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. | |
| 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. | 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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:
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| 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!
