It’s almost here. Ironman Arizona. After all the hundreds of consumed GU’s and Gatorades, waking up feeling like a bull-dozer hit you every morning for 4-12 months, and having your drive, courage and heart tested day in and day out, it’s time to see what it was all worth. Let me start by saying Arizona Ironman 2011 was my first, and I know what everyone has gone through with training. I’ve had the days when I’ve collapsed in tears on runs wondering how I was going to piece it all together come ray day, absolutely terrified of failing. It probably didn’t help I was only 22 years old and felt a little bit over my head. However, the fear is what fueled my training, and ignited my hunger to eat this race alive. With all of this said, there’s a few tips I could have used, and want to share some golden advice so you too can have the race of your life. I’d also like to note that this is what worked for me, and by no means should anyone think these tips are the only way to go.
The shortest leg of the race in triathlon is often funny enough, the most feared. By far, you’re certainly the least out-of-control of your surrounding environment in this leg, which can allow for the capability to put a nice damper on your time. Most triathlons take place in some kind of a body of open water, so assuming your pool skills will transfer right over isn’t the case, and often times, can be dangerous. There’s many tips that can be followed to keep yourself safe, and drop seconds to minutes on your swim. We spend tons of money on gadgets, wheels, aero-dynamic and light-weight everything to save seconds and minutes, so why not take the time to practice open-water techniques for the swim?
The question of, “What am I supposed to be wearing underneath my tri wetsuit?” is undoubtedly the most asked in the shop. The idea of wearing clothing underneath neoprene, seems odd to many first-time triathletes. In reality, you can’t tell a difference underneath your wetsuit, and will save quite a bit of time by swimming in what you will be racing in. Essentially you wear whatever it is you’ll be competing in underneath. Often times, it’s the same clothing that you’ve been training ever so hard in over the course of the past months/weeks. With that said, triathletes have a couple of options as to what they choose to wear underneath their tri wetsuit.
Say hello to the 2XU Elite Compression Tights. This tight is not simply your average compression, but a part of a newly designed line by 2XU called PXR (Perform, XFORM, Refresh). In particular, the XFORM garments give you the benefit of two in one compression. It is designed as an Active + Recovery tight. This means that the grade of compression and construction of the tight is designed to be used while training, as well as as post-workout recovery. How is this possible?
Oh swimming. With 85% of triathletes coming from a running, cycling, or other background, it’s no wonder so many people fear this leg of the race the most. If swimming isn’t your strength, blue seventy has an answer. The Axis. Blue Seventy has recognized the fact that there’s different needs for different types of swimmers. Some athletes have denser leg compositions due to established thigh muscles and dense calves. Many of these swimmers tend to drop their lower half in the water. Thus, the Axis was innovated with balanced buoyancy zones. This suit in particular focuses higher buoyancy in the hips, thighs and lower legs.
I present to you the Louis Garneau Tri Pack Revo. What’s so different about this tri bag you ask? Firstly, it dons a chair! Yes, a chair. A fold up seat to rest those tired legs in transition. Perfect for when the race is over and and you don’t feel like bending down to take those running kicks off. Beyond the chair, there’s a plethora of pockets and zippers. One main as pictured below, which is sectioned off into additional pockets, and then another main. If you’re thinking this many pockets on a tri bag is overkill, then try to use a standard backpack for a race and see how hard it is to keep track of the insane amount of items we trek around to and from training and races. Everything seems to have a place in the Revo.
“You’re only as fast as your wetsuit will let you be.”-TYR
With that said, and your money pockets taken into consideration, feast your eyes on the Category 3. TYR’s Hurricane wetsuit series is composed of three tiers (pun intended), 1, 3, and 5. For those that want the primary technologies of the Category 5, but don’t want to spend top dollar, the C3 is the perfect option for a mid range suit. The wetsuit boasts light-weight Yamamoto 38/39 SCS coated neoprene, as well as varying 5mm panels. The high-buoyancy 5mm panels found in the chest, legs, and core were designed to help the swimmer to be elevated in the water and keep the swimmer from dropping their lower half.
Here we have the feminine Endurance Tri Tank by Zoot. It is a tri -specific top which is perfect for racing as well as training. It is composed of a nylon/spandex fabric featuring Endura technology. This technology is custom to specific Zoot items, allowing for optimum compression and muscle support, as well as reduces muscle fatigue and extends endurance. The stretch in the fabric allows for superior range of motion. The top also features a built-in bra, as well as a 10″ zipper. Zippers can be great on race apparel because it allows for venting should you get over-heated, and opens the top to feel less restricting. There are two pockets that are placed on the sides to avoid catching any water are perfect to hold your nutrition goodies. The top comes in a array of colors: Virtual Pink/Fuel, Tropic/Green Lantern, Indigo/Ice, Black. The collar around the neckline gives the top an added touch of style. Pair with the Zoot Endurance Tri Short to complete the look. Both on sale now at One Tri.
Recently while on my stationary trainer, I got the chance to wear the Bellwether Forma Bike Short. Boy was I excited. This short comes with some noteworthy features worth taking a look at. As previously noted in another blog, I discussed the differences between tri shorts vs. bike shorts. The Forma falls into the bike short category, bringing with it a thicker chamois, longer inseam, and different material. The chamois and material are what drew me in. The material used in the short is called LYCRA POWER™ which just so happens to come along with compressive qualities to it. We’re all aware of the supportive dynamic compression offers our muscles which I certainly could feel. The material is not only compressive, but comes with a ribbed surface, allowing more airflow into the short (we all know how sweaty we tend to get under all that lycra). Bellwether innovated this fabric by means of trying to achieve the correct balance of breathability and moisture transfer.
Onto the chamois…I’ve certainly made a point to make the padding a topic of interest in my posts when discussing shorts. Let’s face it, what our unmentionables get squished against better be comfortable. Here’s why it’s different: The overall design was made with elite-long distance riding in mind. The foaming in the chamois was placed strategically to be more dense along the contact points that hit the saddle in order to alleviate pressure and reduce road shock. We’ve all felt that surprise pothole 40 miles into the ride and could use the additional suspension in our shorts. I also found that while I was in aero position, I continued to feel padding in the pelvic bone region. Most cycling shorts are a giant boat pad in the back and that’s it, not taking into consideration that one might be pronating their hips forward. This was great. I felt added relief in the front, important to a triathlete who might spend most of their time down on their aero bars.
Another feature to note is the soft elastic band that didn’t create imprints on my hips. Always a plus. Although not a tri-specific short, the Forma’s are perfect for the long distance rides and well worth the buy. Available for purchase at OneTri.
Behold the Zoot CompressRx Sock. Along the lines of items necessary to your arsenal of tri gear, I would claim it fair to say these should certainly be included. With all the hooplah out there on the market about compression, let’s clear some things up on the science behind it all and why these socks in particular are going to help your performance.
Let’s start with the science. Zoot utilizes graduated compression, and more importantly, utilize it correctly. The amount of compression ranges from 26mmHg (mmHg is the unit of measurement used in compression garments) at the ankle and decreases to 18 mmHg just below the knee. The strongest amount of compression is found in the lower part of the leg. This method allows for deoxygenated blood to flow back to the heart. Within the ranges of compression, the 26mmHg falls under medical grade compression. This factor is important when choosing compression. Anything less than 20mmHg isn’t considered medical grade, and will not offer the same benefit. So what is all this doing doing? The socks help to flush out lactic acid in the veins as well as assist in proper venous flow and return. While running with CompressRx socks, one is able to get up to 40% more arterial flow in their calf by supporting consistent pressure on the musicle. The compression increases the pressure in the tissues beneath the skin allowing for reduced excess leakage of fluid from the capillaries and increasing absorption of tissue fluid by the capillaries. The goal is to assist the body in doing what it naturally does in flushing damaged muscle tissues.
So what the heck is the benefit? Well, here’s a couple noteworthy stats:
29% decrease in lactic acid build-up.
25% reduction of perceived effort.
40% improvement in recovery time.
5% incraese in performance.
These socks in particular can be used as active compression (use them while training or racing) or recovery. Also, keep in mind that they’re perfect for travel use while flying, driving, or even if you plan to be on your feet for a prolonged period of time. The sock is also foot specific with padded foot soles to prevent irritation.
Measurements: It’s important that you measure your calf (circumference of the largest part of the muslce belly on your calf) prior to choosing your size. Proper fit will ensure optimal performance.
I’ve been in the triathlon world over the course of the past 7 years and have certainly gained a wealth of knowledge about the sport amongst most domains. Producing multiple races myself, competing in my first Ironman at age 23, and now working within the product realm at OneTri.com, I can with confidence say, my words within this blog come with backing. Hopefully my reviews and personal testimonies will aid in helping readers get all they want and more out of this sport.
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