By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete

Hold on a minute, isn’t triathlon just three disciplines? Yes swim, bike and run take up the majority of the race, but there are these precious seconds, or for some, minutes where you have to wiggle out of your wetsuit and put on a bike helmet (T1) and change from bike shoes to run shoes (T2). While time spent in the transition area may not be long, how wisely you use that time could be the difference between being on the podium or wishing you were.

With triathlon, there are usually a few “I could have been faster if I had only: sighted better in the swim so I wasn’t weaving all over the course, or not pushed so hard on the bike so I had solid legs to run on, or pushed harder on the run so I didn’t get caught in the last 100 meters.” What people might not realize is a good transition time can often make up for small mistakes elsewhere.

I’m not the fastest swimmer in the field, but I hold my own. However, my T1 transition is quick and efficient and usually sets me in great position heading out on the bike. In fact, I can generally make up anywhere from 15 to 30 second deficit from a slower swim with a fast T1 time. My transition times are always among the fastest in the women’s field and I actually posted the fastest T1 and T2 times out of both men and women at a race last summer.

Is transition a special talent I possess? Does a fast transition matter? Transition is a skill, just like swimming, and it can be practiced and improved. Transition does matter, as I have seen many a podium spot slip out from under athletes, because they did not prepare well for their entire race. When races are decided by less than 30 second gaps, you’d better believe 30 extra seconds in transition can cost you a win. So how do you get good at it? Like any other discipline in triathlon, you need to practice. Below are some rules and tips for how to shave seconds and maybe minutes off your next race.

Rule #1 – BE ORGANIZED
Organization is critical to a fast transition. You don’t get a lot of room in transition. Typically, one rack will have 8 bikes, so you need to be organized and keep only what you need in the transition area. Do not leave your duffle bag or backpack in the transition area. It will get in your way and it will get in the way of other racers by creating a road block when trying to un-rack and re-rack your bike.

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As the cycling season draws to a close, as races begin to dwindle in number, many young cyclists who have now gotten a taste for racing, and maybe a win or two, start looking towards 2015. There’s no better time than the autumn to start thinking about next year’s racing and how to best train and develop one’s talent with an established, successful team and coaches like those offered by Athletic Mentors and Team OAM NOW. The development program offers guidance within the sport: mentorship, race support, training advice, strategy, technical advice, among other things. “We have the breadth and depth of experience, across all parts of athletic development, to make us one of the best in the business. Not only do we have a substantial track record of fostering some of the best cyclists in the country, but we continue to put our athletes on the podium,” says Cheryl Sherwood, Athletic Mentors’ co-founder and Team OAM NOW director.

Athletic Mentors and Team OAM NOW boast a successful development program with proven results. Previous team members include: Pro Continental riders David Williams and Tom Zirbal, as well as UCI Pro riders Ted King, Larry Warbasse, and Brent Bookwalter. The established and recognized program fosters developing set teams within the pathway to higher categories (Cat. 5 to Cat. 4 to Cat. 3 and potentially the Elite team). The team pathway means a developing rider can stay with the team as they improve, while also interacting with future team mates and mentors. Now in it’s 10th year, the team has been through several name changes, Advantage Benefits/Endeavour, Priority Health, Bissell and OAM NOW, but the consistent managerial leadership, season to season, means the program is consistently funded and staffed. Athletic Mentors has the added advantage of also having high level participants in Road, Cyclocross, and MTB racing to provide needed guidance.

In other words, finding the right program is so much more than training.

It’s about finding the right leadership.
Former Youth Development Participant and current Team OAM NOW member Alex Vanias notes, “Cheryl [Sherwood] and Mark [Olson] have managed a pro cycling team so I knew they were professionals when it comes to managing teams. They also have connections in the pro world. Sometimes it is not just your ability that gets you to the next level, but also about who you know that can help get you there.”

It’s about finding a team that values its members and supports them and their goals.
Youth Development Coach Terry Ritter: “Riders developing within our program learn accountability, self-marketing, and proper conduct consistent with success on any team they may join in the future. The AM program prides itself on providing a full service and professional environment. We do things like sign contracts, have sponsor commitments, hold expectations for rider conduct, and give back to the community by promoting cycling and healthy lifestyles specifically. We have a track record to prove we’ve found talent, developed it, and then had it move on.”

It’s about finding a coach who understands your needs.
Alex Vanias: “My first year as a category 5 racer I won only one race. The next season, on the advice of a coach, I quit running and trained as a cyclist and moved to category 2 in a matter of weeks. The AM coaches are very thorough with their advice. They run tests to find your current level of fitness and form, and will prescribe strength training to work on your weaknesses. As a new triathlete with no previous swimming experience AM has encouraged and coached me to grow as an athlete. AM has done video analysis of my stroke to see where I am going wrong, and worked to find my optimal stroke rate. It’s about me and my goals.”

It’s about finding a team that nurtures a whole-hearted approach to team and training.
The OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors Multisport Team is populated by community-minded people from all walks of life. Although each team member is unique, there are some characteristics members have in common: character, integrity, and a commitment to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Cory Stange, former Youth Development Participant and current Team OAM NOW cyclist notes, “For the first time in my cycling career, the team actually wanted to foster my fast finish as well as incorporate it into the plan for overall team success. This mentality of riding whole heartedly as a team and viewing any results team members achieved as a team victory was something completely new to me. It was something I had never experienced: teammates giving up their chances at overall success in order to give the team it’s best shot at winning. This sort of selflessness is rare. It’s not something you see very often on other teams at this level.”

It’s about becoming the best cyclist you can be.
Athletes are always welcome to approach the Team OAM/AM tent at races or apply through the team website here. Team selection process starts in October. We look forward to hearing from you.

By Cory Stange, Team OAM Now Cyclist- Road Cat 2

Of all the road disciplines, criterium racing is the most dynamic. Emphasizing speed over endurance, crits are often won by the quick and daring. Despite believing I possessed all the skills necessary to succeed in the high speed world of crit racing, I struggled in past years to obtain the results I always felt capable of, at least until I began working with Athletic Mentors and Team OAM NOW.

Coming into 2014, and my first year with Team OAM NOW/ Athletic Mentors, everything seemed to change. For the first time in my cycling career, the team actually wanted to foster my fast finish as well as incorporate it into the plan for overall team success. This mentality of riding whole heartedly as a team and viewing any results team members achieved as a team victory was something completely new to me. Having the team dedicate themselves, near the end of a race, in order for me to sprint was a bit unnerving at the beginning of the season. It was something I had never experienced: teammates giving up their chances at overall success in order to give the team it’s best shot at winning. This sort of selflessness is rare. It’s not something you see very often on other teams at this level.

Even more surprising than the selfless nature of the team, I found myself riding for the results, and wins, I was accumulating for both me and the team. I’ve always believed in myself and the potential I had, but it wasn’t until joining Team OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors this year that I saw that potential come to fruition. It’s truly amazing how surrounding yourself with the right people can make all the difference. Last year, I finished third at one race and in the top ten at a few others. This year, I’ve won four races, garnered many top five finishes, several top tens, including the Pro Cat1/2 Michigan Road Series and the overall at the Wednesday night Waterford series.

So, what changed from last year to this year? Quite a few things, but clearly, the biggest change was joining Team OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors. Cycling can be as much of a team sport as you make it. Here at OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors I’ve discovered just how much a cyclist can benefit from riding with a true team. I can honestly say my results would not look the same this year if I hadn’t been so lucky as to get chosen to be a member of this great team.

No doubt teamwork in crit racing leads to success, but being part of a team leads to successes for everyone. Being a part of this team, in particular, has changed my riding, has changed my concept of team work, and what it means to be whole-hearted in sport.

If you’d like to apply to ride for Team OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors in 2015, click here for the application.