadmill. I wear socks. Also, if you try the shoes clipped in ahead of time or the flying mount/ dismount, practice. This can literally be dangerous for you and the rest of the racers. Regardless of how many of these suggestions you take, practice. You will be tired out of the swim and bike, and it is surprising what a tired mind does. |
| 2008-03-06 3:25 PM in reply to: #1254603 |
Slower Than You 9566 Cracklantaburbs | Subject: RE: transitions With my first tri coming up at the end of April, this was not something I had given much thought to. Looks like I'll be getting the funny looks from the neighbors as I practice my transitions in the front yard...  Excellent advice, by the way. |
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