How to kit yourself out for Triathlon?

Combining three disciplines – swimming, cycling, running –, triathlon requires a great deal of equipment, whether for training or for race day. To help you find your way around and start your (first) triathlon in the best possible conditions, here are the essentials, both for training and for race day.

Key points

• Swimming: costume, wetsuit, goggles, swim cap, paddles, pull-buoy;
• Cycling: road bike or TT/Triathlon bike, helmet, glasses, hydration/ nutrition accessories, repair kit);
• Running: shoes, visor or cap, quick laces, compression socks;
• For race day: trisuit, transition bag, quick-drying towel, track pump, sunscreen, race number belt, …

EQUIPMENT FOR EACH DISCIPLINE IN TRAINING

SWIMMING

For swimming, for pool training, beyond the costume, swim cap and goggles, paddles and pull-buoys will quickly become your best allies for improving your swimming technique and progressing rapidly.

Paddles help to strengthen the upper body by increasing the surface area of water displaced with each stroke.
Pull-buoys allow you to focus solely on arm technique by keeping your legs at the surface of the water, while kickboards, conversely, are ideal for improving the quality of your leg kick without worrying about arm work.

If you train outdoors, tinted or even photochromic swimming goggles will provide greater comfort. Likewise, a swimming wetsuit suitable for triathlon or open-water swimming to cope with cool or even cold water.

CYCLING

For the bike leg, many beginners wonder what kind of bike to choose: a standard road bike or a Time Trial (TT) / Triathlon bike, i.e. with a specific cockpit integrating a base bar, extensions and gear shifters at the end of them?

It will all depend on the course profile and your level. On a very hilly or even mountainous event, a road bike is preferable unless you are already a strong cyclist, as a TT-style bike will require more energy on the climbs. This type of bike also takes time to be "mastered" and to deliver its full potential.

On a triathlon with a flat profile and especially over long distances, a specific bike will be fully justified. It should be noted that the difference between a TT bike and a Triathlon bike lies in its approval by the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale). A Triathlon bike does not, for example, have the same limits regarding fairing or seat tube angle as a TT model. A TT bike is permitted in a Triathlon, but not the other way around. Bear this in mind if you are planning to take part in both types of event.

An interesting intermediate solution, especially if you are a beginner, is to fit extensions on your road bike in order to work on your position and see whether you are comfortable in that kind of position. Note also that on certain races where drafting is permitted, the length of the extensions is limited (generally so as not to extend beyond the brake hoods).

RUNNING

Finally, for running, you will above all need one or even several pairs of shoes depending on the distances and surfaces you will be running on. Compression socks can help you better manage the training load and sustain repeated efforts.

SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT FOR RACE DAY

The essential item for a competition is the trisuit, as it is the only piece of kit, along with your multisport watch, that you will wear throughout the entire race. Serving as a swimsuit, cycling outfit (with a discreet but genuinely effective chamois pad) and running outfit, the trisuit must be chosen carefully according to your discipline and your goals.
To make life easier, arrive at the transition area already wearing your trisuit and lay out your belongings according to the order of disciplines.

The space allocated in the bike park is not always very large for each athlete. To organise your transitions well, nothing beats a transition bag. These bags, designed specifically for triathlon, will make your life much easier with compartments dedicated to each discipline, and sometimes an integrated mat to dry your feet efficiently.

SWIMMING

For the swimming leg, you will most often be required to use a wetsuit. While it can represent a significant investment, it will prove to be an asset by allowing you to swim faster while using less energy. To get the full benefit from it, you must opt for a triathlon wetsuit and not an open-water swimming wetsuit, and certainly not a diving or surfing model. Triathlon wetsuits have indeed been designed to protect you from the cold, improve your buoyancy and glide without restricting your movements. Unlike open-water swimming wetsuits, they are also easy to remove so as not to lose time during transitions.
To facilitate these transitions and especially to avoid burns caused by friction, apply anti-chafing cream, particularly around the nipples, armpits and the back of the neck.

While the swim cap is always provided by the organisers along with your race number, nothing prevents you from wearing your own cap underneath if you wish, particularly in cooler weather. Finally, bring a small quick-drying towel to dry your feet and put your shoes on quickly, whether or not you plan to wear socks.

CYCLING

In triathlon, no start without an approved helmet. You will not be able to enter the bike park on race day without your helmet on your head, chin strap fastened. Glasses are of course the essential complement. Clipless shoes are the norm here, but nothing prevents you from taking part in an event with flat pedals – possibly combined with toe clips – if you feel more comfortable doing so. Once ready to get on the bike, do not forget to apply sunscreen and put on your race number belt (the number must be visible at the back for the bike leg and at the front for the running leg).

You will also need to bring all the repair kit to deal with minor mechanical incidents (punctures but also broken chains for example), as do not forget that outside assistance is prohibited in triathlon. You will therefore only be able to rely on your equipment and yourself.

In the same spirit, equip your bike to be self-sufficient in terms of hydration and nutrition. Many specific solutions exist, including saddle-mounted bottle cages, reservoirs with a straw to fix between the extensions or top-tube bags for gels.

Finally, remember to bring a track pump to the bike park; it will allow you to set the ideal pressure just before the swimming start.

RUNNING

Once the bike is racked and the helmet removed, you will need to change shoes, turn your race number belt around and put on your running shoes. To save time, opt for quick laces. In addition to the speed they offer when changing shoes, they provide unrivalled reliability (no risk of laces coming undone during the race) and maximum comfort (even and consistent tightening of the foot, with no risk of pressure points). A visor or cap along with a pair of sunglasses will also help you tackle the final discipline in the best conditions.