Ever found yourself launching into your run with your bike helmet still on?  Or wondering why you see water spots through your goggles as you pedal furiously?  Perhaps you may want to spend a little more time perfecting your transitions between portions of the triathlon.  With experience, you are sure to discover that a practiced transition routine can shave valuable minutes off your race time and keep you a bit saner throughout the race.  Here are some tips we feel will help you discover the best way to make an easy transition between your swims, runs, and rides:

1. Make Every Second Count

The beauty of the triathlon is that less is more and winners understand emphasis should be placed on one’s abilities and how well you manage your time and equipment.  Always ask yourself, what can I do on the move?  For example, we suggest you master the quick sprint from the water to your bike while slipping off your wetsuit.  Some riders even keep their shoes attached to their pedals!

1. Choose the Right Equipment

Wearing a one-piece racing suit may help those of us that always seem to struggle with the wardrobe change between the swim and the ride portion of the race.  Saving time could be as simple as slipping your socks on before fully drying your feet.  What about those tricky laces slowing you down?  Invest in some shoes with zip tie laces; it’s an inexpensive tool that we guarantee will save you some time.   Loop your shades around your handlebars so you can put them on after you take off on your bike.  Same goes for food and liquids.  They should be attached to your bike already so fuel up while you’re on the go!

1. Always Be Prepared!

We like to think that triathletes are naturally a group of people that understand the importance of preparation considering the devotion and commitment we must give to our sport to be successful. However, we all have days in which everything seems out of place.  It’s important triathletes allow adequate time to make sure equipment is in a familiar place with each article in a sensible place.   It’s easy to get flustered when you’re hurrying so this step is crucial.  You don’t want to find yourself frantically looking for something when you could be on the trail, so be sure you know where your gear is and be familiar with the track.  Take advantage of test-runs!

We hope this helps and remember like all other aspects of training: practice, practice, practice!   The next time you see a fellow racer with their helmet on backwards, please share the knowledge.  Don’t forget to visit us for Tuesdays with 3Sports!  We will be getting in some good runs every Tuesday at 6:15pm.  Check out our Events on Facebook for more details.

Happy Trails!