HERE ARE A FEW TIPS FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE CLINIC AND THOSE WHO COULD NOT. ENJOY! THE ART OF FORWARD MOTION CLINIC TIPS Transitions are the race inside the race. In addition to swimming, biking and running, a triathlete should look at transitions as another skill, and work toward becoming proficient and calm while practicing transitions under a variety of circumstances. Each transition should be made while calmly optimizing speed, control of movement and effectiveness. Although there are certain style differences, every aspect of the transition should be considered. Where will the wet suit be taken off? Where will it be placed? Will you put your helmet on first or last?, and What about your sunglasses, You should physically practice before the event; then mentally “walk” through each transition the morning of your race. Aside from a smooth physical transition, physiological changes also need to be addressed. As you switch from one sport to the next, your circulating blood needs to be rerouted to a new set of muscle groups. Being familiar with your movements and staying relaxed and composed is important in every aspect of your transitions, so practice and practice some more. The transition area is like your home on race day. It’s tempting to spread out and make it comfortable but you do need to respect your fellow athletes and do you really need all that stuff ?. Because of the limited space, you should have only what you need, and no more, to make the change from swim to bike and bike to run. After you have set up your bike and running shoes, walk the transition area: Take mental note of the swim start/finish, the bike in and out, the bike rack position, the run exit, and finish line. Knowing where you need to go settles the mind so you don’t get distracted by the commotion as you exit the water, or make the mistake of running out in the wrong direction or with the wrong gear still on. The swim finish and transition from the swim is a time to stay relaxed. Avoid picking up your intensity when coming out of the water. While exiting the water think about what is coming next. Think about biking, as you will be switching from horizontal to vertical. The run to the bike moves the blood to those muscles needed for cycling , do not sprint the run to transition as you will build lactic acid up quickly in your legs. From the swim exit, you should unzip your wet suit while jogging, and remove the arms and begin pulling your wet suit to your waist. Once at the bike, remove the rest of the wet suit. The most efficient method is to pull the wet suit down towards the ankles and then step on one side, lift the other foot out and then step on the free wet suit leg and lift that foot out. Know your transition rules and where to mount and dismount your bike. When finishing the bike start thinking about your run. One thing you can do to help is to stretch your legs. Lower your heel to stretch the gastro-soleus (calf, Achilles) for a few seconds on either side during the last few minutes before you approach the transition area. This loosens up the running dominant muscles of the lower leg. When you begin the run it is best to build into your pace. As in the swim to bike transition you need to give your body time to recirculate blood to the running muscle groups. That “brick” feeling can be controlled to some extent if you use more posterior chain muscles to extend the hips (glutes, hamstrings and Achilles) which will help you to not feel as much of that heavy-legged sensation when running. Try to relax your body, and maintain an efficient body posture. This will set you up for the rest of the run. Maintain a steady pace throughout the majority of the race and predominately work the posterior muscles to propel your body horizontally. The key to transition is forward motion without expending energy. So practice it is your fourth sport in a triathlon!
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:34:51 +0000
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