SPORTY SPECIAL: Give It A Tri

II’m doing a half-Ironman this weekend, so you get a triathlon-specific post this week. If you’ve been curious to try a tri, I urge you to ignore any self-doubt and take the plunge! Triathlons (and triathletes) come in all sizes: there are race age groups accommodating 14 year olds as well as 70 year olds. A good newbie race distance is a sprint triathlon, which involves roughly a half-mile swim, a 12.5 mile bike, and a 3 mile run. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Registering for a tri provides great motivation to keep up with workouts, and the multisport aspect means your training wont be boring because you’ll constantly be shifting between disciplines. There’s a great sense of accomplishment at that finish line, and I’ve found that tri-peeps are some of the most fun, motivated, optimistic and supportive people you’ll ever meet.

When it comes to being “pretty” on race day, I admit it’s a tall order. You drag yourself through a lake or river, dance an awkward jig to pry your wetsuit from your body, and hop on your bicycle while still dripping like a lake monster. Transitions can be quick and dirty, and require a game plan. A big piece of that game plan is what you’ll be wearing during the race.

Enter the trisuit: a thin spandex unitard with some cushion in the derriere for your time on the bike saddle. The cut of a trisuit might remind you of the bathing suit your grammy wore to the pool back in her hey days when your gramps worked up the nerve to ask her out for a milkshake. That may not be a sexy mental image, but the trisuit gets the job done: I wear it under my wetsuit, on my bike, and when I cross that finish line after the run. However, finding a trisuit that won’t make you cringe when you see your race day pics can be a formidable challenge.

I recently stumbled across this DeSoto Women’s-cut trisuit at Sports Basement. It will be mine; oh yes, it will be mine. This suit caters to an hourglass figure, rather than sausage-ing all your lady curves into a suit cut for a prepubescent boy. I love the accent detailing, and apparently the stitched-in bicycle padding wont add significant junk to your fashionable trunk. But don’t get me wrong; this is a serious suit, ready to be taken to the triathlon task.

Tri it…you’ll like it! :)

Made By: Sports Basement

Price: $128.00 (originally $160.00)

BUY IT