Richard Allen's Tips - April - Transitions & Saving Minutes

16/04/2008

Transitions

In the build up to the race season, try to practise your transitions once a week and then, once you start racing, try to practise them the week before every event. Firstly, plan exactly what process you will go through in transition and stick to this routine in every practise and at every event. By this I mean have a set lay out in transition and have an exact order you do things. If you lay your equipment out in exactly the same way each time then there is no room for error and you will always know exactly where everything is. If you always do things in the same order then this will become second nature to you.

Once you have the layout and routine sorted, it is time to practise. It is well worth practising trying to get the wetsuit off fast, although this can be done at a separate time after a swim session. Set your transition out in your garden or garage and, before going on a bike ride, you can simulate taking your wetsuit off (just go through the physical motions in the correct amount of time) and putting your helmet and glasses on. To get on the bike there are several methods. One is scooting where you scoot on one leg and then lift the other leg over. The more advanced method is to angle the bike towards you, lift one leg partly over the saddle and then hop on to the saddle. This is easier than it sounds and is one smooth movement which looks like you are jumping on when performed correctly. Once on the bike, try to have your shoes already attached to the pedals and put your feet in the shoes whilst moving. This saves a lot of time and is fairly easy to do with a little bit of practice. One good tip is to hold the shoes in place with elastic bands, which will break once you start pedalling. You are then away on your bike ride.

On returning from the ride, take your feet out of the shoes whilst moving and place them on top of the shoes, lift your leg over the saddle, coast for a few metres and then dismount by bringing your inside leg through the inside of the leg still on the pedal. Dismount, rack your bike, put your running shoes on, take your helmet off and you are away. Just run 100m or so and you are done. This method of practice is incorporating the practise into a bike ride. You can also just practise transitions alone if you wish. If you are a total beginner and don’t have the correct bike shoes, you would put your running shoes on after the swim and then get on the bike by scooting. You save time in the second transition because your running shoes are already on. I would always recommend trying to get used to the correct bike shoes, as they are much faster to cycle in.

Training Tips

People always ask me what my favourite session is. At the peak of my Olympic distance career, it would have to be a good, fast track session.

Here is a very simple workout I enjoyed. It is fast!

Warm up – 10 mins very easy / 4 x 100m strides (building pace).

Main set – 2 x (200m / 300m / 400m / 500m / 600m / 800m) with 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120 secs rest.

Build into the first set, but the second set should all be quality and max effort.

Cool down – 10mins @ very easy pace.