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Beginner w/a question
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 2017-08-15 3:10 PM |
 1 |  Subject: Beginner w/a questionI watched my wife complete her first triathlon Sunday in Steamboat Springs and caught the bug! I'm a 48-year old male, 6'3", ~190 lbs, in fairly decent shape primarily due to eating right and frequent 5-6 mile walks. I'm targeting a local Sprint triathlon in the area that takes place on September 24 (I realize this isn't much time, but I'm confident I can finish the race even if my time is not very good). I am a former swimmer although it's been 30+ years since I swam competitively. I've recently been cycling and can do 12 miles fairly easily although not at breakneck speed. Running will be my struggle I believe (I went this morning and did a 5k in about 38 minutes w/about 2/3 of that walking). I'd like some recommendations on wetsuit v. swimskin -- most of what I've read elsewhere recommends the wetsuit. Thoughts? Also, opinions regarding sleeveless or not or even the shorty style (which I think I might prefer and that I think would be faster to transition out of). Any other suggestions are certainly welcome. TIA |
| 2017-08-15 3:47 PM in reply to: lbc1969 |
Extreme Veteran 1175    Langley, BC, 'Wet Coast' Canada | Subject: RE: Beginner w/a question Welcome to the forum. I cannot give you an answer to the wetsuit question, as I have never used a sppedsuit... I would suggest posting this question in the main forum, as it gets more traffic. Good luck in your first race! |
| 2017-08-17 9:27 AM in reply to: lbc1969 |
Champion 7553   Albuquerque, New Mexico | Subject: RE: Beginner w/a question What would be the expected water temperatures for your race? It's easy to get wrapped up in gear acquisitions and miss the joy of the event. For a sprint, swim distances are up to about 750-800 meters MAX (yes, some are farther) which translates into 15-20 minutes. What is your tolerance for cold water? Without a wetsuit, you might be OK swimming that distance in 75° or even 70° water. Before buying a wetsuit, think about your long-term goals. Would a shortie get you through 2-3 seasons of racing up to a half-ironman (if that's a thought)? You could end up with a closet full of wetsuits... Even as a former competitive swimmer, there are significant differences between open water and pool swimming. You might be 2:00min/100m and you might be even faster. Probably 15 minutes for the swim. How much time might you shave off with a swimskin? Enough to invest $50-100? Enough to save the time taking it off in transition? My recommendation is to not buy anything specific for your first race. (Assuming you have swimsuit, goggles, bike, helmet, running shoes). You can ride 12-15 miles in your swimsuit (try it). You can try running 5K in your swimsuit (again, try it). |
| 2017-08-23 3:12 AM in reply to: McFuzz |
| 93 | Subject: RE: Beginner w/a question Originally posted by McFuzz My recommendation is to not buy anything specific for your first race. (Assuming you have swimsuit, goggles, bike, helmet, running shoes). You can ride 12-15 miles in your swimsuit (try it). You can try running 5K in your swimsuit (again, try it). I agree with this. I think the wetsuit will get in the way of enjoyment and might be a source of stress on and before race day since you don't have any experience with taking it off in the first transition. For my first triathlon, all the equipment and everything that could go wrong with it was what stressed me out the most. If you're worried about how you'll look, perhaps a basic tri suit would be worth the investment. And even if you don't end up getting fully committed to triathlon, you can still use the bottom for swimming and the suit for cycling. You could even do some fun swim + run, swim + cycling, cycling + swim type of workouts with the suit. I recently went up a mountain on my bike then swam in a river at the bottom of the mountain afterwards. I used an old tri suit for that. |
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