Transition tips

Triathlons are, it is famously said, not won in the swim, but they can be lost there. The same might be said of transition (henceforth TZ); you may not win in there, but screwing it up will put you off your stride for sure, and hitting the bike or run all flustered will not help your chances of the win, a PB or even finishing happy with your race. At the worst, a screwed up TZ can even cost you a time penalty, and that will seriously mess with your head.

The best thing to do is to have a plan, a mental checklist, and when you execute it, do with less haste but more speed.

The checklist comes in handy in two ways. Firstly, and obviously, it means you won't head out without your gels or something. Secondly, it helps to concentrate you when you have a serious case of runners' brain going on and your TZ spot has been kicked over a couple of times by the guys ahead of you. We're not saying triathletes are any dumber than any other sport's practitioner but once starting gun has fired, even Einstein would have a case of racers' brain, and that guy most definitely wasn't a sprocket short of a freewheel!

Yeah, cheesy picture we know. For a new twist on this, check this (Niels Bohr, cyclocross master! Ha!).

Oops, another trademark TurnAround sidestep into irrelevance. Sorry. Back to those tips (in no particular order of importance)

1) Put your helmet on. Leaving, or trying to leave, TZ without your helmet on and/or unbuckled will get you a time penalty for sure. The rules say you must have your helmet on and buckled whenever you are in control of your bike, and that includes the run to and from the mount/dismount line. So put your helmet on as soon as you reach your rack-spot, then you can never forget.

2) Leave it on! Similarly, only take your helmet off right before you leave your spot for the run. Same logic applies. And if you leave for the run wearing it? Don't worry, many have!

3) Get dressed before the start. Ever tried to dress a cat and then put it in a car-seat? Trying to get dressed after the swim is the same idea only worse (but no claws). Wear whatever you will race in under your wetsuit. That may also include your number.

4) Mostly 'armless. Put the arms of your sunglasses under your helmet straps.

That way you can take off your helmet in T2 without launching your Oakleys across TZ. In pieces.

5) Keep your room tidy. Put all your stuff in your rack-spot. If you leave stuff all over TZ, the officials are within their right to send you back and tidy it up.

Take only what you need into TZ. Two pairs of shoes, helmet, shades, a couple of gels and maybe a hat/visor should just about do it.

Spare running shoes? You think your runners are going to get a flat while you're out on the bike? Do you really need the kitchen sink? Or Pooh?

Don't just take our word for it. At Corner Brook one year Simon Whitfield threw his googles and hat in the general direction of the crowd, and one of the officials made him go back, get them and take them to ins rack-spot. Clearly, if an Olympic medal or two doesn't make you immune to this rule, then the officials will surely make sure all your race-stuff starts and finishes at your rack-spot.

6) Dress yourself. The rule about not accepting outside assistance extends to TZ as much as it does having your Mum at the turn with a spare pair of wheels. TZ is supposed to be closed to non-athletes, but this isn't always the case. In any case, having someone hand you your helmet or take your wetsuit is outside assistance and won't be looked on favorably.

7) Quicklaces. 'nuff said.

8) Pret a manger.Stuff a gel or two under the leg-gripper of your shorts before the swim (or if you have really funky shorts, in the pocket). Then you won't forget to take them on the bike.

9) Sand gets everywhere. A towel or a small bowl of water will help get sand off your feet. Sand + shoes + 10K = trouble. You shouldn't have to take my word on this.

10) Less haste, more speed. We can't say this enough.

Finally, a word from the chip-timers. Many races now use disposable chips, think Cabot Trail these last two years or Johnny Miles. It may be cool to leave the chip on your shoe for a couple of training runs, a perfect excuse to declaim at length on your weekend at the races when someone innocently asks "what's that on your shoe?" but come race-day, they'll set the mats off just as efficiently at Ingonish as they did at the top of MacKenzie or downtown New Glasgow. So when you're prepping your kit for race day, do the Mikes, Gary and Luc a favour and take the old chip out first.

Good luck

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Paris-Roubaix wheel picture from the embrocation cycling journal blog.