A silly triathlon question

noeleoreid

Has anyone ever worn there race number attached by a race belt during the swim leg of a triathlon?

I would prefer to wear the race belt with the number under the wetsuit but does it keep? ... or does it rip and tear and disintegrate during the swim.

From what ive seen of race numbers in the past both from athletic and triathlon events, there pretty decent quality, not just a normal piece of A4 printer paper but im unsure , will it last?

Has anyone ever done this?

mloc123

It depends. Some stand up better than others. Some races 'ban' you from wearing it under your suit. I have started to just put it on in T1... Takes a second.

Nwm2

noeleoreid wrote: »

Has anyone ever worn there race number attached by a race belt during the swim leg of a triathlon?

I would prefer to wear the race belt with the number under the wetsuit but does it keep? ... or does it rip and tear and disintegrate during the swim.

From what ive seen of race numbers in the past both from athletic and triathlon events, there pretty decent quality, not just a normal piece of A4 printer paper but im unsure , will it last?

Has anyone ever done this?

I always wear it under the wetsuit - at the front, because I think this is where it has least chance of getting ripped off in T1. It gets a bit crinkled. Didn't know races were banning this.

noeleoreid

never heard of it being banned before... doin triathlone on saturday... wonder if its banned here.

I do find my fingers have a mind of their own after I come out of the water.. put on a pair of shoes or carry a bike... no problem... but clip on a race belt.. hole different story..due to numbness. Could easily be taking me 5, 6, even 7+ seconds to do that.

Would prefer to wear it under the wetsuit but dont wanna take the wuit off in and T1 to find it in shambles and running the risk of disqualification due to no number displayed...

griffin100

It tends to be the bigger races that ban you from wearing a number whilst swimming.

Leave the belt in transition already closed and step into it and pull it up to your waist, no need for messing about with buckles.

noeleoreid

griffin100 wrote: »

It tends to be the bigger races that ban you from wearing a number whilst swimming.

Leave the belt in transition already closed and step into it and pull it up to your waist, no need for messing about with buckles.

Now why didn't I think of that.. Problem solved!!!!

Genghis

Never heard of a ban on this at any race. That said, I always put the number on in T1 until recently when I switched to undersuit. Altogether better, one less thing to do. I have also found that in wind your number can drift in transition, which is avoided by wearing it under suit.

griffin100

IM Austria and HIM Austria ban the wearing of numbers under wetsuits. A clubmate of mine got DQ'd for doing this at an IM distance race in Spain last month. I've never come across this rule in Ireland though.

shotgunmcos

The less tasks you have to do in transition the faster you will get through transition. Simple as. Belt on under the wetsuit unless it states otherwise on the race briefing. As far as I know its only IMs or HIMs that don't allow it. I always print off the race briefing and read it all, even its the same stuff as every other one I have read or I've dne the race a couple of times before. The numbers get wrinkled but generally hold up to having a wetsuit ripped off and the wind and rain thrown at them... you will be grand with it under the w/s for athlone. Best of luck

Oryx

Ive worn the belt under a wetsuit and other times put it on in transition. It was our club ironwoman who told me to always wear it under the suit to save time, and she ought to know The number will be ok but for me it made very little time difference either way. My transitions aren't that streamlined yet. It is handy not to have to think about it tho. One less buckle.

pgibbo

I'd agree with the less things to do in T1 the better. I *usually* wear mine under the wetsuit. The exception was last weekend in Kilkee as I was late putting on my wetsuit. Running out of T1 I noticed something dangling from my handlebars. Had to stop and put on the race belt with number. I only lost a few seconds but it was a nuisance more than anything. Lesson learned for me and I won't do it again unless the race briefing states it.

Save time and wear it under the wesuit.

Good luck on Saturday. :cool:

sconhome

With some of the earlier race numbers disintegrating after being in the water, I got in the habit of folding my race number up.

Once the number is attached to the racebelt, fold the sheet up like an accordian, the same width of the belt. Then tuck the whole thing behind the belt so that it is completely protected and wear it at the front.

Throw on your wetsuit and off you go.

When back in T1 wetsuit off, helmet on, tug the bottom of the paper and your number reappears as you race out ready to mount your bike. Once on the bike, spin the belt so your number is at the back.

As for those races where belt are banned in the swim, I haven't done any yet so I'll come up with a different plan then.