Glimpse into Transition Area

Ever hear a triathlete talk about trying to improve their transition time? Or never heard the word transition in context of a triathlon to begin with? Here's a shot of the transition area -- post race -- of the Chicago Triathlon, which is pretty much the largest you're ever gonna get (9,000 people registered this year; by comparison, popular local races have about 600, 1,000 or 3,000).

"Chicago" was my first triathlon ever. These rows of bikes freaked the shit out of me before the race, and I wasn't particularly fond of them during the race either. I vowed to never do Chicago again (although for more reasons than that). Now it's one of my favorites.

Yours truly navigating Bangs' Lake Multisport Fesitval (I did the aquabike)

Transition is the place where triathletes go in between each leg of the race. It's where you throw your wetsuit after the swim and collect your bike and gear, and it's where you dump your bike gear and pick up your running shoes. No matter how big the race, transition always looks the same: rows and rows of bikes squeezed in like sardines.

Before the race -- usually before the sun rises -- you get to transition, find a place for your bike, and set up your gear around your tires. The entire space is not more than 2 feet wide.

So yes, everyone's gear -- thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars worth of equipment -- is all in one place. Pretty nuts, but the triathlete community is a safe one. Hopefully, it'll stay that way for a long time (some of you might recall my bad experience. I'm the lone example with bad luck, so why tell it and scare everyone off?).