Hey all: poll time. How many of you take the time to put socks on for either the bike or run? Or both? I train with socks on, but thinking that to reduce transition time, just go barefoot. My biggest fear is blisters. Any comments or suggestions?
Mark
I went sockless, both training and racing. Got to where I’d know within 1 minute of trying on a pair of shoes whether they’d cause blisters or not. Sure, your shoes will STINK very soon, but frequent laundering (i washed mine by hand) helps prolong your endurance of their odor. Just make sure you use your racing flats frequently so that you keep the tough spots on your feet.
The bottoms of my feet are way too soft and wussy-ish (is that a word?) to not wear socks, so I alway wear them. My feet hurt just from running out of the water to T1.
For anything longer than an Oly, I put socks on for the run. I usually go sockless on the bike.
I always wear socks for the run, and usually for the bike, too. Running with socks not only prevents blisters, but also keeps your feet happier if/when you get gravel and other debris in your shoes.
It depends on the conditions, too. At Wildflower this weekend I actually sat down in T1 to put on socks. Then in T2 I took them off – they were so drenched I could wring them out – and put on dry socks for the run. It was the most worthwhile couple of minutes I’ve ever wasted in transition.