wetsuit....

[Tri Girl]

WOOO HOOOO!!!! Congrats on your newest tri toy!
You've got one wonderful man there! Now, tell us all about it. Is it sleeveless or full sleeves? Do you look like a superhero in it? Have you gotten in a tub full of water and tried swimming yet? hee hee
You should do a polar bear swim on New Year's Day, but wear your wetsuit and try it out!

[rocknrollgirl]

Yes...he is a good man. He found it on ebay. New. Long sleeves. Saved about....300 buck a roonies...I knew that he was looking at it, and then he did a bunch of research and made no more mention about it. And then viola....it is being shipped.

So I will fill you in on how stunning I look when it gets here. Maybe if you all behave, I will take a picture and post it.

The even better news is that we found a place only about a half hour from home to do open water lake swimming. So I wll probably give that a go in April. My first race is targeted for May 20th...brrrr...1/2 mile swim.

[Tri Girl]

Sounds like a nice suit! And really, who doesn't look good all rubbered up in neoprene??? (Ok- so my rolls are a little diminished and I'm shiny like a whale- but it's a good look ). Yes, pictures are definitely in order when it arrives! Just don't freak out when you go to put it on and you work up a sweat, are pulling and tugging like crazy, and it's so tight you can barely breathe in it. That's how it's supposed to fit! Any looser and you'd be a bobbing apple in the water.
Just be careful about pulling it on (I learned that the hard way when I got mine, and now the finger pokes in it make me sad ).

An open water lake so close, eh? Good for you! You could probably get in the water in early April if you have a full suit.

[rocknrollgirl]

OK...got it...tight as all get out is good....take care with fingers....

Anything else I need to know?

I read on the Xterra site about putting Bodyglide or Pam spray on your ankles and wrists to get it off more easily during transition.

[Tri Girl]

Bodyglide is essential for getting it on IMO (the off is really not a problem- when you're wet it comes off easy, but does not go on easy when wet- go figure). I would avoid using pam because I've read that it can cause deterioration of the neoprene over time (and will wear on the inside as well). Although people in my tri club use pam- I'm just too cheap to risk it ruining the one I have. The bodyglide is also good for around the neck, and anywhere else it may rub you raw. My friend puts plastic grocery bags on both feet as she pulls her suit on, and it works wonders (although her ankle openings on the suit are far smaller than mine).
I also find that it goes on over my butt easiest when I'm wearing my tri shorts (because my derrier and hips are ample, the fabric helps it to glide easier than my flesh).

Oooooo... I may be just as excited for you to get your new wetsuit!

[Offthegrid]

I might bug you to take me open water swimming. I totally panicked in the black water when I did my tris!

[rocknrollgirl]

Any time....you just let me know.

Ruth