Triathlons and the SLEEVE

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Nordy
Nordy Member Posts: 2,106
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

Hi everyone! I thought I would just post this really quickly, because I can't find the thread that someone specifically asked it on!

Here is what I found today regarding whether or not to wear your sleeve during the swim section of your triahlon or to put it on during T1. The last three triathlons I did, I wore my sleeve in the water (I have a farmer john (sleeveless) wetsuit. I thought maybe I was having some drag during my swim, so today I went without it during the swim, then put it on during transition 1. I have to tell you... it cost me a minute in T1 getting that stupid sleeve on a damp arm! And it only saved me a few seconds in my swim. SO... I will never ever plan on putting my sleeve on during T1. I will just swim in it! I am not all that fast in the water, so it really doesn't matter that much to me to wear it, but I am usually fairly quick in transition, and it really cost me a LOT of time getting it on.

Okay, just my 2 cents! 

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  • revkat
    revkat Member Posts: 763
    edited July 2011

    Nordy, I'm the one who asked about it last summer, and I'm getting ready for my third sprint triathlon in Sept., so this is very helpful. It is a pain to put it on a wet arm and I was thinking about just swimming with the dang thing this time. I'm glad to know that's what you decided to do.

    I really liked the one tri I did where the swim was at the end. You get to cool off. You can rip off a sleeve much faster than putting one on, etc. However, it was only a 150 yd. swim which hardly makes it worth getting in the water! 

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  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 2,106
    edited July 2011

    Revkat - I really felt the drag in the pool when I left the sleeve on one day by accident (in training), so I decided to today not to wear it for the swim. Like I said, it made my times much worse. I would say a full minute more in T1 getting the dang thing on... and you know if you are like me, you CANNOT go without it on the bike and run. So... live and learn. It may make a difference if you are an exceptional swimmer - I am not... but really, only 7 seconds on my swim time difference without it??? But a full minute more in T1... Same tri as last year, so the times should have been really close. Argh! I am going to invent a sleeve that has no drag, but is still good for the bike and run portions!

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited July 2011

    Nordy, that rots!Frown

    You're right -- you need to invent something. If you have any ideas please share them here and we can all brainstorm. If we get some good ideas we can share them with the garment makers, who would no doubt be interested since exercise has recently become a viable LE strategy.

    Onward!Cool
    Binney

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  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 2,106
    edited July 2011

    Revkat - 150 yard swim?! You are right - that is almost not worth getting wet! I would suppose they don't want anyone drowning from fatigue with the other two events first!

    Binney - My hubby said if I had a long sleeve wetsuit, that it would be a non-issue. In one essence, he is probably right, but I still think the sleeve would curl up underneath trying to get a long sleeved wetsuit on. I was thinking wetsuit sleeves - I think someone already makes them (although not with compression in mind) - but they would not be breathable for the bike and run. Although, maybe I could get one of those on over the sleeve, then just roll it off after the swim... hmmm... It would be helpful for sure, but the most helpful would be one that just "does it all"!

    ... well, never mind - I found the wetsuit sleeves and although they look promising, there were reviews saying that they leave welts under your armpits where the sleeveless wetsuit is open. Who needs big rug burn type areas from a neoprene sleeve? Not any of us! We have enough issues already! I will keep looking... 

     

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  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 2,106
    edited July 2011

    Something like this to wear over my sleeve???

     http://www.trisports.com/quintana-roo-wetsuit-speedsleeves.html

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  • revkat
    revkat Member Posts: 763
    edited July 2011

    Nordy, I love your avatar. I was looking at a picture from the one with the short swim and I guess I did wear my sleeve into the pool. But it was such a short distance I didn't get a good feel for it. Plus I hate the idea of having a wet arm for the rest of the race in a regular tri. Hmm. Perhaps it makes a difference what the weather is like. For a race on the desert the sleve probably would dry by the time the bike section is over, but at the beach, it might stay wet until the end. 

    I'm not competitive at all, although the swim is my best event. I also haven't worked very hard to shave time off my transitions up to this point, but I really am hoping to see some improvement in everything this fall. Here's an unrelated question -- coming out of the water you have to run to your bike. I find it very uncomfortable to run across gravel, which is what has been at both my races. I was thinking about getting some swim sock just to protect my feet so I can actually run rather than hobble to my bike. Any suggestions? Maybe I should just toughen my feet up?  

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  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 2,106
    edited July 2011
    Hmmm... revkat - We need to get together as the swim is my absolute worst event. There are people coming out of the water in half the time it takes me! But I pass many, many people on the bike portion... then about half of the ones I passed on the bike pass me in the run again! I need swim tips! I have been spoiled I guess, in that the 4 triathlons that I have done (so not really a seasoned veteren of them either) - they have sand up to a carpet to cover any gravel, then grass into the transition area. Maybe they just do them different out here? I have heard of people leaving their flip flops by the water exit to slide into before heading up to the transition area. Do you think that would help? I would probably just grumble and "ouch" about it on my way to T1 - figuring that at least I only had to do it once during the race!
    I would love some tips on swimming if  you have any! Thank you!
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  • revkat
    revkat Member Posts: 763
    edited August 2011

    My middle daughter is a competitive swimmer, so I logged many hours watching kids swim correctly and listening to coaches before I began swimming myself! I think a little of it rubbed off on me. Plus, when my D is home she will come watch me and give me some tips. It's nice to have a personal coach! I do think that even one or two coaching sessions with someone who knows swimming can help a lot. The other thing that has helped me is Total Immersion Swimming. A lot of triathloners use this method. I'm to cheap to order their videos, but they have free clips on their website and the library had their book. It's all about feeling the water and trying to make your body slide through it rather than battle your way. When I've done some of their body position drills I've really noticed a difference.

    A few tips: 1) you want to spend as much time as possible with one arm in front of you piercing the water, with your body slightly rolled to that side, then quickly shift to the other arm in front rolling your hips to the other side.2) for distance swimming you are mostly pulling, kicking is only to keep your legs from dragging, not for a lot of propulsion. 3) my daughter's constant mantra "head down, butt up" which really does help you move through the water faster, but is only usefull in a triathlon after the swimmers have spread out because with your head down you're likely to plow right into someone else! 

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  • Nordy
    Nordy Member Posts: 2,106
    edited August 2011

    Revkat - My hubby has a couple TI books and DVD's! I watched them enough to learn how to swim at all (not that I couldn't stay up, but I couldn't do the crawl no matter what). Once I learned how to do it, I kind of put the TI stuff aside and just trained longer, harder in the pool. Obviously that did not work! I just picked up the triathlon swimming one, so am starting over again for the next tri (whenever that may be). Maybe I won't be so pig-headed and stubborn this time around and actually do what Terry suggests!  Thank you for your tips! I am gearing down swimming to once a week right now because I have a relay run to do the end of the month - so focusing there (and always on cycling) for now.

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