TRIATHLON TIPS: Transitions, attention to detail can give you free speed

I believe in the basics: attention to, and perfection of, tiny details that might commonly be overlooked. They might seem trivial, perhaps even laughable to those who don’t understand, but they aren’t. They are fundamental to your progress…….They are the difference between champions and near champions.

- John Wooden

Although Mr. Wooden is known for his amazing success in basketball, I believe his words apply to any athletic endeavor, especially triathlon. This is why I have chosen to focus on the fine details of transitions as the topic of this news letter. The following is a description of a few details that will help you shave time off of T1 and T2.

Detail #1: Choosing your rack
We have all seen the age group athletes that get up at ungodly hours to be the first into the transition area to choose the perfect spot in the transition area, but what exactly is the perfect spot? There are two things to consider here. First of all, you want to choose a spot that you can find easily. Maybe this means the last rack in the row, or the rack that is sticking out a little bit, or even the rack that has the gigantic balloon hanging off of it. (Maybe you are the one that brought the balloon!) Secondly you want to choose a position on the rack that is the easiest to get out of. In my opinion this is the very end of the rack where you will not have to worry about navigating down a row of bikes. One last hint here is to rack your bike by the seat whenever possible. This will make for a speedier get away.

Note: Sometimes this detail will not be an issue as your rack will already be chosen for you by race officials. One less worry on your mind!

Detail #2: Clothing
I’ll never forget the first time I came out of the water and then tried to put a bike jersey on. It must have taken me a good two minutes to peel it over my wet body. This quickly taught me the lesson that I should wear clothing that fits comfortably under my wetsuit, or in a non wetsuit race, try to race without a top. In any case, if you can help it, try to avoid having to put clothing on in the transition area.

Detail #3: Bike Nutrition
If you plan on carrying your nutrition on the bike as opposed to picking it up at the aid stations, try to attach the nutrition to your bike somehow. This will help you avoid having to stuff things in your jersey before you head for the mount line. It’s better to be on the road while transferring gels, bananas, etc….to your jersey pockets than to do it while standing in the transition area.

Detail #4: Stripping your wetsuit
When it comes to getting your wetsuit off it is all about lubrication. This can come in many forms, but my personal favorite is good old PAM non stick spray. Just spray a little bit on your ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists, and your suit should come off like a perfect egg in a frying pan.

Detail #5: Running with your bike
Running with your bike in tow can be a tricky endeavor. I have seen many an athlete hit the dirt as they try to navigate themselves and their bike through a transition area. Your best bet is to learn how to direct your bike while holding onto the saddle as opposed to the handle bars. This way you will have plenty of room to run normally without bashing your shins into the pedals as you go.

Detail #6: The flying mount
A flying mount is the process of hopping on your bike as it is moving. I like to think of it as a cowboy jumping on his horse in an old western movie. Basically you grab the reins (handle bars), as the horse begins to run and you throw one leg over the horse to land in the saddle. This mount can be done with your bike shoes already on your feet, or you can go all out and have your shoes clipped in already and put your shoes on as you go. Either way, I highly recommend practicing this several times before trying it on race day, and if you choose the shoes on the pedals route, try to find a pair of shoes that is easy to get in and out of.

Detail #7: The flying dismount
The flying dismount is a little different than just doing the flying mount in reverse. To execute the flying dismount, you first must get your feet out of the shoes before approaching the dismount line. From here you want to swing one leg over the back of the saddle and coast towards the dismount line while balancing on just one pedal. Right before the line, hit the brakes and hop off on the side you were balancing on. From there you should immediately grab your saddle and head for your rack.

Detail #8: Running shoes
By the time you make it into T2 your fine motor skills will probably not be functioning at their best. In this case, the last thing you will want to do is have to tie your shoes. I recommend using elastic shoelaces that are already tied so you can simply slip your shoes on and go. Another option is to use some form of zip tie similar to what you will find on a back pack. Regardless of your choice, you should practice getting your shoes on several times before race day.

Many people laughed at coach Wooden when he spent time teaching his athletes exactly how to put on their socks, or tie their shoes, or even how to cut their hair, but after 10 national championships, no one ever questioned his attention to detail. So don’t worry when your friends give you a hard time about your obsession with the small details of transitions. They won’t laugh when you beat them by minutes out of the transition area.

Coach Howie’s Tip of the Month
I love watching little kids run. Without even thinking about it, they often have more efficient running form than most adults. Every ounce of their energy is put into forward motion. It’s as if they are falling forward and their legs are the only things keeping them from falling on their faces. As we get older, something happens that causes many of us to begin letting our heel hit the ground first as we run. This literally knocks us backwards on each step. My advice to counter this problem is to remember your youth and fall forward more as you run. Before you know it your foot strike will be flat or even slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You will be running faster for the same energy because you won’t be knocking yourself backwards on each step.