When you’re training for triathlon it’s much easier to feel confident with swimming, biking and running as separate disciplines because that’s what you’ve been practicing. But when a race comes up, putting it all together and sorting yourself out in transition can feel a little foreign.

I have a few friends with their first triathlon coming up – this post is for you!

Here are some tips for the transition area. 

What you neeD

• Helmet
• Cycling Shoes
• Running Shoes
• Race belt
• Colourful towel (optional)
• Socks (optional)
• Hat/ sunglasses (optional)
• Nutrition / water (recommended)

Setting up your space

If rules allow, put a colourful towel down next to your bike. This makes it easier to find your spot in the transition area when you’re in race mode.

Hook your race belt on your handle bars in an easy to grab from area. If you don’t have a race belt, an alternative option is pinning your number on a t-shirt and leaving it at transition to put on after your swim. Or you can use any belt type thing… I pin the number to an extra heart rate monitor we have.

Place your shoes on the colourful towel and your helmet on top of your cycling shoes. Putting your helmet on your cycling shoes helps to ensure you don’t take your bike off the rack before you’ve got your helmet on.

These are my main tips. Everything else you wish to have, just consider a logical order for it to be placed (ie. you don’t need your running kit before you cycle).

during the race

swim in

1. Swim cap and googles off
2. Wetsuit off

If you’re wearing a wet suit, rip your arms out as quick as you can, if you’re too cautious they get stuck and takes a while to get untangled.

bike out

1. Helmet on
2. Race belt on
3. Cycling shoes on

A lot of people don’t wear socks for the bike/run. Just do what your used to though! It doesn’t take that long to put socks on. I wore socks for my first few races.

bike in / RUN OUT

Most important note: keep your helmet on until you rack your bike.

1. Rack your bike
2. Helmet off
3. Cycling shoes off
4. Running shoes on
5. Go!

If you have tri-laces for your runners it makes the transition quicker but it’s not a necessity for your first triathlon. I like Greeper Laces if you’re looking to buy some.

Good luck!! You’ll do great.