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Learn the essentials of the fourth leg: ChangingChanging or transitioning from one portion of a Triathlon competition to another one can easily take you some minutes of your end result if you didn't practice it thoroughly. If you go for very short distances then consider investing in a special Triathlon suit which makes the changing process more smooth and fast.In the beginning of a Triathlon competition all of the athletes set up their spot in the "transition area". Depending on the local conditions sometimes the transition area is split up into different places. That means that there is one area for the transition from swimming to cycling and another one for the change from cycling to running. Triathlons are timed in sections: 1) from the start of the swim to the beginning of the first transition (swim time); 2) from the beginning of the first transition to the end of the first transition (T1 time); 3) from the start of the cycling to the end of the cycling leg (cycling time); 4) from the beginning of the second transition to the end of the second transition (T2 time); 5) and finally from the start of the run to the end of the run, at which time the triathlon is completed. Racers run out of the water and attempt to change from their swim gear into cycling gear as rapidly as possible. Often there are certain tents only for that reason. The second transition is when the athlete arrives from the cycling track and enters the transition area again. He will usually have to dismount from his bike to abide by the international Triathlon (and security) rules for this sport. It is e.g. strictly regulated to wear a helmet during the cycling part and to not take it off until you reach your spot in the transition area and rack your bicycle. Failure to comply with this rule usually leads to disqualification. Since wearing a helmet is an obligation I was once not allowed to even participate in a competition because I forgot my helmet at home and couldn't get hold of one locally.
The best time to practice this 'fourth leg' is when you start with your bricks, your transition workouts. That is simply switching a couple of times from cycling to running and back and forth. If you take this seriously you'll train under proper conditions, because your heart rate will be very high which makes changing your clothes much more difficult. Just try to tie your shoes after gently running 3 miles if you don't know what I mean.
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