Transitions = Free Time

Transitions are free time. With practice, it's easy to be in the top 1% if you only count T1 & T2 as your total time. Last year I got a slot at IMAZ to Kona by beating the guy behind me by 18 seconds. He lost his slot during his transitions.

Off-days are a great time to practice transitions. There's no reason you can't shave seconds if not minutes off of your overall time by simply practicing. Quick transitions for me give me a few extra seconds to go to the bathroom so I don't have to go on the run, and this has worked on my last 3 ironman races (e.g. no bathroom break for 26.2 miles).

I'll never beat the top pro in my overall time. But my goal next year is to have the fastest transition overall.

They ought to give an award at every race for the fastest combined transition time, or maybe a prize at the Ironman World Championship & Clearwater to the fastest T1 + T2.