Yesterday, I did my first DUathlon of the season. I was going through my check list of things to do before the race. I had been told to place the bike’s gearing at an easy resistance so that you are pushing an easy gear to get out of transition. I ride barefoot and have my shoes pre-clipped into the pedals so that I just do a flying mount out of T1 (mounting from the non-chain ring side).
I place my gearing in small chain ring/15 cog and rack my bike.
After Run 1, I ditch my flats, put on my helmet and grab my bike. I did the flying mount at the “mount line” and OUCH! My right leg didn’t quite make it all the way over to the pedal. Instead, the inside edge of my foot lands atop the large ring! I feel pain but no significant blood or missing skin – just a series of punctures where the teeth have bitten my foot and a little bit of blood.
Lesson learned – place the gearing in large chain ring INSTEAD of small to have the chain protect bare feet from the sprocket’s teeth and 21 cog for an easy gear to get out of transition.