I gotta agree about number 2, quick transitions. I’d recommend practicing them all season long though, not just in the week before your A race. Figure out exactly what you need to do during T1 and T2 by knowing what you need to take with you on the bike and what you’ll need for the run. I was meticulous, down to the nth degree, about my transitions this year, and it paid off: one of my early season victories was sealed by having flawless transitions. This was a Formula 1 duathlon, too, so there were four transitions, not just two! I think I was through each one in about 20 seconds.
My tidbits about transition (I’m a duathlete, but most will work for tris as well): Set your helmet, upside-down, on top of your aerobars or in the space between the aerobars and base bar, with the straps hanging down the sides of the helmet. Orient the helmet so that the front faces you as you approach the bike from the run/swim entrance, so that you can easily flip it on. Put your sunglasses, if you’re doing a tri, inside your helmet with the arms out, so that they are easy to put on. For triathletes, start freeing yourself from your wetsuit before you get to your bike, so that you spend as little time standing still as possible. For duathletes, zip up your jersey before transition if you run with it unzipped. It’s also helpful to use elastic laces (a la Yankz!, et al.) for your running shoes. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS walk through the transition area once you have racked your bike, so that you know which direction you will approach the rack from, how far of a run in and out it is, and what the fastest way to get to the mount line/from the dismount line is. If you don’t, you risk getting confused in the chaos of the race, and could spend valuable seconds or minutes completely lost. Learn how to do flying mounts and dismounts. I’ve found that dismounts are easier, and flying mounts can be pretty tricky. I modified my flying mount technique so that it works for me, and isn’t really any slower than jumping right onto the bike. Figure out what works for you, and practice it a LOT. And don’t forget to use rubber bands. As a corrolary to #5, train your feet to go sockless if you can. My LG tri shoes are plenty comfy on my bare feet, and I have made some basic modifications to my running shoes to prevent chafing/blistering. I also do all my indoor riding, outdoor riding above 55 degrees, and track workouts (in my racing flats) sockless. If you need nutrition on the bike, find a way to attach it. There are plenty of options for this, from gel flask holders to bento boxes, as well as all sorts of fluid carriers. The less you have to put in your pockets, the faster your transition. Rack your bike by the nose of your saddle, so that you can get at it easily and it’s already facing away from the rack. When you unrack, push your bike back slightly and let your bike disengage from the rack, then pull it forward, under the rack (all but the highest saddles will have no trouble with this) and your bike is already moving forward. Use non-A races to practice your transitions in a real race setting, without having to stress about getting everything right. Since you just came out of the water or off the first run working as hard as you would in a race (duh, since you ARE racing), you’ll know exactly what it’s like to try to think and concentrate when under racing stress. Above all else, visualize your transitions mentally. The more mental practice you have, the better, because then you’ll have your entire routine pre-planned in your head and all you ahve to do is modify it to the particulars of that race’s transition area.
If you are shooting for a PB, or to podium in your AG, work on those transitions so that, come race day, you can get yourself underway in your next leg while others are still fumbling around. The mental boost that comes from that is enormous.
