Get Your Ass in Gear

One of the bad things about triathlon is the amount of money you will spend on gear. I know everyone will tell you “Oh, you don’t really need all that! Just a bathing suit, good shoes and any old bike will do”. I’m here to tell you that they are lying. For one thing, you need to be able to train in each sport properly and for another, I don’t know a single triathlete who isn’t somewhat obsessive and doesn’t want to “Buy ALL the things!”

Here is a list of all the gear that I have bought so far, their prices and why I felt like I needed it:

Sneakers - $115.00

You can’t run without a decent pair of sneakers. I have gone through many pairs and a bunch of different brands to find ones that I find comfortable. I have had Nike, New Balance, Saucony and currently, I wear Brooks. People will tell you to go to a running store to get fitted, but having done so several times, I'm not entirely convinced that they are any better at picking shoes than I am just trying on a bunch of pairs. My favorite sneakers to date were ones the guy at the store insisted were all wrong for my foot. Anyhow, my Brooks are currently past their prime, so it's time to go through the process again.

Speed laces - $15.90

Speed laces allow you to just slip your foot into your sneaker and go as a result they are perfect for easy transitions and are also great for people who are just plain lazy, like myself. I can put my shoes on in 1 second and be out the door. When you have a small child, this is awesome. I gave an extra pair of these to my mom even, because they are so practical.

Sports bra - $65.00

Since I am blessed in this department (presently somewhere between a 32DDD and 34DD), I have to wear a decent sports bra. My "go to" bra is the Wacoal Sport Underwire. I cannot recommend this one enough, if you are a gal with a larger chest. It saves the day.

Running bib belt - $15.90

I bought this because it is supposed to make for an easier transition. Basically, you attach the bib to it before the race and then during the transition you can just grab the belt and clip it while you are running off. I am torn on this purchase. While it was easy to use in my Aquathlon,, it also rides up when I am running and drives me crazy. I spend half the time yanking it down, unless I pin it to my shorts. I haven’t worn it in road races as a result.

Running jacket - $50

I get cold and need lots of layers. If you ever run in the cold or wind you will need a good one. The best are designed to keep you warm, wick sweat and keep out the wind. Magic fabrics make this happen. My favorite one is from Asics, because the cut is wide enough on the hips that it doesn't ride up.

Body Glide - $6.00
I got this to prevent chafing from the seams on my wetsuit and to prevent chafing when I run after swimming.

Bathing suit - $85.08

As a curvier woman, I need a suit with support. If I wear the traditional racing suits, I feel like a squashed potato. As a result, I wear one which has a built in bra, which I order from England. It is perfect.

Goggles - $17.11

I like the ones which have a wider field of vision and currently wear ones by Aqua Sphere. They are sort of a cross between a diving mask and traditional goggles.

Swim cap - $31.00

My pool requires one. After my first few races, I now have three, because they give you a new cap at every race. I like the latex ones, not the silicon ones. Supposedly, the latter don't pull your hair, but I haven't had any problem with the latex ones and they are stretchier.

Wetsuit - $287.90

I get cold really easily and like to have a wetsuit to keep me warm. They are required in some races, but I wear mine even in the middle temperature range. Since there is no chance of me getting a medal, I'd rather be warm. If I get better and that fact changes, I will definitely only use it when required. As a shorter curvier girl, there are only a few companies which make wetsuits in my size. Mine is a Pipeline Fullsleeve by Nineteen.

Fins - $50.29
Pull buoy (Free to me - I used a gift card.)

My gym has these to borrow, if yours does too, you are lucky.  They are required for drills in Masters Swimming and not available at the facility I trained at.

Swimmer’s shampoo - $6.49

I use this to avoid having all my hair turn green and/or fall out. It is designed to remove chlorine.

Helmet, Bike lock, tire pump - $54.98

I got these when I got my bike. Obviously, they are to protect my bean, to lock up my bike when I go anywhere and to blow up my tires when they get soft.

 

Biking shorts - $26.18

So my bum doesn’t get sore while riding. 

Garmin 910xt plus Foot pod - $286.41 (I used a bunch of gift cards and coupons)

Okay, this one is not a necessity, but I like data and information and it’s fun to see my progress over time. I used MapMyRun for running prior to buying this, and it worked great. I also bought a lap counter, prior to this which was handy as well. But this integrates all of the sports data into one watch.

Things I have not bought yet and will need to buy at some point:  

• Fuel belt
• Road bike
• Bike rack
• Bike shoes
• Water bottle holder for bike
• Tire patch kit
• Reflective gear
• Tri kit

In total, I have spent at least $1,113.24 and this list is only for gear and does not include the costs of association memberships (Triathlon clubs, USATF, US Masters Swimming, USATriathlon), gym memberships, Masters swim classes, sports gels and drinks, miscellaneous workout clothing (like socks, pants, shirts) and the fees for race registrations. So, you can see, it is an expensive sport. Thankfully, I have bought much of this over time, because I took up each of the sports individually. But, some of this gear wears out quickly and needs to be replaced, so they are not all one time purchases either. My next big purchase is likely going to be either a bike rack or a road bike, which is going to take some research and possibly some field trips.

Post Script: There is one very important item I left out that you should never forget: waterproof sunscreen. My first trip to the beach for training I forgot to apply sunscreen and figured since my whole body was covered by a wetsuit I would be fine. Boy was I ever wrong. While you are swimming your neck faces upward and by the time I got out of the water it was so burned I couldn't even bear to touch it. Never again. So, add this to the list too!