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Sutton park 24/7/16

danny pagedanny page Posts: 2
in Triathlon Gear

Hello , 

 

So i took the plunge and have entered my 1st tri in aid of a great charity. I have entered the  sprint distance as i felt this was most reasonable distance for me to achieve. ( Sutton park)

 

I have tried my hardest to prep for this event and felt ok until this morning ! I found out yesterday about an open water swim session i could attend  so as my traninig all been pool based i thought id give it a try along with my new wet suit !!!

 

Well my shoulders are on fire from the resistance caused by the suit i barley made it round . So my question is .... Do i need or have to wear a suit on the day ? 

 

I think my down fall is i have brought a very cheap suit from aldi !!!! 

 

Any advice please please let me know.

Comments

  • danny pagedanny page Posts: 2

    Also what would every one thougthts be on a rash vest?

  • skoobi2ooskoobi2oo Posts: 1
    A good tri wetsuit is a must. You can pick them up from wiggle for ??90 but if your in the UK like me then you will need something with around 4-5mm thickness (colder waters). On race day or training you will need a stick of glide and lube your neck wrists and ankles. Oh ye another must is learn to swim efficient in open water. My first try I done my swim was completely inefficient and my wetsuit rubbed as a result which made the bike ride and run a painful one.
  • surfergal44surfergal44 Posts: 10
    I think you may well have done the tri by now, so apologies if so (and I hope it all went ok for you).



    I'd disagree re the other comment about wetsuit thickness - i've swum endurance distances for many years and have also done lots of open-water tri events. My first swim event was with one of my surf suits - it was 4mm thick. Was ok, but far too buoyant. You'd be better off looking at 1.5mm - I have worn rash vests too for the long swims but skip 'em for the tri events. I have Raynauds & dreadful circulation, and use 5mm suits for surfing in the coldest days of winter but manage with the 1.5mm suit in triathlons (including a 70.3). All these events have been in the UK.



    You could try looking at getting an ex-rental suit initially, it's coming up for the perfect time to do this. I had one and it was fine, had hardly been worn and was really cheap. The suit should feel tight around the shoulders to begin with, but this should ease in the water and over time. Definitely agree with using lubes...loads on the market these days e.g. tri-glide etc. Also helps a bit with stopping others grabbing & hanging onto your legs!



    You may not have to wear a wetsuit on the day but i'd check with the organisers/read their competitor notes etc to check.



    Hope this all helps for the future!
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