at what water-temp is a wet-suit a good idea? - Triathlon Week

08-11-2006, 10:09 AM

doing my 1st triathlon next month. swim is in lake erie where water
temps "historically have been between 65 and 74" for this event.

that seems chilly, but i'm a noob.

08-11-2006, 10:09 AM

In article <1155310585.317230.100400@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups .com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:

> doing my 1st triathlon next month. swim is in lake erie where water
> temps "historically have been between 65 and 74" for this event.
>

I wouldn't need one for a swim in this temp range, but I'd wear one if I
had it because a triathlon wetsuit makes you swim faster. Of course, the
longer the swim, the more both the temperature and the wetsuit matter.
Swimming 2.4 miles in 65 degree water is a lot tougher than swimming
0.25 miles in 65-degree water or 2.4 miles in 74 degree water.

--Harold Buck

"Hubris always wins in the end. The Greeks taught us that."

-Homer J. Simpson

08-11-2006, 12:01 PM

It really depends on what kind of wetsuit you get, that might be a bit
toasty for a full suit but a long or short john might feel good, it also
depends on the air temp and the sun, i did a race in a lake when the air
was 50 degrees and the water was 65 and the sun was shinning right on us
and by the time the race was over i was boiling.

A lot of wetsuit places will rent to own and they will usually give it
to your for thurs-monday or something like that so if you try and go out
early the day before your race or something and test it out.

Good luck

08-11-2006, 05:16 PM

<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:1155310585.317230.100400@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...
> doing my 1st triathlon next month. swim is in lake erie where water
> temps "historically have been between 65 and 74" for this event.
>
> that seems chilly, but i'm a noob.

Just by chance, that wouldn't happen to be hte Great Lake Escape would it?

If so, wetsuits are mandatory since the swim starts with a leap off of a
ferry.

08-13-2006, 03:32 PM

nope. it's the frenchtown tri in michigan.

i just picked up a suit. since i'm a noob and have no swimming
background (i'm a roadie and have no coordination), i need all the help
i can get in the water...even for a short 500meter swim!

w

John Hardt wrote:
>
> Just by chance, that wouldn't happen to be hte Great Lake Escape would it?
>
> If so, wetsuits are mandatory since the swim starts with a leap off of a
> ferry.