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Preparation:

„"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." John F. Kennedy

Having a plan can save a lot of time in a race, and even save it. 

• Avoid testing new things in a race! Everything you use should be tested beforehand – from the food you eat the night before, to your bike position, and even your running hat. New gear and food often lead to mild discomfort, which can cascade into a DNF on long distances.
• Study the course and the transition areas – these details can often be crucial and save valuable time. Ideally, you will be at the race site a few days in advance. However, a video from past editions will also do the trick.

Swimming:

• Position – avoid large groups. Often losing focus costs us more than taking the most direct turn around the buoy.
• Group – if you do swim with a group, find swimmers who are slightly faster than you. This allows for less distraction with orientation, and also saves energy for the same speed.
• Swim to the end - stay in the water until your hands touch the ground. Walking in water above your knees is slower than swimming, and you'll need those legs too, take care of them. 

T1:

• Orienteering – mark a static object (cafe, sign, tree or house) to orient yourself by, where your bike and change bag are when you get out of the water. In big races with endless zones, it is difficult to find your things among thousands of others. 
• Minimize your steps and have a plan – after the water you come out dizzy, not the best time to make a decision and wander. Everything should have a place and you shouldn’t think about what the steps are. Rehearse your zone at home. Races like Ironman use the bag system, not the cassettes. It’s important to put only the things you need for the bike in the bag. 
• Practice taking off your neoprene. Use special products on your wrists and ankles to make it easier to remove. Vaseline is not a good idea because it ruins the neoprene coating. 
• Cycling – rarely (i.e. never) practiced, but done during a race. At best, it can save a few seconds, at worst, it can lead to a fall.

Cycling:

• Know your bike – it’s good to know your bike and how it works. Rarely, but problems do happen on the trail. And often you’re alone on the edge of the world with no one around to help, which wastes valuable time. Make sure you have the right spare parts and tools.
• Changing a tube – practice changing a tube at home at least 3-4 times before each race. Not having the right spare cost me about 15 minutes of an Ironman. Very annoying, considering I had trained hard for a good time.
• Aero position – one that you can hold for a very long time. Bike fitting is great, but how aerodynamically you can stay on the bike is a matter of flexibility and training. A super aero position can take a lot longer if you can’t hold it for a long time and have to stretch every 15-20 minutes.

T2:

• Getting off the bike while moving – this is a relatively easy exercise that can be practiced in the park. This is the method I use – Youtube.
• Orientation – as in the first zone, so here. The equipment should be in place and you should only take what you need. 
• Elastic laces – after squeezing the antlers for a few hours, your hands will be a little stiff. Using elastic laces for your boots is a small investment, but it can save valuable time and make putting them on easier.

Running:

• Stick to your pace – after a long bike ride and a fast zone, it’s a good idea to be careful about how you start your run. High adrenaline and a high cadence on the bike can easily lead to a too-fast start. This often leads to big problems later. Start slowly until you feel like you’ve found your pace and are in control of your run. Then you can increase your pace slightly if you feel like you still have some room to spare.