How To Organise Your Triathlon Transition Set Up | Step-By-Step Guide

Race morning or the thought of setting up in triathlon transition can be rather stressful, especially if it's your first race! To help all your pre-race worries, Heather is here with a step-by-step transition guide so you know what to expect!
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[@hillandrewdavid]

Not many bikes left by the time I reach transition…easy to spot my bike 😂

[@robr9905]

LOL

[@katrinaamaro]

I’m with ya

[@SuperCuttyBlackSow]

Same here swim is by far the hardest one

[@jeroenstrybos812]

😂😂😅

[@Sokeresa]

This comment made my day

[@woden_the_wanderer]

Never done a triathlon in my life but here I am.....

[@livinginsyn4814]

No time like the present!

[@Cookefan59]

Welcome! We have cookies! 🍪 😈

[@simonleek1541]

Doing my first one this Sunday

[@trbeyond]

Pro tip: after pairing your Garmin (or other head unit) to your bike cadence or power meter, press start. Make sure auto pause is set to on. The bike computer will start then then stop since the bike isn’t moving. But it will stay awake and paired to your sensors so when you get to the bike after the swim it’s ready to go.

[@odyseusjarhead602]

It is very important to actually practice running from the entrance of T1 to you bike, and then to the exit of T1 after you rack your bike. Jog the route that you will take. Do it several times. You will look silly, but it is better to look silly practicing your transition movements before the race than it is to look silly during the race because you either forgot where your bike is, or you took the wrong route out of transition. I have made both mistakes. Now I practice everything that will happen in T1 before the race starts.

[@crawfordbrooks5151]

Important note for races in places with intense sun! Deflate your tires if you have to leave the bike the day before. I showed up the morning of Ironman 70.3 Boulder and there was a panicked man looking for 2 tubes. Both had exploded the day before backing in 95 degree heat! Just be sure to bring a pump…

[@colinb8327]

I normally grab my swim hat and goggles before pulling my wetsuit down, that way I can open my hand as I pull my arm through my sleeve, leaving my hat and goggles in my sleeve, then I don’t need to worry about them, and I can find them after the race.

[@davidknight3774]

I also do this and it works well and protects your goggles too.

[@joemoya9743]

There are small changes in your swim to bike transition that would make it faster and easeir. First, having your swim cap on so that it is fitted where the bottom of the cap is only mid-ear level. To remove, push a finger (preferably your thumb) in the ear canal opening at mid-ear and the cap will just pop off with out pulling your hair because it starts from the front and the compression of the elasticity literally results in it popping off without any pulling. Second, have your number belt already snappped and put it on over your head like you do a t-shirt. There are others... but, those are a few that would help.

[@livinginsyn4814]

Electric tape instead of duct tape for taping to your bike for less mess or danger to the paint

[@nathanaday5169]

Ahh perfect! Great video. I've been wanting to do a triathlon for years but the most intimidating thing for me wasn't the physical endurance but just knowing where to go, and when, and how to transition. I'm sure my first race I'll look like a confused buffoon but minimizing that as much as possible will be good. Thanks!

[@nefibarron2299]

Will it be possible to have the gtn team doing a real time transition? There's a lot of videos, but few of actual speed on the steps

[@petrofskiwilliams8360]

Thank you for this tips, i will be doing my first sprint triathlon soon.

[@sea-lotus]

This is too cool, thank you sooo much for breaking it down!!

[@xander0901]

Really appreciated this. Great tips and advice for beginners and veterans alike, given that we (hopefully) will be seeing more races return. I haven't done one since September 2019, so it was nice a nice refresher.

[@suttonfarms2343]

Big help and loved the video. Prepping for my first olympic tri and this helps with anxiety!:)

[@jobanski]

Heather looks amazing!🤩

[@marilynnfreeman459]

This was REALLY helpful! I knocked 1’30” off T1 and 30” off of T2. Knowing how to lay out the gear made all the difference. Thank you!

[@rainbowmonkMC]

the video i've been waiting for !! thank you :)

[@vincentacegallego4138]

Looking forward to my first ever triathlon next month. This video really helps a lot.

[@JohnSmith-ld2mc]

Signed up for my first triathlon. Super nervous about the transitions. Thanks for the help.

[@j2a9c8k7]

Excellent. Have my first sprint tomorrow and I'm pretty sure I'm ready to go, but always good to have some last minute tips.

[@ianhobbs6326]

Good luck mate enjoy it

[@DMAN-ey1nb]

How did it go?

[@MultiJones93]

Very good guide, much appreciated!

[@tyrk1589]

fantastic video, tons of tips I hadn't considered.

[@francisville4132]

This will probably save me the seconds I need for my PB 🤩

[@336floflo]

Thanks so much for this video it helped a lot. Could you do a video What to eat Pre-Triathlon (Dinner + Breakfast) and Post-Triathlon to recover?

[@georgeoneal7256]

This was awesome! Thanks!

[@BobBob-uv9fq]

My transition from run to cycles is get annoyed I can’t get my bike padlock to work ,bang my head off the garden shed ,through the kitchen hit the settee with my wheel ,tell my mum to get out my way .let the back door slam then out through the front door ,it takes 5 mins 46 secs .7897 seconds ,I reckon I can shave two minutes off this 😀🙋‍♂️🤑

[@Tri_Effort]

Thank you for this 🙏

[@josephbeaufils3611]

Really interesting as a beginner. You should add a little caption saying the number should be on front at T2 to avoid penalty.

[@perfectlyfitted]

This was helpful. Thank you

[@cockerfamilyadventures1854]

Doing my 1st race at the start of next year, will defs revisit this video. I know im fine for the disciplines, its the transitions that worry me haha.

[@shagoesfar]

Great advice x

[@anazaldivar7282]

Amazing video thank you!!!!!

[@klewis2048]

14 days to my first one, very timely

[@MattP-C]

This is a truly excellent video and has helped alleviate some of my worries about transitions. Looking forward to my first triathlon next month now!

[@gtn]

You're welcome - best of luck! Where are you racing?

[@floydcooper06]

@@gtn The London Triathlon. Have completed this as part of a relay before but first one going solo. Looking forward to it now, fingers crossed for good weather!

[@stephaneracinebkk]

On Sunday will be my first triathlon thank u for this video

[@DMAN-ey1nb]

How did it go?

[@robr9905]

I have my first Ironman 70.3 in 10 days. This was an excellent intro to T1/T2, well done.

[@alexswanepoel303]

howd it go ?

[@Amanda.c91]

this was so cool :)

[@mathieur877]

I have my first race next week end and this is actually the video I wanted to see at the right timing 😂

[@iggalan]

Practice both transitions several times during the days before and don’t improvise on race day. Also two days before race on the comfort of your house set up everything as you would do on the transition area (minus the bike) so you visually see how it should be placed, make sure you’re not missing something. Then on race day you only have to repeat the same setup. Arrive early to boxes so you have enough time, the first races are a bit stressful 😅

[@mathieur877]

@@iggalan Alright Mr Iggalan I will take time during taper to place stuff exactly as planned As a 70.3 the fastest transition is clearly not my priority I aiming for a safe, methodic transition to get used to it

[@mitchatkins7402]

Thank you, Heather, very useful for my 1st sprint Triathlon in 3 weeks. Didn't think of the towel! Was just going to slip wet feet into running shoes without socks and jump on the bike with running shoes (only a 20km bike)

[@josimar73]

I'm not an expert at all, but as running is my best part I recently chose to use my carbon 5k shoes in a sprint distance on the bike as well. The benefit was that the carbon sole is stiff and supports the feet stability on the bike. Was happy with it.

[@jeremysegal1806]

@@josimar73 min

[@tecmalo6857]

7:37 "especially if it is a long transition" Our local tri changed the swimming location, due to algae. Now it is nearly a kilometer from the swim exit to the transition area. I'm really thinking of running with the wetsuit over my shoulders, but (at least now) there hasn't been an announcement, if it will be illegal, to take it of after the swim exit :D Great Video, was much fun to watch it. Can't wait for races to really start again.

[@iggalan]

Something similar happened to me last year, we were allowed to put on the running shoes to go to T1, so there was an area just after the swim were you could leave them.

[@Jon-lf2dj]

Fully legal to run to T1 carrying your wetsuit. As mentioned, for long transitions there is often a place you can leave some old trainers to put on for the run (don't use flip flops; they're slower). Running in shoes carrying your wetsuit (slung over shoulders) is faster than running barefoot in your suit; it's just that the run has to be long enough to cancel out the time to put on the shoes. Personally, the break even for me is ~0.5K.

[@jurgenshayes4989]

Bring the team to SA and do the Knysna Extreme 😎

[@elclaudiosanchez]

im doing my first one in Santa Barbara this Saturday, then my second in Malibu next month, thank you gtn

[@FarisMlaeb]

I dont have a Trisuit, I will be changing my swimming short with a cycling short, lose more time, but its OK

[@LEOMTB2011]

What bike is it

[@LeonelTuto]

🔥💯

[@luisbarraza9709]

What happened to the ankle chip? Did you wear that during the swim?

[@79devo]

Transition prep: "The moment when I realise me, my bike and all my equipment are old, cheap and poorer quality than everyone else's !"

[@itslanke6289]

I have a hot pink spray saddle tube

[@seascape]

It’s been a long time since my last triathlon, so I’m wondering with all the expensive kit nowadays, how common is it for theft and sabotage to occur in the transition area? Have you ever found items missing or not working on race day? Also, on recovery days, is it better to drop your cadence or pace?

[@Jon-lf2dj]

Transition areas are fairly secure. Only registered racers are allowed in and there is usually someone checking that your bike has the same number as your race bib as you exit. The only issue I ever had was someone accidentally taking my wetsuit and leaving theirs (same brand/model, different size). For recovery days, go at a slower pace. Cadence might naturally vary slightly, but don't consciously try to pedal slower. Just use an easier gear. You might also want to set a HR or power value to to exceed.

[@JennaOnTheBeach]

Anyone have experience with ITB syndrome or any lateral knee pain, please advise what works!! How did you get through the run

[@rynierbrandt7691]

That is my birth year 1970 🤙

[@yugantgurav8965]

Any tips on what to eat after a swim, during T1.

[@patricia_w]

I'm gonna have a gel right after the swim and take some bars and jellies with me on the bike to fuel up during bike leg and be ready for run. Make sure you try the nutrition you want to use while you're training as it can upset your stomach and you will be sick during your race and may not even finish.

[@rainbowmonkMC]

@@patricia_w thanks for the tip ! i am about to do my first sprint, and i was planning to have 1 gel right after the swim as well

[@rubenmeijer5124]

@@rainbowmonkMC If you have done this in training you can do it on race day. There are a lot of people who have problems wit taking a gel right after the swim. Your body is already freaking out from the different body position. For most people it is best if you take a gel 5k in to the bike part (in a sprint). As a side benefit it will probably cost you less time to take a gel on the bike.

[@pnfroux]

Question: Is it a good idea to deflate your tires when leaving your bike overnight in transition (and inflating on the day), I have heard of horror stories of tires bursting due to harsh temperature fluctuations at night?

[@LUMIGOCHA]

Great tips. For a Tri do you usually record the swim, bike, and run with a sports watch? If so, do you have to manually stop and start the next activity? or are there some Tri watches where you can input beforehand and just hit a button to go to the next event, without pausing the overall recording? I get that for swimming is more like total time spent, cause its the first event, and you know how long it took, for the bike you can have the cycle computer to record and give you stats, and for running you could used the sports watch to give the pace. But I'm just curious if Tri athletes record everything with the watch in an actual race, and how useful it really is. Never done a Tri in my life. Just running, and bike.

[@ianhobbs6326]

Yeah there are watches with a tri mode that can do all three, mine doesn’t so i just look to see the time on my watch when the gun goes and look again when I’m out the water, i went ahead and memorized the three or four buttons to get to bike mode without looking and then ill switch over to the run mode after I’m out of T2

[@Jon-lf2dj]

The Garmin tri watches just have you hit a button to move through the five phases (three sports, two transitions). The hard part is remembering to hit the button in the heat of competition. Wahoo has a new watch (ELEMNTrival) that claims to automatically detect the transitions between sports. Personally, I find it easiest to record the event in one mode (run) and split up the file into the separate parts later on Strava. Make sure to change the activity type for each part so that your "run" during the bike segment doesn't steal peoples' KOMs.

[@svensloots4010]

Hi mate, I use a fairly old model of the Garmin watch. You can add certain activities to your list or combine multiple activities. I've combined open water, biking and running. Once I come oit of the water I simply press the 'lap' button and my T1 starts. Once I reach the line where I can jump on the bike I once again press the 'lap' button. Repeat this when transitioning from biking to running and you're set to go. Pretty sure al newer have the same fearures included. Hope this helps!

[@jamiefuhrman403]

Good question. What do people do to overcome battery life for longer events like an Ironman?

[@ianhobbs6326]

@@jamiefuhrman403 most modern GPS sport watches can operate for extended periods from 24hrs to well beyond that

[@tylerwarner3677]

I will be racing my first Sprint Tri in just about 12 weeks. For about 1 week towards the end of that time I will be traveling with little if any opportunity to train. Do you have any recommendations?

[@JennaOnTheBeach]

I work on the core whenever this is the case and if you can't get a swim in. And arms. Save the legs though. It makes a massive difference to strength

[@Kol1bri]

How can you change clothes from your swimshorts to your bikeshorts and from your bikeshorts to your running shorts without dressing tents? Can people go naked to change these or how to do it when you are not rocking a tri-suit (I need the proper cushion for the bikeride, which can't be used to swim or run).

[@ericibarra123]

Get tri shorts or tri suit. They will have the padding needed to bike, but not like cycling shorts (more padding). You will be able to do all 3 phases in your tri shorts or suit.

[@_TopG]

Guys remember she’s not in an actual race today

[@notmyrealname6272]

Terrified now

[@easyrider2581]

when did you got socks on?? ahahah

[@Pigpamman]

Seems like you lost your chip in the swim :)