expedition playbook: transitions

If sleep strategy is the fifth discipline of expedition racing, transitioning is the sixth. For some teams, it may also be the most important. Consider the following:
 
Let’s say your race has seven transition areas (FYI, many expedition races have several more TAs than that). A savvy, experienced team may be able to average 15-30 minutes in any given TA – let’s call it 20 minutes for the sake of easy math. Some may be even faster, especially early in the race (and excluding sleep strategy). This team will spend 140 minutes in transition over the course of the race.
 
Now, a less experienced team rolls into their first transition. They are exhausted and hungry. They haven’t fine-tuned their strategy or honed their bike breakdown. It’s not uncommon for a team like this to spend 2 hours or more sorting and swapping out gear, changing shoes, refueling, changing clothes, and repacking. Compound that over seven TAs and that’s 840 minutes – 14 hours of race time, more than half a day. In a race with shorter stages and more TAs, it’s not unheard of for less experienced teams to spend 18-24 hours in transition.
 
These lost hours can dash podium hopes for pointy-end races. They can derail full-course dreams for mid-pack teams. They can cause teams to miss time cutoffs, and they may be the difference between officially finishing and not.
 
TAing is a skill that top teams work at tirelessly and endlessly. Adventure racing is all about efficiency, and efficient TAs mean “found” time to spend on the course.

​So, how do you get there?
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Pre-race

​Sometime before race week, you will likely receive a race planner or schematic from the RD. These planners are always a bit different, but at a minimum they tend to provide teams with distance estimates and time estimates for each leg of the race. They will typically offer the order of stages and disciplines, and many will provide specific details that help with planning, strategizing, and packing. Such details may include what amenities are available at specific TAs and what bins, boxes, or bags you will receive.
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Example of Schematic

In a sense, the race has begun once these planners are distributed, and experienced teams will spend hours and hours working individually and as a team to prepare for the race at home: coordinating gear, planning for food and transitions, and organizing TA bags and bins. Obviously, you won’t have all the information you will need, but you can do a considerable amount of prep work, saving you time and energy during registration and in those precious hours on site before the race begins.
 
This effort can be compounding. The hours spent at home studying that schematic and applying what you can to gear, food, and clothing prep will translate to better preparation, less stress, more sleep, and fewer mistakes at race HQ before the start. You will then have more time and peace to adapt as you learn more of what to expect from the event. And the next thing you know, you are hours and hours ahead of other teams who didn’t do this important work.

When examining pre-race schematics, take note of the following:

• Distance and time estimates. Do they provide full-course options and short-course options? Be aware that one of the most common mistakes newer racers make is overestimating their abilities. You may be well trained, you may have experience in a lot of other sports and outdoor escapades, but nothing is like AR. Very few teams are able to walk into their first race, especially an expedition, and come close to achieving the advertised fast times. All but a few will assuredly end up on some version of a short course. Know that “Fast/Full Course” estimates typically are founded on the following assumptions:
  • They are based on the performance of the best teams likely to show up to a race. Typically, at a multi-day race, this means the top teams in the world. These teams are the best for a reason. Recognize that even many podium-contending teams look at those fast times and add a couple hours… or more.
  • Fast times assume clean navigation and no issues. They don’t take into account navigation errors, injury, mechanical issues, team dynamics, illness, the time you might spend sleeping, and sleep-deprivation-induced sluggishness.
  • They also don’t take into account weather conditions, which can and do blow up time estimates.
  • RDs cannot predict how any team’s performance may change over the course of multiple days. It’s hard enough when trying to predict for fresh teams on day one. Most RDs’ fast estimates not only assume a clean performance on a given section and pleasant weather; they also assume fresh bodies and minds.

ACTION ITEM: Talk with your team. What do you think is realistic based on the information you have and your team’s collective abilities? Estimate the time you expect to be on that leg. Pack a food bag and clearly label it for that stage of the race. Set aside any clothes, shoes, or gear you might want for that specific leg.

• Water. What water will be available in a given transition area. Potable water? Natural, untreated water source, hot water?
  • Consider whether you will need to find water before entering or after leaving the transition area. Many TAs have water in some capacity, but not all. Don’t assume there will be water to drink or use.
  • If water is available, cooking a hot, bag meal is an option. Take note of that and consider it in your planning.

ACTION: Use this information to identify whether you will need to work harder for water. You don’t want to get stuck banking on hydration only to find there is none. You should also use this information to plan for hot meals or drinks that requires water. Pack your stoves, meals, and other gear into the proper bag, bin, or box.

• Food. As is true in adventure racing more generally, you should expect to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining. That said, in expedition races, you may find yourself able to cash in on food that doesn’t require you to pack and plan.
  • A TA may be in a town or near a store or restaurant. You may only discover this when you get your maps or during a pre-race briefing, but sometimes RDs will include it on the logistics planner. If you plan to purchase food, make sure to bring some money or credit cards (if you don’t know whether a card will be accepted, it’s a good idea to bring both).
  • Occasionally some RDs will provide some food themselves. You may know this ahead of time via the logistics planner, or you may get a surprise when you roll into TA.
  • Alternatively, RDs may include the local community when it comes to offering food. Food trucks and highlighted eating establishments or shops are often included in the event. RDs may coordinate with such vendors to stay open at odd hours or set up at a TA. Often, racers pay out of pocket, but such offerings are often delightfully convenient and well-timed.

ACTION ITEM: If the RD is offering food themselves or arranging it for purchase, plan to take advantage of it. Race food, no matter how thoughtful and tasty, tends to get old long before you reach the finish line, and taking advantage of provided calories or food and drink for purchase is well worth the money. Make sure you have sufficient cash and credit cards safely packed for the race. And know when those calories will be available to minimize overpacking food you won’t need (or want).

• Electricity. This is not common, and most racers don’t even consider it, but take note of it if it’s mentioned in the logistics planner. This may come in handy with charging lights and batteries. Most racers make sure they have ample battery time in their arsenal to avoid needing electricity, but some like to pack chargers in case.
• Bins, Bags, and Boxes. The logistics planner will likely tell you what you will see in each transition area. You may see all of your gear in every transition, but most likely you won’t. It becomes crucial to study the schematic and figure out what bins you will see where, what TAs will have your bike boxes, and when will you see your paddle bags.
  • Some races allow each racer a personal bin. Some require all members of a team to use a single bin for a given transition. In both situations, it can get confusing fast, so make sure you really study the schematic closely and have bins clearly labeled and organized.
  • Determine what food bags should be in which TA vessel.
  • Determine where to store extra clothes and shoes.
  • Consider where you might plan to sleep. Make sure sleeping gear (if you aren’t going to be carrying it) is earmarked for the proper location.
  • Extra gear? Sunscreen? Foot care? Trekking poles? It’s a good idea to spread such gear around to make sure that it’s not only available when you plan to use it but also when you might not.
  • Extra food? Most racers pack too much, but if you have extra space and weight, figure out where best to store it all.
  • Keep thse weight restrictions in mind, especially if teammates have to share bins.

ACTION ITEM: Build a spreadsheet or some sort of organizational aid to help. It all starts with these bags and bins. Knowing exactly where you will see them and roughly when will then inform the rest of your pre-race packing. Making food bags, clearly labeling them, storing them, etc. Talk as a team. This may be one of the most important things you do before racing, getting to know each other aside. Triple check all of it.

Example of team logistics planner

​A final note on pre-race preparation. There is a tendency overthink and over-organize for TAs. One might think that the more nuanced your organization plans, the better. The reality is that TA bins tend to blow up very spectacularly very quickly. You will end up changing your mind on what clothes to bring for a given stage, mixing up your food, adapting to stages that are either longer or shorter than expected, and depositing wet clothes and gear in your bin. This is a​

Blown-up TA bins...

good opportunity to practice that old adage, KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.
 
Big zip-locks are your friend. Being able to see what’s in your bags can increase efficiency and reduce the need to use precious mental energy, sorting through which bags to grab on Day 4.
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Now you are racing...

If you have done well planning, organizing, and packing your bins and bags, the real key to race-week execution is in communication with your teammates. Use the last thirty minutes of each leg to talk about the upcoming TA. What stage are you going to embark on? What gear will you need? What food needs resupplying?
 
As you come into TA, you should consider the following tasks, depending on what the next stage might be.

• Signing In and Out? Do you need to check in? Do you need to punch a physical flag? Make one team member responsible for this job – both as you enter the TA and as you depart.
• Bikes. Are you breaking down bikes? Building bikes? Loading bikes on a truck? What gear can your leave with your bikes? Any repairs you need to address? Lights on? Lights off?
• Paddling. Assemble paddles, make sure you have the proper safety gear, etc. If you have to portage, how are you setting up for that? Which teammates are paddling together?
• Gear. Are there any unique gear requirements? Perhaps you need to bring sleeping gear. Maybe you need climbing helmets and harnesses or you want your poles for a long trek.
• Body Maintenance. Any hot spots, blisters, or other issues that need basic attention? Any more significant injuries that you should run by a medic if one is available). Re-apply lube, take care of bad chafing, apply sunscreen, do a tick check, rewrap a turned ankle, etc.
• Shoes and Clothes. Is this an opportunity for fresh clothes and shoes? If you’re soaking wet and the sun is out, take advantage of this to help reduce chafing and infection. That said, if it’s pouring, maybe a full change of clothes isn’t worth it. Do you need to carry extra shoes with you for an embedded foot section? Should you bring a puffball or extra warm gear on the next stage?
• Food. Resupply food. Drop your trash from the last stage if you’re able. Do you have the time and resources for hot meals? Should someone go check out that local pizza shop next to the TA and place an order while everyone else works on bikes?
• Maps. If you have stored maps in TA bins or bikes boxes and need to swap, do so. Be careful though: while it’s a great idea to break maps up and minimize weight (a full set of expedition race maps can add pounds to your pack), many teams, including the best in the world, have made the mistake of mixing up maps. It’s demoralizing to realize that the maps you packed in your bike box are, in fact, for a paddling stage later in the race.
• Sleep. As discussed in our sleep article, consider whether bedding down in the TA is the best option for you team. If it is, have a plan. Ideally, everyone can attend to their business, prep what they need for the next stage, eat, drink, take care of their feet, and then crawl into a sleeping bag for some quality or emergency sleep. If someone is in bad shape, that may not be reasonable. Consider sending them to sleep immediately (ideally with some food in their bellies!) and have the other teammates complete the TA chores. Make sure those staying up longer have ample time to sleep as well; don’t shortchange them.
• Stay Positive. Know that the single hardest part of expedition racing is keeping everyone going mentally. When you stop – whether it is to sleep, take a break, eat, attend to an illness, or simply TA – it’s not uncommon for someone on the team to confront the AR demons, taunting them to drop out. When you are in TA, it’s much easier to entertain dropping out. On our team, more often than not, the tears, the deepest doubts, and the hardest questions come out in TA rather than out in the woods or on the trail; there is a release that comes when you crawl into TA after a particularly hard stage or experience. Support each other, stay focused, and get back out there. Getting on your way usually helps the storm clouds pass.

Seriously - artichokes. Don't knock 'em til you've tried 'em.

​​For the most part, this covers it. That said, TAs are some of the most interesting places on the race course. Adventure racers are a creative lot, and it’s fascinating to see the extra items, big and small, that emerge out of TA bins. The tricks of the trade, the unique food options, the hints of home and luxuries – we could likely write an entire article series out of a single TA. Prioritize your race gear, food, and clothes first, but then include what you want: toothbrushes, mouth wash, coffee maker, pillow, towels, a can of artichokes, a letter or photo from home, whatever you will need to get you moving when ​things are hard and keep you moving when the energy is up.

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​Finally, as much as we privilege efficiency, there are times when TAs should serve as a legitimate break. Sometimes, you need to slow things down and do some quality work preserving a teammate’s mental or physical health to be able to continue. This is the razor edge of adventure racing: balancing the desire to maximize every minute and keep things moving and the need – sometimes – to slow it down or even stop, knowing that a couple extra hours of preservation might translate to hours gained later on the course or a more realistic chance to finish, or even win, the race.