Checkpoint Zero Training Camp
presented by ARCoach.com

3 Keys to Faster Transitions

In adventure racing it is easy to spend a lot of time transitioning from one sport to the next. Here are some race proven tips that we've accumulated in our years of racing.

1) Talk thru the transition in detail as you approach the TA

1. The team captain should get the team talking about what they are about to do in the transition.
• Visualizing your gear in the upcoming TA, what you need to fill, what you need to drop off and saying these things outloud helps make doing it faster as well as more accurate. It is your job to not only make sure you have what you need but to help your teammates get what they need, whether that be food/water/gear.
2. This conversation should include the following
• What discipline(s) you're switching too
• Map out exactly what gear you need to get ready (paddles, pfd's, paddle gloves, trail running shoes, extra socks, boat wheels, tow system, you get the idea
• What the weather/temp will do between now and at your next TA, this is key b/c you need to be clear about what gear you need to pick up and what you can leave behind
• How much food? How much water?
• Assign tasks to each teammate based on the discipline that is coming up. "Your building the paddles, weâ??re inflating the boat, she' filling the waterâ?¦"
• Who's on the maps, plotting the next points, whoâ??s double checking them?
• Who's on the passport, making sure you get checked in and making sure you have the passport before you leave
• Keep track of your race rules and clue sheet, leaving the TA with out it will cost ya.

1. Start by getting yourself an adequate size gear box.
2. Pack your gear by sport into "beach style"bags (or plastic grocery bags)
• Having a mountain biking, paddling, rollerblading, running, etc bag for each sport makes finding that second glove or extra sock much easier
• Gear that carries over into sports like your socks we recommend packing into a separate bag as your go-to place for essential gear that you replace or need throughout the race (at different TA's). Having to first remember that you packed your extra socks in your mountain biking shoes (thinking you might need them) slows you down and is taxing on your already taxed body and mind. Make life easier by preparing your gear for simple and quick recovery
3. Follow this same model with your food
• Food bags packed with food you like is key. If you don't like something you pack you'll find that at the end of each race you still have it in your pack. Although it is nice to take your energybar out for a good adventure or two it's not good for your speed.
• Have different size food bags ready to go (a 3 hr bag, 4 hr bag, etc) if you don't know the layout of the race ahead of time. If you do know the layout you can plan the size of your food bags the night before and have them ready at your TA in zip lock bags for easy placement in your pack.
• A full bar can sometimes be tough to get down when your on the run so try cutting your bars into 1/3rds making a "potpourri" of 3 different types in one snack bag makes the sometimes boring race food seem more exciting. Plus, this cuts down on packaging that could end up on the trail and not in your pack.
• Your water is no different, having extra bladders can sometimes make your TA faster (it depends on your pack. If it is easier to fill it or swap it out, you decide but test them both during your training so that you're confident). (know what you need for 3hrs of mountain biking vs three hours of trekking/running with weather conditions in mind. Have these already setup or in bottles you can measure and pour quickly to refill)
4. Be deliberate with your time and actions in the TA
• If you want to get faster it is a good time to stop thinking of the TA as a place to rest or to regain your strength. Each movement in the TA should be deliberate and thought out ahead of time. By doing this you keep your race focus and will get out much quicker than other teams.
5. Moving fast in a TA is strategic
• Passing teams in the TA is something we love to do. Many teams let their guard down in the TA and when they come out again to find you have already left it helps as you use the mental edge of the sport.

1. In supported races your crew is an extension of your team. They are a part of the race and you need to learn how to best utilize their assistance.
2. Having a crew that knows each of you and your "warning signs" is key. It is hard for them to help "nurse you back to life" if they don't know how to tell if youâ??re floating over the edge (about to bonk, etc?)
3. Your crew should be keeping an eye out, watching other teams, which way they went, keeping track of when they came in, how long they stayed in the TA and how far ahead they are. Your crew is the best "leader board" you could ever have b/c they have your best interest in mind. Train them on what you need to know to help the team if they don't already watch out for some of these things.
4. The obvious things
• Prepare your food, prepare your gear (get your bikes ready, check the brakes, know how to put on the tires, check tire inflation, keep the area tidy) and remind you of things not to forget (passport, maps, required gear, etc)
• Lay out your gear in corners of your "tent" or patch of dirt. Each athlete should have a clearly defined area in the TA with their gear laid out as discussed before the race. This makes finding the gear you spent all that time organizing really fast.

Chris Boyd
ARcoach
Captain of Team Timberland