Triathlon?

Question

Ok well obviously I know that a triathlon consists of a swim, then bike, then run. How does a swimmer switch into biking? Like do they dry off first? And how long does it take to change?

Answer 1

I've never done a triathlon, but I know the transition times count against your overall time; so faster is better.  You probably want to dry off your feet, slide into your shoes and helmet, and be off. There's no time to change into cycling clothes, and you can air dry once you're moving.

By the time you run & find your bike, then get your shoes and helmet on, figure 2-3 minutes?

Answer 2

oh...im srry i thought you were talking about mee.....

im really sorry...

but i have no idea about your question:)

Answer 3

The part of the race between each discipline is called a transition and is where a lot of people forget to plan ahead. What you need to do is think about what you need to ride.

1. There are specific styles of shorts that work well in the water and then also have a very thin pad inside the crotch part of the short that will help when you ride the bike. The pad isn't obtrusive enough to be annoying in your run either. I highly recommend a tri specific short to use since you don't have to "dry off" or change into anything at each transition.

2. You will need a tube, tire lever, CO2 injector and extra CO2 cannisters in case you flat. Prepare before hand to have the correct inflation in your tires AT THE RACE and not at home or the night before since air leaks out, is affected by temp, and you don't want to plat right out of the gate. These should be in a seat bag on your bike already mounted.

3. You could have a chamois to dry off it it bothers you but the water will cool you off during the ride if it is hot.

4. If you use clipless pedals, you should mount your shoes to your pedals before hand so you can start to pedal out of the transition on the opposite side of your pedals and then slip one foot in at a time.

5. Have a small bottle of drink (energy or water) to sip on or get the lake taste out of your mouth. Also an energy bar to take a bite out of as you transfer might be a nice thing.

If you can do these things fluidly, your transition shouldn't take long at all. Have everything laid out by your bike (on a towel since your hands will be wet) so it is easy to grab and move since your arms and legs will be like Jello until you get on your bike. Total time for a person ranges a lot but wasting as little time on getting your bike off the rack and grabbing any small things will save a lot of time.

As for the run, have your shoes ready. Using a chamois to dry off or a non-scented baby wipe to clean off your face may give you a little refresher that you need. Again, have a little drink and a bite of a bar at the transition and be ready to go.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I agree with Aaron. The tri shorts or suit are definitely the way to go. you won't notice being wet during the bike ride, during which you'll almost completely dry off for the run. (barring it being a rainy day of course.)  The transition should take you less than 4-5 minutes if everything is set up properly. i personally don't clip my shoes to my bike. i leave a sock in each bike shoe so that they're ready to put on, then throw the shoes on, this way i already have socks on for the run (if this is important to you).

Answer 5

Check out this website: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/

Under "Feature Articles" there's a video titled: Triathlon Transition Setup and Execution. It should be very helpful especially for first timers.

I also keep a bin of water and a towel laid out in my transition area. I step in the bin to rinse off the sand/dirt while I'm putting on my glasses and helmet. Then I quickly wipe my feet on my on my towel, roll on my socks and put on my shoes.

I don't pre-clip my shoes to my bike when I'm going out, but keep them clipped when I'm coming in. Shortly before the end, I pull my feet out of my shoes and pedal on top of my shoes. I can more quickly run to my transition area and get in my running shoes. I suggest a bit of practice before doing this in a race.

The transition between the swim and bike usually takes longer than the bike to run. If you're wearing a wetsuit figure about 3-5 minutes from swim to bike and 11/2 - 3 minutes from bike to run.