Team Input Requested::Cars and Transition Areas
As usual, we are in full swing for making improvements to the race. The first topic we are seeking input on relates to the length of stay at transition areas in our event. We are looking to improve the flow of traffic and to avoid bottlenecks at some of our smaller transitions.
The Question? How long does your team typically arrive at a transition before your runner and how long do you typically stay once the next runner has left?
Signed-Transition Area Tommy
posted by Scott @ 10:07 AM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
We didn't spend too much time in transition... maybe 10-15 minutes waiting to switch runners. Once our runner came in, she dressed, stretched, and off we went! It was easy to predict when our runner was coming in because in driving to the next transition we would pass our runner and provide an aid station. We often set up our own aid station and stretched there (in between stops to convenience stores for food if needed).
What about a shuttle? A handful of schoolbuses should take care of it and would seem to be the best solution of all!
How un-green and un-Vermont to have lots of cars starting and stopping and idling! Why not have shuttles?
How long does it take for a comment to post?
Probably 15-20min before our runner arrives (add buffer time to make sure that we get there in time for the hand-off) and around 5min afterwards for a total of 20-25min.
Thank you! These comments are very helpful as we try and not overload any one transition area.
-Scott
For the most part, once a runner started our van would drive to the next transition so that person could warm up. The current runner coming in would usually do some sort of cool down(walk or run) in the direction of the relay right after their hand-off so that the van could come back after having dropped off the next runner to warm up. We figured it was more efficient and would limit cramps a little rather than just jump in the car and go..... the most I waited for our van to go come me after a leg was 5-7 min, then we could see the transition and move down to the next one.
Zach, Team OSX
We arrived 15 to 20 min prior to hand-off and no more than 5 min after hand off. Even if there were shuttles, we would choose our own van to keep our gear in and the convenience of adapting to our team pace.
Consider cones and arrows for easy and quick access in and out of transition areas. Consider putting signs up at each stop to discourage idling or have flaggers ask drivers not to idle.
After the runner has left the transition area to begin their leg, we usually stay another 5 minutes, then head to the 1/2 way point to check-in on the runner. We then head to the next area, arriving 15-20 minutes before the runner, a little longer if it is one of the longer legs.
5 minutes max. We would cheer our runners in the transition and then give the runner 2-3 minutes to cool off. Then everyone raced to the van and we were off to the next area. The person who just ran and the upcoming runner would be dropped at the next transition to cool down and warm up and then our van would go back to the course to cheer the runner on (usually at a predetermined place ie. the top of thier last hill). Once they went by we would race back to the transition area and do it all over again. The only bad transition was the auto lot. It got clogged up and no one was directing people where to park and we actually got boxed in and had to find a driver of a car so we could get back out
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