Ladies: Gear Question

I'm glad Kpar brought this up because it's been on my mind. I still have no idea what I'm going to wear during my first tri in 8 weeks.

It's too warm to wear a wetsuit (but I'm a little worried about jelly fish).

How do I put on a sportsbra after my swim? I'm a bit top-heavy; I need a bra. I can't wear one during the swim, can I? Is that practical?

Can I just wear my swimsuit and pull on bike shorts after my swim? Pull off bike shorts after my ride and put on more clothes?  Sounds like too much fussing. I did wear just my swimsuit during my 45 min walk/run this morning and it was quite comfortable.

Help!

Ok, this helps. I'll find/wear a sportsbra under my swimsuit. Is a tri suit a swimsuit too? Can I wear a trisuit throughout the race without having to switch shorts and such?

If I find a good sportsbra, can I wear just the sportsbra and trisuit throughout the race? I've seen the trisuits in my LBS but I'm having trouble visualizing swimming in it.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm a newbie and I need to be able to visualize my race; helps with the preparation and execution.

Yes! A tri suit should allow you to go from swim to bike to run without ANY changing at all... For my first race I bought one from iron-girl, which is now www.flowersports.com they've got some really cute things on that site... If you don't want to use a one piece... (the only drawback I found was that it was a bit tricky in the porta pottie) Zoot makes nice two pieces. I really like the Zoot shorts... and I prefer the Zoot TRAINING top to race in... even over the Zoot racing top. I just think it's more flattering. Try www.teamestrogen.com also... they should have some good Zoot stuff there....

As far as wearing a bra underneath... check it out first... go for a 5K run without one and see how the girls hold up... if you can get away without one... I'd skip it... one less layer, one less thing to worry about. I did not have to wear a bra under my iron-girl configuration... and I'm medium chested.

I've worn tri specific shorts and just any old top before too... I usually wear some sort of a Nike top made out of dri-fit... so it doesn't cling to my body or cause chafing. The downside there is that there are no little pockets for your gels or anything like that... I've never changed clothes in transition... (Except for wetsuit off...) So I swim in whatever I've got on... I'm too distracted with just finding my bike and stuff like that... I can't engineer a wardrobe change also!!

Good Luck! Whizzzzz

I like the two piece tri suit for longer races since I inevitably have to 'use it' at some point or other.  I have a harder time getting out of a one piece (with legs) than the two piece.  I am rather large in the trunk (thighs) and so don't feel real comfortable without some covering on my legs.  Sprint distances I usually just wear a swimsuit or tri suit (one piece) and just throw on  shorts over my suit if I feel like it.  I don't usually add a bra because I don't have that problem on top only on the bottom.  : )

Kpar, sorry for the thread hijack. Mea culpa. I'm getting nervous about having my act together for my first tri - can you tell?

I think I will shop around for a one-piece trisuit. Zoot makes a front-zipper one piece with built-in bra that sounds promising.

I'm with you Tri Lizard!  The pic of me from my 1/2 IM last year with my wetsuit around my waist after the swim...SCARY!  I just wore bike shorts a sports bra under the wetsuit and as you said...it isn't one of the little cute sports bras.  I have not resorted to the last resort bra YET...though I am thinking about it.  For me, the sports bra is the most important piece of equipment in my entire ensemble.  It is by FAR where I end up chafe-ing the most.  Does anyone else have the problem where they can't get the chest part (that goes under your boobs) tight enough?  That's where I end up getting all red because it can't cinch down tight enough and slides up and down the entire run...ouchers!  I hope someday I am able to find a sports bra that actually works and is comfortable....

But to the person who asked all the original questions...yes, you can just swim in the sports bra...it works!  Don't swim in bike shorts...that hurt last year!  I am going to get some faster-drying tri shorts this year I think....

CLLinIA - 2005-03-23 11:35 AM Yes, but although you can probably cut down your body fat and decrease your cup size, some of us will never ever know what it's like to have cleavage.

Not true...no matter how much weight I have lost, the boobs just keep on getting BIGGER.

When it comes to running and tri's, I would KILL for smaller boobs.  I would gladly give up cleavage (which I never show anyway!) to wear cute tri clothes.