race belt substitute

Worse case scenerio, go old school safety pins.

+1 for safety pins.

tool belt= way too heavy.

if you're using safety pins, i'd pin it on a second shirt and swap shirts in T2 thus not wastin precious time with pins durnin the race.

If you're a woman, i'd suggest a sports bra so u can swap shirts w/o unnecessary exposure. Also, be aware that putting on a shirt over a wet body is highly difficult! utilize a "condom rolling" technique to roll the shirt onto your body.

good luck!

Edited by halfpint 2009-07-18 4:23 PM

Safety pins works best.

Do you have a wetsuit..if so you can pin it on from get go under wetsuit otherwise put on top in T2 works fine if you are a guy a little  more challenging if you are a women.

Some race expos give them away so look out for one in the future. I think I have 4 or 5 and only bought one.

Speaking of MacGyver 2 words Duct Tape

Just get a piece of elastic from the craft store or the sewing section of a department store (WM).

I'm helping Coach a youth team in Korea and that's what the kids use - I think they even give pieces of elastic in the registration bag - but yea just safety pin the number to that sucker and you'll be set!

Edited by cam224 2009-07-18 5:09 PM

Matty Reed (winner of the recent LTF tri in Minneapolis) used a single Xtenex (shoe) lace as his race belt during the race.  Basically, that's just a piece of elastic, as Bear suggested.

Cheers, Chris

Many events will have a booth set up where you can purchase items such as this.

If it were me, I'd bring my safety pins and a couple $$.  This way you're covered one way or another.

Good luck!

With timing chips is a race number even that necesarry?  The only people I know that use the number are the photography people.  My buddy did his first triathlon and forgot to pin his number to the shirt for the run and even the photographer got him.

You said you had a heart rate monitor right?  Do you use one of those that go just below your chest or whatever those things are (I see people wear them but no clue what they really are).  Just wear that on the outside (providing you aren't too concerned about getting a HR reading).

I've got the same problem, I'm not going to pay $15 for a "race belt". I would have bought some elastic if I had thought of it earlier, but my race included some safety pins so I'm just going to pin it to my shirt and wear my shirt during the swim (I'll have a wetsuit over it).

Does anyone know if the number has to go on your stomach or on your back? Or is it just preference?

Elastic Shoelace.  Just tie it under your wetsuit before teh swim as tying knots in T2 tends to slow you down.

Vent: Why is it we will spend $100s on all sorts of crap (special lubricants, fancy foods, etc.) but no one wants to drop a Lincoln on a race belt?

Edited by jsklarz 2009-07-18 8:00 PM

Back in the day, before race belts, I cut out the elastic in my underwear. It was totally obvious as to what the elastic came from (Hanes always put those little red stripes in there) but I couldn't have cared less at the time.

I prefer safety pins.  Race belts are just add one more thing to do in transition!

Brian

Elastic from old pants, attach the number with pins.