December 8th, 2008 — Clothes and Gear, Just for Women, Swim Bike Run
Dressing for your first triathlon can be a challenge. It’s easy enough to dress to go running, but you’ll be cycling and swimming, too, so do you choose one outfit for all three races, or change each time? The time you take between events counts toward your overall time so you want to minimize it as much as possible.
Unless you’re terribly fashion conscious or very modest, you can probably do the entire race in a simple one-piece swimsuit, or a top and bathing suit bottoms. You’ll want to wear a sports bra, no matter what you wear on top, just for adequate support. And you may choose to wear tight-fitting shorts like biking shorts even for the swimming portion. It’s mostly a matter of personal preference, depending on how you feel comfortable.
Some things to consider are whether or not you’re comfortable cycling in a swimsuit, or you’d rather slip on bike shorts for that portion of the race. Alternatively, do you want to go running in the triathlon in bike shorts that you wore swimming and now are wet? It doesn’t take that long to change, and it’s much better to be dry and comfortable as possible instead of distracted by your clothing as you forge through the race.
You can purchase special triathlon shorts
, if you’d rather avoid time spent changing, that can be worn the whole race. They’re similar to biking shorts, but are designed to be worn during the swimming portion while protecting you from chafing during the cycling and not weigh you down during the running part of the triathlon race.
You can also opt to wear special swimming gear, like a wetsuit. A wetsuit will keep you warm, but unless the water is strangely cold that day or the triathlon is in an usual place, water temperature usually isn’t a factor. Wetsuits can also help you stay above the water. If you opt to wear a wet suit, wear your running clothes beneath it to make the transition easier—just peel off the wetsuit and go.
If you want to wear a wetsuit for the swimming portion, be sure you purchase a triathlon wetsuit, not one designed for scuba diving or other water sports. Triathlon wetsuits have slicker outside which promotes faster swimming, and they’re much more easily removed than other wetsuits.
Also, some prefer wearing socks, some blister without them. If you can manage without them, you’ll save time when it comes to the swimming portion. Elastic laces eliminate the need to tie and untie the shoes, as well. You can wear the same shoes for both running and cycling—special cycling shoes clipped to the pedals aren’t necessary.
The most important thing, though, after figuring out what triathlon clothing you prefer, is to train in that clothing. Don’t wait until race day to wear that wetsuit or shed your socks for running. You’ll swim, bike and run faster and better if you’ve practice in your triathlon clothing for quite a while already.
Photo Credits: 1
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September 15th, 2008 — Swim Bike Run
If you are going to participate in a triathlon, having the best equipment is vital. Experience and endurance are important, but those will only go so far towards being at the top of your game. It will vastly depend on the athlete the sort of equipment needed, since every human body is different. There are basics that will apply to everyone who chooses to swim, own a bike or become a runner. These will help in choosing the right equipment that one needs to be at the top of your game.
Swimming Gear –
When it comes to swim gear, it all comes down to foot wear and other accessories. In the training stages, there are footwear that is designed to help you train by promoting proper leg posture and tempo while kicking and swimming. These training shoes will help you develop the proper technique to swim like the pros. Goggles and Swim Caps are also important, as goggles will help to maintain vision and swim caps will reduce the drag while swimming. When it comes time to compete, then the proper footwear will be shoes that allow breathing, and provide traction. For a triathlon, it is also important to have shoes that provide arch support for running and will be compatible with bike pedals.
Running Gear –
Once again, it is all about the foot gear and accessories. While training, a very helpful accessory is a pedometer or other means to track your progress. A map may be able to give you an estimate, but you can run over much more ground than can be shown on a map. An easily portable water container that will not throw you off balance is also a plus. When it comes time to choosing shoes, what is important is proper foot protection and support. The shoes have to support the arch of your foot; otherwise you’ll fatigue much faster, and risk hurting your foot. All runners have a specific style that makes them unique, and finding the shoes that fit your running style is vital if you want to do your best on the track. Proper elemental protection is also good, in case of deep puddles, snow rain, or other debris. When in a triathlon, it is very beneficial to have shoes that will also double as swim shoes.
Bicycles –
Choosing the right bicycle is an important task and depends heavily on the intended application. The first consideration is the terrain; will you off road, or will you stick to paved surfaces? That is the question that will determine if you will get a mountain bike or a road bike. A mountain bike has a wide tire with deep treads, to ensure traction over a variety of terrain types. Built in suspension will reduce rider fatigue, and also ensure good contact with the ground. Conversely, a road tire is thin to reduce friction (and make it less likely to puncture a tire on road debris).There are treads on the tires as well, but they are more shallow, being only designed for riding in wet conditions. Then there are bicycles that are in between, designed primarily for road use, but capable of holding it’s own off the road.
Bicycle Gear –
This includes not only the ever important helmet, but also the appropriate accessories for bicycle maintenance. This includes grease and lubricant for the various parts of the bike, replacement parts for spokes and chains, and the tools necessary to tear down the bike and put it back together. Your bicycle is a precision machine that needs to be well maintained; otherwise it will not run as efficiently or as safely. There are a myriad of different options available to you when it comes to bicycles, including bicycles intended for scaling hills and rough terrain, and those that are meant for the road. Having the right bicycle is important, because each features characteristics that are meant to appeal to its primary applications. A road bike will not stand up against the rugged terrain that a mountain bike is meant to handle, for example. And a mountain bike’s numerous speeds and settings will be useless on the road. Choosing the right bicycle and the right bicycling accessories is vital if you want to get the most out of your ride.
Swimming, biking and running are the three activities that, when combined, form a triathlon. Having the best equipment if you intend to participate in these events is absolutely vital, because it will boost your capabilities and increase your ability to do well. Endurance and experience are both vital statistics, but they will really only go so far when it comes to reaching the top of your game. Because every body is different, finding the equipment and gear that will best suit your needs is going to depend heavily upon testing and trying out different brands, sizes and styles until you find what suits your needs best. A runner cannot win races without shoes that accommodate his or her running style. A bicyclist cannot climb mountains or ride to the head of the pack in a race without the right bicycle to accommodate him or her. And without the right goggles, swimsuit and swim cap, a swimmer cannot efficiently glide across the water to win races.
SwimBikeRunner.com is designed to cater to the athlete who is serious about the gear that he or she utilizes in order to win. If you are serious about improving your swim times, riding faster and further than before or running more efficiently than ever, then the products that you find within these pages will benefit you tremendously. Regardless of whether you are looking for the best swimming apparel, the right running shoes or the best bicycle or bicycling gear to help improve your sport of choice, or all three for that matter, you will only find top of the line name brand solutions here at SwimBikeRunner.com.
Photo Credits: 1
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