How to Master the Transition from Bike to Run

Ironman 70.3 Ireland – Galway Course Review – 2012 – Dan Speed

September 9, 2012 By Denis Oakley Leave a Comment

Dawn at the Galway 70.3 via the Tuan Record

Triathlon Name

Ironman 70.3 Galway

Triathlon Date

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Who Are you?

Dan Speed - Triathlete who has just finished his 3rd season. favours the bike who struggles on the swim and survives the run!

Race Category.

M25-29

Country

Galway, Ireland

Why did I do this race?

I did this race as I wanted to do an official 70.3 and this was 2 weeks before my wedding so I treated it as a 2nd stag do with my tri mates.

The Swim

The swim was a sea swim, and it was very calm of the day of the race unlike the saturday where the wind was up and the sea was very rough.

The start it deep water and you head out in the sea (approx 150-200m) and then a left turn and a straight of around 1200m. You then do a 180 degree turn and head “back on youself” for around 500m and then hang a 90degree right back into the shore.

Not much seaweed around but I got stuck in a clump.

The Bike

The bike leg was a lovely out and bike course on closed roads (non drafting) and the road surface was great for 90%+ of the time, Once out of the city, the villages you pass through had amazing support. they are a few little rises but nothing to worry about. It is very fast course with a feed station at around and .

The initial was getting out of the city and through the grounds of the uni – it was stated that this was a no overtake zone but it was not marshalled.

The Run

The run was a 3 lap race on flat roads, my GPS picked up an elevation change of 12m. There are two feed stations at either end of the course ( and ) with plenty of supplies and support. By the time i got onto the run there was a bit of wind behind you to the first turn around and then head wind to the other.
Bands were picked up at each lap at the mark, 12 and . the final straight () seemed to go on for ever. The run course was not over crowed.

Transition

Transition was well organised but the run to transition from the swim was around 500m. Plenty of time to pull wetsuit down to the waist. Not many people were helping out, around 5 or 6 people in there. From the bike rack to the road was another 100m and the same for the return leg and to the run.

Race Organisation

The organisation of the event was not great, the race briefing was a video on constant loop that played over. It went to fast to get the info. But the people and marshalls were very handy in helping with any confusion that people had.

We stayed away from the expo and surrounding area not to get pulled in by the hype but on race day the place was electric! supporters cheering etc.

Top Galway 70.3 Triathlon Tips

Try not to get carried away with the smooth fast roads and hitting the bike too hard can come back and hit you hard later on

How did you do?

I managed to come 4th in my AG and come 37th overall. extremely happy!

Verdict

would do this event, great support and a great course, If there was a little bit more info and organisation this would be an amazing race to do.

Great night out afterwards too!

You can follow Dan on twitter as @1xdanspeed

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

Filed Under: Triathlon Reviews Tagged With: Course Review, Dan Speed, Galway, Half Ironman, Ireland, Ironman 70.3, Triathlon

HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman Course Review- 2012 – David Smith

June 16, 2012 By Denis Oakley Leave a Comment

David Smith reviews the HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman Course (the photo is of Muddy Buddy though!)

David Smith reviews the HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman course. A tough course because it goes up a mountain but all the more satisfying because of that – and with great race organisation!

Triathlon Name

HITS Hunter Mountain Half

Triathlon Date

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Who Are you?

David Smith- I race about 10-12 Triathlons a year. Love the 70.3 distance the most. I am a solid AG competitor-once in a while I manage to stand on the podium.

Race Category

M 40-44

Country

Hunter, New York, USA

Why did I do this race?

I wanted to check out the HITS Series for one. Two they offer a free super short open distance that I was able to get my son to race and third- I love hills.

The Swim

The swim was a single loop with left turns (most of my races have right turns, but I like breathing more on the left so this was pretty cool). The water was cool- about 65 degrees- perfect wetsuit water. And the lake was pretty clear so finding friendly feet to draft was rather easy. There was only one wave for the half and full (the full did two laps) so we had a pretty nice scrum at the start. I did have to flip on my back twice to clear my left goggle, but within settled in to a nice steady stroke. I felt pretty strong and consistent through out the entire swim.

The only real challenge was when we turned at the final swim buoy, we were swimming into the sun rise so sighting was a bit hard. But since I was in a pretty good pack, I stayed on course and was quickly out of the water. I usually swim about 37-38 minutes for the . This race I was out of the water in 34:45 and hit the transition mat at 35:35ish. I was pretty happy about that, although I knew it was likely the swim would be the only fast leg- after all we were racing on a Mountain.

The Bike

The first were flat to a slight downhill and I hammered Hard. While I had not ridden the course, HITS is working with Map My Tri to showcase route details including elevation, so my pre race strategy was to ride hard during the first and then sit up during climb or the last – at an average grade of 5%. I executed well- first in about 1:25. Next 26 in about 1:27. Total time 2:52. Which is about 15 minutes slower than what I usually do, but I knew the course was very hard so I was happy with my effort. And coming into T2 I felt very good- legs were loose, stomach was fine and I was looking forward to 13.1 of up and down- yeah the run was a lot like the bike. There were 4 aid stations- one every but I did not need to stop.

The Run

An out and back with minimal turning laterally, but lots of up and downs! The first were pretty much downhill outside of two short but very steep hills. Then the next were rolling hills. I felt pretty good- although I did have two blister form and pop- one on each heel. Once they popped I did not feel any pain (but knew I would later). Since the first were downhill, the last four miles were uphill. I ran slower than I would have liked, but never once felt like I needed to walk or even slow down (my body did that on its own). Normally I run a 1:40-1:45 for the run- but I ran a 1:58. Given the heavy climbing and the fact that I was recovering from a minor knee injury I was very pleased.

Transition

Transition is set up very nice- each racer has their own area including personal rack and a stool. Plenty of room, nice and flat and easy to get in and out.

T1- I am pretty good at T1 and T2. I do a good job of getting my gear set up and come into the Transition area with a clear plan of what I need to do and in what order. What was pretty cool is the AV crew was taking video of me as I got ready to head out on the bike- I will share the link if I can get it. Time was about 1:15.
T2- nailed it- 46 seconds. My T1 time was the fastest and T2 was second so practice and consistency works.

Race Organisation

Outstanding race organization. Mark Wilson who is the race Director did a great job sharing insights about the course, which was well marked. Pre race had a clear athlete guide, packet pick-up was great. Post race- plenty of food- bagels, pretzels, HEED recovery drinks, lemonade, coke, ice tea and fruit.

Top Triathlon Tips

Do this series as they offer 5 distances- Open, Sprint, Olympic, Half and Full on each weekend they race. I will definitely do it again and in multiple locations. Great value, great experience & great race!

How did you do?

Total time- 5:28:53. 18th place overall and 4th in my AG (40-44). In the last two years I have been pretty consistent finishing in the top 10-15% in most races and my performance was on track.

Verdict

Without a doubt this was the hardest 70.3 I have done (number 6 so far). But also very satisfying. I nailed the swim, nutrition, transitions and executed my pre race strategy. I will definitely do another HITS race and recommend it very much to everyone else. And bring one of your non triathlete friends to do the open- soon they will be one of your triathlete friends!

You can check out David’s website here or follow her on twitter as @dsmith1031

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

Filed Under: Triathlon Reviews Tagged With: 2012, David Smith, Half Ironman, HITS, Hunter, Hunter Mountain, New York State, RAce Review, Triathlon, USA

Rev3 Knoxville 70.3 Course Review – 2012 – Heather Ensley

May 18, 2012 By Denis Oakley Leave a Comment

Heather Ensley Racing (Not at Rev3 Knoxville though)

Rev3 Knoxville has a hilly bike and run making it a challenging 70.3 triathlon course – but with the trademark family friendliness of Rev3 events. Heather Ensley reviews the course and offers top tips on racing Rev3 Knoxille well.

Triathlon Name

Rev3 Knoxville 70.3

Triathlon Date

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Who Are you?

I’m a married mom of two kids. I’ve been racing triathlon since 2006, and have spent the last 4 years focusing mostly on long course (70.3 and Ironman) racing. I’m an average middle-of-the-pack age-grouper.

Race Category

Female 40-44

Country

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Why did I do this race?

I wanted to do an early season 70.3 to test my fitness before I build for Ironman Lake Placid this summer. I have been wanting to race a Rev3 event because they have gotten so many good reviews, and I thought the weather would be good in Knoxville in May

View Larger Map
The Swim

The swim is a one loop, deep water start in the Tennessee River. The water was chilly but comfortable in a wetsuit (). The athlete guide says the swim starts against the current and turns then finishes the longer side with the current, but I honestly couldn’t tell either way.

The water was clean with fairly good visibility. The sun was directly ahead in my face at the start, but I could see the buoys without a problem. There is only one line of buoys, so there was no separation of the “out” vs “back” swimmers.

There was some lap traffic coming towards us with Olympic Distance event athletes going a bit wide at their start, and I did get hit in the head pretty hard from a man coming towards me, but I didn’t lose my goggles. The swim exits at a small dock with no ladder or ramp. The water comes up almost exactly to the dock, and there are volunteers on the dock to help pull you out of the water if you nee d it.

The Bike

This course is not for the faint of heart. It rolls and has some amount of hills the entire ride. Enjoy the first and last mile, because these are really the only flat sections. There is a mile long switchback climb at mile 48.

There are two aid stations located on the course. The bike course is not marked, and my computer wasn’t working so I had no idea where I was on the course until I asked some other riders. The road surface is very nice for the entire ride.

The Run

The run is also hilly and not marked. The athlete guide said the aid stations were located every mile, but even without a gps watch I knew they weren’t . You will pass the turn-around for the Olympic Distance event and know you are at , and then again at the turn-around. The run goes through a shaded park area that is a very nice path and welcome relief from the Tennessee sun.

The residential section from about mile 4 to the turn-around is mostly downhill, and then you have to turn and run back up. It’s definitely a challenging run, but there were plenty of aid stations with good supplies and friendly volunteers. The water was provided by 82Go, and comes in a small sealed plastic bag. You bite (or tear) the corner off to drink. It makes it very easy to carry a few in your pockets and always have water with you.

Transition

Transition was located in a parking garage, which made for great protection from any possible bad weather. The run from the swim to T1 is about .25 mile, running on the road and a small portion of grass. The floor of the garage was very slick concrete, and I did notice other athletes having trouble running in their cycling shoes with their bikes both in and out. I keep my shoes attached to my bike, and the garage floor was very comfortable to run on in bare feet. I wasn’t able to get a gps signal on my computer due to the garage, and I wasn’t allowed to take my bike out of transition in the morning to try and get any signal

Race Organisation

The organizers are extremely friendly and helpful. The finish line area is top-notch. Your picture is taken when you check-in, and they display your picture on the jumbotron screen as you run down the finish chute. There wasn’t much selection in the post-race food, but it was fresh (pulled pork bbq sandwiches being made on site).

Top Rev3 Knoxville 70.3 Triathlon Tips

Be prepared for a hilly course and a potentially hot day. ( on race day for me)
I highly recommend staying at the race hotel, The Holiday Inn, as it’s located directly at the finish line and within walking distance of many great restaurants in the area. The hotel staff is very friendly and room was big and clean.
In fact, everyone we spoke with in Knoxville was friendly and happy to have the race in town.

How did you do?

Definitely not my best time for a 70.3, but I had a personal best race swim (34:30) and finished first in my division for the swim. My bike was average (3:17), and my run time was terrible. I knew my run would be poor going into the race due to recent foot problems and not having many long runs done in training. Overall I was happy with the finish and know where I need to focus my energies on moving into the summer. Finish time: 6:35.

You can follow Heather on twitter as @ironmom10

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

Filed Under: Triathlon Reviews Tagged With: 2012, Course Review, Half Ironman, Half Rev, Heather Ensley, Knoxville, Knoxville Tennessee, Rev3, Tennessee, Triathlon, USA

How to Master the Transition from Bike to Run

May 14, 2012 By Jay Zacharias Leave a Comment

Transitioning from Bike to Run by Michael Yannow on http://www.storiestoldbythecamera.com

Mastering the transition from bike to run is a key to your triathlon success. Getting off the bike and starting to run in a triathlon can be a mixed experience. The relief of being off the back is offset by the greater pain that you expect from the run. Jay Zacharias offers advice on how to make this a great experience.

Transitioning from Bike to Run Photo by Michael Yannow on http://www.storiestoldbythecamera.com

Ninety miles into a training ride at a triathlon camp last year, thoughts about whether or not to go out for a transition run afterward began their inevitable assault on my psyche.

The Tucson heat had been beating us up for 5 hours. Adding insult to injury, I had the brilliant idea to close a gap that formed in the group which took its toll on my physical AND mental energy – I had forgotten how tough it was to ride in a group for such a long period of time.

By the time I finished the ride, the very thought of tacking on a 30-minute run was sheer torture. I made the decision to bail on the run and ice a sore foot instead. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I sat on a chair nursing my foot among the group as they were getting ready to make the transition from bike to run just so they could SEE I was in no shape to hit the trail with them.

A Revelation

Suddenly, I overheard one athlete ask who else was going on the run. A second camper piped in with

“Count me in! I’m going to reward myself with a run after finishing that hard bike.”

Here’s where the big a-HA occurred. My problem wasn’t my foot… it was my head. I was focused of the wrong body part.

Instead of thinking about the run as an important, positive training practice – an IMPERATIVE – I had made it an OPTION, a negative. Yes, I really did have an issue with my foot, but that usually went away once I got off of the bike… and clearly that part of the training day was over. I talked myself into believing that it was too much effort without even trying.

I Was Losing The Race Before I Even Started It!

Here I was, allowing my negative mental attitude to program poor training behavior and, ultimately, lackluster race results. After all, if I was going to let this take me down while training, how would I be able to handle even tougher demands at my next Ironman event?

Psychologists have long taught us that what a person believes to be true IS. I learned this lesson quickly, and started to TRAIN myself to be excited about transition runs because, after all, every race comes down to a run. Having the right mindset can get take you over the physical hurdles when they show up and we all know they WILL show up.

How to Get off the Bike and Run Well

Positive Talk:

Talk happily about what you’re getting ready to do. When negative thoughts around going out for the run creep in simply push them out of your mind and tell yourself, “I’m not going to think about that right now.” It might seem silly, it may sound simple. Psychologically, however, this is about building new thought patterns – new neural pathways. Start by practicing it on shorter rides and transition runs and build up to the bigger efforts later. It’s all about momentum.

Visualize Success:

This isn’t just a bunch of woo woo voodoo, it’s an effective mental rehearsal technique used with GREAT success by many professional athletes. Here’s how it’s done. Find a quiet space, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to get present. Now imagine unclipping and racking your bike, pulling on your running shoes, grabbing some calories, and heading out on your run.

Visualization techniques are an amazing way to excel at hard tasks because, believe it or not, your mind cannot tell the difference between what’s really happening and what it imagines. Since none of us has the luxury of rehearsing transitions every day, if you can get GREAT at the mental rehearsal then doing them on race day will be a piece of cake.

Smile:

It’s impossible to be negative while grinning from ear to ear! While it may feel a little strange at first, develop a new habit of smiling while cycling into transition. I keep a joke or story tucked away that guarantees a laugh, like the first time I watched my wife try out her new bike and forget to unclip from her pedals before braking.

Even more amusing was the look of irritation she gave me as she lay sprawled out in the driveway. When you stay positive, it’s easier to get excited about springing off your bike and heading out for a run. And the better you’ll perform on race day.

Grab Jay’s free cheat sheet, 27 Ways to Wreck Your Race…and how to avoid them.

Filed Under: Guest Posts Tagged With: brick, Cycling, Guest POst, Half Ironman, ironman, Jay Zacharias, Olympic, Running, Sprint, T2, transition, Triathlon