Lovin’ the reports for short distance. Speaking of wetsuits. I just got my very first one this weekend (twas 70% off 
). My first experience was quite amazing at how much speed I got. But the real problem - how in the world do you get in them without looking like a pretzel bafoon. And when taking it out, is just ripping (not literally) the way to go. Did a few tries after a couple of laps just to understand. My previous races have been sans wetsuit so I can bank time on transition.
The “secret” is fluid motion. Once you start fighting with them its pretty much game over and the swearing starts. Plus lubrication is your friend. Best tip that I had was to use conditioner over your arms and legs. You just slide out of it then. Plus if you get the right one you end up smelling lovely the whole way around the rest of the race.
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Ive not heard that one before 
Coconut was a definite favourite of my friends and I a few years ago.
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Patience and practice. The biggest thing I didn’t get for a while was just how high you can pull the suit up. I hired one once after forgetting it on race day and the guy helping me on lifted me off the ground by the shoulder material! Only then did I know just how loose it could feel around the shoulders.
The other big thing for me was tonnes of Vaseline all around the neck, I chafe very badly and you don’t want sunburn from the bike on top of that.
There can be quite a lot to it when you break it down as you can read here:
https://www.triathlete.com/gear/swim/ask-a-gear-guru-how-do-i-put-on-a-triathlon-wetsuit/
But once you’ve “got it right” it’s fairly simple.
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Thanks for that @JoeX . My kids and wife had quite the laugh (hysterics at times) trying to get the arms in. I felt like the shoulders were working a lot but now knowing how much more I could pull up, should help the slight burning feeling - and I thought it wa because i did the 100 (only 1) at 1:25 . Getting off wasnt too bad, other than realising i need to have the watch under - it got tangled there.
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Mine is a bit short on the arms and legs, so I can’t put it over my watch or the ankle band for the timing chip. It takes a few seconds to get those parts off without pressing any buttons or falling over.
I find that bodyglide on the calves and forearms is essential for getting it pulled on easily, and round the neck to stop chafing. I saw one suggestion to put some bodyglide on the outside of the calves and forearms to help the suit slip over itself but that didn’t seem to help when racing.
As Joe says - practice…
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Another article on putting on a wetsuit - basically stresses what you said:
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Bring a plastic grocery bag. Put it over your feet before you put the legs on. Then do same thing with hands/arms. Will slide right through.
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Thanks all for the tips!!!
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OK - any preferences for where to start in a big group for the swim?
I’ll be in a wave of at least 600 people, water start but you can stand on the banks each side. The course is a single slim rectangle of 1200m total : out, left around a buoy, left again and straight line to the exit ramp.
I’m not a strong swimmer and really need to keep to my own pace (2min/100m max) to avoid blowing up, so I’ll be on the edge of the group… but left (inside) or right (outside)?
I’d go right outside. Everyone will try to go on the inside and will look like salmon spawning season. You may actually end up a bit faster going a bit longer.
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Dang. Where to start.
A couple weeks ago I did a sprint with a pretty competitive field. Came in 11/450 and 3rd in my AG. I would have been 8th overall but I did something impressively dumb: I clipped my left shoe onto my right pedal and vice versa. 
Anyways the next week I was absolutely wrecked, and that coupled with some pretty stressful travel plans and work I ended up taking the whole week completely off. The next week I did a little bit of running but again I was traveling and under a fair amount of stress so no biking or swimming.
Last night I knocked out Baxter + 1 and felt pretty good but my A race is in 10 days. I think I’m still pretty fit and thankfully our sport doesn’t rely on that fleeting VO2 Max type stuff so I think I’ll be fine but I’m still struggling with the mental aspect. I’m feeling like I’m not prepared (SHUT UP GARMIN! I’M NOT DETRAINING…I hope) and will lay an egg during my A race.
Does anybody have some advice, words of comfort, or anything like that?
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I have the standards:
“You got this!”
“Time to show your training!”
“Relax, you will do great!”
Whats the distance?
Olympic?
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That was not only funny but did help a bit. I must be at quite the low where cliches are helping 
Also, the distance is Olympic.
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You are probably at a stage in your life that as long as you can swim the distance, the rest is just a normal day of training. For better or worse, this should be something fun…
Just try to have fun!
Dont overstress the race. It will be what ever it will be. Just try to control whatever you can control and you will do great!
Best of luck!!!
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I’m in the same boat, I’ve been soft pedalling a week or two now and London Tri is looming.
I’m ramping back up and I’m not planning to taper for it more than a day.
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Impressive results. I can’t imagine how frustrated you were when you realized you had the shoes on wrong side. I’m guessing you figured it out at the mount line?!
If you pulled off the 11th OA, you will be fine. Good luck and post your results.
I recently placed 3rd in my age group too and could have been 2nd, but I decided to try and put a dry shirt on after the swim and before the bike. Didn’t go smoothly. I thought I could do it under 10 seconds. I looked like an idiot. I ran to the mount line while trying to fidget with the shirt with 1 hand. Comical. Then, I couldn’t mount right away as I slipped and almost fell over.
Hoping for better results next race. Top will be on for swim!
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I say ramping back up and then skip training for two days!
My desire to train has disappeared almost entirely. Ran on Thursday, nice run but it was a planned SBR day and I lazed around in the park instead then knocked off the club swim for a pint.
Will try to use the Olympics as inspiration and do an easy hour this evening…
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Down time is important. If it’s what you need or want then take it. Don’t beat yourself up about going for a pint instead of swimming.
I’ve just had a month off structure. I really believe it’s necessary for me and makes me stronger or happier in the long run.
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