How to Plan for a Smooth Transition

We’re here to help you plan out a smooth transition for this triathlon with five easy steps for race morning.

1) Once you have arrived to race site (preferably early) and before entering transition, be sure to get body marked (your age and race number written on your arms and legs by volunteers). You should already have your bike number on your bike, helmet number on your helmet and wristband on your wrist. Only participants and certain volunteers can enter transition, so make sure you can carry all your gear on your own.

2) After locating your assigned bike rack and after racking your bike, be sure that your cycling shoes and running shoes are open with loose laces for easy on/off. If you want some water on the bike course make sure and have a water bottle filled on your bike.

Put your sunglasses in your helmet so that you grab them before putting on the helmet and don’t accidentally try and leave transition without either. Click To Tweet

3) As you leave transition count how many bike racks away from the entrance you are. When it is all filled with bikes it can sometimes be like finding a needle in a haystack. Take your goggles and your swim cap with you if you are going to walk around.

4) Familiarize yourself with the flow of the race site. Visit swim start and finish and make sure understand how to get from swim exit to transition.

5) After the swim you will enter transition at one end and leave at the other. This process is reversed for the second transition when you return from the bike. That is, the bike starts and finishes at the same side and the run goes out where the swim came in.

When in doubt, watch what others are doing or simply ask another triathlete. Most are more than willing to help answer your questions.