Friday Tri: Gear

When I finished this year's 50 miler, I ended up having an interesting conversation with John, who did it the first year himself just for fun and since then is the main organizer. He said that the first year, a couple had signed up for the race and they walked every step together, holding hands. They signed up on a whim and neither of them had worn good running shoes. By the end of the course, when John and his wife ended up insisting that the couple could no longer continue because it was past dark, the man had worn his shoes down so badly that his feet were showing through and had been torn to bloody shreds. John also said that he was pretty sure that the couple broke up the next day because the woman came into the shop later to buy shoes with another man.

Some important lessons here. I'm not sure I'm a believer in couples needing to do EVERYTHING together, for one thing. My husband and I do races "together," which means we talk about the race, drive down together, set up together, and talk afterward. But we go at our own pace because it can feel insane to try to keep pace with another person and in triathlon it's actually illegal to stay too close to someone else on the bike. We don't train often together, either, because we have kids and we try to have one of us at home most of the time. Also I love to train on the treadmill so I can watch TV and have easy access to drinks, fuel, and a bathroom. My husband only trains on the treadmill if it is truly scary weather outside and cannot figure out why I would want to do so.

But the other lesson here is that you need the proper gear to do your race. Years ago, I tried to do a triathlon (not the off-road kind) with a mountain bike. I think I must have been dead last on the bike. It got me through the course, yes, but it was not a good choice. I've seen lots of people running in inappropriate shoes. My father was well known for running with me in his wingtips when I was in high school. This is just an invitation for an injury. Don't go exercise without the proper gear. Now, yes, a good pair of running shoes can be expensive, about $100. I don't know what to say about that except that if you don't have a pair, I'd actually recommend walking instead. Or even running barefoot on a grassy hill.

Today, I am especially pleased with my new Pearl Izumi triathlon specific shoes that I got on a whim the last time I was in Striders, our local running store. I went in wearing my old Asics and the clerk immediately asked if I needed a new pair of shoes. I told him I already had a new pair, but I was doing a 50 miler and wondered if there was anything I could do to avoid getting blisters on 30 plus mile runs. He didn't seem to think that there was. You sort of have to plan on blisters when you run that long, no matter what your shoes. But when he found out I also do triathlons, he made me try on these shoes. They feel like I am lighter than air. They have holes all along the soles so water can pour out, which is great. They also slip on and off super easily. I will admit, they don't work for runs longer than 12 miles, but they are great at what they do. They make me excited about running, and that is a good thing for someone who tends to default to bike.

Buy the proper gear for your sport. Don't pinch pennies on this. I'm a terrible miser (ask my kids) but there are some things you just have to pay for. Proper goggles in my opinion are about $20. I only like Speedo Hydrospex, but they last for months. I also still have my Silicone cap that I bought 6 years ago. The latex caps are cheaper, but they break all the time. I never EVER buy my swimsuit at a store because if it has lycra, it will last about eight weeks and then disintegrate. Buy a polyester Chloroban suit. I like swimoutlet.com. They have good suits on sale for about $30, which is what you'd pay for a bad one in a department store. I will admit, my daughters laugh at me because I only wear swim suits, not fashion suits. I don't care if I look good in it, only if it doesn't bunch up when I am at full speed.