Water Temps and Wetsuits: Take 37

[wawa]

I've asked this question several times before.  But now I'm asking on behalf of my sister.

We've got our first tri of the season coming up on 5/6.  It's her first tri ever.  
Sprint, with a swim on the short side at 500M.  In a shallow pond, so it warms up fast, but still....it's the first weekend in May.  It's not warm.  Usually in the 60's.  Luckily spring has FINALLY arrived, so it won't be in the 50's instead.

My sister is trying to skimp on budget and hasn't bought a wetsuit.   At this point, probably isn't going to.  

I have concerns.  Should I ask around and see if I know anybody who can loan her one?   Or am I being a nibby older sister and she'll be FINE.  (I tend to baby her.  She's my baby sister.  She's also a grown ass adult.)  

[al320]

Um... i mean, id definitely need a wet suit in 50s or 60s. She can rent one or see if xterra is having any sales.

[Susie]

For me personally, 60 is my line in the sand. I swim in 60s with no wetsuit, I don't want to swim in 50s because I don't like wetsuits (or water that cold).  The shorter the race, the less it matters, so for a 500 I guess I come down on the "grown ass adult" side of things.  If you've suggested it and she says no wetsuit, I'd accept it and move on, unless you really really feel like she has no damn clue what she's talking about.  That is hard to gauge because someone can be on their 1st tri and have a lot of experience with one or another sport within triathlon.  

[wawa]

Apr 27, 2018 11:59:51 GMT -5 Susie said:

For me personally, 60 is my line in the sand. I swim in 60s with no wetsuit, I don't want to swim in 50s because I don't like wetsuits (or water that cold).  The shorter the race, the less it matters, so for a 500 I guess I come down on the "grown ass adult" side of things.  If you've suggested it and she says no wetsuit, I'd accept it and move on, unless you really really feel like she has no damn clue what she's talking about.  That is hard to gauge because someone can be on their 1st tri and have a lot of experience with one or another sport within triathlon.  

No experience outside of running (which she started in 2016) she's a jump in with both feet kinda girl. Has never done an open water swim event, but has the same "grew up in/on water" background as I do and I made the transition from pool to open water pretty smoothly so I'm not worried about her in the sense of panicking or anything. I am afraid she's going to freeze her giblets off though. She's also not exactly high on body fat percentage either - like I know I'd be fine and could just suffer through 500M of cold AF water because I'm insulated, I'm afraid she's going to come out with her hands and feet numb and unable to stop shivering.


She keeps referring to me as her Tri Guru and asking me questions, so I hate to steer her wrong, I'm just not sure how hard to press on this one. Like, should I put out feelers to friends her size around here and see if I can find her a loaner??

Her budget is currently Zero Dollars for this expense.

[mrslefty]

How long will it take her to do 500m? Maybe she can get out fast enough? If I am doing a mile or more under 60 degrees I need a wetsuit but I also open water swim a lot.
Some places rent tri wetsuits around here. Could that be an option?

[reginaphalange72]

Hey wawa! I have one I'm happy to pass along to her. Sent you a FB message but figured I would tag you on here just in case you didn't see it.

[wawa]

Apr 27, 2018 14:59:53 GMT -5 mrslefty said:

How long will it take her to do 500m? Maybe she can get out fast enough? If I am doing a mile or more under 60 degrees I need a wetsuit but I also open water swim a lot.
Some places rent tri wetsuits around here. Could that be an option?

Based on the one pool workout we did together, we're about the same speed. Add time for lots of first timer sighting and a slightly meanering course and probably somewhere near 15 min? Closer to 10 if she's better than I was at staying on course.

So...doable. as long as the weather stays on track and pulls the water temp into the 60s.

But, turns out my running group is FULL of petite former triathletes, so Ive got her hooked up for this race with a loaner.

[wawa]

Apr 27, 2018 20:59:13 GMT -5 @vtcupcake said:

When I did Smallwood a couple of years ago, the water was 53 degrees and I wanted to fucking die. In a sleeveless wetsuit.

As long as the weather stays like it is this weekend, we should be in the clear to be in the 60s. So no more cold snaps!

Because yeah, 52 sounds coooooooold.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Personally, getting into and out of a wetsuit is my idea of hell. And doing so in the course of a triathlon would be my idea of hell on earth. So for me, water temp be damned, I'm not wearing a wetsuit. HOWEVER, with water temps like that, it is likely that if she didn't wear one, she'd likely be the only one NOT wearing a wetsuit, which would put her at a swim-speed disadvantage, unless she's already super speedy. So for a complete tri-newb, in those temps, I'd encourage the wetsuit.

[mrshandy]

Apr 27, 2018 20:59:13 GMT -5 @vtcupcake said:

When I did Smallwood a couple of years ago, the water was 53 degrees and I wanted to fucking die. In a sleeveless wetsuit.

Oh man, I do not want to hear this. LOL. Hope the temps are warmer for us in a few weeks.

[wawa]

May 3, 2018 15:23:14 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Apr 27, 2018 20:59:13 GMT -5 @vtcupcake said:

When I did Smallwood a couple of years ago, the water was 53 degrees and I wanted to fucking die. In a sleeveless wetsuit.

Oh man, I do not want to hear this. LOL. Hope the temps are warmer for us in a few weeks.

Unless the weather takes a hard turn you're golden. Latest NOAA readings on the Potomac are in the 60s