Wetsuit Review- Mary Jo Pugh

Do I really need a wetsuit to race in triathlon?

If you are racing sprint races in the middle of the summer, probably not...
If you are racing Olympic distance or above, and those races occur in water 78 degrees or cooler...I personally think it's probably a good idea.
Why?

First, if you want to begin your lake swims early in the season, a wetsuit allows you to get in the water and do long, uninterrupted swims with a group of friends...in comfort. For me it also reduces my anxiety. I'm less concerned about things like, " what if I get a leg cramp in the middle of the lake?" or "what if I just get tired well into the swim?" While it isn't magic, it sure helps deal with little issues in a workout that may lead non-swimmers like me to be anxious.

Second, in longer races, a wetsuit gives you a speed advantage, leaving you fresher for the bike and run. It floats your bottom and legs...making you more hydrodynamic...faster pace for the same effort. If you are super-strong swimmer, you might be just fine without it, but even the pros wear a wetsuit when it's wetsuit legal...

If you decide to get a wetsuit, how fancy do you need to get? A lot depends on your budget and your training and races. If you want to start early spring lake swims, you will probably want a full sleeve wetsuit...it just keeps you warmer. Last February we went out to Boerne Lake and I was so cold with even my full wetsuit that I also opted to buy some booties and a skullcap. If you will be racing in the summer, you probably will prefer a sleeveless wetsuit because you will probably overheat in a sleeved model.

The are a wide range of wetsuts available. Some are very price friendly for those who want the advantage without going to the latest and greatest features. Some have all the new stuff and are really expensive. What you choose probably depends upon your budget. The March issue of Triathlete Magazine is the "wetsuit" issue. This issue describes most of the triathlon wetsuits available, the pros and cons of each suit, and a price range. I would recommend doing a little research before you choose a wetsuit...it is an investment!

Puposeful Eating

How many times does this happen: It is the end of the day, you sit down on the couch for some much needed "down time" and you have a snack and then another and then another. How about this scenario: you are rushing out to get to your next commitment and throw down whatever is available. Too often, we eat unconsciously or without purpose and end up gaining weight, bonking in training or feeling low in energy. What might serve us well is to look at our day in advance, just as we would our training and plan our fuel as such.

For most of us, the base training phase has started for our season. Typically that means a lot of longer, easier rides. This is when we need to work on our metabolic efficiency. If the heart rate is staying in the lower zones the need for carbohydrates is much lower than that of a high intensity workout. Now is the time to have the body use those "winter stores" of fat as the primary fuel. Staying aerobic during training improves the mitochondrial performance on fat. In other words, we already have stored the fuel and glycogen for several hours of aerobic exercise. As our training load increases in intensity and length then we can look at adding the sport nutrition needed to improve performance.

So we have discovered that for most of our training right now we aren't in need of a great deal of "carbo loading", gels or bars; then what do we need? We need only to continue to eat a balanced meal, take in adequate hydration with just enough sodium to promote hydration and plan in advance our food intake with the same methodical deliberation as we do our training. This purposeful eating will give us the greatest results in performance as well as better health. It is important to remember that food is the fuel that allows us to do the activities that ultimately help us to feel good and healthy. Keep in mind that it is better to eat to train than to train to eat.

Happy Training!!!

For questions or comments contact Coach Dawn Elder at dawn@trisitionarea.com

Tri-Sition Area is not affiliated with any particular coaching service nor does it support any specific method or philosophy of training