That classic daily question: what should I wear? I ask myself that every day and it is perhaps even more important on race day. When I go to work or run errands, go out for coffee with friends, whatever the activity, I want to wear something that will be comfortable and appropriate and the same goes for my triathlon race gear: I want it to cover all the bases technically and be comfortable. Then, on race day, all that's left for me to do is get kitted up and then just go and get the job done. My main goal for my trikit is that I shouldn't have to give it another thought on race day. On race day, my goal is just on swimming, biking and running to the best of my ability on the day.
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.
So, take the time in advance of your race to sort out the practicality of
what pieces you're going to put on your body race day. Here's a simple list of the things I'm going to sort out for my race kit.
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. The pad might be minimal as compared to a true bike short but it is the best compromise for the job: it's thin and breathable enough that it will dry quickly after the swim, it will help a little on the bike (it's better than nothing) and it is minimal enough to not get in the way on the run.
- 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 pair 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.
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