Triathlon racing was once a male-dominated sport, but not anymore. Women have embraced endurance sports such as triathlon almost as much as the men have. Sportswear designers have had a field day with ever more creative and innovative outfits for women's triathlon training and racing. Although the triathlon gear and equipment needed for women and men are about the same, differences for anatomical needs do exist.
Triathlon Race Suit
When training, most triathletes wear clothing specifically designed for a particular sport --- cycling shorts and jersey when bike training, for example. But this does not work well when racing. The logistics of bringing multiple uniforms to the race are unnerving, and your race time will suffer dramatically. The majority of women wear a triathlon race suit through the entire event. Its form-hugging design is aerodynamic in all phases of the triathlon. During the swim, the race suit is swimwear, unless the water is too cold. Then it is worn underneath a wet suit.
Triathlon suits have sports bras built in for chest support and comfort. The smallish padding in the rear provides comfort while you're cycling, but it doesn't inhibit running or swimming.
Wet Suit
The specially designed wet suit you may wear during the swim leg of a triathlon does more than keep you warm in the often-chilly waters. The suit's specially treated rubber exterior boosts buoyancy and speed. More advanced wet suits have specially designed panels on the arms and legs for improved stroke and kick efficiency. Therefore, wet suits benefits technically challenged swimmers more than proficient ones. For this reason, many amateur triathletes wear their wet suits over their race suits, even if the waters are warm.
Cycling Helmet
Triathletes must wear a cycling helmet. Helmet inspections conducted by race organizers are part of the athlete check-in process. Purchase a name-brand helmet specifically designed for road cycling --- one with either a Consumer Product Safety Commission or Snell B-95 and N-94 safety stickers. Ensure that your helmet fits properly. Most cycling helmets are unisex, although some models are women-specific designs. Helmet aerodynamics are less important than airflow --- remaining cool and comfortable is vitally important.
Running Shoes
Running shoes need to fit properly and suit your running biomechanics. To ensure both, it is best to purchase running shoes from a triathlon or running store. Fitters are more likely to be runners and triathletes themselves and knowledgeable about proper fit in the various brands available. Some triathlon shoes are for sockless wear, allowing for faster transition times. Other shoe designs have special lacing or quick-entry systems for speedy transitions.
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