Tri Gear for 2016

               Let’s talk gear! One thing I have seen a lot of lately as the season picks up is questions on is what products people use for each discipline of triathlon. While every person is different with what they like, I figured I would share what I use to get me through everyday triathlon training and my race day gear.

Before I get into all the details, I will say that I will not use a product I do not believe in, or a product that does not have a positive outcome for me. Even if it looks cool or pretty, I won’t buy it or use it if I don’t like it. And it’s good to be picky about your gear! You never want to go into a race feeling uncomfortable about your gear, it can only lead to negative thoughts and possibly poor results. Also, it is incredibly important to test your gear (and nutrition for that matter) before race day. Practice in your wetsuit, ride on your race wheels a few times, and run in the shoes you plan to wear for race day. Basically, nothing new on race day! You don’t know how your body will respond, so make sure it is tried and true.

 First and foremost, I have a swimming background, so naturally I was incredibly picky about what swimwear I would use for race day, and that’s where Huub Design came in. Deano Huub really makes some amazing swim gear, and they are the only wetsuit I have ever felt truly comfortable and relaxed in! It is tapered at the neck so I don’t feel like I’m getting choked, and I have plenty of flexibility for a long, powerful stroke. It keeps me at the front of the pack and I’m not gasping for air by the time I’m done in the water. In non-wetsuit legal races, I opt for the Huub skinsuit to make sure I don’t have extra drag from my tri suit.

First out of the water ITU Worlds

For the bike, I just upgraded to a Felt IA14, not only because it is an amazing and beautiful bike (I’m a little biased), but because it fits my dimensions. A bike that fits is so important to both comfort and speed, not only in everyday training but certainly on race day! I am lucky enough to work for John Cobb, one of the best fitters in the nation, so I knew exactly which bike frames would fit my particular stack and reach. If you’re in the market for a new bike, I highly recommend going to a fitter to find out what bike brand and size will fit you best. The second and one of the most important aspects of cycling, the saddle. My tri saddle is the Cobb Fifty-Five. I love this saddle because it has the perfect nose width for me, and I can ride on the nose of the saddle almost exclusively. I hate feeling a saddle in between my legs on my tri bike, and the Fifty-Five is perfect. I have tried many others (because I am in the saddle industry), only to come running back to the Fifty-Five after testing. I have no discomfort in the soft tissue and surrounding areas, so I get to focus on how much my leg muscles hurt instead of my crotch hurting! Turns out, your legs have to hurt a lot to get better.

Lastly, for the run, I am very particular about my running shoes because I have a high instep and I don’t care for minimally padded shoes. If I don’t have enough padding and support, my heels and insteps suffer. I pronate normally when I run, so a neutral shoe is the right shoe for me. But, that doesn’t mean I like any neutral shoe! My long-time go-to shoe since my cross country days is the Asics Gel-Nimbus, but I also love the Brooks Glycerin. They are great for both my short and longer distance events.

My signature trucker hat to finish the race

Oh, and color matters too of course! One of my personal favorite sayings: If you look good, you feel good; if you feel good, you do good. So that being said, you will always find me in pink or blue colors… neons aren’t too bad either! Feel free to leave me a comment if you have any other questions on any of the gear I use, or want to hear about other topics!

A closer look at all my triathlon gear…

Tri Suit: Cobb Cycling/Cobb Mobb kit

SWIM:

Goggles-Speedo Speed Socket, Polarized

Swimskin- Huub SKN-1

Wetsuit- Huub Axena (full sleeve)

BIKE:

Felt IA14, size 48 (Shimano Ultegra 11-speed)

Cranks- 165 Standard Cobb cranks with a 53t Q-ring

Power Meter- Stages arm (but will soon be testing a Verve Cycling Infocrank; 155 crank arm length)

Saddle- pink Cobb Fifty-Five <3

Pedals- SPD

Shoes- Louis Garneau Tri X-Lite

Helmet- Rudy Project Wing 57

Race Wheels: various HED wheels from my cycling family (Lesniewski shoutout)!

RUN:

Shoes- Asics Gel Nimbus or Brooks Glycerin with bungee laces

And my signature Cobb Mobb trucker hat!

Cheers and thanks for reading!