Triathlon Questions?

I swam in my sports bra and a bikini bottom. After getting out of the lake I just threw on my shirt and shorts over my wet top and bottom. My top dried very quickly during the bike but my bottom was still a little damp when I started running-it didn't bother me and I had no chafing problems. I only did a sprint triathlon (1/4 mile swim, 11 mile bike and 3 mile run) so the distances weren't overwhelming. I couldn't afford to buy a lot of new clothing for the race so I just used what I had. Most other competitors did what the other posters have mentioned (used specific tri suits). Good luck!

I bought a Champion bathingsuit material type compression sportsbra (if you google "best sportsbras for triathlons" -- you will find comparison charts that show what is good for smaller/larger breasts and why) and I wore a tri-suit. This is like a light-weight fast drying bathingsuit/biking shorts combined. You swim in it, towel quickly before hopping on your bike and the rest dries during the biking. I also had a lightweight running tank with my running/biking number pinned to it that I put over my trisuit for the biking/running portion too....in a catchy color so my husband could find me :)

I have done 2 triathlons (both last summer). I plan to do more after the birth of this baby (due May 19). Best wishes! I found it to be a great experience!

I've done two triathalons although both were a LONG time ago before kids. You wouldn't want to take the time to do a full clothing change even if you had changing rooms available. The transitions are very quick. I am large-chested so I wore a sports bra underneath my Speedo swimsuit. I had my bike shorts and t-shirt, socks, shoes, etc. all set out near my bike for a quick add on over my suit. If you are swimming in a lake, I also recommend a small bucket of water to rinse any sand or dirt off of your feet and a towel to dry them. You will dry quickly once you start biking. Good luck!

Yes, you would complete the race in your wet suit. But since it's summer it maybe nice to have the coolness against your skin. I wore a two piece sport bikini with the sports bra top and the full coverage bottoms. When I did mine, I went from the pool right to my bike, I threw on some shorts and my shoes and was off on my bike. Also, make sure your feet are dry before putting on your socks and shoes. It would be very uncomfortable to run in wet shoes. I would get a mesh or a dri-fit short to wear over your bathing suit so that it can dry too. I was so caught up in the race that I didn't even notice that my bathing suit was wet, and I did it in April in DC and it was about 55 when we started.

Look at some sports clothing sites online and visit some stores if you have any near you. I did a triathlon several years ago, and the women did one of two things -either wore a Speedo or Tyr swimsuit that is very snug and supportive and made for athletic swimming and then transitioned to the bike stage out of the water where most of us had a small towel we quickly ran over ourselves and pulled on bike shorts and running shoes. I need really good breast support, so I wore my Speedo bathing suit and then threw on bike shorts and another biking/exercise shirt in a t-back style that lent support to my bathing suit. Make sure you test all of this stuff out a few times before hand so you'll be able to add layers or shed them with ease and also so you'll know you aren't going to have any chafing/discomfort issues. Good luck! The Speedos and Tyrs and other brands made for triathlons and sport swimming tend to wick moisture and dry very quickly. You'll be surprised how dry you are by the time you run from the lake to the bike stationing -and after you've been peddling for 5 minutes all the water will have changed to sweat ;-)

I've done a few sprint triatholons, and this is my recommendation as an amature. I wear a one piece bathing suit, with a regular sports bra underneath. I complete the swim, run barefoot to the transition area (which is usually a bike rack set up, you will keep a bag of your stuff or have your stuff laid out here, next to your bike). I would slip on a pair of running shorts over my wet swimming suit, slip into my shoes, and hop on my bike. Then, after the bike ride, you return to the transition area, put your bike back on the rack, and start your run. You'll want to practice these transitions and find what works for you. My husband rode a bike that had pedals requiring special road biking shoes, so he wore those for the bike portion, then changed shoes again for the running portion. My bike could be ridden in normal tennis shoes, so I did that and it saved me some time in transition, since I didn't have to change my shoes again.

Depending on the weather, you will want to put on either bike shorts or running shorts over your suit. If you feel more comfortable, you may also want to put on a t-shirt of some sort. The thing to keep in mind is you want a quick and smooth transition, and you want to be able to change activities quickly (within 1-2 minutes). They make shoe lace toggles, that you can get at your local running shop or sports store, that hold your laces together with a quick slide, so you don't have to tie your shoes.

If this is your first one, I'd recommend researching what to do and ask around for some tips and advice. Ask the race director or coordinator for some tips or info or ask at your local sport store/running shop. If you can financially afford it, they make triathlon suits, that can basically be worn for all of the events. If not, try my suggestions above. Feel free to contact me if you'd like more information/tips! Good luck!