That classic daily question: what should I wear?
Take the time before your race to find the best tri suit for your needs. Then, when race day rolls around, your suit will do it's job and all you have to think about is executing your race.
Our first article talked about triathlon clothing features like fabrics, fit, features and fashion but now it's time to short out the practicality of what pieces you're going to put on your body race day. Let's get started!
One-Piece Trisuit
When people use the word "trisuit", I immediately picture a one-piece trisuit. A few customers have used the term "onesie" and that term fits the bill. A one-piece trisuit covers you from shoulder to thigh and typically has a zipper either front or back. The exception to the zipper rule is a women's suit with a bathing suit style open back but those can be quite tricky to get in an out of in case you ever need a "nature break" before, during or after a race.
Features to consider when you are looking at one-piece trisuits are:
- Location of zippers.
You will come across front zip and rear zip trisuits. Rear zip suits are required to be used in ITU events for Sprint and Standard distance events but athletes competing in events where these rules are required to be followed are normally competing as national team members and have been required to buy and wear the sanctioned national team uniform. For overall convenience, comfort and the ability to stay cool, it has been our experience that few athletes end up choosing a rear-zip suit when given a choice.
- Pockets
Most athletes like to have the ability to carry stuff during their race. Most commonly, pockets are being used for nutrition supplies like gels and bars. Other things that some athletes have had to or want to carry include:
- Asthma inhalers
- Epi-Pens
- Toilet paper (in a plastic bag)
- Lip balm (that's me!)
- Salt tablets
- Sunscreen packets
- Smart phones (not permitted at all events but those rules are changing to allow them with certain restrictions.
- Cash. There aren't many races where you'd find the need to carry cash but if you are using your suit for a pre-race training day, a little cash can buy you coffee or dig you out of a bonk session. Been there!
- Pad
Believe it or not, there are some trisuits that don't have any kind of pad. But they aren't that common and certainly not something we've ever had a request for. All the suits we have here have some kind of pad.
- Sleeves
There has been an increase in the demand for and use of trisuits with sleeves. Wind tunnel testing does show improved aerodyamics but they are still not as common as the standard sleeveless suit. Sleeves can provide more sun protection which can be a huge advantage to some of athletes, especially for longer course events. But sleeved suits do come with a higher price tag and some athletes feel that they can inhibit their swimming so the sleeveless suit is still the more popular choice.
- Other features
There will be a few other differences between suits. Only you can decide which features are most important for your overall comfort on race day.
Two-Piece TriSuit, Part 1 - Shorts!
We always tell new triathletes that the one thing that you should buy for your first triathlon is a pair of triathlon shorts. There just isn't anything else that will perform as well. You want one pair of shorts that will take you from the start to the finish without giving you a second thought. A tri short will take you from swim to bike to run and through the transitions in between. If you've opted for a 2 piece race kit over a 1 piece suit, you can sometimes compromise on the style of top but get yourself a pai of trishorts already!
Two-Piece TriSuit, Part 2 - Top
Most races will follow international competition rules and these rules require that your torso be covered in the front. You might have a top you like that will work well enough: a tank top, a run top, a bike jersey are all styles we've seen being used at races. If you are doing a pool swim race and are doing the swim in just your trishort, consider how difficult it can be to pull something tight on when you are wet. Try practicing it for sure to see if you it works for you. Most tri tops will have zippers so they go on over wet skin pretty well. And sometimes, a tri top can be used for indoor training so they can get more use.
Race Belt
Most races require you to wear a race bit number on your back during the bike and on your front for the run. The easiest way to do that is to attach your race bib to an elastic belt and then just spin the belt around to put the bib in the right place at the right time. Easy peasy!
Sunglasses
This is another piece of essential equipment for most of us. I never train or race without them. Look for something lightweight that will fit and remain comfortable with your bike helmet. And look for eyewear with lenses strong enough to withstand impact. A lot of sport eyewear made with cycling in mind have flexible lenses that will flex on impact rather than shatter in order to continue to provide eye protection in the event of a fall.
No comments:
Post a Comment