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Triathlon Transitions

Following our race day order, once you have finished with the swim and out the water...its transition time.

Transitions are described as the 4th discipline in triathlons. If you are a racing snake its valuable seconds that can win or lose a race, if your more the weekend warrior type those seconds or even worse minutes spent fumbling around can mean the difference between bettering your PB or beating your office colleagues.

Transition 1 or T1 is from the swim to the bike, usually involves a short jog from the dam or sea to the transition area, where you've got to try find your bike...sometimes among 100s of others! So get familiar with the area when setting up before the race, plot where your bike is and know where the exits and entrances are!

You usually have to put your helmet on before you are allowed to touch your bike and another rule to remember is no riding in transition for your safety and to avoid complete chaos too, you can only jump on your bike after you cross the "mount line".

Get to the race a bit early so you get a good spot and plenty time to setup. A good tip is to try use a bright coloured towel, firstly it will help you find your bike and secondly it allows you to wipe some of the debris you picked up on route to your noble stead.

Try and keep things simple with transitions, take only what you need, try and get things set up before so you don't waste time during the race, example have your gu's taped to the bike, helmet on handle bars and straps open and your cycling shoes open, tongue out and if it's 3 strap shoe even fasten the bottom one, when you get more advanced you can even have them cleated and on the bike. 

Follow the marshals instructions and take the quickest route out. Then once you back from the bike leg, transition two or T2 takes place, same thing applies here, undo a strap or 2 on shoes as coming in, saves you time in transition and if confident enough slide feet out and pedal with your feet on top of the shoes for last couple meters. 

Again have your running shoes setup with laces open and tongue out, or even buy some elastic laces that allow you to slide your foot in and charge off without worrying about tying laces. 

The feeling of coming off the bike and straight into running, can leave the legs feeling a bit like jelly, so practice this in training with what is called a "brick" session where you finish your training ride and go for a run straight after. 

To recap, transitions must be kept simple, know where you are in the transition, how to get in and out. Visualise or think about the order you going to do things as you approach transition or even practice them so come race day you have them down to a fine art.

Happy racing!

www.centreforsportsmedicine.co.za

Gareth Harrington
Physiotherapist
Holroyd & Goodenough Physio- Hillcrest
Tel: 031 7642918
Email: hillcrest@thephysio.co.za
          www.physiolink.co.za