What to Wear for a Triathlon

Every sport has specific clothing and equipment that are best suited for said sport. Most are no brain-ers, ie.

Example of Swimwear

Swimming = one piece swimsuit, cap, and goggles
Biking = cycling shoes, bike shorts / tights, cycling jersey, and helmet
Running = running shoes, shorts / sweats, and jersey

But what does one wear for a sport that is made up of three different sports? Well, the answer to that question is very personal. (Don't worry I'm still going to share my answer.) What I mean by personal is that what you wear for a triathlon really depends on what type of triathlon you are doing (think distance), in what season, and what your goal is. Knowing the answers to those personal questions will help you navigate through the countless options our consumer oriented society provides us.

Example of Cycling Outfits

Being new to the sport of triathlon (and swimming) but an old friend of biking and running, I already had clothing that I liked to wear for two of the three activities and all I had to buy was a swim cap and goggles. (The one piece swimsuit I had tucked away in a box somewhere from when I decided that if I had a suit I would swim...never happened.) So, with my triathlon being only one week away I finally had to go out and buy the outfit that will, hopefully, see me through many future triathlons.

I had planned my first triathlon to be a sprint, the shortest of triathlon's, and in my search for sprints near Seattle I was lucky enough to find an indoor sprint (Yahooo! I wouldn't have to worry about researching wetsuits for open-water swimming, which has always freaked me out by the way). The swim would be in a pool, the bike would be on trainers, and the run would be the only outdoor portion exposing me to the PNW elements. Running in the rain; no problem, I always run outside in order to exercise Cheddar and to not incur the expense of a gym. So, the only thing left was my goal which was to be average and finish in the middle of the pack.

My goal meant that I was going to be looking for tri-shorts and a tri-top, or a tri-suit. One of these outfits would allow me to transition from sport to sport without having to change and saving me time. And, only being able to swim eleven laps, sometimes twelve, in fifteen minutes and averaging a thirty minute 5k, I need all the time saving I can get.

So, without further ado, here are my new goods.

Zoot Performance Tri 8" Shorts

Tri-shorts are formfitting which allows you to swim in them. They also have a very thin chamois (padding) to boost your comfort on the bike seat without bothering you on the run. Bonus: Two hip pockets!

Pearl Izumi ELITE In-R-Cool Tri Singlet

This tri-top is also formfitting and moisture-wicking to reduce chaiffing, has a built-in shelf bra, and two back pockets.

TYR Competitor Tri Shorts

These tri-shorts only have one pocket and it's in the back but feature a zipper, ensuring things won't fall out. Another difference are the elastic silicone leg grippers. It's an appealing feature, no doubt.

The reason I'm showing two shorts is because one of the things I learned as I've aged is that the only clothes worth buying and holding on to are those that fit you well. This lesson is crucial when it comes to sportswear as a bad fit or an element that is disliked can disrupt your pace and cause chaffing. No one wants to be tugging at their clothes or dealing with chaffing for miles / hours.

These pieces will be pretty much all I'll need as far as clothing goes. For the run portion my plan is to throw on my biking jacket (I get cold easily and so now I've made it a habit of running with some form of long sleeves).

So there you have it, what you wear for a triathlon depends on your goals for a particular race and what you're comfortable in.