they offer a triathlon course in college now! wow, man i need to go back to school!

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2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Also, practice your transitions.

multitasking - being able to put your helmet and sunglasses on while taking your legs out of your wetsuit
organization/consistency - set things up exactly the same every time
be prepared for the worst - no what you are going to do if someone knocked your helmet off the bike, your running shoes are moved, if you use rubber bands to help with flying mounts practice without rubber bands as well in case they break before you mount

Repeatedly visualize every step of your transitions.

+1

Also, in addition to practicing transitions, visualize how you will go through transition as you set it up. Think about the most efficient order of tasks. And don't unclip your helmet before you rack your bike.

Know where you are entering and exiting for T1 and T2.

Don't get disoriented and overshoot you transition spot and run an extra 1/4 mile or so.

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Both very good tips. Putting those two together and being confident in knowing what to do will allow you to relax and do it efficiently.

+1 This might replace my mantra of "Slower is faster" in transition.

For transition, minimize all the stupid crap you think needs to be done. The less you have to do, the faster it'll be. Try to only do only 2 things when transitioning.

T1: Bike, Helmet, Go.
T2: Run Shoes, grab Visor & Race number belt (together), Go.

Also, as previously mentioned, walk the TA before the race starts. Know exactly where you'll be coming in and going out. After getting lost or confused too many times, I try to walk Swim in, Bike out, Bike in, Run out.

Beginners always overbike, and then suffer on the run. Way better to bike within yourself, and then execute a killer run. It's a lot harder than it sounds. :)

For context, I've done 34 triathlons.

I would grab the racenumber belt in T1.. ;-)

Why? You ride with your race number belt? Never has been required in any race I've done.

I like what most have said and here are some favorites for me...
"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. "
"organization/consistency - set things up exactly the same every time "
"Repeatedly visualize every step of your transitions. "

The others are great too but when I set up transition I make sure it is very simple. Almost too simple because every time I finish setting up I think I am forgetting something. For T1 I have my helmet and glasses. For T2 I have shoes, socks, race belt and maybe visor. This makes it easy for me to have ZERO clutter around my spot so I don't forget anything. Also when taking off your wetsuit toss it to the back of your rack area, while keeping it in YOUR spot, so that it isn't on anything you need in T2.

Running into T1 pull your wetsuit down to below your hips so that it's easier to get off and if you can put helmet/glasses on while taking suit off. Coming into T2 start thinking about how you're putting this on, bike seat first? Handlebars first? (obviously this should be figured out before hand but mentally going through it right before is good too) Once bike is racked take helmet off, put on socks and shoes then grab race belt and put that on while running.

I really do think the biggest thing is keeping things simple in transition. The more clutter around your spot and the most stuff to put on the bigger chance you have to forget something.

But you are one lucky guy to be able to take triathlon training as a class!

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Aaah, Well, then forget what I said ;-)

In the Netherlands (or at least in the races I have done ;-) ) you're obliged to wear your racenumber during the bikeleg.

Same in Germany and Italy, so if it applies make sure to do it!

What length of race are you doing? While I find the whole "shoes on bike running mount" thing to be worthwhile for sprint or Olympic distance races, if you're doing a half-Iron to full-Iron distance race as your first, just put your bike shoes on in T1 and run out and clip on. I think it would be a shame if you ruined your whole day because you bit it coming out of transition to save 30 seconds.

Otherwise, as others have said here, practice. A few others based on mistakes I have made:

-if you do clip your shoes to your bike, double check that you got the right shoe on the right side and left shoe on the left side. Totally defeats the speed gains if you have to stop and flip them around. (Yes, happened to me)
-if you're wearing a wet suit, have your shirt on underneath. If you are going to try to put a shirt on in T1, practice doing it wet. It's harder than it looks - especially with tired arms after a swim. (Yes, happened to me). Same probably goes for socks, although I tend to just race in bare feet.
-double check that your number is securely fastened to your race belt. Sometimes when you're putting it on in T1 you can bump off the little knobbies. I like to tape them on or knot them in to be sure. (Yes, happened to me.)

Most of the other tips that have been posted are good and have helped me as well.

Good luck!

- Get an obnoxiously bright towel to lay your shoes etc. out on. Easier to spot in transition.
- Get oriented with where you need to go RELATIVE to your entry and exit points. Go to the entrance from the swim, turn around, and see where you need to go to get to your rack spot (e.g. 5 racks up, on the right). Then to to the entrance from the bike, and do the same (e.g. 3 racks down, on the left).
- Use bungee laces so you don't have to waste time tying your shoes
- If you wear a visor or anything else on the run that you don't have on for the bike, just grab it and put it on while you're running
- I make sure sunglass arms are open, helmet straps are hanging straight, anything that'll prevent you having to fiddle with things before you put them on

I agree with what nickwhite wrote. I'll copy his comment here, as this is 95% of what you need to know:

For transition, minimize all the stupid crap you think needs to be done.

T1: Bike, Helmet, (and sunglasses) Go.
T2: Run Shoes, grab Visor & Race number belt (together), Go.

Walk the TA before the race starts.

That's it. And the "go" is a surprisingly important part. When you're running to your bike, think 'ok, there's 4 things... helmet, sunglasses, bike, go' then when you get to 'go' it avoids the feeling of 'what am I forgetting... should I grab an extra Gu?' And of course add in your number belt where the rules require it.

Lots of good tips here for sure! But for fuck sakes don't forget to have FUN.

No matter the prep you do the first will be a cluster fuck of sorts. Don't worry, you'll be hooked and then there'll be plenty of time later to obsess about seconds and details! Just got out, do your best and have fun!!

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It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17