Playing Dress Up: Race Day Attire

One of the most asked questions on newbie tri sites is: what do I wear? (followed closely by: where is the beer?)

We all have a pretty good idea of what to wear when training. Swimming, the suit. Biking, the shorts and a bike jersey or a NO COTTON wicking shirt. Running, shorts and a NO COTTON wicking shirt, or running tights if it's cold out there (you can wear your gray cotton sweatpants if you want, but don't come whining to me when they start to weigh about 4,532.25 pounds at mile 3).

But what about in an event? If it's a tri, you have to get wet, then get on the bike and then go out for your little jog fest, all without the benefit of a changing room, blow drier, and make up kit. (Actually, some Ironman [TM] races do have changing/staging rooms. If you are riding a bike for 8 hours, it may be that you want to do something with yourself before you go for your 4 hour run).

You are not permitted to strip down naked for the amusement or benefit (you pick) of your fellow racers and spectators.

You can certainly yank on various clothing pieces over your swimsuit, or yank off various shirts and put on others, but need I remind you this is a timed event? And the clock doesn't stop while you putter around deciding if the red or blue bandana goes better with your shirt? And oh, do you remember how much fun it is to try and take on/pull off clothing on a wet body (from either the swim or sweat, or both)?

So the answer is, you get one thing to wear for it all. Swim, bike, run--one outfit. Shoes and headgear will change, but not the torso.

For a run event, obviously you won't have this issue. You wear your NO COTTON wicking shirt, your run shorts or tights, and your socksies and shoesies. Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, timing - Garmin watch all recommended. For a run, your race number goes on the FRONT of your bib, not the back, by the way. I bought a simple race belt that holds race bib numbers on little plastic pegs -- the belt snaps around your waist in three seconds. Safety pins take a long time, they fall off, and they can of course skewer you at a really bad time.

But for a tri, you are moving into dangerous fashion territory.

Sure, there is no penalty for wearing your old ratty swimsuit (or your new teeny bikini) especially if you are throwing a wetsuit on top of it, or a pair of cotton athletic shorts pulled over them for the bike and swim. It's every man or woman for himself out there. Don't be mad when I zoom past you out of transition while you are still struggling to pull those shorts on over your wet body. And really don't get mad when my grandma zooms past you when you have sweated six pounds of water into those shorts on the run.

The best option for a tri event is a tri suit, or tri shorts and tri top. These little outfits are not cheap, no, but you can wear them over and over again (no one really minds if you show up in the same outfit for two triathlons, trust me) and They. Are. Worth. Every. Penny.

I choose a tri specific jersey top and tri shorts. Tri shorts are like bike shorts, but without the giant diaper like gel pad in the seat--instead they have a small chamois pad that attempts to tell you it will help soften your backend contact on your bike seat. (I say HA. HA HA). My shorts have rubberlike gripper seams around the leg holes that keep the shorts from riding up into my nether regions during the bike ride (some people prefer shorts without the gripper bands. There's just a lot of choices out there. It's like buying your prom dress. Especially if you are a guy). The shorts come in different lengths--mine are a middle of the ground length, between granny long and high school coed short, colors, styles. They are made of a quick dry material. After the swim, my shorts are usually dry within ten minutes.

My tri top looks a lot like a cycling jersey, except it's lighter weight in material. I have worn a sleeveless cycling jersey at a tri before and it worked fine. The tri top is also made of the fast drying stuff, and has a front zipper for your personal AC.

I wear a non-cotton sports bra under neath this, but a lot of women's tri tops have shelf bras built in.

And this is what I wear into the water, onto the bike, and out to run, and to the post race beer tent.

If it's a wetsuit swim, the wetsuit goes right over the outfit (with a little help--no, make that a LOT of help-- from Bodyglide on my shoulders, legs, ankles, neck, and calves). Comes right off after the swim (with a little help from either stripping volunteers, or my own efforts) and there I am, ready for the bike with just a helmet, shoes, and sunglasses to put on.

I don't use socks on the bike/run for a sprint distance Tri. I lather up my running shoes with some Bodyglide and baby powder and my bike shoes with a bit of powder and I go sockless. Many tri specific bike and run shoes are built to go without socks, but I have normal bike shoes and running shoes and don't need socks for a short run (PS practice this to see how your feet feel before a race--some people have sensitive feet that blister, so this may not be something you can do). Socks take time to pull on over wet feet. I would prefer to use that extra 2 minutes out on the run course somewhere. However, I used socks in my Oly tri and plan to use them in my 70.3.

Some tri suits are one piece--a great many triathletes love the one piece suits as they don't ride up on them. I find them too constricting. I like having a separate top that I can stretch out with and not feel my shorts start to ride up at the same time. Everyone's different.

My race belt works great in a tri. I don't wear it in the swim (you couldn't see it anyway under the wetsuit) and they do mark your leg and arm with your number, which you also promptly cover up with your suit, and usually they mark it on your swim cap--in open water swims, you will get a colored cap to wear that matches your wave. No one can tell who is who in the water anyway. After the swim, I simply snap the belt on for the bike if they require you to wear it on the bike (many races do not, because your bike is also numbered, but some do, so check out the rules--and when you bike the number goes on your backside, not your frontside), or else snap it on before the run. No pins, no soggy numbers, no holes in my shirt.

I also use lacelocks on my running shoes. These little gizmos are amazing. They are stretchy cord that goes in place of your normal shoe laces and then lock into position once you find the right comfort. Therefore, you just slip on your shoes (remember the Bodyglide?) like a loafer and yank the tongue into place and you're golden for your run. No sitting down and knotting your shoes. A hint: keep some slack in the lacelocks past the lock just in case your feet swell or change sizes (some do as we age) so you can have some room to change the position of the laces if you really need to do that. I made the mistake in my first pair of trimming them off right at the lock point--then one day my shoes felt too tight and I had no lace left to loosen up with. I learn EVERYTHING the hard way apparently.

I also find that outside of racing, the lacelocks are a great thing. I never have to tie my shoes, and I never have to worry about a shoe lace coming untied. I realize this makes me on a par with kids who have velcro laces, but hey. Kids can teach us a lot about simplicity.

That's my race gear! Everyone will have a different opinion on what works for them and what doesn't, but what's fun is to go try these things on. Most high level bike stores have tri gear (but trust me--not a lot of it). I like shopping on line for mine-and there's a zillion spots for that. www.trifuel.com, www.onetri.com, www.trisports.com, www.triathletesports.com, www.orca.com, www.zootsports.com--just a few of the spots that offer tri gear.

So, now you don't have to stand in your closet and wonder, what shall I wear?

Today's a 2600 yard swim day after work, and tomorrow a 2 hour moderate bike in the steamy heat.