What does one wear for a half ironman?

This is my first 70.3. will there be changing tents? Or do I go the tri suit route? I have never ridden that distances in tri shorts, I like the big pad.... any suggestions?

Toe jam on crusty feet wrote:This is my first 70.3. will there be changing tents? Or do I go the tri suit route? I have never ridden that distances in tri shorts, I like the big pad.... any suggestions?

nope, no changing tent for half ironman unless this one is different. You would set up your transition the same as you would a olympic or sprint. I would suggest a tri top with a couple pockets in the back and a pair of tri shorts with a thinner padding. However, if you havent been training in a thinner padding it may be uncomfortable on the bike. I have a bunch of different tops and shorts if you want to try some of mine. I wore compression tri shorts for the Florida full a few years ago and they were super comfortable and i think i may have worn them on the bike this year at CDA and changed into running shorts. The big pad will bother you on the run probably because it will rub a bit more than a thinner pad. I train in thin pad shorts year round just so i am used to it come racing time. Your only other option is grabbing some run shorts and finding a port o let to change in then dumping your tri shorts somewhere. typically they don't have port o lets in transition so you will need to have somebody to throw them to.

ironmanx2 wrote:

Toe jam on crusty feet wrote:This is my first 70.3. will there be changing tents? Or do I go the tri suit route? I have never ridden that distances in tri shorts, I like the big pad.... any suggestions?

nope, no changing tent for half ironman unless this one is different. You would set up your transition the same as you would a olympic or sprint. I would suggest a tri top with a couple pockets in the back and a pair of tri shorts with a thinner padding. However, if you havent been training in a thinner padding it may be uncomfortable on the bike. I have a bunch of different tops and shorts if you want to try some of mine. I wore compression tri shorts for the Florida full a few years ago and they were super comfortable and i think i may have worn them on the bike this year at CDA and changed into running shorts. The big pad will bother you on the run probably because it will rub a bit more than a thinner pad. I train in thin pad shorts year round just so i am used to it come racing time. Your only other option is grabbing some run shorts and finding a port o let to change in then dumping your tri shorts somewhere. typically they don't have port o lets in transition so you will need to have somebody to throw them to.

Thaaaaaaaaaaank you!!! I am so nervous!!!

You could always bring bike shorts and slip them on over your tri shorts for extra padding.

flmonkey wrote:You could always bring bike shorts and slip them on over your tri shorts for extra padding.

You could wear 2 pair of shorts BUT I will pass along some advice i received when i first started racing. Transitions and triathlons are really an art form. You are always trying to figure out what works best. Sometimes it is what works best for you and other times it is what works best just because...if 1 million athletes before you have done it that way and thats the best way to do it just do it that way. For example i had a friend that told me he wanted to find a waterproof aqua sock he could put on over his regular socks in the water to keep them dry so he saved time in transition. I thought it was ridiculous but he seem offended when i said so but eventually he agreed with me...anyway, padding in tri shorts has always been thin and always will be. They are made that way to help you moreso on the run then the bike. Your behind will eventually get used to it but at some point you have to bite the bullet and wear and train in the shorts. Pretty much every aspect of transitions have been tried and improved upon. Do whatever you feel comfortable with in this race since you havent trained in the shorts but your next bike ride wear the thin shorts and get your fanny used to being sore...a bag of frozen peas helps afterwards...not to eat but to sit on So in an effort to share some shortcuts and techniques on transitions here is my input...check out the link to faster transitions