TriDot Podcast .44:

Time-Saving Transition Tips for Triathletes

This is the TriDot Podcast. TriDot uses your training data and genetic profile combined with predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to optimize your training, giving you better results in less time with fewer injuries. Our podcast is here to educate, inspire, and entertain. We'll talk all things triathlon with expert coaches and special guests. Join the conversation and let's improve together.

Andrew: Hey, everyone, welcome to the TriDot Podcast. Now, whether you race sprints, Olympics, halves or full-on Ironman, we are all on the clock during transitions on race day. So, today, we are talking through all the tips and tricks to help get us through T1 and T2 as efficiently as possible. It's going to be super helpful. Our first coach joining to talk transition is Pro Triathlete and Coach, Elizabeth James. Elizabeth came to the sport from a soccer background and quickly rose through the ranks using TriDot from a beginner to a top age grouper to a professional triathlete. She's a Kona and Boston Marathon Qualifier who has coached triathletes with TriDot since 2014. Elizabeth, thanks for joining me.

Elizabeth: Thank you. I am very much looking forward to today's discussion. We've talked swim, bike, and run, so now let's address how to effectively put them together.

Andrew: Yes, let's do just that. Next up for that is Coach John Mayfield. A successful Ironman athlete himself, John leads TriDot’s Athlete Services Ambassador and Coaching Programs. He has coached hundreds of athletes ranging from first-timers to Kona qualifiers, and professional triathletes. John has been using TriDot since 2010, and coaching with TriDot since 2012. John, what's up man?

John: Yo. I never swim, bike or run that fast, but I can transition like a ninja.

Andrew: Transition like a ninja.

John: It's gonna be good stuff.

Andrew: That should be in the title of this episode, how to transition like a ninja--

John: Make it happen.

Andrew: From John Mayfield. So, all right. And who am I? I'm Andrew the average triathlete, voice of the people, and captain of the middle of the pack. Today, on the show, we're going to get warmed up as always, and then transition into our main set talking about setting yourself up for race day transition success. Then we'll get cooled down by revealing the top 10 names TriDot Podcast listeners have for their bikes. We did some polling, we did some research, you guys told us what you've named your faithful steed you ride on race day, and we're going to share 10 of those names that we received. So, it's gonna be great, it’s gonna be a lot of fun. Let's get to it.

Time to warm up. Let's get moving.

Andrew: We all know triathlon can be an expensive sport to get into, and there is so much equipment to get us through all three sports. And even once you have all the necessities, then they're always nice, new, shiny upgrades, and tech hitting the market each and every year. So, for our warm up question today, if someone came forward and said they would cover the cost of your next tri-gear upgrade, your next triathlon purchase, what would you be looking to buy? John, what would you want?

John: I recently joined 21st century triathlon training and I am now on Zwift, J. Mayfield. [crosstalk]

Andrew: Bravo. Finally got with the times.

John: Finally, yeah. Now, I just need the smart trainer to go along with it. So, if anyone would like to sponsor a smart trainer, I would be happy to oblige and rock that on Zwift.

Andrew: I do want to add an anecdote for our listeners. So, John Mayfield is also the name of one of the co-founders of Zwift, is that correct?

John: I believe so. Yeah.

Andrew: And so we actually met you know, some guy that works for Zwift and when he found out your name was John Mayfield, he was beside himself with glee. And he just thought that was the funniest thing. So, maybe Zwift could be nice enough to comp the other John Mayfield a smart trainer--

John: That'd be fantastic.

Andrew: --to use on their platform.

John: I would accept.

Andrew: You would gladly. I'm sure you would gladly accept. So, Elizabeth, what would you want to be your next major triathlon upgrade?

Elizabeth: Well, I am currently in the market for a new bike. And so if someone would be happy to cover the costs of that upgrade, I would be tickled. That would be fantastic.

John: I bet.

Andrew: She would be tickled John, be tickled to have a new bike upgrade.

John: I’ll take one too, sure.

Andrew: While we’re at it, bikes for this staff. Now, but seriously, if there's a bike company out there who wants to sponsor the TriDot Podcast and comp us all bikes, we will gladly sing your praises, right, on every single episode. Oh, man. Well, I think for me, I would say the recovery boots right. I'm going to go the recovery route. I'm happy with my bike situation at the moment, happy with the race attire and stuff that I have. But when it comes to recovery, for Christmas recently, actually, my parents got me the hyper volt kind of recovery gun. And that thing is amazing, especially like when I get in like my stretching sessions, I'll stretch out my muscles are nice and warm and I'll use that. And I've really noticed a difference in my recovery using the hyper volt. But to take that to the next level, I feel like that the next big-ticket item I'm missing out on compared to some of my peers is the recovery boots and there's the NormaTec, there's Rapid Reboot, there's several brands out there. I'm not picky, guys. I'm not picky. If someone, if a benefactor came forward and said, Andrew, love the podcast, I want to buy something nice. I would want a pair of recovery boots. I'm not booshie about needing the latest and greatest, just give me any of them and I'd be happy with that. So, hey, we want to hear from you guys on today's warm up question. We're going to throw this out on Facebook and we would love to know, man, what's that thing your eyeballing? What's the next thing on your wishlist, your Christmas list, your shopping list? What's in the Amazon cart that you're just hoping someone just comes along and buys for you. It’ll probably give us an idea of something else that we're all going to want too. So, go head to TriDot on Facebook and drop us a line and tell us what you would want to buy next, particularly if somebody was buying it for you.

On to the main set. Going in 3, 2, 1.

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Between setting up racing through and tearing down, we make multiple trips to transition for an event. And although it's one of the shortest parts of the race, a lot of crucial stuff goes down in transition that helps set us up for success in the next leg of the race. Over the years, coaches and veteran athletes have found some clever ways to save time in transition while getting all of the important stuff done. So, today, we are going to hear some cool time saving tips, as well as talk about using gear bags and changing tents when tackling an Ironman event. John, Elizabeth, let's just kind of walk ourselves through a race day as it relates to transition. And I would argue that really it starts the day before and making sure that you have all the equipment you need packed and ready to go. Elizabeth, what do you do the night before race to make sure you don't show up without a key piece of gear?

Elizabeth: Depending on what distance event you're racing and if you're traveling to the race site, that preparation to make sure that you have all the gear necessary may actually take place a week or a few days prior. But whether it's the week before or the day before, the best way to make sure that you show up with all the gear that you need is to make a list. I have a list that helps me pack all the gear to travel to the race site, a list to make sure that I leave my hotel room race morning with everything I need. And then another list to make sure that I have each piece of gear that gets unpacked and placed correctly in transition. So, for the list of items the night before the race, I’ll set out the gear that I'm going to wear in the morning. Prep as much of my breakfast as I can the night before, make sure that any number markings on my gear like the bike number, the helmet number, gear bag numbers are taken care of. So, I try to do as much as I can the night before so that I'm eliminating all those extra steps on race morning.

John: So, we joke that Elizabeth is our CLO, that's our Chief List Officer here within TriDot. She makes fantastic lists and keeps us all on-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: She’s like the queen notetaker.

John: Yeah. I actually, again, I fall on the opposite end of the spectrum. I don't write down anything I-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: Neither do I.

John: I rely on Elizabeth for that. She's got me spoiled. But this is one of the few times I actually do make a list, and it's actually something I'm really a big proponent on-- of. So, when we do our race recon webinars, that's something that we always recommend is making those lists. As Elizabeth mentioned, both in packing, preparing, especially if you're traveling for a race, or just what you want to have in transition to make sure nothing is left, nothing is forgotten. So, it's one of those things to just make sure you have everything. It helps reduce stress, so you're not worrying about it. So, yeah, a big proponent of making lists, and making sure you got everything ready for transition.

Andrew: I'm going to add a note here, from my own perspective, because I've done a few triathlons, guys, done a few of them. And I think you hear that you're like, “Oh, yeah, duh, make a list.” I mean, you literally can Google like triathlon race day list and things come up, right. And a lot of local races, even I've done sprint triathlons here in the Dallas area, where they provide you a list. And it's just kind of, I think it's more for beginners, but we forget that it's for everybody, right? Because anybody can show up on race day and have forgotten a key element and I've never done that. But here's what I'm going to add. Once you've gone through your checklist and you've packed all of your stuff, put your stuff by the door that you actually plan on exiting out of on race morning. Put it in your car, put it by your bedroom door, put it somewhere where you cannot walk off and leave it. Because guess who's done that? Me, Andrew, the average triathlete. There was a local sprint this past year, and Elizabeth was there, so I got to vent to her about how stupid I am. My father was in town, my parents live in Florida. So, my father flew into town and my parents were visiting and hey, while you're here, let's do a sprint triathlon together.

So, we packed all of our stuff for the sprint triathlon, and I left my stuff by the front door, all packed, ready to go in its bag. I was so proud of myself, went through my mental checklist, had everything there and showed up to the race site, my dad had all of his stuff. I had my bike, and I had left my entire gear bag by the front door because guess what, guys? We didn't leave through the front door. We left through the garage door. And so I'll say that you are never too good, too veteran, too experienced to leave a key piece of gear at home. So, use the checklist, get it all in your bag, and get it somewhere where you cannot forget it. This story has a happy ending guys, I zoomed home. I zoomed-- I got my backpack. I zoomed, I was going 60 in a 40 to get home. Thankfully, it's so early in the morning and no one was out watching for that. I got back to the race site and the Marshall and transition, I technically, transition was closed, had been closed for a few minutes, but thankfully, there was grace and he allowed me to set up my stuff anyway, and I got to participate. But man, I entered that pool swim with an elevated heart rate from rushing home and getting my bag.

John: Interesting warm up protocol.

Andrew: Yeah, very. It was a very interesting warm up. Yeah.

John: So, that actually reminds me, I've done the same thing, but mine was actually for an out of town race. Great local race in Kerrville, Texas. It's about a five-hour drive from Houston and I got about an hour from the house and looked at my wife and said, “Hey, by any chance, did you grab my bag?” And of course, she said no.

Andrew: She expected you like a grown adult to have done that.

John: Looked in the back and there are lots of other bags but not all the ones with my stuff in it. And so yeah, we had to turn around drive an hour home, and this was a Saturday check-in and Saturday bike drop, which I actually missed. So, I got to, again, I was lucky too and they were able to work it out. But yeah, it was an extra early morning, it was a double transition area. So, I had to go down in the morning and do all that, and that's why they want you to do it the day before. But yeah, so been there done that.

Andrew: You're never too experienced to take care of the basics the day before a race.

Elizabeth: See, you guys have the list and have everything packed up but you needed the list to make sure that you brought everything with you.

John: Have you ever done that Elizabeth?

Elizabeth: Forgot stuff on race morning?

John: Forgot your bags.

Elizabeth: Forgot my bags? No. I have my list. I'm good to go.

Andrew: All right. So, we've talked about future-proofing ourselves, and then not having an Andrew or a John like moment heading to the race. So, then let's talk a little bit more about race morning. I think this is what people really start thinking about when they think about getting ready for transition. What do we need to do when we arrive at the race site to make sure we're ready in transition?

Elizabeth: So, this takes some pre-planning as well. You're going to want to arrive at the race site with enough time to take care of your morning preparations. Allowing enough time for these morning tasks is going to minimize your stress pre-race. So, know what time the transition area opens, what time it closes, and then plan accordingly for how much time you're going to need to get yourself situated. So, think about how long does it take to drive to the race site, how far is parking from transition, how much of a walk will you have once you park the car, plan some time for body marking, picking up your timing chip if that was not included in the packet pick up materials, and then locating the bathroom facilities. So, where are the bathrooms? What does the line look like for the bathrooms, how much time do you need to plan for that? One-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: Because that's a necessity on race morning.

Elizabeth: It is, yeah.

Andrew: Got to get, I call it the pre-race poop. You gotta get it, it’s gotta happen.

Elizabeth: So, you’ve got to think of those questions and account for that. Now, the one question you won't have to ask is, is there any toilet paper because after listening to this, you're going to bring your own, put in your transition bag so that that's not an issue.

Andrew: Yes, that is definitely something that you want to make sure you bring. If you go back and listen to Episode Two of the podcast, our warm up question was specifically about sharing embarrassing moments we've had in our racing careers. And one of mine was just that, it was a moment where I was at a pre-race porta-potty line and went into a porta-potty that had no toilet paper, did not realize that until after I had done my business, and I had to use my tank top I was wearing as my toilet paper. So, if you go back to Episode Two of removing swim barriers from your swim improvement, you'll hear that story in all of its full glory.

Elizabeth: But really, I mean, once you figured out how much time some of those tasks are going to take, your main task is to actually find your transition spot and then get that set up. So, a couple things to think about there is transition a first come first serve? Or is it organized by race number? You're going to want to allow time to set up your gear, which I'm sure we're going to discuss in just a little bit, so I won't dive quite into that yet. And then walk through the transition area. So, identify where you're going to enter the transition area from the swim exit, and then how are you going to remember where your bike rack is. Is there a landmark nearby, maybe a tree or a lamppost that you can kind of position yourself off of. Is your bike rack, the third row on the left hand side? So, take note of those things so that you're going to be able to locate your gear after the swim. Then you know, kind of same thing with when you're going to be in and out of transition, locate bike in and run out locations. Walk through the path that when you get off your bike and rerack it, get your run gear and then begin the run portion of the race. When others are arriving in transition like a deer in the headlights because they don't remember where their bike is, you're going to be moving through T1 and T2 very efficiently because you took the time to kind of rehearse and memorize your location.

Andrew: I'm super glad you brought that up because this is something that for a couple years, I helped coached a kids and youth triathlon program, and that's something we would always reiterate with kids. And some of the kids who have been a part of the program for a few years, they've done you know, half a dozen to a dozen races already in their young triathlon careers. They think they've got it down, they've got to figure it out, and most often, the kids that would get to transition and end up being lost were my kids that were more experienced because they, “Oh, I know how to do that. I know how to transition. I'll be ready to go.” But they didn't take that time when they first got to the race to rehearse. And I would have them walk it through. Like walk through, like go to, like physically walk yourself to where you're going to enter transition out from the lake, out from the pool, whatever it is; walk to where your bike is, walk to where the bike out is, and really go through those motions. That way when you get to that moment in the race, I mean, it might save two seconds, five seconds, 10 seconds 20 seconds. And I've seen some of my youth athletes literally just standing there like, and you can tell they have no idea where their bike is. They forgot, they didn't walk it through like I coached them to do. So, I'm so glad you brought that up. It's a super great point.

John: And that can be that curse of knowledge, curse of experience, man, I've definitely been guilty of it where you're no longer super nervous, you kind of feel like, yeah, I got this. And sometimes that can come back to bite you when you kind of skip over those things that you're more diligent, more prudent in or if it's kinda like you were saying, it's quote unquote, just a local sprint race, not really nervous or anything like that. But yeah, you may end up sabotaging your race, especially when seconds matter.

Andrew: Yeah, and those sprint and Olympics especially is when those seconds do tend to matter. So, that's why we're at this episode here talking about it. The other thing you said Elizabeth that I really, really liked because it reminded me of something is when talked about getting there early. Now, I'm a guy, I love, I value my sleep. I love sleeping in. I do not like getting up early. I've probably said that on the podcast multiple times. But so for me, I would always time out okay, what is the latest I can get there and still have enough time to do everything? Like I was that guy. And so when my dad got into the sport, the first time I did a race with my dad, I flew to Florida, we were vacationing there with my family and we did a race on the Gulf Coast in Florida and my dad his very first sprint triathlon. He wanted, like he looked up what time the park opened. It was like an enclosed park. He looked up what time transition opened and like he wanted to be standing there with his bike at the transition area when transition opened, which I think was like 4:15, 4:45, 5:00, some absurd early like, and for me, I'm like, “Really? We have to go that early?” He said, “I just, I want to make sure I have time. I want to make sure I'm ready to go.” He's an engineer, he's very methodical in his approach to everything in his life. And so that's what we did, you know, we took care of him. We made sure hey, it’s your first race, let's make sure you're ready. Ever since that race, I've made it, I don't get there the second transition opens but ever since that race, it was so nice to check the bike in, get it in the transition area, get my stuff laid out, get my body marking done, and just have time to just decompress, kind of get yourself mentally focused for the race. You're not worried about rushing through a porta-potty line, you're not worried about you know, getting the last couple things ready before you go, getting your wetsuit on because it just future proofs you. It makes sure that, get yourself there early enough and you're gonna have time to do all the things you need to do. Right?

Elizabeth: Yeah, there's enough stress on race morning.

John: And also when you get there early, it provides an opportunity when-- if and when something goes wrong, you have time to deal with it. I've gotten into transition before and gone to pump up my tire and pow, it flats. And you know, it's nice to not have to rush through changing that flat or you know, what if you left something in the car, left something at home like you like your bag, you know. Had you not gone there early, you wouldn't have had time to go back and get it. So, it's almost like an insurance policy that just provides you, inevitably, you race long enough, something's gonna go wrong on race morning. And when you have that time you can deal with it. And this is the same as kind of a little side note, talking about like our Ironman, race recon webinars. I always encourage people to travel early for that exact same reason. There's lots of things to do heading into an Ironman race, and the earlier you get there, the more time you have to deal with anything that may arise on those last days heading into your big race.

Elizabeth: Another great tip for race morning is to bring with you some sort of light to help you set up. So, I usually have a headlamp in my bag. I've seen other athletes that bring a flashlight with them. But depending on you know, what time of year you're racing or how early transition opens, what the transition location is like, you may be setting up in a very brightly lit parking lot or in a field in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no light. So, being able to have, you know, that light that you bring might ensure that you get your stuff set up in the way that you want to have it there.

Andrew: No, that's great. If you guys are doing an Ironman this year, make sure you check out the try to Ironman race recon webinars. John does a fantastic job. Takes a full 40, 45, 50 minutes depending on the race, to walk you through everything you need to know about whichever race you're doing. So, be on the lookout for those. They are also on our YouTube triathlon training-- TriDot Triathlon Training on YouTube channel, if you want to check out any of our race recon webinars, so nice little plug for that. So, all right, so back to transitioning, transitioning back to transitioning.

Elizabeth: Very clever.

Andrew: So, race morning-- Was it clever? Was it really clever? So, race morning comes, you know, you have all this stuff to get to the race site; what do you feel is the best way to get all of your gear from the car into transition?

John: So, first, I would say a good transition bag. This is a bit of a specialty purchase. As we've already talked about, there's a lot of stuff to buy when you're getting into transition-- getting into triathlon. And a 100 plus dollar bag is probably not at the top of the sexy list, but I will say I've had-- it's one of those things you buy once and it'll last for years and years.

Andrew: That’s so true.

John: I have a great transition bag that really makes everything easy. It's compartmentalized, so I can have my swim gear, bike gear, run gear, all laid out and make setting up transition very quick, very easy, and it's also super obvious when something is missing. So, first couple races, you may just be grabbing your gym bag and throwing everything in it. And obviously, that's fine but-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: I've seen people with Home Depot and Lowes buckets, like little painter buckets. How do you feel about that, the bucket strategy?

John: Well, not mine, but I will say there's a guy in Houston, his name is Jeff Gill. He's done 400 plus triathlons, so shout out to my boy, Jeff.

Andrew: Oh, my gosh.

John: He transitions with a bucket and everybody tries to give him a hard time. He does not take it. He loves his bucket. He's pushing 500 triathlons at this point. So, I am absolutely not going to question Jeff Gill or the bucket in transition. It's just not for me.

Andrew: And for those who haven't seen that, people, it's basically instead of carrying a backpack with your gear, you carry a bucket, and it's got your gear in it. So, you know, your bucket in one hand, you have your bike on the other hands, you're walking in the transition, and then for some people if they want to, once they're in transition, they’ve set up their stuff, they'll flip the bucket upside down, and use that to sit on to then get their cycling shoes on, get their running shoes on, get what they need. So, if you feel like you need that assistance of you know, you're going to come out of something and you just plan on being gassed, out of breath, I mean, for some people, if you're not in the biggest hurry, you're not trying to win the race of those few precious seconds, and then you want to sit down and get your shoes on is that-- Do you see anything wrong with that strategy?

John: Nothing wrong with that strategy

Andrew: Go team bucket. All right. So, with running shoes, cycling shoes, bike helmet, sunglasses, towels, number belts, maybe nutrition, maybe a hat, depending on what your preference is; is there a best way to set up our stuff and transition?

John: So, the best way is whatever works for you. Whatever is going to be quick and efficient, what is going to make sure that you have everything that you need. It doesn't matter how well everything is set up. It doesn't matter how well you transition through. If you forget something, you're going to pay for that later on. So, it needs to be efficient, effective, but you also don't want to waste time in transition. Obviously, the shorter the race, the more precious that time in transition becomes. Especially at a sprint race, oftentimes your podium spots are sometimes [crosstalk] won and lost in transition. So, again, it kind of depends on how you define success for the day. Is it all about speed? Is it about comfort? Sometimes it's soaking in the experience. But yeah, just have a plan. What do you need for the next segment of the race? And what is the easiest way to collect it and move on to get on out of transition?

Elizabeth: And I'd say that this is where it's very important to practice. So, to find what is going to be quick and efficient for you or set yourself up for success in the next leg of the race; you may need to do some experimenting and practicing. You know, one of the things that I asked my athletes is, are you going to transition from the toes up or from the top down? And depending on the order that you tackle your transition, then you're probably going to want to place your gear accordingly as well. So, for example, for me, I say I transition toes up. So, if I'm wearing socks, I'm going to have those rolled down sitting on top of my shoes. So, that is It's easy for me to just slide my toes into the socks, roll them up onto my wet feet. If it's a sprint or an Olympic race, I'll often race without socks just to save the time. And then next are my cycling shoes. So, they're open, ready for me to just slide my feet into. Some athletes will have their shoes kind of pre-mounted on their pedals, or already on their bike and held in place with small rubber bands so that they don't have to worry about their shoes in transition. Depending on what race you're doing, some events will allow for that, others don't. But after my socks and shoes, I'll grab my sunglasses which are sitting on top of my helmet and I'll put my helmet on which was lying on the ground unclasp ready to put on my head. Now, some athletes will lay their helmet on the handlebars of their bike. I've done that once and only once because when I arrived in transition another athlete had accidentally bumped my bike and my sunglasses and helmet had rolled a few rows over. So, I was kinda like-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: Oh, no. I feel like if I did that I would forget my helmet was there. And I would, you know, be running through transition with my-- And I'd be the guy who would forget to put the helmet on, and it’d be on my bars the whole time.

Elizabeth: Yeah, see, I always put it on the ground now because after I did that little scavenger hunt and T1 to find my gear, I was done with that. So, now I just keep it on the ground.

Andrew: Now, was that you're bright pink RUDY project helmet that you have?

Elizabeth: A bright green.

Andrew: Bright green, that’s right.

Elizabeth: Bright green, but--

Andrew: So, hopefully, it is easy to find at least.

Elizabeth: You know, I don't even remember if it was that or if it was before I had that helmet. But either way, it was on a scavenger hunt. But the bike gear is always closest to me as you know, I'm going to need that first. And then I'll place whatever I need for the run behind that. One thing that I like to do to make my T2 as quick as possible is to put everything that I'll need for the run in my hat. So, as I'm transitioning to the run, all I have to do is change my shoes and pick up my hat. So, inside that hat is the race number belt and the nutrition that I want to carry with me on the run. And I'll take care of putting on the race number and putting the nutrition in my pockets as I'm running out of T2. So, that I don't have to spend any of my transition time actually doing those things. Gosh, we've already talked about a lot, just couple more quick things here. I feel like it's good to kind of define your transition area with either a towel or a transition mat just to keep your gear separated from the other athletes around you.

Andrew: Yeah. That's so helpful. Even if you don't plan on having to towel off your feet or dry off your feet or even if it's a nice paved area where you're not planning on getting dirty or muddy, like just being able to define the area because you know, especially if you get there early and you get your stuff there. Like sometimes I've circled back to my stuff later in the morning in the athletes that when they come around you and they're putting their bikes on, some people will start to shift your stuff and try to infringe on your space. And just having that mat down, having that towel down just really ensures that hey, this is my space, don't mess with my space. And usually, people-- [crosstalk]

Elizabeth: Yeah, it just keeps it organized. And then I know earlier, you know I referenced having my list or I always encourage athletes to have a list that they can check off and look out for their transition setup. Another idea that I frequently recommend is that athletes take a picture of what they've practiced at home for their personal setup. Then on race morning you know they can pull up that picture on their phone and set their transition area up in the same way that they've been practicing.

Andrew: You guys, Elizabeth just dropped like four straight minutes of just transition setup knowledge right there. And John and I just gotta sit back and let her do it. So, thanks so much for that. But a couple things I want to bring up like I've never heard anyone, what was it, toes down the initial kind of slogan you have with you go from the toes up or from the head down?

Elizabeth: Oh, yeah.

Andrew: Cuz it doesn't matter preference wise, like it doesn't matter. Like some people like I like to get the transition and put my helmet on straight away, just like don't forget it. But yeah, at that point, it's a preference. But thinking it through from, okay, going from my feet, working my way up or from my head, working my way down just kind of ensures that you're not going to forget something that may make sure you have a system there in place. And then from there, you talked about kind of ordering your stuff. Okay, put your bike stuff in front, because you're gonna need that first. put the run stuff behind the bike stuff. And a tip, I have never heard that I'm going to start applying immediately that Elizabeth just said, is putting everything in my hat. I like when I go out of my run, like I feel like I kind of by default do that just without even thinking about it, because then I put my hat on top my running shoes, but I always leave my race number belt like unclipped on top of all of that. And so like when I come in from the bike, I'm always putting my race number belt on and then picking up my hat, then putting on my shoes and then going. But oh my gosh, I'd save so much time just to hey, put your shoes on, grab your hat and go. So, I'm going to do that now. Thank you, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Oh, you're welcome.

John: Something else you can do is start with your race belt clasped and kind of put it over your head and pull it on almost like a shirt-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: Shimmy like a pretty girl.

John: Yeah. It's pretty easy to do that as you're running along and I will say it works great with a hat not as well with a visor.

Andrew: Do you wear visors, John on course?

John: I don't wear visors because I can't put my stuff in.

Andrew: Your long hair would be seen a little more visible in a visor. John, I could see you rocking a headband on race day. You should try the headband approach.

John: Maybe so.

Andrew: Maybe so, maybe someday. Well, John, tell me this though, because that really covers it honestly, really, really well for your local sprint, your local Olympic, maybe even your local half or full. But at the point someone's going to do an Ironman event, and now there's the changing tents, there's gear bags, or there's a little bit more involved with setting up on a race day morning for an Ironman event. Tell me how this setup kind of approach changes when you get to racing that level?

John: So, Ironman is completely different in the transition process. That's one of the things we spend a lot of time on, on the race recon webinars to go back talking about that.

Andrew: We’re just plugging it over and over again in this episode.

John: Just because it is it's very different. A lot of people can have a lot of experience, racing triathlons. But when it comes to Ironman the process is completely different. And oftentimes, it's intimidating it's a source of nerves. So, that's something we do on those webinars is really go over it explain everything just everybody can have a plan and approach their Ironman race with confidence and reduce stress. But a couple of the major differences is typically, at your Ironman event, nothing is allowed at the bike rack except for your bike. They call it a clean rack. So, nothing on the ground, nothing on the bike, everything goes into those gear bags. So, it's a little different that way and--

Andrew: And they're gear bags that are given to you by Ironman.

John: They're provided to you at check in, and both your bike and the gear bags typically have to be dropped off the day before. So, it's kind of nice, you don't have as many things to worry about on race morning. Your bike is already there, your gear bags are already dropped off, where they're going to be waiting for you. So, it's a different process. And I imagine we can have a whole podcast just on Ironman transition.

Andrew: Just yeah, Ironman race day logistics.

John: Yeah, so tune into that podcast for complete details.

Andrew: It'll be Episode 37, I don't know, I'm guessing throwing numbers out there, we'll see when we cover that. But yeah, we will cover that for sure because I mean when you sign up for your first Ironman, I mean those, especially the point you've done some races, that's the first question that you have is you know, the logistics are different you know, there's a lot more to it, and you want to be ready, you want to be ready to nail that that day. Okay. So, going back, transitioning back to transitioning through a race day, you know, so we set up in the morning we set our stuff up just like coach Elizabeth James taught us to. You know, we get ready to race. We jump in the water, we crush the swim because we're all awesome and deserve to be cast immediately on a reboot of Baywatch. John, is there anything we need to be mindful of coming out of the water and running up to T1?

John: Where's the photographer? That's always important for me cuz I want to hide because I look like a drunk rat when I'm coming out of the water. Other people look a lot more like the Baywatch reboot, not me. So, I'm avoiding the photographer for other people are you know, posing. From there, if it's a wetsuit swim, oftentimes there are wetsuit strippers which that always makes the first-timers kind of giggle. They’re wondering why are there strippers at the triathlon? It's to help get the wetsuits off. So, they’re stripping you they're not stripping.

Andrew: Yeah, important distinguishment, right. Do you find using the wetsuit stripper to be super beneficial in terms of time savings, or is it just kind of a preference versus taking it off yourself?

John: Super, super time savings. Hard part getting a wetsuit off is getting it over your feet. So, if there are strippers, what you'll do is get your suit down to the waist level, and you kind of just flop down on your back, kick your feet up, they'll grab the suit, rip it off, help you up and send you on your way. So, it's a massive time savings. It's also kind of easy to tear your suit if you're doing the whole stomp on it and pull your feet out, different things. So, typically most races that are wetsuit legal will have the wetsuit strippers at the exit. Just kind of be aware, kind of like we were talking about before, walk through and figure out, is that something? Or do you have to get your wetsuit off on your own? And then from there, it's about remembering where your bike is. So, as Elizabeth mentioned, it's one of those visual cues that I established as I was setting up, is it a tree, is it a light pole? Whatever the case may be-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: Is it counting the racks, is it-- I mean, this is weird, if you have a brightly colored bike, that's where it really plays into your favor here versus-- [crosstalk]

John: As long as it doesn't look like somebody else's.

Andrew: Yeah, that’s true.

John: But then too, it's what are the things I need to do? So, as you are approaching the rack, think through your process, what are the things I'm going to do? As y'all are talking, I was thinking, so I am head down in T1, and I'm toes up in T2. So, that's kind of what I'm thinking as I head into transition, first thing for me is my sunglasses and then my helmet. So, that needs to be the thought. So, I know where my bike is, I know when I get there.

Andrew: You know exactly what you're reaching for.

John: Glasses, helmet, and that's it for me in T1, from there I'm headed out. And so just begin to think through the process, think through what are those things that you need? Is there anything? Don't forget X. Is there something there that you really need to have? For me, mine's simple. It's impossible to forget the glasses and helmet because they're sitting right there on my bike. But yeah, just think of those. What do you need to do? What are the things that you need to collect before heading out?

Andrew: And this is where if you've organized yourself really well, like we talked about the morning of, that's where this becomes really easy, because you've already placed your stuff in according to what do I need first? Okay, so if you know I need my biking glasses first, well, those should be the easiest things to grab. And so as you're running there, you get there and you throw them on and you go. And so if you've organized yourself in the morning and not just kind of randomly put your stuff down if you put your stuff down in order of how you plan on using it. I mean, T1 becomes a breeze, right?

John: Yeah. And something else is to be minimal. In T1 is not decision time, you're going to be thinking about the race, your image, your heart rate’s elevated, you're not going to make good sound prudent decisions in T1. So, as often as possible as much as you can make any decisions prior. So, don't have two alternatives there. Make up your mind prior to the race starting and keep it simple. So, the fewer things that you have there, the fewer things there are to remember. Again, for me, like I said, it's sunglasses and helmet. And that's my transition, it's pretty hard to forget those. So, an example would be like cap or visor, sometimes that can be a decision. And maybe you may want to have both options there, but it's better if you make that decision beforehand, you don't have to worry about what you're going to do. So, I always recommend keep it simple, keep it minimal. Have what you need to have, but put everything else in the car packed in your gear bag, whatever the case may. Just keep the transition area clean and simple, just so you can see exactly what it is that you need to do as you move on.

Andrew: Elizabeth, do you have anything that you want to add just to kind of help people fly efficiently through their T1?

Elizabeth: Well, it's going to depend a little bit on what your objectives are for the day. You know, do you need a moment to just celebrate the fact that you survived the swim? If so, great. Do that. I know that was me on my first couple events. I got out of the water and I'm like, man, let's just take a moment to acknowledge that I'm alive, I made it.

John: Kiss the dry ground.

Elizabeth: Yes. You know, maybe you need to hug your significant other and reassure them that you made it through your first open water swim, but I mean, they're worried about you too. So, you know, it's going to depend. Maybe you are working for your best possible finish time and every second matters. Really, you're just wanting to set yourself up for a successful remainder of the race. So, I'll often coach athletes that transition is grab and go, get what you need, get going, but it is goal dependent.

John: So, I already talked about my glasses and helmet being there on my bars. Elizabeth sets hers up on the ground. Something I will consider in that is wind. I live on the Texas Gulf Coast so I race on the coast a lot down in Galveston Island, been racing down there for years. And oftentimes the wind is a factor. So, I've been in those situations where it gets windy out on the swim. And kind of like Elizabeth mentioned, not somebody necessarily knocking it off, but the wind may blow the helmet off. So, if it's a windy day, those are considerations to have as well. And then something I encourage is having-- is learning how to mount your bike with the shoes clipped in. I will say this is more of an advanced technique. So, not necessarily for your first triathlon, but at some point throughout your triathlon career that's actually a very valuable skill to learn. I will say it's something you definitely want to have dialed in prior to race day, and it's something that you should practice on a regular basis.

Andrew: I’ve seen people wipeout right at the T1 started of the bike because they just apparently were trying it before they were ready.

John: Yeah, don't do that. And you can practice on the trainer. So, that's always where I encourage people to start is the bikes not going anywhere when it’s bolted into the trainer. So, kind of get a feel for what that is. And yeah, just be careful, be proficient.

Andrew: And so, for people who want to try that the the the trick is you clip your shoes in beforehand, you attach rubber bands to the end of the shoe, to the bike to kind of stabilize the shoes so they're not flopping all over as the bike goes. And that way, as you are exiting tier one, you're hopping on your bike, your shoes are already there, you put your feet down on the pedals. As you start pedaling, you start pedaling before you put your shoe in, right. Get some momentum going so you don't fall over and then that's the part you got to practice, right, is kind of slipping your feet into those shoes tightening the straps while you're on the move.

John: Yeah, and the triathlon-specific shoes are really made for that. They typically have a big hook in the back that helps you pull it on top of your heel, they have usually one or two Velcro buckles or the BOA system. So, the shoes are made for that. And yeah, so what you want to do is get up some speed, get up momentum. The important thing to do is be proficient at it while keeping your eyes looking ahead, oftentimes, you'll see people looking down at their feet, which if you're looking at your feet, you're not looking at what's ahead of you. And especially early out of T1, [crosstalk] there's a lot of bikes. And that's something else I will say is be aware of that. If you're not going to do this, if you're going to do a regular mount that's going to take you a little longer, don't stop right in the middle of the mount line on T1. Get off to the side, kind of stay out of the way, be cognizant of the people around you. And something else that's a very valuable skill that's much easier to learn, much quicker to learn is being able to run and steer your bike by the saddle. So, kind of the natural inclination is to walk or run, holding your handlebars. Unfortunately, what that does is puts you right in where your pedals are. So, especially as you're running, you hit a pedal, that's going to be bad. But you can actually kind of maneuver easier and actually get a lot more narrow when you need to by holding on to the saddle. And that's something you can easily practice in the driveway. It's a skill you can master in just a couple minutes. But yeah, that's probably another one of those quick and easy tips.

Andrew: And you look cooler, frankly.

John: You look super dope, so yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, you look way cooler running by the-- that's how the pros do it, John. Elizabeth, do you do the flying mount on race day?

Elizabeth: I do not

Andrew: John's over here talking about how beneficial it is, and Elizabeth and I are over here like oh, we don't do that. We're not in the cool cake club quite yet.

Elizabeth: It's something I need to practice. I'll be very honest, I've been afraid of it. I'm like it's not worth-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: Because it is beneficial, and you know it’s beneficial. And I bring that up not to call you out, but just for-- to show. I mean, sitting here at the table, you have three triathlon coaches, one who's a pro, and that there's people that are fairly new to the sport that I coached kids that were 10 years old that have that down, and there's pros that don't do it. You know, I haven't taken the time to learn that quite yet. So, wherever you are in your triathlon journey, it's a beneficial skill. If you know how to do it, awesome. Bravo on you, you look awesome. You're saving a little time. If you haven't quite muster up [crosstalk] the courage--

Elizabeth: The rest of us are jealous.

Andrew: If you haven't quite gathered the courage or taking the time to learn that yet, you're just like me.

John: It's the one thing I do in triathlon better than Elizabeth James.

Andrew: We need to add that to a TriDot camp skill session is how to do the flying mount so Elizabeth and I can learn.

Elizabeth: There we go.

Andrew: All right. So, let's, you know, we kind of started dipping into getting out on the bike course. But before we do that, John I want to ask about for an Ironman event, T1 is where changing tents and kind of going and getting that gear bag we talked about comes into play. So, how is that process a little different for somebody? And I'm asking as, I've done some half Ironmans, now I've used gear bags. I've never been in a changing tent. I haven't had to go through that part of the process before. So, what are the tips for, you're going into your first Ironman, you're grabbing gear bags, you're heading to the changing tent; what happens in there, John? Tell me about it.

John: People change.

Andrew: People change.

John: In all sorts of ways. Some change clothes and some change personalities. So, yeah, you'll exit the swim and collect your bike, you're back. So, something again here, just kind of little off-topic. There's typically 2,500 people give or take in a normal Ironman race. Every one of the 2500 athletes get the same bag and the only thing that makes it look different is a little sticker with a three or four-digit number on it. So, something I always recommend is to do something to the bag to make it identifiable. The thing that's kind of time tested, I've recommended to thousands of athletes and it seems to always work is some novelty duct tape. Go to Walmart or Walgreens and they all have different things. And it's some bright colors, unicorns, your favorite sports team, whatever the case may be, and just put a couple strips of that duct tape on the bag. [crosstalk]

Andrew: Don't count on yourself remembering that number when you come out of the water.

John: Yeah, because again, they all look alike. And so kind of same thing is, know where your bike rack is, know where your bag is, you'll drop it off the day before, so you're going to be the one that sets it down. So, no excuse for not knowing where it is, but that duct tape will definitely make it stand out. So, as you are approaching it, you're not having to sort through numbers and remember what numbers yours. It's just, it's super easy to grab and go. From there, you'll head into that change tent. They are gender-specific. So, there's a men's side and a women's side. And from there, you kind of do what you need to do. It's just like any other transition. Some folks just blow right through with very minimal activity. Others will do a full kit change and it's a long day. So, you're about to ride 112 miles. So, do what you need to do to be comfortable for the next four, five, six, seven hours.

Andrew: Do you have assistance from volunteers in here?

John: Yeah, so I've actually worked as a volunteer in T1 and T2. It's a grueling job, it's a tough job, but it's super cool to help athletes through there. So, yeah, if you want help, generally, you've got volunteers in there that'll help hand you stuff and collect your stuff. And then once you're done, all your swim gear goes back into that bag. So, if you have a wetsuit, swim cap goggles, all that goes back into that gear bag and you drop that off on your way out to the bike rack, and you go rock a 112 miles.

Andrew: Sounds terrifying.

John: It's awesome.

Andrew: Not the change tent, the 112 miles sounds scary.

John: You see some scary stuff in that change tent though. I'm just gonna say.

Andrew: A lot of soggy people in the change tent. All right. So, we go out, we conquer the bike portion of the race. As we approach T2 on our bike, we dismount at the line with the nimble grace of a ballet dancer, hopefully, and we are into T2. What can we do to help ensure T2 success?

John: So, I will say the flying dismount is even easier than the flying mount. Typically, it's a little easier to come out of the shoes and then it's as simple as stepping over the top tube or bringing your leg around the back. Again, practice that first on the trainer, get comfortable doing it on the trainer, stationary. And then, you know, practice on the grass or on the sidewalk where you’ve kind of got a bail area. But be proficient in that prior to race day, but the flying dismount, it's not too difficult. The flying mount, isn’t either one, once you get it down. But certainly, things can go wrong. But yeah, be practiced in that. And then I would say for most people, especially sprint and Olympic distance, kind of the main question is are you going to wear socks? Kind of depends on the shoe that you're wearing, what is your comfort level? What is your goal? You know, is it worth, I don't know, 10-20 seconds to put on socks or you know is that the difference between achieving your goal and not achieving your goal? I think Elizabeth said sprint and Olympics she goes without socks. I'm kind of the same boat.

Andrew: I go no socks there, yeah, as well.

John: 70.3 or longer, if I’m running 13 plus miles, I'm going to take those 20 seconds or whatever it is to put on socks. I'm going to make that up I feel like just in comfort. If I'm comfortable I can run 20 seconds faster over that 13 mile run, but definitely a premium on those seconds for first sprint and Olympic races. So, kind again decide is that something that you need? Or and again something else to practice before, don't find out how well your shoes do without socks on race day. [crosstalk]

Andrew: Cuz some will do better than others, some will blister you immediately, and some can last a long time.

John: And it seems to be a-- it's an individual thing. I've always had pretty good luck, never really had an issue. But there are other people, no matter what shoes they're wearing, they go out there without socks, and they run a mile and they come back with tore up feet. So, kind of know who you are prior to race day.

Andrew: I've heard coaches before advise that if you're not 100% sure about what another shoes will do well barefoot, throw some talcum powder in there, or a little bit of baby powder. Like something that's going to help suck the moisture out of that situation down there when you're coming off a hot sweaty bike ride and trying to put on running shoes. And that can help kind of just prevent those blisters a little bit longer. So, Elizabeth, do you have any additional T2 tips?

Elizabeth: If you're looking for those precious seconds in T2, I'd say a couple tips would be to one, do as much as you can on the go. So, we've kind of touched on that earlier. Elastic shoelaces can save you the trouble of tying your shoes. [crosstalk]

Andrew: Yes, 1,000%. I just like them better in general now I've used them.

Elizabeth: Oh, me too. Yeah.

Andrew: Yeah, and there's lock laces, there's caterpy laces, there's rope lace supply company. There’s a lot of brands that will let you replace your standard running shoes with elastic laces that it just makes it that much easier to slip your shoes in and you don't have to tie them more importantly after your feet are in.

Elizabeth: I always joke with my husband that if we ever have kids he's gonna be in charge of teaching them to tie their shoes [crosstalk] because, at this point, all of mine are elastic laces or Velcro flaps. So, yes, I'm a big proponent of that as well. I guess, you know, other precious seconds can be you know, utilizing a race number belt. So, instead of changing tops or pinning on your race number, have that already on a race belt ready to go. And then we've already mentioned you know, grabbing what you can, how I put everything in the hat that way you're moving through T1 as quickly as or T2, excuse me, as quickly as possible.

Andrew: So, Ironman events sometimes have a few different additions at T2. What do Ironman athletes need to do to get on the run course as efficiently as possible?

John: The process is pretty similar to T1. You'll have a run gear bag that you've placed there. Again, do something to it to make it stand out, make it yours. For me, Houston Texans fan so I always have the Houston Texans duct tape on mine. And then yeah, you'll go back into what is oftentimes that same tent if it's, sometimes they're in different locations, so it may be a different tent than T1. And again, you'll do in there what you need to do. You're about to run a marathon. So, for some, it's throwing on running shoes and getting out of there as quickly as possible. For others, it maybe a total wardrobe change or whatever it is you need to do to go successfully run that marathon. And then you'll repack that bag with all your bike gear, your helmet and whatever else is not going out with you on the run, and you'll hand that gear bag off and you'll go be an Ironman.

Andrew: So, we finished the race, we celebrate, we take some pictures, and then eventually, we have to go back to get our gear out of transition. Is there anything about the pack up process you would want athletes to know?

Elizabeth: Bring a trash bag. So, this is actually a tip that John shared with me many years ago, so I'm gonna jump in here and say it before he does. It's something that I still follow. So, as you're done racing all your stuff is nasty. So, put it in a garbage bag before reloading it into your transition bag. [crosstalk] Oh gosh, yeah, it's a mess. So, you know, put that in the garbage bag, when you get home, you can just empty that directly into the washing machine, get your gear all cleaned up, ready to go again.

John: Yeah, so like you said been doing that for years. And yes, my cycling shoes, my running shoes, all that goes straight into the wash.

Andrew: See, I've never seen that. It's brilliant.

John: Tons of times. Yeah. Because yeah, it's all funky. It's nasty. You don't want it lingering. So, just that trash bag makes it super easy, super quick to collect everything. And then yeah, your family will appreciate the fact that it goes straight to the washing machine and doesn't linger around the house. Don't let that stuff fester. And from there, just be aware of the checkout process. Oftentimes for our security, there's somebody there checking bike numbers. So, your race number that's on your arm or whatever will have to reconcile to the one that's on your bike. So, just kind of be aware of that and do what you need to do to make sure everything goes through smoothly.

Andrew: All right. So, if someone is maybe approaching their first tri or maybe they've just-- they're veteran and they've heard a certain tip or two today that they want to practice themselves before race day; what is the best way to simulate transitions and practice?

John: So, I say this really for everyone. Sprints or Ironman distance racing is what are those things that you're using in training? And then one of the things you're going to want to have on race day? So, just kind of be aware of it, be cognizant of the things that you take with you on every bike ride, every run, especially those long sessions or those key sessions that you're getting? And what are those things that you want to have on race day? And then it's super easy to practice transition. You can set up in your driveway, you can set up in a parking lot, you don't have to have a fancy bike rack or anything like that. You can just lean your bike up against a wall or a light pole, whatever the case may be. So, it's super easy to practice. But the more you can do it, the more efficient, the more fluid it is, the better off it's going to be.

Great set everyone. Let's cool down.

Andrew: On our cooldown today, we have a New TriDot Top 10. This is our part of the show where we poll our athletes on social media and reveal 10 of our favorite answers to whatever wacky tri-based question we threw out. Recently, we asked for all of you that are into naming your bike. I would say there's two types of triathletes. There's those that name their bike and those that don't, right. So, for those of you that have a name for your bike, what kind of bike do you have, and what did you name it? Now, guys, we received tons of great names. Actually, at the time of this recording, we have 219 responses on Facebook, along with dozens more from our European athletes, and another couple dozen from our athletes on Strava. So, it was super hard to narrow this down to 10. But here are 10 that in our perusing through the list we thought stood out. So, Elizabeth, I'll let you start.

Elizabeth: Let me just first say that this was a fun question to put out there. Loved all the pictures, loved all the responses it created some you know, great--

Andrew: There was some funny ones, there were some meaningful ones, there were some that were tied to philanthropic endeavors, there were some that were just my bike's name's Jim. And people just had normal, just total, total, just tons of different responses.

Elizabeth: Oh, yeah, definitely. And some great dialogue with it. So, one of my favorites, this was from Ron and Ron's bike, he says, “My Felt B12 is Donkey. It's a big gray, stupid beast of a burden.” And I like that answer. That was funny.

Andrew: And donkeys are really good at getting you up hill, slowly at least. So, maybe there's some correlation there when he, Ron’s riding uphill, maybe it feels like he's riding a donkey. John, do you have-- You want to give number two?

John: Yeah, number two, I'm gonna steal one of Elizabeth's coached athletes, my girl Janeann, who I've had the pleasure of racing with before. Her bike is named Spartacus. Super cool name.

Andrew: Was that the black and neon green Scott named Spartacus on there?

Elizabeth: It was.

Andrew: I remember seeing that picture, she posted a picture. That is a mean-looking bike. So, Spartacus is a fitting name.

John: I am Spartacus.

Andrew: I am Spartacus. Okay. I'm gonna for my first one, I'm gonna give a shout out to Emma from Christ Church, New Zealand. This one was a little bit more meaningful. She says her bike is named Frank. It is a 2017 Trek Emonda. She said, “When I first got him, all I could think of was my granddad, and so I started calling him Frank after my granddad. Now, every time I take Frank out, it's like, my granddad is always with me, helping and cheering me along. I miss him a lot, even after eight years.” So, super meaningful name to be out on the racecourse feeling like that her granddad is watching over her helping her race. So, shout out to Emma from Christ Church. Elizabeth, you want to give us number four?

Elizabeth: So, next up we have Mark from New York and he said, “I named my Cervelo PS4 TriBike.” Sir Velo. So, thought that was a-- [crosstalk]

Andrew: A clever play on words. It's a Cervelo bike and Sir Velo, S-I-R as in sir and Velo as in bike, V-E-L-O. So, super clever, Mark. We love that one. Let's go with number five. John, what do you got for us?

John: Number five is from one of my good buddies Doug Silk. His bike is named Your Mom.

Andrew: Now I think Doug also had a great story to go along with that on how the bike became named Your Mom.

John: We’ll let him tell that story.

Andrew: Let him tell it?

John: Yeah.

Andrew: If you meet Doug Silk on the local racecourse, ask him why he named his bike Your Mom. For number six, I'm going to go with this is Carly from Baltimore, Maryland. She said each bike has to earn it. I named them after a defining moment of the two of us together. My first TT bike was named Alene after finishing our first Ironman in Cour D’ Alene. My second TT bike was Lola. She was a showgirl and whatever Lola wanted Lola got. We raced the world 70.3 champs in Vegas together and that is when she decided to dub the Lola. So, I thought that was super, super funny. Each bike has to earn it. So, they don't initially get named, they get named after they have an experience together. So, Carly, that was really, really great. I hope you and your show girl are having some great races together this year. Elizabeth, what do we have our number seven?

Elizabeth: All right. So, for number seven I chose Matt’s bike name here. Matt’s bike is named Artemis after the goddess of the hunt. I thought that was a very unique.

Andrew: Probably puts you in the right mindset on race day when you know [crosstalk] that that’s what your bike is named after. John, who do we have for number eight?

John: Julian who actually has three bikes. They are named Goose, Ice, and Maverick.

Andrew: Oh boy. Which for those not in the know, that is from Top Gun.

John: It’s dangerous.

Andrew: Classic movie and I will say she said this so Goose and Ice she already owns those two bikes, and Maverick is what she's going to name her TT bike when she gets it, which that's that's perfect. I mean, Maverick for the TT bike. Like, that's getting into the danger zone kind of stuff right there. So, well done Jillian on that. For number nine. I'm going to go with Novia from Dallas. She said my Boardman is named Statham because Boardman is a British company, and Jason Statham is the transporter, and my bike transports me from one place to another, and is a hell of a good looking bike just like Jason Statham is a hell of a good looking man. That was hilarious just the progression of thought, from connecting the brand of the bike to an actor that she admires to the beauty of the bike. I had to give a shout out to Novia because that was friggin’ hilarious. Elizabeth, close us out with number 10.

Elizabeth: So, for number 10, I chose Amelia’s answer. Amelia’s bike is named Princess, and she says it's because everything associated with her costs so much money.

Andrew: That is the truest one yet.

Elizabeth: Yes. I figured that was a good one for us to end on.

Andrew: Amelia is keeping it real.

Elizabeth: It’s like well said.

Andrew: Well, that's it for today, folks. A big thanks to coaches John Mayfield and Elizabeth James for talking us through faster and more efficient transitions. Also, a big thanks to the hundreds of athletes that shared their bike names with us. We read all your posts, saw all your pictures and enjoyed every single one. Shout out to TRITATS for partnering with us on today's episode. Head to TriTats.com to show up for your next race styling like a pro. Enjoying the podcast? Have any questions or topics you want to hear us talk about? Go to TriDot.com/Podcasts and click on submit feedback to let us know what you're thinking. We'll do it again soon. Until then, happy training.

Thanks for joining us. Make sure to subscribe and share the TriDot Podcast with your triathlon crew. For more great Tri content and community, connect with us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Ready to optimize your training? Head to TriDot.com and start your free trial today. TriDot, the obvious and automatic choice for triathlon training.

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