Bartleys Tri (Triathlon for Beginners: Part 4)

Bartleys Tri has been all about how to "do" a triathlon, aimed at newbies who want to know what to expect in their first race. This series of posts is all about documenting what-I-wish-I-knew-then, only two sprint triathlons later. Did I forget to explain anything? Leave a comment and I'll get you an answer! Did I miss something in my description? Leave a comment!

In Part 1, I wrote about triathlon distances, how to choose one, checking in, and setting up. 

Part 2 covers the stuff you'll need to bring for race day, and what little things to pack in your bag so you can enjoy smooth sailing.

Part 3 is all about what to wear for a tri, covering the basics and the would-love-to-haves. I also included a tri gear buying guide, no matter what your budget.

But what actually happens when the gun goes off? Read on.

Bartleys Tri, Part 4: Out Racing - Swim

From the beginning, let's talk about what goes on in a triathlon. As a cheat sheet, I highlighted the main steps in red.

Pre-Race

First, get there early. Get there no later than an hour before the race start. Do you check-in and packet pick-up thing, and mosey on over to your bike rack.

I mentioned in Part 1 that there is a pre-race meeting of sorts. It's usually pretty informal - typically the race director with a microphone. The announcements usually cover race number placement (which I described here), reminders of legal and illegal actions during the race that could get you a time penalty or disqualified, and organizing all of the participants for the start. It's during these announcements where you'll learn what type of start you're dealing with, unless it's posted on the event website beforehand.

Set up your transition area, detailed in Part 1. It's show time!

Starting the Swim

Sheer madness!

The explanation for the start depends heavily on the type of race start, so a little introduction has to happen concurrently. There are two types of starts. Everyone starts at different times, and this system works because of the timing chip (basically, don't lose the chip). The electronic timing chip, which I described in Part 1, is ultimately what records your start time, each transition, and when you finish. So, it doesn't matter if you're in the first wave or the last wave, the first in a staggered start, or the last in a staggered start. The only difference this might make is the competitive advantage, but that's something to consider farther down the road. Long story short, make sure the timing chip and strap are velcroed to your ankle with no chance of coming off.

The two types of starts:

Wave start - "waves," or groups, of people start all at once. You typically see this where there is a wide shore to work with. When you check in, you are given a colored swim cap, and in a wave start, everyone with the same colored cap starts together. Waves can be grouped by swimming ability or by age/gender. In the Island Lake Triathlon, I started with all other females aged 18-29, and we all had red caps. Each wave is usually staggered about 2-5 minutes apart, depending on the size of each wave and how long it takes the previous wave to safely clear.

A nice wide shoreline is perfect for wave starts.

Wave starts can be intimidating for first-timers! Guidelines for you, if yours is a wave start:

• A few minutes before the start, get in the water and try to get acclimated to the water temperature. (You're allowed to do a swim warm-up too). They'll call you out of the water when they begin starting each wave.
• If there are waves that are starting before you, watch out -- while you're waiting, stay out of the water or out of their way!
• You could be starting on the shore or in the water.
• When your wave is on deck, I recommend hanging back after the athletes in your wave begin. You don't have to go all-out with everyone and begin at the front of the line, but if you're a strong swimmer, go for it! I've heard horror stories.
• Wait a couple of seconds after the start signal before you start swimming. I've been hit in the head,  kicked other people in the head, had someone grab my foot, and even heard of getting swam over (yes, this is when someone is actually swimming ON TOP of you!!).... all from being right in the middle of the wave. If you hang back and wait a couple of seconds for the majority of your wave to clear, you'll have less traffic to navigate through. Or, if you're a slower swimmer, you won't get swam over or get in anyone's way. See the guy in the wetsuit in the photo below (bottom left)? He's a genius for waiting it out!
• Once you're in the water, it's up to you when you want to start swimming. I, personally, am much slower swimming than I am wading/running through water in the areas where I can still touch the ground. So, I go as far as I can until I have to start swimming.

Everyone starts together in a wave start- the red caps
denote all of these guys start in the same wave. 

Update (8/21/2011): I hate you scare you off about the swim, but to add a little humor to the chaos of the swim start, make sure to watch this 30-second video.

Staggered Start - each person gets into the water for the swim, one at a time. You'll see this configuration where there is a dock or where the shore won't allow large groups of people to start at once. There is usually a few second's delay in between each person's start. Since a picture's worth a thousand words... I marked this one up for you, from the Go Girl last year: Each person is staggered by a few seconds, where a race starter (see below) stands there to control the flow of people. As you'll see in the photo, there's not a lot of "beach" to work with, and they put a ramp in to ease the big drop from the park to the sand. 

Notice the multiple colored swim caps in these photos -- in my experience with the staggered start, swim cap colors had zero relationship to where you started the race (in fact, they let us choose the color at check-in!). In the case of the first two photos below, start order was determined by race number assignment - smallest numbers first.

Even though they sound better, staggered starts still do present the potential for "contact swimming," which I described in the last bullet under the Wave Start. In fact, there might be more potential, because you don't have the opportunity to sit back until the big crowd clears... it's a constant stream of people coming from behind you. 

The view beyond the start banner

Guidelines for the staggered start:

• A few minutes before the start, get in the water and try to get acclimated to the water temperature. (You're allowed to do a swim warm-up too). They'll call you out of the water when they begin starting each wave.
• Listen closely to the announcer when the starts are about to begin. The announcer will call your race number range so you know when to step up to the line. Your start order shouldn't matter greatly, but there may be some correlation between your start position and your swimming ability (like in the Go Girl, where they asked us in the registration how well we could swim). If you're starting with the swimmers with similar capabilities as you, you'll be less likely to create or run into traffic in the water.
• Since staggered starts usually have tricky terrain to navigate before you get to the water, be careful! Watch your feet for ramps, steps, and other things you can trip on.
• Most people will run into the water. Do what feels most comfortable.
• Again, it's completely up to you when you want to start swimming. I choose to run as far as I can until I can't reach the ground, since my aqua run is still faster than my swim!

And one last staggered start example:

A staggered Tri Indy swim start. The line is on the right-hand side.

Triathlon Swim Survival Guide

Now that we've got the start knocked out, some general comments to help you with the swim underway:

• If you have trouble, there will be boats, kayaks, and/or canoes in the water. They'll be watching for people with issues and can pull you out if needed. I've heard that some triathlons will allow you to hold onto the boat to rest, but others will disqualify you for this*. [Update: the triathlon holding-onto-the-boat rule is posted below. You can hold onto the boat to rest, but it can't be moving or "making forward progress, otherwise you'll get a time penalty. ]
• Exact USA Triathlon Rules: Bottom Contact and Resting. A participant may stand on the bottom or rest by holding an inanimate object such as a buoy, boat, rope or floating object. Excluding the bottom, a participant shall not use any inanimate object to gain forward progress. A violation of this section shall result in a variable time penalty, unless the Head Referee in his/her sole discretion determines that (i) the violation was substantial and resulted in an unfair time dvantage, or (ii) the violation constituted endangerment under Section 3.4(1).
• Just breathe! To be honest, I had my first-ever panic attack when I began my first triathlon swim. First, I'd never swam in open water. Second, there were just so many waves, and no way to see what was below me, and... it was just overwhelming. Remember to breathe and stay relaxed.
• Like I mentioned earlier, hang back to avoid heavy traffic in the water. Along the same lines, remember to take the outside of the turns so you're not getting boxed in, kicked, and slapped around.
• Don't go out too fast. Even the experienced triathletes I run with say that the biggest mistake they've made is going too hard, too fast - and paying for it later. For all of the events, start at a slow and easy pace, and if you feel good at the halfway point, power it in.
• Don't swim inside the buoys, or you may get disqualified for cutting the course. Make sure you swim to the outside.



Taking a right hand turn around the marker

• Make sure you know where you're going (sighting). Sighting is when you lift your head up from the water to breathe while  locating a landmark in front of you so you can make sure you're swimming in the right direction - surprisingly difficult! I still don't know how to do this well. Your goal should be to make a conscious effort to look up every few strokes to make sure you're not swimming solo/off course.
• More thoughts on sighting. Challenges include: sun glare off of the water and hard-to-spot buoys (because they're too small, people in the way, etc.). The best advice I've heard is to make sure you're following the group of people in front of you if you can't see the next landmark. Once you make that last glorious turn and can spot the shore, you'll probably see a bigger landmark, like the two inflatable arches you see in the photos above -- so, in that last stretch, as long as you're swimming toward the big arch, you're in good shape! For all of you experienced triathletes, I would love your input on this... Post a comment and share your best tips.

Did I forget something? Or, if you're an experienced triathlete, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment!


Next time: the swim to bike transition, and the bike portion.

Check out the rest of the Bartleys Tri series:
Part 1 - Signing up and Setting up
Part 2 - Equipment & Gear
Part 3 - What to Wear
Part 5 - Transition 1 & Bike
Part 6 - Transition 2 & Run

Ps -- shout out to my buddy Scoop, who just finished his SECOND Ironman triathlon, Coeur d'Alene! So proud of you Scoop! 12:41:49!!

Bartleys Tri (Triathlon for Beginners: Part 3)

Bartleys Tri is a series of posts dedicated to the beginning triathlete. I'm documenting and describing everything about triathlon-ing that I wish someone else had been able to explain to me, in this much detail. In other words, I'm laying out all of the areas that stressed me out leading up to and around race day so that maybe you'll be less anxious than I was.  J

Part 1 was all about triathlon distances, finding races, signing up, and setting up.
In Part 2, we hit on packing your triathlon bag for race day and the equipment you'll need, both necessary (expensive) and optional.

Which brings us to...

Part 3: What to Wear in a Triathlon (for Women)

BOY. I can't tell you how much time I spent worrying about this part alone- not because want to look stylish or cute, but just because I literally Did Not Know  what to wear to race!  This is one area that I've learned where personal preference is probably the most important. So here we are-- beginning triathlon for women: what to wear.

In this section, you'll find:

• Types of Triathlon Apparel  - breaking it down first
• Wearing Sport-Specific Clothing - a cost-conscious alternative
•  For Your Feet - getting the right gear to go the distance
• Tri Stuff Ain't Cheap! (aka tri stuff buying strategy) - investing, one piece at a time
• What I Wore (On My Tri) - what I wore and how it all worked out

Types of Triathlon Gear

The table below shows, for the most part, the women's triathlon apparel that you'll see out there (from least to most coverage).

Item/Photo	Description/Price	Best For/Not For	Features/Notes	Popularity (out of 5)
Tri Bra	Looks and feels like a regular sportsbra, sometimes with lighter material. $45-$70	Alone, best for small-chested women who don't need a massive amount of support while running. Best for those who are comfortable with bare midrift.	Typically provides compression  to give support. Styles vary -- some are skimpier while others provide more skin coverage. You can also add layers on top if you feel exposed.	Bra only:  With top:
Tri Swimsuit	Looks just like a swimsuit. $???	Wear for any/all: swim, bike, and run.  If running, this is best for short distance tris for the sake of comfort. The elite women seem to prefer this style most.	Chafing! While popular with elites, I don't see a lot of these on every-woman. The swimsuit might not provide enough compression/support for many.
Tri Shirt/Tank with Zip	Tight-fitting technical (100% polyester, not cotton) shirt or tank with a zipper, some have shelf bras built in. Designed to be worn for the entire race, including swim. $65-$95+	If you're ok with shelf bra over a sportsbra, you'll  like this. Otherwise, seek a tri top without the shelf bra. This is the best type of tri top (non shelf bra version)  to throw over a sportsbra or tri bra during your transition to the bike.	Tight fit is for minimizing drag in the water.
Tri Shirt/Tank without Zip	Tight-fitting technical (100% polyester, not cotton) shirt. Some tanks have built-in shelf bras. Designed to be worn for the entire race, including swim. $65-$95+	Short sleeves give you some arm coverage and/or sun protection. This type, without zip, might take more time to put on over a sportsbra/tri bra during transition due to clinginess.	Tight fit is for minimizing drag in the water. Back styles include traditional, racerback, or crossback.
Tri shorts	Tight shorts with some padding, but not as heavily padded as bike shorts. Designed to be worn for the entire race, including swim. $50-$80	Anybody can pull off wearing these shorts, since they come in different lengths.	Available lengths include 4”, 6”, and 8” inseams. Material helps lower drag in water. High-waisted so you avoid the “tri tat,” the half-moon tan line you get on your back when you're bent over a bike.
Tri Suit	One-piece zip-up suit designed to be worn for the entire race. (Basically a tri top and a tri short sewn together) $120-$200+	This tri-specific piece is best for athletes who are confidently they'll race in many triathlons.	One-piece design cuts down changing/transition times.

In general, triathlon apparel is made with a smooth-feeling technical fabric and tight-fitting so you have less drag in the water and are aerodynamic on your bike. Technical fabrics are made of polyester or some polyester-base blend so they can dry faster and wick moisture away from your body more effectively than cotton (thus better cooling and carrying around less sweat weight). The technical fabric differs from that of bike jerseys and running clothes, probably so you're faster in the water. That's not to say you can't wear bike jerseys and running clothes in the tri... read on.

For Your Feet

For the race itself, you need one, maybe two items: running shoes, and bike shoes (optional).

Running shoes: Having experience at a running store, I would caution against so-called “triathlon shoes” for running. Don't choose them solely because they're labeled or sold as triathlon running shoes. I've noticed that triathlon running shoes are more expensive than “regular” running shoes (about $150+), but either way, you're running in them. They won't last longer or provide you any competitive advantage that you couldn't get in a pair or running shoes. Here's the other entertaining part -- some triathlon shoes are designed with drains in them to let water out. (Think about that... in a tri, the order is swim, bike, then run. Now explain why you'd need drains in your shoes! Giving the shoes the benefit of a doubt, maybe you're just sweating profusely or drinking from the hose at water stops. Maybe.) The point is this: go to a running store and get fitted for shoes, no matter what the distance. A real fitting involves watching you run. The right shoes can help avoid injury during training and during the race. Expect a good pair of running shoes to be around the $100 mark, and they should last you 350-500 miles. In running shoes, you get what (quality) you pay for-- This is one area where you cannot skimp!

Bike shoes: Totally optional, but ultimately depends on the type of bike equipment you have. There are the clipless pedals (sometimes called toe cages), and pedals with clips. When I learned to ride a road bike, I learned on clips. 3 years later, I still have a lot of close calls unclipping at intersections... but I used to fall a lot more. Road bikes can be outfitted with either type of clip, but I've noticed that it is easier to ride with clips because they lock your feet into the bike so your feet are working on the upward stroke too.

Example: Clipless pedals

The clipless pedals shown above) consist of a few straps that are attached to regular pedals that hold your feet in place at the front of your foot. They're less costly, but you sacrifice some power/ability to use the back of your foot to pedal. If you start with the cages and become a more experienced rider, consider pedals with clips for your road bike, or even start in clip pedals like I did.

Tri Stuff Ain’t Cheap!

When I was in college, I took my entire tax return and bought a relatively expensive set of golf clubs... for a beginner. Yeah, I know how to golf, but I probably haven't used them more than 25 times. Ever. In hindsight, maybe I should have borrowed clubs or tried it out somehow until I was sure I'd be into golf. The same thing applies for triathlon apparel: don't feel like you need to spend a lot of money to outfit yourself for a tri, especially when you're not 100% sold on triathlons just yet. Alternatively, don't think you can’t race in a triathlon just because you don't have the right clothing. You can start small with some of the necessities (read next) or wear sport-specific items (read on to Wearing Sport-Specific Clothing).

There is obviously a range of price points, and certain brands may offer styles at high and base-level price points. Unless money is no object, as a beginner, you'll be more than just fine with a base-level item. I highly highly highly highly HIGHLY! recommend going to a swim, bike, running, or multi-sport store that carries triathlon apparel. It is beyond important to try the pieces on before you buy, especially if you've never owned any before (i.e., figure out if the top is too big, too tight, too chafe-y). At a store, you can also ask questions, get help, and get feedback from a salesperson who is familiar with triathlons, too.

Now. Assuming you're out to buy tri-specific stuff and want to minimize the hit to your wallet, here's my spend-conservatively plan:

•   Go for the tri shorts first (in the $65 neighborhood). You can always swim in a heavier sportsbra (or two), like I did on my first. You can then wear the tri shorts when you're just riding your bike around too, so they aren't a complete waste if you decide you hate triathlons.
•  Assuming you're still good with tris, consider getting some kind of tri top ($65-$95). By having interchangeable tops and bottoms, as opposed to a tri suit or the tri swimsuit racer, you can mix and match and use these pieces again for other sports. I really like wearing my tri tops for just bike riding, and with the exception of fabric type, they look almost identical.
• If you've passed both of the first hurdles and still like multi-sport races, then the sky's the limit as far as the apparel you can get. If you like the tri top + short style, get different colors or cute designs like my buds Lesley and Erin have (picture below). If you're a little more adventurous, consider the swim bra or tri suit, which are a little more triathlon-dedicated.
  

  

  Really cute tri gear!

Wearing Sport-Specific Clothing

Though less common, when you're a beginner, it's totally ok to wear sport-specific clothing! Keep in mind that doing so might require extra time to change clothes at the transition area*, but could be well worth it if it makes your race more comfortable. The longer the race, the more benefit you could get out of wearing these:

• Wetsuits (swim) - designed for cooler water temps, help increase buoyancy and maintain good swimming form. They keep you warm while you swim, so they're definitely TIGHT fitting! So tight that I've heard stories about people having trouble taking their wetsuits off in the transition (4-5 minutes of trouble)! Wetsuits are typically seen in the half iron distance, full iron and longer. They're only legal at certain water temperatures between 78 and 84 degrees. If the water is warmer than 84 degrees, you cannot wear a wetsuit. Wetsuits have to be 5 millimeters thick or less, also. Here are the complete official wetsuit rules from USAT.
  

  

  Running to the transition area while pulling off the wetsuit

• Bike jersey (bike) - tight fit like tri tops. These might breathe a little better, since they don't have to be designed for water fun too. Bike tops are usually made in longer lengths so it doesn't expose your back when you're leaning over your handlebars. Instead of a bike jersey, you could also wear a regular running technical shirt -- see below.
• Bike shorts (bike) - not a bad idea for a long bike distance! Tri shorts are great for short stints on the bike or if you've built up some endurance for sitting on your bike seat. Bike shorts obviously have more padding to make the ride MUCH more comfortable, but there's no way you could swim or run in them- without looking funny. J Bike shorts are made high-waisted so that, like bike jerseys, your back isn't showing when you bend over your bike.
•  Running shorts - a lot of people (including me) don't like running in tri shorts because they're pretty constricting.Running in free-flowing running shorts gives you a feeling of leg freedom and range of motion.
•  Running shirt/tank - lightweight and looser-fitting (unless you want it to be tight or fitted), this shirt lets air through and keeps you cool. Could be a cotton shirt or a technical fabric, your pick. Like me, you could comfortably wear a running shirt for your bike and run.

*Read up on the race's nudity rules. Seriously. I've heard some triathlons have pretty strict no-nudity policies that could disqualify you or add time penalties, so changing clothes would be more difficult.

What I Wore (On My Tri)

I stole the name for my subheading, so I need to take a second to make a plug for my friend Taylor's blog, What I Wore (On My Run). Taylor Penrod works with us at InRunCo and just started a brand spankin' new blog featuring everything running apparel and how to wear it. The photos were all taken by amazing photographer and tri-training buddy of mine, Zach Hetrick. Check it out!

So back to What I Wore On My Tri.

Here's what I wore for #1 at the Island Lake Sprint Tri in Brighton, MI:

For the swim, I wore my favorite black Saucony Ignite sportsbra and grey Pearl Izumi 4” tri shorts. I personally had a hard time getting over fact that you don't wear swim bottoms or underwear with your tri shorts (Maybe TMI, but just callin' it how it is)! I still do! So to be clear... you are not supposed to wear anything else under your tri shorts! Race-wise, it was a little chilly once I got into the water, but was pretty easy to get acclimated once I started moving. As I mentioned in Part 2, wetsuits are were really intended for a practical purpose - warmth in cold water - but now used primarily for a buoyancy and swimming advantage. I swam with a few wetsuit-wearers, but most of the people around me were wearing tri tops or tri swim bras.

After I got out of the water I put on my Indiana Running Company running singlet (tank) that I threw on over my Saucony Ignite Sportbra. The singlet is a Puma team apparel singlet that we had screen printed with the logos and sold at the store, now replaced by the better-fitting Saucony singlets. I also put on my socks and bike shoes, which are Diadora brand with the clips attached. I really like my bike shoes because they're a bit wider than regular cycling shoes, which feels so much more comfortable! Diadora is an uncommon brand for cycling, but they get the job done!  I also put on my Rudy Project sunglasses and Giro helmet, which mostly goes without saying. Once I started riding on the bike portion, despite the hot-hot heat of June, being wet from the swim plus the cool breeze on the bike turned out to be a great way to cool off. Did anybody notice the guy in the walker in the background on the third (run) picture?! :)

When I got to the bike-to-run transition, I didn't change much but put on my running shoes. For some reason, this singlet never stays down -- it always rides up in front (argghh!). Anyway, besides constantly getting my arms caught on algae in the water, it was a very enlightening first experience.

And for #2 at the Go Girl Sprint Tri in Indy:

Check out Emily! We're both in tri top and tri shorts

For the swim (How convenient?  I couldn't find a photo), I wore a legacy Hind tri swim bra this time, my favorite grey Pearl Izumi tri shorts. It's a tragedy that Hind doesn't exist anymore since the brand was bought by Saucony, but Saucony's been bringing their styles back... slowly.

Once I got to my bike, I added a zip-up tri top, no shelf bra, over my current tri swim bra. The helmet, sunglasses, and shoes story follows exactly as it did on tri #1. I borrowed by tri top from my friend Katie since I didn't own one (thanks again Katie! I'll return it next time I see you, I promise!). The tri top is Ironman branded apparel (not available on their website), so it's probably K-Swiss brand. Without the shelf bra, the tri top was really easy to pull it on over my head during my swim-to-bike transition. I wore the tri top for both bike and run, and it was so great I immediately decided that I would never finish another tri without one again. And, since they're made for it, I could've done the swim in it too, without worrying about putting it on between events.

Things I would have done differently: I struggled with was what I like to call the “bib number hustle”: the time spent pulling on a shirt/tri top very carefully so as not to damage the top or the bib number. If you're considering a similar apparel arrangement, I recommend using a bib number belt, which I described here. You just snap it on-- that bib number belt would have saved me from having to mess around with safety pins and maybe cut down some of my fumbling (aka transition) time! In this tri, which was a 5k - 3.1 miles - run, I didn't wear socks, period. For as short as it was, I figured I wouldn't get any blisters, but by the time I was done with the run, my foot disagreed. Wear socks if you're blister-prone. It's worth the extra few seconds it takes to put ‘em on!!

What a fun race, and it was really cool to compete on home turf near our first house in Indy. Ben and I used to run there on the trails and roads for fun, and now that we're all the way down in Btown, I was sort of sad it was over so quickly. On the run, it was so encouraging to have so many women I didn't even know say, “Good job!” or “Looking good, chick!” as we passed one another. J

Final Thoughts

What you wear is up to you and your budget! In this post, I've given you a breakdown of what's out there, as well as a buying strategy for investing piece-by-piece, and then a few examples of what I've worn and how those outfits worked out.

If you're curious about other things triathlon related, see Part 1 for about tris and setting up once you get to the race. Or, check out Part 2 for the gear and equipment you'll need for a tri.

Next,  head over to Part 4 for the race start and swim!

Bartleys Tri (Triathlon for Beginners: Part 2)

The Bartleys Tri series of posts is my what-I-wish-I-knew-then summary of things I would've liked to know about triathlons before I ever started. In Part 1, I wrote about triathlon distances, how to choose one, checking in, and setting up. Part 3 is all about what to wear for a tri, covering the basics and the would-love-to-haves. There, you'll see my guide to buying tri gear, no matter what your budget. Part 4 covers the first of the race-day madness itself, the swim.

Let's take a step back to make sure we have all the right stuff to bring to the event!

Here's what's in my race-day tri bag:

• A - Running shoes
• B - Water bottle(s)
• C - Energy gels - about 1 for every 45 minutes I'm out there.
• D - Bib number belt (completely optional)
• E - Bike shoes
• F - Towel - second towel optional. One for the transition area and another to shower/dry off post-race
• G - Tri top
• H - Socks
• I - Goggles
  
  You should be wearing your swim gear already... I'll get into apparel later. You should obviously have your bike and helmet on you.
  
  I've seen people gather up all this stuff VERY efficiently in their own triathlon pails - literally plastic buckets that they throw and carry their gear in... much better than my method of hauling things around and picking 'em up off the ground when I drop them! You can also use a good string bag as well.
  
  Advanced: Gear companies make special triathlon transition bags that are designed to hold you gear and organize it for your transition. They're expensive and I'm not sure if I see the real value in it - maybe somebody can tell me otherwise.

Race Day Gear and Equipment

Basics:

The general message is to bring and race in all of the things you've practiced and trained with. I ran the Chicago Marathon in brand new shoes against all better judgement, and was so injured my the end I couldn't run for the next 4 weeks (I even had to wear a boot to heal!). Don't make my mistake!

• Running shoes. Bring the shoes you've been training in, or the ones you typically race in. I like lighter shoes like lightweight trainers because they give you a little more cushion and support than a racing flat. And obviously, go get fitted at your favorite running store! [end shameless plug] But seriously, go get fitted. It may save you black toenails, blisters, stress fractures, and other horrible fates.
• Socks. I bring socks to put on after the swim to help prevent blisters. Over the course of the bike and run, especially if it's a relatively long distance, you'll be glad you spent the extra 30 seconds to put your socks on!
• Bike Shoes. Necessary if you have clips on your pedals.
• Bike Helmet. 
• Bike. Any kind of bike is allowed in a triathlon, and some races even have separate Fat Tire race divisions specifically for riders on mountain bikes. Your bike will have some effect on your speed capacity, but if the goal is finishing your first triathlon, no need to take out a loan to fund this habit.  
• Swim goggles.
• Swim cap. Given to you at race check-in. 

Advanced:

Nice to have, but not 100% necessary to finishing the race. I have a few, but not all, of these items. Some of these require a considerable investment. Ultimately, this is up to you and what you're willing to spend. Try a couple races out first and you'll figure out which things are more important to you!

• Wetsuit. Wetsuits aren't really necessary for warmth, since nearly all of your triathlons these days will take place when the water temperature is reasonable (they are legal when the water is 72 degrees or cooler, which covers pretty much all tris). But, wetsuits apparently give you a buoyancy advantage and force you into using efficient form, which is why they're favored in longer triathlons. They come at a cost! If you want to buy one, you're looking at about $400+. You can rent them for $100 on race day... sometimes local race management companies or specialty bike/run stores will have them available for rental on site before the event.
• Aerobars. They're supposed to help you stay in a low, aerodynamic position (get it? aero-dynamic-bars?) on your road bike. Prices for these things range hugely too, but you can get some basic aerobars for about $125. 

Aerobars, installed

This is how you ride with aerobars!

• Bib number belt. I think this is totally worth the investment! These cost somewhere along the lines of $10, and you attach your bib number to it. In the swim, your race number is pretty much the magic marker on your arms/legs. When you get off of the bike (and maybe on the bike too?), you need to wear a run bib. Except there are 4 safety pins needed to secure the bib to your shirt - which takes time! The bib number belt is a lifesaver. In your transition between the bike and the run, you can simply pick up your bib number belt with your bib number attached to it and snap it on! Here's mine, which retails $8. I haven't gotten a chance to use it, but after fumbling around with apparel and pins on my first two races, I'm already sold.
  
  

  Here is another version, since some are built to hold gels while you run, ideal for long run distances. Again, gels are intended to be taken for every 45 minutes of activity, and I like to gel it up when I'm getting toward the end of a run, period. Maybe it's mental. I just do it.

  

  
  
• Fuel Belt. The cousin to the bib number belt! You can fill your little bottles with anything - Gatorade, Endurox, water, Perpetuem, scotch (oh wait, did I say that?)...  this is my bud Mel from our training group modeling the fuel belt during the hot!-hot! Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10.
  
  
  
  
• Sunglasses. The longer the race, the more important these are! I put them on as soon as I put my helmet on for the bike, and they stay on through the run. Until I got a real pair, I never realized how much different real running sunglasses were compared to the cheap ones I used to buy (because I would inevitably sit on and break a few pairs each summer). Here are mine:
  
  
  
  I like them because they're light and block sunlight extremely well. They're super adjustable and the lenses come out and can be replaced with a different color or shade.... and same with the nose piece. You can even change the nose piece color! I can't even describe how uh-mazing these are for driving...
• Water bottles. I had regular water bottle cages on my bike for a while - on long rides, I had two cages installed like this.. except I used cheap plastic water bottles.
  
  
  But then I realized that I couldn't grab a bottle and drink while I was riding, without losing control of my bike! So then Ben ordered me one of these fancy pants Speedfill hydration systems, that triangular looking thing in the middle of the bike. It's basically a plastic battle that has a tube running out of it that snakes up to the handlebars. See that black lid on the top? You can take water from hydration stations/bottles during the race and dump them into the open top to replenish your water on the go.
  
  
  I wasn't very convinced I needed something like this, but after having ridden my first long rides without and with the Speedfill, I am a believer!! No more almost-falling-off-my-bike! It's crazy how much longer you can last on a bike when you're hydrated!
• Stuff bag. I'm not sure what the real name for it is, but check out the little "stuff bag" on the back of my bike seat. It just holds wrenches, CO2 cartridges,  and spare tires, and Sport Beans - my favorite! Confession: all that tire-changing stuff would do me no good.... I still don't know how to change one.

• Wheels. Another thing you can rent on site or purchase yourself. Check out these disc wheels on this guy's fancy pants bike. Oh, the things people do for aerodynamics! I love how the guy is hardcore cheesing... probably  because he is thinking about how sweet his helmet is. Anyway, there are literally wheelsets that cost more than my car, take it for what it's worth... if you have a bazillion dollars lying around, do it!
  
  
• Sunblock. Do you burn? Then bring some. This might be considered a non-negotiable.
• Hat. Along those same lines, a hat can help block some of the sun glare during the run. Try choosing a running hat, though, which will wick some moisture away from your head. It'll be made of light, airy material to help you keep cool.
  
  
• Speed laces. There are different types of "speed laces," but all of them are designed so you can get your shoes on and tightened quickly during your bike to run transition. See how it has the little squeeze-lock thing? Call it shoe technology.
  
  

So that's pretty much it for today! 


Did I forget something? Or, if you're an experienced triathlete, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment! 




If you haven't checked it out, see Bartleys Tri (Part 1) for about-tris, signing up, checking in, and setting up.
Or, go on to Part 3 to read about what to wear in a triathlon and how to buy tri gear without taking out a second mortgage. Good to go? Hit Part 4 - The swim!

Bartleys Tri (Triathlon for Beginners: Part 1)

The Bartleys don't just run - we swim, ride, and run! (and on occasion, we are pretty awful racquetball players too) We've been riding our bikes... a lot. So in the spirit of trying new things, I'm dedicating this series of posts to everything beginner and new triathletes should know. [Read: these are the things I wish someone had told me before!]

Ben is not a newbie to triathlons in a traditional sense, since he's completed a few sprints and even trained for/finished the Muncie Enduration - a half iron distance triathlon - when he was in school.
...Then there's me: I am as fresh as they come. I have done two short triathlons. Period. I completed my first sprint triathlon two summers ago in Brighton, Michigan, after buying and learning to ride a road bike just a year before. I finished my second one last August, the Go Girl (Women's) Triathlon in Indianapolis. Even with two under my belt, the thought of doing a triathlon still makes me sort of want to throw up.

Looking a little unsure on the bike!

These are basically all of the things I wondered or stressed out about in preparation for a triathlon. People can describe the generalities of what to do, but details and knowing what to expect is important! Heck, even someone telling me what to wear in a triathlon and how to wear it would have been extremely valuable.

So if you have ever considered doing a triathlon, I hope that sharing the things I've seen and done so far can motivate you to jump in, sign up, and finish one this season. If I forgot to cover something, leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer it.

In this series, I won't include detailed information on training plans, but if finishing is your goal, then read on.

So here we go!!

Triathlon for Beginners - Part 1

1. Sprint first. If you've never done a triathlon, don't go longer than sprint distance on your first time out. Seriously. Compared to a 10k road race, it's not exactly easy/possible to stop and take a break during the open swim of a triathlon. I didn't know how I'd do in the swim and the bike, or what to expect, so doing a short sprint distance was indescribably helpful for me just to get some experience and straight up observe to see how things are done in this "new world." I was SO thankful I did, because there is no way I could have finished a longer distance on my first time out... I thought I would drown before that!

2. A sprint is not a sprint. Coming from the running world, a 5k is typically/approximately a 3.1 mile run, all the time, every time. Same with a half marathon and a 10k. Not the case with triathlons! Sure, there are some standard event distances for Olympic, Half Iron, and Iron distances, but the rest are open for interpretation. Sprint triathlons are the most popular distance. The swim can range from 400m to 600m, and the bike 10-14 miles. The run is usually 5k, but possibly 3 miles otherwise.

There are also super sprint races, something like: .25 mi swim, 6 mi bike, and 1.5 mi run

The standard distances that do exist:

• Olympic distance: 1500m swim, 40k (24.8 mi) bike, 10k (6.2 mi) run
• Half Iron distance: 1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13.1 mi run
• Iron distance: 2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2 mi run

Why am I telling you this? Unless it's a standard distance, it's impossible to compare a triathlon finishing time across different events. Look at my two tris, both called sprints (below). 

• Island Lake - 800m swim, 12.5 mi ride, 3.1 run
• Go Girl Indy - 500m swim, 10 mi ride, 3 mi run

Take-away: When you sign up for a triathlon, look carefully at the distances if it's not a standard race distance, so you know what to expect. Also, don't let a friend fool you by telling you their triathlon times. ;)

3. Choosing a race. I honestly chose mine based on convenience. It's obviously expensive to ship/fly your bike on a plane, and for a first time triathlon, I definitely recommend one that's easy to access and near home. Ask friends who will give you an honest opinion, and use Google or sites like TriFind to find triathlons and read reviews. Also, look at the type of swim (open water, pool, etc.) and the elevation and terrain on the ride. Some runs could be on trails, so finding one that fits your abilities/preference is really important.

In Indiana, I am a huge proponent of the Go Girl Triathlon in Indy at Eagle Creek Park, which has a low-key feel. Triathlons can get super competitive, and the women-only element brings a more positive, you-can-do-it vibe. You'll definitely see a few women wearing those crazy aero helmets riding bikes that cost more than my car, but you'll have plenty more who are doing their first triathlon or just racing for fun. At last year's event, the women next to me showed up in cut-off denim shorts and a beater bike with a basket zip-tied to it.

The other good beginner event in Indiana seems to be the Tri Indy, which is open to everyone. I've heard good reviews of it, and it seems pretty awesome because it's urban, including the bike and the run. It's a pretty big field of competitors, but if you're not strong in the swim, you're in luck - it takes place in the canal downtown, which is about 4 feet deep at most. (Gross, or cool? I hear they clean it beforehand....... but that's just a rumor.) Check this out:

NOT the norm!

Anyway, if around Bloomington, just do one with me! I'm going to do the Go Girl Triathlon in Indy again, and the Rev3 half ironman (eeek first time..!). And probably a few of the other Eagle Creek triathlons they have throughout the Summer.

4. Sign Up and Check In. If you've done running road races, this part is pretty standard for pre-registration, since you sign up and provide your information online. If you sign up on race day, bring your bike with you to registration if it's a long walk from the car (otherwise sign up and then go get your bike). My style is showing up at the last minute... that doesn't really fly in triathlons, so you'll be safe if you are there and signed up by 1 hour before race time, giving you time to warm up if you want, and get your gear situated.

Basically, arrive at the event, sign in/check in, and you'll get your entire race packet. It should include something like this, below. Then read on to the setup piece to figure out how to get these things put together!

• Swim cap - they are color coded to designate your start, so wearing it is mandatory.
• Bike number - and you might get two. Both are adhesive - the normal looking one one might be for your helmet. The other one is basically one big sticker with two numbers printed on it, and looks like this: 

•  Run bib number & safety pins. Rachel is going to be our running bib number model. :)
  

  

  Pretty standard!

  
  
• Velcro band and chip

5. Set up. Everyone has their personal preference on how to place things in their transition area, so I'm just going to outline the things that are critical to the race. Step-by-step:

1. Bring everything you have (triathlon gear, race packet, bike, helmet, shoes, etc.) to your assigned transition area. The transition area is a big fenced-off area with bike racks where everyone stores their stuff and changes gear between events. Look for the bike corral or bike rack with your bib number on it and head that way. This the home base!
2. On your way over, make sure the people with sharpies or permanent markers write on you. Unlike running races, they're not writing stuff on your arms/legs so people can cheer for you... you need to get inked so that they can ID you! Usually they're going to write your bib number and maybe your gender/age on your arms and sometimes on your lower leg/calf. (Unfortunately, this system is slightly demoralizing at the same time when you spot a guy with 65M written on the back of his leg, flying by you...)
3. Hang your bike on the rack. The picture below shows how I hang my bike - by the seat. It seems that the vast majority of bikes are hung like this...
   
   
   The picture of the yellow bike below is sort of a weird way of hanging that  I haven't seen before. I guess it's personal preference. If you hang it by the seat, it's already facing the right direction so you have less maneuvering out of the racks. (none of that backing up stuff!)
4. Empty your gear bag, place the towel on the ground, and put your stuff on the towel.  Here's a visual:
   
   
   Note that the transition area isn't always on grass, but can be in a parking lot or other surfaces. The towel is there so you can wipe your feet off easily if you get junk stuck to 'em. :) Also, the transition areas I've seen are number-slotted so you're not just jockeying for position on the bike racks based on age groups. Apparently there are events that do otherwise... so get there early.
   
   Make sure to lay out your gels or anything else you need to eat in between in your shoes or somewhere easily accessible but not stolen (try inside the pockets of your bike/tri top/run top). Put your helmet on the handlebars like in the photo so there's less bending. Don't strap them to the bar, just leave them there so you can pick it up and put it on quickly.
   
   Above all, make sure not to encroach on someone else's space. As you can see from the photo, sometimes transition areas are pretty narrow, so be efficient!
5. Put on your numbers.
   a. Get the chip and velcro strap out, and wrap it tightly around your ankle. Make sure it's secure! In my first tri, the strap with the chip on it must have come off of my ankle in the water. After I ran 100 yards to the transition area, they made me run 100 yards BACK to the end of the swim to get it... the entire race would've been a loss had they not found it, 'cause I wouldn't have noticed it was gone! It looks like this:
   

   

   Triathlon timing chip

   b. Put your run bib number on your running clothes. Use the safety pins, follow any directions they give you for that- usually on the front of your shirt at stomach-level. If you have a chip, it shouldn't matter much except for snapping photos of you and maybe as a timing system backup.
   c. Put your number on your bike. There are a few gadgets out there to help you do that, but like I said, until you know you like triathlons, go low-tech like everyone else. If you have a helmet number, it's printed right face-up. Attach that so the number is visible from behind, on the back of your head where your head would hit the pillow when you sleep. You might also have a bike number, which looks like the one I listed above. Take the number off of the backing and wrap it around the top tube, sticking it to itself (so then the numbers are right-side-up). Make sure it's not in the way of any cables. Illustration:
   
   
   
   

   Or, you might be able to put it here:

   

6. Attend the pre-race meeting. The pre-race meeting is usually just a quick set of announcements about what's legal and what's not, where to place your numbers, and other guidelines that you need to remember. Pay close attention! This happens probably 30 minutes before showtime.

7. Brush up on the rules. The pre-race meeting should cover the main and most important rules, but there are a lot of them!! So hop over to USAT, the sanctioning body for triathlons, to make sure you don't accidentally do something that gets you disqualified or time penalties.

That's pretty much it for the setup and pre-race information.

Have you seen Part 2 - Gear and Equipment? Or, skip straight to Part 3 - What to Wear. Or, figure out the swim portion in Part 4 - Swim.