Shopping for a Sport You've Never Played (Part 4)

Guess what I just got in the mail?! MY WETSUIT!! It's so pretty... and smooth... and mine! Ok, I need to calm down and back up. So back when I attended a Y-Tri Gear Clinic, it was very heavily advised that we plan on using a wetsuit for race day. The combination of the water temperature, the buoyancy and speed the suit will give you, and the fact that pretty much everyone wore one made it more of a serious disadvantage not to have one, than an advantage having one. Got it... I need to wear a wetsuit.

Option A: You can rent. Actually more locations rent out suits than you'd think. For example, many bike shops in the area, who don't sell wetsuit or anything to do with swimming, do rent them out. Who'd of thunk! Deal is that it cost somewhere between $25-$35 to rent for a couple days or week. Not to much right? Well, if you add in the 3-4 open water training sessions we'll have in the next 2 months, plus race day, it can add up.

Option B: You can buy. Initially I was told a good basic suit would run about $200. Now this would be just a tad over what I'd spend renting, but then it would be mine. And if I continue on with triathlons in the future (here's hoping) I'd end up saving in the end. But then I started shopping. First of all, at least in this area, it's next to impossible to shop in store. So you go online. As a novice I got really intimidated really fast. Ever picture of a suit looked exactly the same, and to be honest so did the descriptions, but the prices went from $100-$$$$CRAZY! Well I don't want to spend even $100 if it turns out I might be buying garbage. So I asked a close friend who has ties in the Florida triathlon community and she came back with XTERRA Wetsuits. Not only that, she also said that for what I needed there was one discounted to $100!! Whoo hoo!

So this is what I ended up with: Xterra Women's Volt - $99!

PS: Putting this thing on might take as much practice as my front crawl... and once it is on I could be mistaken for Cat Women... just wow!

The Perfect Pair of Shades

Spent today shopping around for a nice, affordable pair of light weight sunglasses that would be appropriate for both cycling and running. Unfortunately for me I have the curse of almost never finding shades that don't make me look like a circus freak or bug. I realized that there doesn't seem to be one location where I can just go and try on a bunch of glasses. This is where the internet, I feel, has made our lives inconvenient. Instead of running out, trying some things on, and going home with the perfect fit, you have to order one pair, try them on, probably return them and pay shipping, and do it all over again and again until you find the perfect pair. *Grr*! So long story short, I've made my first order, and the process has begun. I did find a review of "Best Sunglasses" for running from Runner's World that helped me on the right track. Let me know what you've found and if there is a tangible location that might get me out of this shipping world mess.

Shopping for a Sport You've Never Played (Part 3)

This is the one area I’m following the “wait and see” motto. Cycling is a sport that can be as expensive or economical as you make it. For example, right now I’m just going to be using my running shoes rather then invest in clip-less because I'm still learning their advantages and what I need to look for within my tight budget. Thankfully, I invested in a great Schwinn bike last year when I found my perfect frame size (woman’s small – next to impossible to find!) on sale. If you don’t have a bike yet, my best advice to you is to go to your local shop and ask the professionals what exactly you need (basic-no frills) for what you want to do, and if they know of any used bikes available. Last year a friend of mine was shopping around for a new road bike after his was stolen and after looking around the store for a new one, ended up buying one of the mechanics used ones off him for a great deal. Since he was getting it from a bike mechanic, he knew it was in good shape, and got a free tune up.

When you are purchasing a new bike, make sure they include a "bike fit". This is more then just adjusting the height of your seat. I've been told adjusting anything on your bike by centimeters can completely change the feel, and since you'll be booking some serious mileage in the upcoming months, avoiding chronic injuries is a must! The most important thing is that you train on whatever bike you will be racing with. Bikes have very different feels, and you don’t want to be thrown off your game race day by introducing a new piece of equipment.

Helmet is a must, easy to find, and shouldn’t be too much. As for the clothes, tops can be the basic wicking tank paired with bike shorts. I’m still not sure about the padded bike shorts versus not padded. I already had a pair of all-sport capri tights I’ve been using, and I would be lying if I said my derrière was not a tad soar the next day, but I don’t know how much the padding will actually help, and when in doubt hold onto the money and wait.

I'll be attending a couple free bike clinics this next month, so keep posted for updates (read: what they talk me into buying).

Shopping for a Sport You've Never Played (Part 2)

Swim Suit: Let’s just say that trying on Speedos might not be the best confidence building exercise, but it sure is motivating! If you are not an avid swimmer who knows exactly what size you are looking for, it probably would be helpful to suck it up and head out to your local sport store to try some on. Even if you don’t find exactly what you want, you can at least get an accurate idea of what size you should order online.

Goggles: pretty easy to find, and one of the few things that are usually honest when they say “one size fits all”. Plus all come with different size nose separators – check!

Swim cap: ladies – DO NOT believe what the packaging tells you. The lycra (cloth) caps that swear they are specifically made for long hair… not so much. I honestly couldn’t even get it over my head! Yes, the latex might pull a bit, but it will hold in place and keep way more chlorine out. Another helpful hint is to slather some conditioner on your hair before dawning the cap. A) Think of it as a conditioning treatment B) Since you’re hair is absorbing the conditioner it will be able to absorb less chlorine. If you’d rather skip the conditioner, sticking your head under the shower and getting your hair soaked with non-chlorinated water helps avoid chlorine absorption too. After each swim shake some baby powder in your cap to help minimize pinching next swim.

Also, if you plan on swimming on a pretty regular basis, it might not hurt to invest in some chlorine removing shampoo & conditioner. Winter’s already giving my locks a run for their money, so why not.

Shopping for a Sport You've Never Played (Part 1)

It’s February in Washington, DC. It’s not just any winter thought, it’s snowpocalypse! In the four winters I’ve lived in this city, I have not seen more then a day of snow each season, not to mention that it usually didn’t even stick. But of course, the winter I decide to sign up for a program that will have me running outside before the crack of dawn (literally), the ice age arrives! Of course I didn’t realize we would be running outside when I signed up. I remember sitting in the Y for the Orientation, all excited with my two good friends who signed up with me, almost a month after we registered and put money down for this crazy adventure. We were finally going to find out, in specifics, what these 18 weeks were going to entail! Truthfully, all I remember from the hour plus presentation, was Larry (organizer) stating, almost as an after thought, that the running groups would meet in the lobby for their OUTDOOR runs. What about the indoor track? Now I know this sounds slightly melodramatic, but you have to understand, I am from Florida!

Anyway, this launched my mission to make sure I had all I needed to be prepared.

Running Shoes: Nothing beats going to a running store like Georgetown Running Co. or Fleet Feet and getting a professional to fit you, especially if you are not an experienced runner. There are just way too many details to be able to figure it out on your own. If you really can’t afford to shell out $100, go in anyway, get a fitting, get their advice and then go online shopping for the one or two options they gave you for a discounted price. I found my Mizuno’s for $30 cheaper then the store was offering and free shipping on Amazon!