Triathlon Transition Area Check List

The Transition Area - What's in Yours?

by Joy Koenig, M.D., M.S.
Board Certified in Preventive Medicine
Founder & President of the Mid Maryland Triathlon Club
© 2003 All Rights Reserved.

Every sport has its trademark. For triathlon it's the transition area. There are many "right" ways to set up your transition area, not just *one* -- it depends on your goals and needs. This article will introduce you to the basics of what most people put in their transition area - based on the opinions of others, with my own biases thrown in. Keep in mind that my motto is "CompLete not Compete", and if you are a highly competitive triathlete/racer, many of my suggestions may not apply to you, as they are designed to maximize enjoyment of the sport.

What items can typically be found in a triathlete's transition area?

The three most critical items are (1) a bicycle (& bike shoes if you have clipless pedals), (2) a bicycle helmet, (3) a pair of running shoes (& socks).

Technically, the rest is optional. You can survive without it.

So when you're in that pre-race panic, thinking, "Oh my gosh! What am I forgetting?" you can gently remind yourself that as long as you have your bike and its set to go (tires pumped, water bottles in place), your helmet, and foot gear for the run, you will survive.

This table contains the items commonly found in a transition area. The purpose of some items is obvious; the purpose of other items can seem obscure to the beginning triathlete.

PRE-RACE Anti-Inflammatory Pain Reliever (use with caution) Breakfast Cash Directions to Race Confirmation Letter/E-mail ID (driver's license) USAT Card Hydration Timing Chip Wrist Watch Bags (in which to carry stuff to transition area) Transition Area Towel & Bucket & Water for the Bucket Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) Sun Block Flop-Flops (that you may never see again if you wear them to the swim start)
Swim List Swimsuit Wetsuit Goggles Anti-Fog Solution Body Glide or PAM Bathing Cap Ear Plugs Spare Goggles	Bike List Bike Helmet Bike Shoes & Socks CO2 Cartridge & Accessories Patch Kit Spare Tube Tire Levers Cycling Gloves Cycling Shirt Cycling Shorts Headband Tire Pump Sunglasses Filled Sports Drink Bottles Energy Bars/Gel	Run List Running Shoes Orthotics Running Socks Running Shorts Running Shirt Hat Headband Sunglasses Filled Sports Drink Bottle Energy Bars/Gels Fuel Belt Race Number Race Number Belt Vaseline
POST RACE Post Race Clothes Post Race Underclothes Post Race Shoes Shower Wipes (especially if you car-pooled) Towel Post Race Hydration Lots of Smiles

What should I choose from the list, and how do I arrange them in my area?

In order to answer this question, you first need to ask yourself a related question:

What is your opinion of the primary purpose of your transition area?

Transition as quickly as possible between sports.
Recover from the last event while preparing for the next.
Contemplate why I ever signed up for this event in the first place.

If your answer is 1.

People primarily focused on their speed transitioning from one sport to the next should:

Have your bike shoes already attached to your bike pedals.
Your sunglasses will be in your helmet which is nestled in your aerobars with the straps flung outward.
You will put your helmet on and buckle first, then pick up the bike and run to the mount line with it (this is faster than rolling it and steering it).
A previously unwrapped energy bar will be clenched in your teeth.
You won't waste time drying your feet, or even bother to rinse off excess dirt and sand so it won't grind into your feet as you bike then run.
Socks, what socks? It takes too much time to put on socks. The callouses on your feet are so tough you'd probably not even feel a few spoonfuls of sand in there, anyway.
You will have stood up to pedal in the last quarter mile, to get your legs used to carrying your weight again, and pedaled in a bigger gear.
You will pull your feet out of your shoes at the end of the bike, rather than unclip your shoes from the pedals and then take your shoes off.
You will have attached your run number onto your race number belt or pin it to your bike/run shorts before the race starts.
Your running shoes have those stretchy laces and lace locks.
Your helmet is the last thing you talk off as you start the run.
You will have walked through and mentally done both transitions on race morning after racking your bike and setting up your transition area, so you know exactly how many steps from the end of the swim back to your bike, and from the end of the bike back to your racking spot, etc.

If your answer is 2.

Set up your transition area similar to 1., but you might want to consider factors that will make the bike and run more pleasant / less uncomfortable:

Personally, socks are a requirement for me on both the bike and run (same socks).
I often need a dry shirt for the bike, especially if the water is cold for the swim, and I leave it on for the run. I usually wear white (at least it starts out white) since I'm usually still out on the course as the day is heating up and the sun is out.
I usually rinse my feet off as well as wipe them to make sure I haven't left any sand on them. I swear I feel every grain of sand I've not removed - endorphins or no.
I chug a half bottle of sports drink before I climb on the bike, because I'm still not great at drinking and riding, and this way I've at least made up for what I lost on the swim. (Yes, your body uses up water on the swim even in cold water.)
I usually stretch out my thighs from biking before I start out on my run by doing a few quick bendover toe -touches with my feet crossed at the ankles, and after this I grab my foot, bend my knee, and pull the heel of my foot up to my butt. It may look funny, but it works for me.
Put your bike in a slightly harder gear, then stand up to pedal your bike the last quarter mile before you enter the transition area, so your legs remember they have to support your weight again soon.
Practice setting up your transition area on your bed or the floor of your hotel room, and then mentally do the transition -- this will help you identify what you may have forgotten.

If your answer is 3.

For those who would like time to contemplate why they ever signed up for the event, make these common mistakes:

Forget to pump up your bike tires and don't check the tightness of your quick releases on your wheels before the event begins.
Leave your bike water bottles on the ground, don't put them on your bike before the race starts.
Wait until after you're done with the swim part of the event to put water/sweat proof sun screen on your shoulders, arms and legs.
Leave your shoe laces tied from when you kicked them off after your last run, preferably with double knots so it will take you longer to undo them and get your shoes on.
Bring different shirts and shorts to change into for the bike and again for the run.
Don't unwrap your energy bars, or tear the tops off the energy gels packs you plan to consume at the beginning of the bike or run (after all, it's more fun for the spectators, ir you try to get on your bike, unwrap an energy bar, and try to steer straight, all at the same time, especially when your hands are wet and cold).
Don't attach your run number to your shorts / shirt / belt before the event starts, because then you can try to open those little safety pins while your hands are shaking from adrenaline and anaerobic debt between the bike and the run.
Throw your wet wetsuit on top of your dry running stuff. This makes it tougher to locate your running things and gets them wet all at the same time.

BOTTOM LINE

Be quick, but don't hurry. You have time to do it right once, but not time to do it over.

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