Triathlon: The Right Transition

By Sylvain Pigeau. Photos: S.P and D.R.

We can divide this very important moment of your race into two parts. First, the “pure” technique, or knowing how to get on and off the bike and how to dress. The second part consists of describing the attitude to adopt in terms of “effort”, before entering the bike park, once in the bike park, and when leaving.

– Pure technique

At T1 (first transition between swimming and cycling)

You will naturally have observed the swim exit during your warm-up. In the case of a beach, it is surely possible to “dolphin” (butterfly stroke with feet pushing off the ground) to save a little time with minimum effort. In the case of a river exit, a ramp is often installed, and volunteers are generally positioned to help you exit.

The ideal is to run to the transition area, but for long distances, we advise you to jog. In the case of an Ironman, and if your target time is not the main goal, walk. This will allow you to decompress and get your head “straight.”

Undressing from the wetsuit is better explained with images. Practice before the event if possible, but most importantly, don’t panic and perform the operations one by one. In some events, volunteers undress triathletes at the swim exit. If in doubt, trust them!

Then take your belongings and go to your bike. Depending on the race, the logistics for transition bags may vary. During the briefing, gather the necessary information and visualize the operations to be performed as well as where to put your belongings. Most important: your race number belt! And buckle your helmet.

You will have prepared your bike’s gearing beforehand. You can also attach your shoes to the bike using elastic bands. This way, once on your saddle, you just have to put your feet on your shoes.

For beginners, plan for the small chainring and the chain on about the 14-tooth cog. In short, not too hard nor too easy. This is for a flat terrain at the exit of the bike park.

You will naturally have located its position and found visual markers (the aisle number, an external landmark, and the rack number in particular).

Jog in the park, without panicking, with both hands on your handlebars. For faster athletes, it is recommended to guide the bike by the saddle, pushing it in front of you. This helps avoid any collision with the pedals and falling.

To get on, you must first determine your lead foot. The goal is to make a real “jump” onto your bike. But upon landing, you must not crash onto the saddle. That’s why the jump from your lead foot is very important. If you don’t apply the necessary impulse, you will only straddle your bike, and given its speed, the operation will be unsynchronized.

It is also possible to get on “like a postman,” by first placing your lead foot on your shoe.

Pedal and gain speed. Wait for a calm, flat, or slightly downhill moment to put on the first shoe, then the second. Don’t do both consecutively; pedal between the two to maintain speed. The same applies to closing the shoes. One after the other, while pedaling between operations to maintain speed.

At T2 (Second transition between cycling and running)

As before your swim exit, visualize your second transition a few kilometers before entering the bike park. You will have reconnoitered the area before the event and thus estimated the possibilities for dismounting your bike.

In “safe” zones, take the opportunity to loosen your shoe closures, then place your feet on your shoes to cover the last few hundred meters. “Un-straddle” your bike by bringing the leg opposite your lead foot to the same side.

Place this (freed) foot in front of the foot on your shoe. This is the foot that lands first on the ground. The second follows the movement in the direction of travel, and the pedal is cleared behind.

Beforehand, you will have determined a reasonable speed. Beyond 15 km/h, dismounting will be almost impossible (for beginners). Below 8 km/h, it will also be the case since you will be almost at walking speed.

Once dismounted, jog with your bike, both hands on your handlebars (hand on the saddle for the more experienced. This latter technique allows you to run faster, pushing the bike in front of you).

Place the bike in its spot (by the saddle if possible so as not to damage the brake levers) and only then, remove your helmet. The rest is done as in T1, calmly, performing the operations in order. Also, put your race number on the front.

Techniques vary for running shoes, but quick-lacing systems are highly recommended.

Take into account the protocol you set for yourself the day before the race. With or without socks, taking gels or certain accessories. Don’t improvise anything, because the choices made the day before are very well thought out. Turn your race number belt to the front for the referees, and go run.

– Managing your effort

Before exiting the water, about 5 minutes, start imagining your transition and ease off slightly. While maintaining your effort, make sure to stay positioned within your group.

A little “dolphin” when exiting the water allows you to save energy without losing too much time. Don’t panic and lift your knees to run in the water. However, wait until one of the last moments to stand up.

Don’t stress, manage your effort here too. Even to get to your bike. However, the shorter the event, the faster you need to run in transitions to avoid losing time. But in the case of a long-distance event, slowing down won’t make you lose much. On the contrary, it even saves you precious seconds or even minutes, because it prevents you from forgetting things.

At T2, the principle is the same before dismounting the bike. Ease off your effort a few minutes before the end and visualize the transition. The key is the start of the run. Some like to get into the swing of things by starting very fast. Others prefer to do the opposite, to have a much more progressive race. But that’s work that’s done in training, and that’s another story.

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