Ironman - question on attire

My plan for IMFL this Nov is to swim with trishorts and wetsuit.  In T1 to put on the most comfy pair of cycling shorts I have along with a cool jersey.  At T2, back to some type of tri short (prevent chaffing) with a pair of running shorts over top, and some sort of tri top.  I'm just racing to finish and don't have a specific time goal in mind, so comfort is my #1 priority.

I'm staying away from the one pieces due to the fact that I plan on stopping on the bike at some point or points to take a leak.  I can't for the life of me relax enough to let it rip while riding and the one pieces tend to "smash" things.

The only unknown question I have and I hope its not a hijack...can you swim in a wetsuit with just trishorts (ie topless).  I think all IM's require a top of some sort, so would it be against the rules to be topless after you get your wetsuit stripped until you suit up for the ride? 

Welcome Karl.  I'm guessing you're going to be doing IMWI. 

I've been doing all of my training in DeSoto tri shorts, so I have acclimated to the thinner fleece padding of the tri shorts.

I would recommend that, if you have trained with bike shorts, go with bike shorts on race day.  If it is IMWI, you will have a place to change into bike shorts after the swim.  With that in mind, you might want to wear jammers during the swim and put on bike shorts in T1.  You don't want to be sitting on a wet bike pad for several hours.  Think Chafing. 

Good luck on your race.

If I understand the layout correctly, there is an area of the conference center that is designated as the male change tent (with a separate one for the female change tent) with the intent being that you are allowed to completely strip down and change in that location.

From what I've heard, it can get crowded in there during T1 but you shouldn't have to wait in any sort of line to change.

Changing clothes in T1 and T2 is no problem.  Many people do it.  At IMWI, after the swim everyone goes into the Monona Terrace and through a ball room with all the T1 bags lined up by number.  You grab your bag and then run into an adjacent ball room (one for men, one for women) where there is plenty of room to change clothes.  T2 works exactly the same way.  Other IMs also work the same way, except most use big tents rather than a building.

Go with whatever you are comfortable with...and what you are used to from training.  As for me, I've been doing all my long rides in just tri shorts, and just use tri shorts during the race.  If you want to change into bike shorts for the bike, and then into running shorts for the run, you'll find many others doing the same thing in transition.

-Steve 

I am planning on wearing my tri shorts and top through out.

Clothes are to be experimented during your long workouts to see how they might work with you in the ironman, it took be about 4 workouts to decide.

 

No, but that seems like a bad idea.  Sounds like an invitation for some bad chaffing, for no good reason.  Why not take advantage of the changing room/tent, loose the Speedo and just wear the bike shorts?

-Steve

My guess is that if you're planning on a 5-hr IM ride, your booty is more than capable of surviving with just the tri shorts. You've obviously put in a lot of time in the saddle.