Transition (T) in a triathlon is often referred to as the 4th discipline because you can indeed loose a lot of time when transitioning from one sport to the next. As the saying goes “You can win during transition but you can lose”. Transitions are:
- T1 from swim to bike and
- T2 from bike to run
For me and I think for most other athletes T2 is the quicker and easier transition however you can lose a chunk of time when putting on your running shoes. So here is what I do to make things as fast as possible:
- I don’t wear any socks
- I use rubber laces (as shown in the picture)
Rubber Laces are available at the merchant tents that pop-up at most triathlons and cost about $20. You regular laces with these rubber ones and use the tension toggle to set the tension so you can get them on without having to adjust anything, however set them tight enough so you still get good support from your shoe. And the good news is that they come in several colours to match your shoes, how good is that!
And if your concern is that your shoes will get a bit smelly, well that is true however you should be replacing them every 6 months in any case. What I do I use my new shoes for no more than 6 races and then they become my training shoes for 6 months or so and during training I always wear socks, this way I get the most of my shoes, which is important since a pair sets you back by $200 (on special) to $300.
