Blue Lake Tri Race Report (my second tri!)

[GLC1968]

Thanks, guys!

Hmmm, ditching the wetsuit? I'm pretty certain I could do a sprint without it and it might be a good challenge for me, maybe I will!

I mentioned to my husband last night that I'm thinking about Hagg Lake AND another Blue Lake and he said 'of course you are'. If I do the Blue Lake courese again - I'll definitely have to look into aerobars. I don't think I'd get much out of them for Hagg, but another flat, out and back like last Saturday's would definitely benefit....

[tulip]

Non-triathloner question:

What advantages does a wetsuit provide over a regular swim suite other than warmth in cold water? Does it make you swim faster?

[Veronica]

Non-triathloner question:

What advantages does a wetsuit provide over a regular swim suite other than warmth in cold water? Does it make you swim faster?

It's more buoyant which can make you feel more comfortable if swimming is not your strong suit. Theoretically, it should also make you faster. I personally don't feel I get a huge benefit from the suit - other than being warmer.


Veronica

[Veronica]

I don't wear my wetsuit for sprint ones. The water is in the 70s and I'm not in it long enough to get cold. I have issues getting my suit off if there are no pullers. So any gain from additional buoyancy probably gets lost as I land on my bungie trying to get the wsuit off...

I should probably practice... but I won't.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

tulip - it creates a tremendous amount of bouyancy. I was stunned the first time I swam in mine (last week!)! It was actually difficult to pull my feet underneath me when I was in the water - they just wanted to float to the surface. A lot of swimmers lose a ton of speed and expend too much energy because they basically drag their lower body through the water (as it sinks for many)...so the wetsuit makes the swim easier and faster. As Susan mentioned, it makes you so bouyant that it's a nice comfort for people who aren't real confident in open water.

Me? Not so much. I'm not used to it, so it kind of makes me uncomfortable. And I have a natural bouyancy to my lower body anyway...so I don't need it to float. AND, I'm very cold-tolerant (both in and out of the water) so I don't need the warmth unless it's really cold. In fact, when we were swimming in 55F water last week, my torso actually got a tad overly warm in the suit until I intentionally let more water flow in!

I'd like to be a better swimmer so that I can skip it for all but the coldest swims (or much longer ones, of course), like V.

[colby]

Last season after I got my sleeveless suit I started wearing it for everything (unless it's way too warm). The arms are usually where I have trouble getting the suit off, and I've found this one is not too bad to remove. I did several sprints and a couple of Olympic distance races with it (one at 55 degrees, my torso was warm but my arms not so much ).

The extra buoyancy helps me get up and over the water and maintain a strong core and kick for the entire swim. I don't know how far I could get down my transition times without it, though, that is something I am still considering. I try to build it into a flow - reach down to take off suit, toss suit away from running shoes so they don't get drenched (or drape suit next to bike), put on shoes, grab and put on helmet, grab bike, go.

[Susan Otcenas]

In fact, when we were swimming in 55F water last week, my torso actually got a tad overly warm in the suit until I intentionally let more water flow in!

Whereas *I*, swimming 15 feet from her, was wearing a fullsuit, swim booties, and swim gloves. I came out of the water with my hands and feet white from cold. The one time I inadvertently allowed some water in at the neck, I though I'd have heart palpitations from the cold.

And this, my friends, is why when people call and ask "Is X-and-such appropriate for 50 degree temperatures", we inevitably say "Maybe. Everyone is different!".

What I *can* do is rank the RELATIVE warmth of something, but I won't even try to tell you if you're going to be warm or cold in any particular thing.

Susan

[GLC1968]

The wetsuit that left me a tad overheated in the torso in 55F water? Sleeveless.

I swear - if I am moving, I am a furnace! If I am still, I'm can be numb with cold. Efficient metabolism, I guess.

[Bike Chick]

Congrats, GLC! Great race. I love your report and your pics. I read it VERY carefully since I'm thinking of doing my first OWS tri in July---just thinking about it. I'm not a strong swimmer and just don't know if i can do it or not. It will be too warm for a wetsuit. That takes guts.