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What to wear for Danksin Training

Posted: April 13, 2007

There are many more styles of clothing for female triathletes then there were a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, for some reason, designers of women’s athletic clothing always seem to miss the boat on what we want and need in athletic clothing. Hello, we are just asking for clothing that does two simple things: performs its function and looks good on us. Is that so much to ask?

But things are improving, which is why I want to point out some of the key features to look for in triathlon clothing. I will also let you know why triathlon-specific clothing is preferable to three different outfits: a swimsuit, cycling gear and then running clothes.

For a couple of reasons, it is much easier not to have to put on and take off clothing in the transition area. First of all, you will be tired from swimming, and/or biking, and if you don’t need to change clothes, why spend the energy doing that? This may be the one morning of the week when you don’t feel the need to switch outfits – enjoy it!

For many of us, what to wear is an important, but manageable, daily question. In the sport of triathlon, however, the issue can strike fear into the hearts of women. Most, if not all, the women I know fret over the thought of wearing a bathing suit in front of one person, let alone a crowd of 5,000 people. So first of all, let me assure you that the Danskin Triathlon crowd is the coolest crowd of 5,000 to wear that bathing suit in front of. Not only are they supportive of all shapes, sizes, and ages, but most of them have one on too. So if I can encourage you to worry more about function and less about appearance, then I will be successful.

Until last year many clothing companies only carried small, medium, large sizes. And everything came paired up. How many of us have small tops and large bottoms or even large tops and medium bottoms? Almost none of us are one size – small, medium or large. Xlarge didn’t even exist in women’s triathlon clothing until the end of last year. The outfits often seem to be geared more toward Daytona Beach than athletes.

Second of all, it is difficult to put on and take off clothes when you are wet from the water or sweat. Some of the particular materials athletic clothes are made from do not come off and on easily when wet. Bike shorts are the worst in this category. Wet bike shorts feel like a giant wet maxi-pad – not something you want to run in. Chafing is almost guaranteed in this situation. Cotton t-shirts or tank tops also chafe (there are fewer things less pleasant than chafed underarms while you are running), and they get heavier and heavier the wetter they get because they hold on to the moisture. Cotton is also a hot material to have against your skin, especially during the run. What you want to look for are clothes made from materials that can wick water away from your skin. That makes them dry fast, cool you off and help control the chafing. Every maker has their version of the material with their own fancy name. They will list this on the tag with an explanation of its ability to get moisture away from the skin.

Now that you know you want wick-away material, let’s talk about your style choices. These days, there are about three categories of outfits worn by female triathletes. And there are many variations on these outfits as well.

1) Some female triathletes wear a one piece or two-piece swimsuit for the entirety of the competition, either with or without a quick drying pad for cycling (this pad is very small, but effective.

2) Other women wear a one-piece triathlon suit, which has a zipper in the front or in the back of the top. It is basically a pair of shorts sown to a top. New this year is the addition of sleeves on some of these one-piece tri suits. The short part comes with a quick drying pad, and the whole suit is made with technical material so it will dry fast. The suit covers the top of the leg and many women like this feature, not just for the coverage but also on the bike for chaffing. On the top, most women find a one-piece suit offers the most support for their breast, because it is tight fitting and, if needed, you can easily put a jog bra underneath the suit itself. Most women who wear these recommend the front zip because, although they tend to be a little less supportive, they are easier to get out of in the port-o-let before the race and can be unzipped for cooling.

3) Probably the most common type of outfit is the two-piece, tri-short and top. The tri-short has a thin pad that is made of material that dries quickly. The short often comes in two lengths – 5-6 inch inseam or 6-8 inch inseam. Almost every triathlon company has its version of these shorts. (Note: There is no difference between women’s shorts and men’s, and even the sizing is often the same. Because men don’t want to wear women’s clothing, however, the companies market it differently. So, if they are out of your size in the women’s section, try the men’s.) The top is either a t-top (jog bra style) or a long top with a jog bra built it. The t-top is just like a jog bra, but made of material, unlike most jog bras, that dries quickly.

Now let’s talk about jog bras. If you are going to wear your favorite bra under your suit, but it is really a running jog bra, it probably doesn’t wick away water or sweat. This can easily leave you in a completely wet bra during the race, which will not be as effective for support – not to mention that the chafing is painful, given the tenderness of your skin in that area. I mention this because many of you may be planning to wear that favorite jog bra as your top or to supplement your top. If you are, please test it out first. Unfortunately, the t-tops and long tops made by triathlon companies are not very supportive. I don’t understand why they can’t make it work, but they can’t seem to get it right. Often it can help to size down when selecting a top to make it more snug. The long top with the jog bra is what most women want and also what the manufacturers make the least number of. They also do a poor jog of adding support in those tops. If you want to wear one of these tops but it is not supportive, wear another bra underneath – preferably one made of a wick-away material – or try a size smaller. Even though many of the t-tops and long tops come with pockets in the back, they are fine to swim in – just tuck the bottom into your tri-shorts.

Of course, you can always mix and match outfits, as we discussed at the beginning of this article. You can wear a swimsuit and throw on a singlet or bike shorts for the rest of the race. However, beware of wearing a swimsuit with bike or tri shorts, as chafing can occur where the stitching meets between the legs.

But there is no substitute for practice, and like every other element of training, only you can determine what works best for you. Whatever you decide to wear during the race, it is important to get the clothes early and try them several times to see what will prove most comfortable for you. Keep in mind that in the weeks leading up to the race, there will be a rush on clothing, so play it safe, trump that procrastination gene, and choose your outfit early.