I signed up for my first triathlon May 2 at Verrado and am not sure what to expect. I believe we will swim first and then bike. Do most girls just throw on a tight tank top over their wet bathing suit and wear their suit the whole time? thanks,

Nicki from Arizona

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Hi Nicki,
Thank you for contacting TriathaNewbie.com and congratulations on training for your first triathlon!

We have a whole section detailing a race told from the vantage point of the racer. Check it out on our Race Day Page and it will give you a great idea of what to expect.

Here is an excerpt from the T1 part, which will answer your gear question:

Transition One (T1), Swim to Bike

• Walk/jog up the beach/grass/pavement and over the time carpet and begin unzipping your wet-suit. If you can't reach the strap, ask a spectator or official to lend a hand. They will!
• You may feel a bit disoriented. That's OK! Keep going! Find your bike.
• Look for the brightly colored item that you tied onto your bike.
• Take off your goggles and cap and place them on your towel.
• DO NOT GO INTO THE RESTROOM TO CHANGE; Do not put on underwear; Put your gear on over your suit. This advice is good for any triathlon shorter than an IronMan Distance Triathlon.
• Put on your t-shirt/tank top with your bib number on it. OR you can ditch the shirt and use just your bike shorts (with your number on it)
• Rinse off your feet in the bucket.
• Put on your socks and clip-in cycling shoes or running sneakers.
• Put on your helmet.
• Put on your sun glasses.
• Make sure that your water bottle is on your bike.
• Walk/Jog your bike to the bike starting point.
• Read more on our Race Day Page.

Here is another article:

Triathlon Swim - What do I wear? We get lots of questions coming each week asking this very question, so we decided to put together a series of three articles outlining what you should wear during each leg of the triathlon.

We wish you the best of luck with your event and hope you email us with a great story that will inspire others.

Be well,
Julie

TriathaNewbie.com Staff
TriathaNewbie.com - Guiding beginner triathletes into the world of mini-triathlons