Hi. I'm new here, but not entirely new to long triathlons. I've done one iron distance event -- the Vineman in 2014. I’m registered for IM St. George on 5/2/20, and I’ve two questions relating to swim and cycling clothing and one about the cycling route.
My clothing questions center on the challenge of staying warm during the swim and during the first hour or so of the ride. When I did Vineman, I wore a tri-suit under a 3mm/2mm tri-specific wetsuit and was fine. But the water in the Russian River was much, much warmer than the 60-64 degree temperatures I’m told to expect for IM St. George.
I should add that I’m a total wimp when it comes to cold water. I hate, HATE, hate getting into -- and then swimming in -- cold water. In the tropics, when everyone else is diving in board shorts, I’m the guy wearing a dive skin AND a 3/2 wetsuit. When they’re pulling on their 3/2 wetsuit, I’m pulling on a neoprene hood.
FIRST QUESTION: given my aversion to cold water, what you recommend that I wear for the swim for IM St. George and do you recommend the use of ear wax?
After the swim at the Vineman, I was really, really cold for the first 45 minutes of the ride in a dripping tri-suit. For IM St. George, I am thinking that I might take the time to pull on arm and leg warmers and toss them at an aid station once I get warm.
SECOND QUESTION: do you have any thoughts on the use of arm and leg warmers? Bear in mind that for the Vineman, I only finished in the top third -- and I'm likely to be even less competitive for IM St. George given that it's the NA championship. While I want to do my best, I'm willing to trade a bit of time to avoid a lot of misery.
FINAL QUESTION: I looked at the map for bike course for IM St. George, and there appears to be a bear of a hill starting around mile 70 -- with some 2000 feet of steady elevation gain for 12-15 miles! Given the scale, it’s hard to tell, but it looks like a 3-5% grade! For those of you who’ve done the race, is that section of the course as really as bad as it looks and what's the highest grade you have to transit? Seems pretty intimidating!
Thanks for your help,
Christopher from Oregon
My clothing questions center on the challenge of staying warm during the swim and during the first hour or so of the ride. When I did Vineman, I wore a tri-suit under a 3mm/2mm tri-specific wetsuit and was fine. But the water in the Russian River was much, much warmer than the 60-64 degree temperatures I’m told to expect for IM St. George.
I should add that I’m a total wimp when it comes to cold water. I hate, HATE, hate getting into -- and then swimming in -- cold water. In the tropics, when everyone else is diving in board shorts, I’m the guy wearing a dive skin AND a 3/2 wetsuit. When they’re pulling on their 3/2 wetsuit, I’m pulling on a neoprene hood.
FIRST QUESTION: given my aversion to cold water, what you recommend that I wear for the swim for IM St. George and do you recommend the use of ear wax?
After the swim at the Vineman, I was really, really cold for the first 45 minutes of the ride in a dripping tri-suit. For IM St. George, I am thinking that I might take the time to pull on arm and leg warmers and toss them at an aid station once I get warm.
SECOND QUESTION: do you have any thoughts on the use of arm and leg warmers? Bear in mind that for the Vineman, I only finished in the top third -- and I'm likely to be even less competitive for IM St. George given that it's the NA championship. While I want to do my best, I'm willing to trade a bit of time to avoid a lot of misery.
FINAL QUESTION: I looked at the map for bike course for IM St. George, and there appears to be a bear of a hill starting around mile 70 -- with some 2000 feet of steady elevation gain for 12-15 miles! Given the scale, it’s hard to tell, but it looks like a 3-5% grade! For those of you who’ve done the race, is that section of the course as really as bad as it looks and what's the highest grade you have to transit? Seems pretty intimidating!
Thanks for your help,
Christopher from Oregon