In Olympic distance races, at the World Cup level, transitions are a vital part of the race that can either make or break you from being in the front of the pack, or taking the podium.
As competitors make it out of the water, T1 is crucial as racers at the elite level usually have a cash prize incentive to be first through the transition line. In this section of the race, competitors rally for position to get the upper hand on breakaways.
In T2, things start to change. A race mentality -coming from the bike portion of the race – of sticking together to create the fastest group, steers away as competitors take on an individual role, as the race is now you and the road. Just like training for all three disciplines, transitions should be added as a fourth. This discipline is usually the last thing athletes take into consideration, and should be one of the first.
Ways to implement faster transitions into your training can be in your brick workouts. As you transition off the bike to the run, have your gear laid out like you would for a race. Repetition is key. In those brick workouts, continue the workout two or three times through to nail it down.
Other ways to achieve faster transition times is to leave your shoes locked and slide feet out when racing, put your sunglasses on while pedaling, leave your socks for after the race, and exchange laced for elastic.
During those brick workouts, use a watch and a camera to record yourself and times. This will allow you to see what mistakes you are making and correct, as well as knowing how much time you are losing.
Good luck!
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