Do I need a wetsuit for half Ironman?

Unless you're planning on racing indoor triathlons for the duration of your triathlon career, a wetsuit is a necessary investment for every triathlete.

What gear do I need for a Half Ironman?

A comfortable t-shirt or singlet, shorts, a number of good pairs of running socks and a set of running shoes is the basics.

When should I wear a wetsuit in a triathlon?

In America, USAT guidelines state that you may wear a wetsuit if the water temperature is 78 (25.5°C) degrees or below. You may wear a wetsuit if the temperature is 79 (26°C) degrees to 84 (28.9°C) degrees but you won't be eligible for awards. Anything 85 (29.5°C) degrees or over, no wetsuits are allowed.

What is the average swim time for a Half Ironman?

What is the average Half Ironman time? Across all amateur athletes, the average Half Ironman time is 5:51:25 for Men, and 6:18:13 for Women. Broken down by discipline, on the Men's side this works out to a swim time of 38:51, a bike time of 2:54:38, and a run time of 2:04:16.

How much does a wetsuit help in an Ironman?

The buoyancy of a wetsuit helps you ride higher on the water. This decreases resistance and allows you to swim faster with the same amount of effort. The benefit is less for strong swimmers vs weak swimmers, but some people believe that a wetsuit can help weaker swimmers as much as 25%.

Triathlon Wetsuit vs Non-Wetsuit Decision Factors

Do you need a wet suit for an Ironman?

Wetsuit Cutoff

Wetsuits may be worn in water temperature up to and including 24.5°C/76.1°F. Wetsuits are mandatory if the water temperature is below 16°C/60.8°F.

Will you float in a wetsuit?

So does a wetsuit make you float? The short answer is yes, it does – but not as much as a life jacket. They might assist in flotation, but do not outright provide it. Whatever activity you use a wetsuit for, they'll help you float – and keep you warm while doing it.

What is the best Half Ironman for beginners?

Ironman 70.3 turkey has produced some of the fastest times over the 70.3 distance, making it technically the easiest half on the calendar. While there are other events where professionals have gone quicker and probably age groupers too, the overall time by all participants is faster in Turkey than anywhere else.

How difficult is a Half Ironman?

For the man who wants to really turn his fitness around, the half-Ironman triathlon is the Goldilocks distance, the “just right” balance of multi-sport training that's challenging, doable before autumn, and not as insane as the full Ironman.

How much harder is a full Ironman than a half?

As the chart shows, moving from an Olympic to half Ironman in terms of the swim is less than a 30% increase in distance. However, the bike and the run distances increase by more than double. Then by definition the full Ironman is twice the half Ironman distance.

Can I use a normal wetsuit for triathlon?

You could wear a water-sports wetsuit for a triathlon, although you will find it significantly harder both during the swim and also getting it off in transition. A water-sports suit is likely to be enough of a hindrance that you won't need to worry about being in the mix for the medals.

Can you swim in 60 degree water without a wetsuit?

We can swim comfortably in temperatures from the mid-70s and above. Temps in the 60s are uncomfortable and may not be tolerated for long bouts in the water without a wetsuit. The 50s and below are dangerous without proper protection from a wetsuit.

How cold is too cold to swim without a wetsuit?

21 DEGREES PLUS: Warm

the exhilarated feeling when you get out, that cold water 'tang'. On the plus side, some of you will be able to spend hours swimming without a wetsuit.

Should I wear a wetsuit for a sprint triathlon?

So, to sum it up, for a short swim of a super sprint or sprint triathlon, the time savings of wearing a wetsuit can be negligible. It is really a toss-up to how you feel on race morning and what you have trained for.

Do you change clothes in an Ironman?

You can opt to change into clothes specific to each leg of the race—or not. Some triathletes choose to do the whole race in a swimsuit for quicker transitions. Other swimmers simply pull on a pair of shorts before jumping on their bike.

Can a beginner do a half Ironman?

A typical half Ironman training plan for a beginner will range from 4-5 hours per week at the start of the plan to 8-9 hours per week toward the end of the plan. An intermediate or advanced plan may include up to 15-20 hours per week during big weeks.

What's harder a marathon or half Ironman?

It's tough to say, but in general, in an IRONMAN 70.3 you might run 30 to 60 seconds per mile slower than your half marathon pace, and in an IRONMAN race it could be 1 to 3 minutes per mile slower than your best marathon pace. But even though it's slower, the feeling coming across the finish line is like no other!

How long should I train for a half Ironman?

For a beginner who has some recent background in fitness or sport, we suggest you give yourself at least 20 weeks to get fit and ready for an IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon. The sooner you start, the more time you have to build up your fitness gradually. Fitness adaptations take weeks and months to occur, rather than days.

Do I need a tri bike for the Half Ironman?

Yes, a dedicated triathlon bike will help your performance, but you can still do well without one.

How do I prepare for my first Half Ironman?

Which Ironman is the easiest?

With a warm lake swim combining with flat bike and run courses, the Midnight Man, on paper, is the ideal beginner iron-distance course.

Can you sink in wetsuit?

Yes. Surfers, scuba divers, kayakers, etc. have all drowned while wearing wetsuits. It'd be very difficult to sink while wearing a wetsuit, so the potential to drown is much lower. Just beware that the wetsuit may make you feel constricted which can lead to panic.

Is it harder to swim in a wetsuit?

Swimmers with competition experience often worry the wetsuit will hinder their range of motion – but that's a mistake. Tests with and without wetsuits have shown a time saving of five to ten seconds per hundred meters, with wetsuit. Simply put, a full-sleeve suit will help any swimmer go faster.

Do you need a life jacket when wearing a wetsuit?

A wetsuit does not provide adequate flotation, nor is it in the right areas to keep your head out of the water. If someone was unconscious, a life jacket would hold their head above the water while a wet suit would not.