NEWS

Triathlon Essentials 09: Transitions Components

By Fergus Murray | 18 Jan, 2010
Triathlon Essentials 09: Transitions Components

Transition skills are quite different from the athletic disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. Skills required are things like putting on shoes, helmet and glasses, taking off goggles, racking and unracking your bike and avoiding obstacles.  These skills are all complicated from the possibility of cold hands from the swim or bike, fatigue, nerves and adrenaline.

The foremost key to improving this discipline is practice, practice, practice. For example before you start a bike ride, time yourself putting on your shoes and helmet. Setup a mock transition and have this be one of your training blocks.

It’s also advisable to carefully plan out your transition at an event, each setup will be different. Your transition area will also be a lot different once the event starts and other racers have moved their equipment. Map out a route in your head back to your spot with landmarks that won’t vary during the race.

Tune in next Monday for the start of the bike training tips.