loads of anxious questions
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579 days
krazyfranco posted 31 weeks ago.
Hopefully Catwood will chime in here somewhere, shes the transition pro.
check this out too: http://www.trifuel.com/node/9004
Most people wear some sort of tri-suit underneath the wetsuit. Personally, I just wear simple tri-shorts with a bit of a cushion for the bike, but suitable for running too, something similar to this: [url]http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,17497_Canari-Tri-Cycling-Shorts-For-Men.html?cm_mmc=PaidPlacement-_-Google-_-WGOGB8-_-Canari_Tri_Cycling_Shorts_-_(For_Men)[/url]
Be advised that these suits break down fairly quickly in chlorine, so do your swim training in something else.
I guess what you wear underneath depends if you are a chica or chico, and if you are a chico, if shirts are required for the bike/run portion.
Lubing up your wetsuit will help you get it off quicker in transition. My suit is sleeveless so I just lube up my lower legs (below the knees) using some BodyGlide.
If you are going for speed, consider getting some elastic shoe laces of some sort and a number belt. But, since its your first race, I would just go with what you have and enjoy yourself.
217
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231 days
iamtb13 posted 31 weeks ago.
I've never done an off-road but I assume it works the same as a road one. Here's what I do...
whatever I am going to ride and run in (the same outfit), I wear under my wetsuit. I even pin the number on my shirt (some people prefer a number belt - your choice.) When I get into T1 - wetsuit is off, helmet is on and I am ready to ride. In T2, I dump the bike and helmet and get on shoes and I am ready to run. Any other clothes changing - adding or subtracting - takes too long.
Wetsuits can create "hotspots" or little burns on your neck or other areas for some people. To lube up, you put on Glide or some other product to reduce friction (stay away from Vaseline - not good for a wetsuit). Some people will put some on their heels and feet to help slide the wetsuit off too. The purpose here is just to not have any friction burns after the race.
I recommend to practice your transitions. You don't have to rush like a crazy person but you do want to keep moving and be very deliberate - nothing extra. Keep it very simple. I hope that helps.
1192
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348 days
TriSooner posted 31 weeks ago.
1. What does one wear under a wetsuit? Sorry for getting on my soapbox about this, but do you really need a wetsuit for a 600m swim? If you are middle-of-the-pack swimmer at 2:00 per 100 meters, you will be vigorously swimming for ~ 12minutes. So unless the water is actually cold (e.g., 60 degrees), I don't think a wetsuit is necessary. The point is that any speed gains over such a distance will be negated by the time it takes to take off the suit. Try it at home: How long does it take you to take off your suit as you are running? But if you insist, your cycling shorts are the obvious choice, not a swimsuit.
2. 'Lubing up' either means lubing 'hot spots' in your suit which are places the suit rubs against your skin during the swim, like around the neck or under the arms. Or it means lubing the sleeves/legs to make it easier to get into/out of. In this case, you may see people spraying Pam on their suits. Dumb. Use plastic Walmart bags over your hands and feet to help the suit slide on, thus avoiding small tears in the neopreten. Also, just to be on the safe side, BodyGlide (ie, no vaseline, butt paste, etc.) is the only 'lube' I would use on my skin (ie, do not apply directly to the suit) that will eventually come in contact with the wetsuit. Whichever you meant by 'lubing up' might lead you to the conclusion that such steps for a 600 meter swim are a bit overkill.
3. "I just feel anxious about the transition times . . ." Then don't wear a wetsuit if T1 is your concern! Swim in your cycle/tri shorts, whether your wear a wetsuit or not.
Finally, I would do a search of the message board topics. I know wetsuit talk has come up before. And BTW, zipper goes in back.
3
Member
225 days
springfield81 posted 31 weeks ago.
thank you so much for your responses!
because of the water temperatures, the wetsuit (at this point) is projected as being absolutely required for the race (it's a glacier-fed lake). chances are the temps won't get above 65, but you never know with montana. ideally, i agree - no wetsuit would be preferred. but if the race regulations require it, there's no getting around it, even for a 600m race.
i signed up for my first (beginner) triathlon, as i've been following a training plan suited for entry-level athletes that builds up close to race distances by the time d day arrives (july 20th). the race is all off-road, with a 600m swim, 7 mi cross country single track cycling portion, finished with a 3 mi trail run. i'm not too worried about the actual events, as i'm comfortable with all three and just focusing on building distance and technique. my questions are more gear and transition oriented.....
for instance, what does one wear under a wetsuit? the obvious choice to me would be a swimsuit.... but then there's the transition to cycling, and i can't imagine cycling in a wet swimsuit..... are there certain clothing choices to wear underneath then? i've also heard about 'lubing up' before putting on your wetsuit.... what does that entail?
i just feel anxious about the transition times and how to best handle them. any advice and insight would be much appreciated!