Would putting on socks for the ride and run be a complete and utter faux pas?
I wear Balega antifriction socks when I ride and run for training. It’s like my feet are wrapped in soft puffy clouds. Even just walking around barefoot in runners is the worst feeling ever.
Would putting on socks for the ride and run be a complete and utter faux pas?
I wear Balega antifriction socks when I ride and run for training. It’s like my feet are wrapped in soft puffy clouds. Even just walking around barefoot in runners is the worst feeling ever.
Not really. I can’t seem to get used to running barefoot, so I ride sans socks and then put them on after the ride. Your biggest problem will be wet/sandy feet coming out of the swim.
John
A friend at the local bike shop suggested having a Rubbermaid bin with water in it and a towel all set up by your bike. That way you can run up to the bike wash the sand off your feet and quickly dry them. However he didn’t say anything about socks and I was too embarrassed to ask.
Of course not. Do what you gotta do to be comfortable.
I personally don’t like wearing socks on the bike or run, either racing or training, but I see plenty of people with them. The only socks I think look silly are the taller (mid-calf) socks you see a lot of road cyclist wearing.
And a lot depends on length of the race. For a sprint I never wear socks, I can put up with a lot for a 5k. For an oly I will often put them on for the run, I once thought I was scooping a rock out of my shoe during the run, it turned out to be about a half dollar sized hunk of skin from the blister that used to be there. Anything longer than an Oly I always wear socks.
Learn how to roll your socks and then put them on your feet like you’d put on a condom.
Of course not. Do what you gotta do to be comfortable.
+1.
I personally don’t wear socks on the bike while racing (wet feet, kind of in a rush) but definitely take the time to put them on for the run. Tried that once (thought I’d save myself 10 seconds) and wound up with HUGE blisters. If you want to go that route get the right shoes and don’t wait for race day to try it out. But if you’ve got comfy socks, enjoy them.
I have a friend who wears socks while racing Olympic distance. Overall winner at a recent race, so he must put them on quickly. Not sure if wears them for sprints.
If you* must *wear sox, and wanna save some time in transition … roll 'em up like condoms ahead of time, and put them on your feet in much the same fashion as “wrapping the rascal”
I wear socks for both the bike and run at all distances - doesn’t take but 10s if that as long as you practice transition.
If you* must *wear sox, and wanna save some time in transition … roll 'em up like condoms ahead of time, and put them on your feet in much the same fashion as “wrapping the rascal”
I do this and it barely takes any appreciable time in transition. But I also don’t try to mount my bike with shoes already attached so my transition time already includes stopping to put shoes on.
I find I have no problem biking sockless, but prefer to run with socks. I figure if I start developing a blister, my change in run gait to mitigate pain is going to eat any time savings I made in transition.
The person racked next to me at a recent sprint did the water filled bin thing. I was anxious about it when I saw how he was all set up and thought for sure the USAT official would say something as he was taking up WAY too much space. Arriving in T2 I found my running shoes and visor SOAKED because the dude was apparently splashing around in it like a 6 month old in a sink. I’ll say something to the next person I’m set up with who has a bin. If the sand bothers you that bad, grab an extra cup of water when you come out of the swim and use it to pour over your feet.
To the OP, I’ve only done sprints and oly’s, no socks just Bodyglide.
For me,
Olympic distance and less = no socks.
HIM and up I have the 10 seconds to put on socks and not have bloody feet.
Some of the pros must do the same. I doubt that Caroline Stephen puts on socks before the swim.
This latter only works if you are competent with the former
.
Good point, George
I wear socks on both. My wife wears socks on neither.
Two bigger pieces of advice since you are new:
Do what YOU are comfortable with. If you want to wear socks, wear socks. Do not worry about unwritten triathlon rules of some mythical ruling body. There are none and those who claim they exist are simply posers. You are a triathlete when you compete in the race, not when you run with or without socks. Don’t let anyone tell or make you feel different. There are no faux pas. Just follow the actual race rules and be respectful of your neighbors in transition.Whatever you decide to wear, try/perfect it in training first. If you think you want to go without socks, do some training rides/runs like that. Feel OK? Good, then no socks works for you. But, don’t show up and go no socks for the first time in a race just because you want to dress like the cool kids.If you learn these two lessons as you get started, you’ll save yourself much stress/anxiety, and maybe even some money.
I always wear socks for the bike & the run. It works for me. My run will always be a bigger limiter than the time taken to put on a pair of socks in T1.
A friend at the local bike shop suggested having a Rubbermaid bin with water in it and a towel all set up by your bike. That way you can run up to the bike wash the sand off your feet and quickly dry them. However he didn’t say anything about socks and I was too embarrassed to ask.
What if everybody did that?
A friend at the local bike shop suggested having a Rubbermaid bin with water in it and a towel all set up by your bike. That way you can run up to the bike wash the sand off your feet and quickly dry them. However he didn’t say anything about socks and I was too embarrassed to ask.
What if everybody did that?
No socks for me for sprints or Olys.
I normally have an extra water bottle in transition that I can use either to drink or rinse my feet off. Rinse the sand off and then wipe my feet in the towel I lay my gear out on.
If I get anything on my feet running out of transition, I’ll just reach down and wipe my feet off before slipping into my bike shoes.
I never wore socks in races when I was running track in school, so it seems natural to me to run without them.
Only problems I’ve had is when I get a small rock of piece of gravel in my shoe during the run.
But ‘nothing new on raceday’ so you need to try going sockless in training before you try it in a race.
For any run longer than a 10K, definitely socks.
Mark