Triathlons in Cold Weather

[Try-Chick]

So, I'm doing my first tri in February and it's going to be cold (Southern Indiana). Luckily the swim is a pool event and will be last. However, what's the best way to dress for warmth for the bike and run? All the stuff I already have is warm weather gear. I have cold weather cycling gloves, but nothing warm for my legs. Any suggestions? I would like to wear either my one piece tri suit or my separates with another layer on top but don't want to be uncomfortable in the saddle with the extra layer or on the run when I typically produce more body heat than the ride.

[Lise]

So, I'm doing my first tri in February and it's going to be cold (Southern Indiana). Luckily the swim is a pool event and will be last. However, what's the best way to dress for warmth for the bike and run? All the stuff I already have is warm weather gear. I have cold weather cycling gloves, but nothing warm for my legs. Any suggestions? I would like to wear either my one piece tri suit or my separates with another layer on top but don't want to be uncomfortable in the saddle with the extra layer or on the run when I typically produce more body heat than the ride.

Hey, Try-Chick! I salute you for doing a tri in February. I did a sprint tri last May, and the temp was about 51 degrees. It was an indoor swim-outdoor bike-run. I wore my trisuit. I laid out Capilene running tights and a long-sleeve Capilene top with thumb holes in transition. I also had a windbreaker jacket and open-finger biking gloves. I made a huge error in judgement when I came out of the pool. I was heated up from the swim, and I saw a woman from an earlier heat coming back from the ride in just her trisuit and a t-shirt. "Oh", I thought, "it must not be that cold." wrong! I pulled a cotton t-shirt over my dripping trisuit, shoes, socks, helmet and gloves, and off I went. I probably took two minutes off my bike time because I was freezing and rode like hell to get back to my clothes. I have never ridden so wet and so cold. I pulled on my dry, warm clothes for the run, and I was fine. But I will never make that mistake again.

Wait a minute! I just reread your post and saw that the swim event will be last. Well that's good! You get to avoid my whole dripping wet and riding 20 mi an hour in cold weather experience! So is it ride-run-swim? Smaaaart!

OK....now with that information...I'd say some thin running tights over your trisuit, and whatever top you like to run in for that weather, with a windbreaker over that for the ride. Take off the windbreaker, if you want, for the run, and if it's decently warm, take off the tights and run in the trisuit and long-sleeved top. I'd probably keep the tights on anyway, but it depends on the weather.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Lise