Article written by Christophe Vandaele, owner of SBR Multisports. SBR Multisports is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle through multi-sport activities and continually explores new ways to serve the growing triathlon community.

For most novices, the focus of triathlon training is on strengthening your swimming, biking and running skills. But there is a fourth and vital element to the competition that can help you achieve your goals - the transition. The clock ticks as you move from the water to the bike and the bike to the running path, so it is important that you keep calm, know exactly where you are and execute your plan. You must find your peace in the chaos that a transition area can be on race day. A smooth, efficient transition can save as much as four to five minutes.

It is a good idea to have a transition bag on hand, rather than a backpack; transition bags have open access to all parts of the bag, making all your gear visible to the eye all at once. To prepare for your transition, make sure you have easy unrestricted access to your gear, count the racks so you know exactly where your bike is located, and know your position to and from the entrance and exits of the transition area. Three items can help speed your transition time by about 20% - a race number belt, towel and elastic laces.

Having a plan is so critical. Those who have not planned in advance can be seen biking with a swim cap under their helmet and goggles around their neck and running with helmets on or in their hands. Some people crash or fall because they didn't practice enough. In fact, practicing is key. Find a lawn or grassy area where you live and practice both transitions until you get your time down to a satisfying speed. Transition times vary depending on the size of the event and the distance of the race. Regardless of the travel time to and from transition, once you have reached your bike or running shoes you should be able to get going in under two minutes.

To facilitate a seamless transition, try and bend over as few times as possible, and keep the standing time to a minimum. When you transition from swim to bike, consider having your bike shoes already on the pedals, the helmet resting upside down with the straps folded open and your sunglasses attached to your helmet. This way all you need to do is get your wetsuit off, put your helmet on and grab your bike. You can put everything else on while cycling. During the second transition you should leave your cycling shoes on the pedals and remove your feet before dismounting the bike (don't try this for the first time during an event). Once at your transition spot, wipe your feet off on the floor towel, put on your shoes and off you go. It is also important to check for sharp material on the ground, as you will be barefoot out of the water and into both transitions.

Ultimately, for a successful transition, don't allow adrenaline or haste to take over. You must be in control. The art of transitioning does not have to be a mystery -simply take the time to learn the transition spot, practice and have a solid plan in place.