The steely, reticent Captain Eric surprised us with a wonderfully entertaining and informative transition clinic last Sunday morning. He pointed out that transitions are the easiest place to shave time
from your race, much easier than trying to shave 20 seconds off your
run or swim. This is especially important when you're trying to impress someone on the team and your race times will be forever up on the internet.
13 THINGS TO REMEMBER FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION:
1. Put your timing chip on first thing in the morning or even sleep with it on the night before. Tucking it under the leg of your wetsuit ensures it's won't get ripped off by other swimmers. The race provides plastic bracelets, although it's worth investing a few bucks in a more secure and comfortable chip bracelet you can pick up in the tri-store.
2. Bike gear in front of the run gear. You'll have approximately 3' x 1.5' of space to layout your transition area so line up everything in order of how you'll be using it.
3. Kick as you approach shore to get the blood moving through the legs and to the head which will make for an easier transition to the bike.
4. Pee before getting out of the water, it'll save you a trip to the port-a-potty.
5. Let some water in the neck of your wetsuit as you approach shore it'll make it easier to remove. Start removing your wetsuit as your run to your transition area.
6. Put goggles and gloves in right hand so they get caught in the sleeve when you're pulling off your wetsuit and you don't have to worry about them getting lost in the shuffle.
7. Use a squeeze bottle and small towel to rinse and dry your feet before putting on your bike shoes.
8. Roll socks to make them easier to put on with wet, cold hands. Place them individually in each bike shoe. Unless you prefer to ride without socks.
9. Aerosol sunscreen saves you from the time and hassle of applying lotion. Don't forget your lower-back, else you might get a stripe from your tri-jersey riding up. Eric had a stripe that lasted over a year, although we weren't lucky enough to see it.
10. Nutrition - have some sort of nutritional fuel taped to your bike with electrical tape so you can pull them off individually to keep track of how much you're refueling. Or for those less hardcore, just keep the nutrition system that works for you in a bento box.
11. A race belt that holds your number is a convenient way to not have to deal with pins. Before the race attach the number and place it in one of your shoes ready to put on before the ride.
12. Quick-laces for your running shoes can save you the time of lacing up. Make sure you practice running with them before the race.
13. Place a normal dish sponge in your running hat during hot races. At water stops pour water, not gatorade, over your head. When you begin to feel hot press down on the sponge to release some cool water. Make sure to remove the sponge from under your hat before you cross the finish-line else you'll get your pictures back with strange-looking-sponge-head.
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