Wetsuit has arrived....

[rocknrollgirl]

OK...so my Xterra vortex arrived today. The DH purchased it for me on ebay, got a great deal. So....

As advised, I was mentally prepared for tight, and I knew to wear little gloves while putting it on, to avoid finger pokes.

So after dinner, and a small medicinal amount of red wine, I went upstairs, put on my tri shorts and started to "slip" it on. I got it up to about my knees, desperately trying not to tug, completely paranoid that I am going to tear it.

Ugg...pull...swear...what the heck...Ok..it is supposed to be tight, tight is good, don't want to bob like an apple...Ok..stuck at hips...Uggg...pull....don't pull to hard....squirm...uggg...need...more...wine....

OK, it is up to my waist...alley ooooppp....arms in...Can't breathe, can't breathe....don't panic, tight is good....tight is good...need...more...wine...

Trot downstairs to get inspected. I feel a little bit like Randy from the Christmas Story...can't put my arms down....

But I do look like a super hero, and it does seem to fit, but holy cow is it tight. It came off a lot easier than it went on.

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!

pictures will follow this weekend as promised.

[Bluetree]

Congrats RnR!
we'll have to start a new thread... "Show Us Your Wetsuits!"

P.S. Now you know why the swim leg comes first... can you imagine what the transition area would look like if the swim leg was last?!

[rocknrollgirl]

ROTHLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!


HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what a visual!

[Wahine]

I'm pretty certain that putting on your wetsuit counts as your warm-up. Maybe a workout. Heck, maybe it should be considered a separate discipline and the sport should be called Quandrathlon.

Congrats on the supersuit, you'll feel sooooooo fast.

[Tri Girl]

Congrats on your westuit!!! Sounds like you had the triathlete's pre-swim workout trying to get it on! I always feel like a superhero in mine- just call me Neoprene Queen... Glad you got it, that it fits, and that you like it!

Wahine- couldn't agree with you more!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Man, doesn't a wetsuit that tight cut off your circulation or something?

I shoehorned into one ONCE. DH had to literally hold the suit up while I jumped up and down to work my flab into it. Not fun. (pre-bike days)

[KSH]

Hee-hee... we need a picture of this!

So, how tight is a wetsuit suppose to be? I am about to start wetsuit shopping... but I'm not sure how tight it should be.

Well, congrats on the new wetsuit. Hopefully you can get some swimming done it, very soon.

[Offthegrid]

I'm trying not to even think about the wetsuit thing. I can't imagine it'll be fun putting one on at 200+ pounds.

[Bikingmomof3]

Congrats on your wetsuit!

[rocknrollgirl]

According to Tr Girl and some of the others on this site, it should be TIGHT! And yes, I can't breathe....

Just add water????

I sure hope so.........

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

AGHhhh! - what if when you add water, you start expanding inside your wetsuit, like one of those little compressed sponge dinosaurs they sell in museum shops? You might explode!!!!!

[Bluetree]

...or you might start shrinking, ala wicked witch!

[Tri Girl]

According to Tr Girl and some of the others on this site, it should be TIGHT! And yes, I can't breathe....

Just add water????

I sure hope so.........

Tight is what they've (and "they" are all the people in my tri community) say it should be. I didn't believe them at first, but after I got into the water, swam, and got out- my wetsuit had rolls from where it had "stretched out." I don't know where that extra neoprene came from, because it sure wasn't there when I put it on and couldn't breathe.

I think like fine wine, or strong liquor, you have to acquire a taste for a fine wetsuit fitting and swim. Sane people just wouldn't shove their bodies into a sheath of rubber so thick and immobile otherwise. Oh, the life of the multi-sport athlete...

I'm just giggling imagining all you lovely ladies squashing and wriggling into wetsuits.... hee hee


And seriously, if it's too tight around the neck- be concerned. There is absolutely no stranglings allowed in triathlon.

[Bluetree]

Tight is what they've (and "they" are all the people in my tri community) say it should be. I didn't believe them at first, but after I got into the water, swam, and got out- my wetsuit had rolls from where it had "stretched out." I don't know where that extra neoprene came from, because it sure wasn't there when I put it on and couldn't breathe.

You bring up a good point, Tri Girl.

I just bought my wetsuit and had a heckuva time getting into it. I chose the size small on fit, rather than the weight given on the sizing chart, but now I'm starting to wonder. There are no ripples or wrinkles in my joint areas, and it is pretty snug.

Is there a way to tell if it might be too big without actually swimming in it?
I can exchange it if I keep the tags on... but if I swim in it, the tags!
Kind of a Catch 22 situation.

Joy

P.S. It's the Ironman Blue Seventy suit

[Tri Girl]

Ooooooo... a Blue Seventy. Nice suit!
If there are no wrinkles when it's on, then you're probably fine. If it fits tight and smooth, you're probably OK. If it's at all loose or has lots of extra "bulging" when dry, it will probably be too big once wet.

I'm sure yours will be fine! As petite and tiny as you are, a small is probably a good size. I wouldn't worry... but then again, I'm not the one who bought the new suit and will be stuck with it if it doesn't fit.

I say, take the leap, pull the tags and jump in the pool with it on. If all else fails, can you could sell it on eBay- and probably get the same amount you paid for it since it's new with tags. I got almost twice what I initially paid for my older wetsuit when I sold it recently on ebay (bought it for $15, sold it for $25), and it was VERY used. I've seen new suits on ebay go for quite a chunk.