hav’nt really thought this through, but with a week to go i’m wondering what the heck i do coming out the pool and onto the bke… especially with the current nightmare cold temps.

do i leave my speedos on and just shove by bib shorts (tights if cold) over? is it tri etiquette to use a towel to dry and change? should i be looking for a cheap or second hand tri suit, although i have no plans to enter another tri though i do plan to do the local summer swim/run series?

Buy some tri shorts. You can swim in them but they have a thin chamois, cheaper and more versatile than a tri suit. Although putting a dry top on to a wet body is quite difficult.

Most of the time you race wet, if it’s going to be cold you probably do want to dry yourself a little. Some races will neutralise transition if it’s cold to allow people to dry and put more appropriate clothing on, without the danger of people losing time in transition for being sensible.

My 1st tri I was bare chested, not pretty, and obviously not thought through! It’s your first tri, you’re unlikely to win so be sensible and be comfortable. Your transition times will probably be recorded separately anyway so you can ‘adjust’ the results later if you want!

is it tri etiquette to use a towel to dry and change?

May as well trim your nails, add highlights to your hair and talc between your toes whilst you’re at it….

Presumably you’ve done lots of cold temperature tris, footflaps? In anything approaching reasonable temperatures everybody will head out in wet kit from swimming, but if it stays like this a lot of sensible people will be stopping to dry off and kit up – I know I would (I’ve done aquathlon swim/run events in cold conditions and not bothered drying off, but there’s a big difference between running and biking in the cold/wet).

Presumably you’ve done lots of cold temperature tris, footflaps?

No, but I have drunk 1/2 a bottle of wine….

Tri suit, straight on to bike. If it’s very cold then put something on in T1.

If you are only doing this one, then don’t worry about transition times too much and put a warm top on.

You can’t race bare chested once out of the pool, so you’ll need to put a top on.

If you’re allowed to get naked in transition, get naked in transition.

Then put some dry warm clothes on. Will take less time than you will lose biking/running cold

just been to a briefing for us first timers, no nudity!

to be honest, with the cold i’ve had for the last 2 weeks it will be about survival than making it. so i may as well go for warmth by changing into cycle kit and not sweat about the minute i will lose doing so. although if i can find a deal on a tri suit i’ll get one, it’ll be useful for a few other swimmy/run events i want to do this summer.

May as well trim your nails, add highlights to your hair and talc between your toes whilst you’re at it…

you may jest, last year they had someone leave the pool, grab a bag, and go into the showers for a legnthy shampoo wash before getting changed and wandering out the door for the cycle.

after my last fiasco of a sprint tri, buy a cheapish pair of tri shorts, try to get some shoe you can run in barefoot- then you only have to worry about a top- zip front or a vest (weather depending)- I lost more time getting changed than is reasonable!

Clitheroe tri? Just seen a FB post about that by a mate (who I think is the organisor) and he’s suggesting a windproof top as it’s easier to put on that a jersey.

These seem like a pretty good deal: http://startfitness.co.uk/prodtype.asp?strParents=4587,4588&CAT_ID=4625&numRecordPosition=1

I guess a full suit could be useful as possibly the only thing you’d need to wear for your summer swim/runs.