Rob from Foot Traffic Coaching has been a regular at the Pukekohe Duathlon, honing his race craft along the way. (and helping some of our athletes nail it too)
Effective bike mounting technique is optimal for quickly transitioning on to the bike leg. It also looks great when you nail it properly.
I remember sitting in the stands watching the Elite ITU Sprint Triathlon in Kinloch a few years back. As the lead women came out of the water, moved through transition and started getting on their bikes it was all business as usual.... until I saw one of our top athletes, Debbie Tanner come charging along the road, pushing her bike at full pace. As she reached the line she launched herself like a gymnast, was horizontal for what seemed like an eternity while her bike was moving forward, and she gracefully landed on her saddle, feet straight into her shoes and pedalled right up to the leaders. Behind her was a crowded melee of athletes scrambling to get out of transition, stopping to put a foot on their pedal, fumbling with their shoes, bumping into each other... it was a stark contrast to the speed and efficiency of Debbie's mounting technique. I don't even know the final result of the race, but the image of Debbie resonated with me and really hit home how important this skill is.
Read the full post on the Foot Traffic Website.
