Kwai? Yes; kwai?

The list of eccentricities

So let's do a brief overview of a number of items cherished by the triathlete, items that ultimately make up the identity (the superficial part of the identity of course; we will not start a debate on the deep identity today) of the beast. Some of these items are of course used to give the user confidence or even to titillate a future partner of the same brotherhood. Generally, it doesn't work well as a seduction technique (I don't know many girls who have fallen in love with Chris King hubs from an alpha male…although the reverse may be possible, but I hope not) . I would not say that it is necessarily a "gallows competition" (I like to say that...), but let's say that, in the absence of really knowing how to roll a lenticular wheel, for example, the beneficiary of the said wheel had better know how to defend himself on his bicycle, let's say, if not, well, at least, now that he paid $5,000 for the damn wheel, he will try to improve considerably (motivation 101).

So let's go around things, trying scrupulously not to attack the heart of the matter. Cardio is important, and I want to keep some friends (I'm sure there are triathletes out there reading this text despite my warning at the start). In short, let's scratch the surface and you are free to do your research afterwards.

• Extensions. On the majority of triathlons, we are not allowed to draft or follow each other very closely to cut the wind like in traditional bike races, so triathletes opt for aerodynamics wherever it is. is possible in order to save time and energy and focus on their watts (we'll talk about watts in a future blog). The extensions, these bars placed on the handlebars in order to adopt an aerodynamic position are therefore a precious accessory. You can seriously gain a lot in speed with this tool. You won't find any on bike races (except time trial events), because cyclists "draft", so the addition would be useless, in addition to weighing down the beast, and above all, dangerous (it there are no brakes on the extensions…and the bars could impale another competitor in the event of a collision; we are competitive, but we don't want the death of our rivals!).
• Profiled wheels. Always in the perspective of aerodynamics (see previous point), because let us remember that the triathlete is not supposed to furrow, the wheels provide a significant gain. Now, are all triathletes strong enough to benefit from high profile wheels? That's another topic. The thing is, big wheels = more weight (for hills, it can be a frustrating handicap) and more chance of battling crosswinds at low speeds. The other thing the triathlete won't tell you, more important than anything, is that a tri bike with small wheels isn't very pretty. It's not serious. And the triathlete, well, he's seriously rare. Joking aside, if you have the physical and financial means, profiled wheels are an excellent option in triathlon (which is not nearly as true or systematic for pure cyclists).
• The lenticular or paracular wheel. The famous solid wheel at the back... Well, it's all a fantasy, and I'm not discussing fantasies here. So do your research. Me, I don't want to do them (if I do them, Visa will come out of the wallet, I can feel it…). I will just say one thing; the sound. The sound, the music of the lenticular wheel wakes me up at night in my wildest dreams. I said I wouldn't discuss "your" fantasies here...In summary, the solid wheel also enters the sacrosanct aerodynamics department. That too is not for everyone or for all levels.
• The triathlon bike (and its different handlebars that look like bull horns). Always for aerodynamics… and a little for the look (well yes, well yes: admit it!). No kidding, again, this is one of the best payouts for almost any course in North America. The bike may be heavier, but you gain a lot of speed thanks to its design. Its handlebar is more aerodynamic like the rest of the frame. The rear wheel is very close to the frame, the rear brake is often hidden (again for aerodynamics, but it can be a nasty nightmare to adjust for the layman) and we find ourselves in a very aggressive position which, however, would harm less muscles that will be used for running afterwards (remember that cycling comes after swimming, but before running, huh?)
• Triathlon shoes. You may not have noticed the big back loop or the big velcro, but you have certainly seen that triathletes rarely wear socks. These shoes are designed to be worn barefoot, read on the subject, because there are lots of little differences on a sorting shoe (I actually wrote a blog about it myself). Check out the videos on YouTube about awesome bike transitions and you'll understand the usefulness of a specific shoe. Why barefoot? Think about it, we get out of the water all wet (no time to dry off) and we run next to the bike, the shoes already clipped on the pedals…Go see the videos, come on. It's worth a thousand words. Tsé, we don't train for hours and hours to waste time in transition as if we were walking from one "activity" to another in a spa. The spa is after.
• The triathlon saddle. That would take too long to talk about. And try tons of them. It's even more personal than a fantasy. More delicate. And everyone knows the intimate corners of their body better than the adviser in the bicycle department at the corner store. He will keep a little embarrassment in his questions... But tell yourself that the position is not the same in tri (especially on a specific bike), and that this aerodynamic position means that we generally do not have need a big chamois (which can even be annoying, even catchy) because the buttocks are barely resting on the saddle. However, we are more advanced; the beak therefore often has an interest in being cut off. Which often leads to strange seats, especially women who encounter other irritants (let's put it that way).
• The streamlined helmet. Ah...it's so hot in there that I don't feel like talking about it. But it is true that, if cycling is not the type to move its head like a weather vane at all times, the profiled helmet brings a lot of efficiency, one of the best gains/price ratios. But it looks weird in there. Looks a little cracking. But that's the goal: to cut through the air.
• Bare hands on the bike. We get out of the water I said… Putting on wet gloves is not great (as for the question of socks). In addition, the bike portion is where we eat the most. And we don't feel like running our gels on the gloves. Not very hygienic, gloves, for a triathlete. Worse, it would be another matter to take out when you go for a run, another waste of time for the triathlete.
• Elastic laces. Already adjusted to suit the athlete, these laces allow the latter to put on their shoes quickly and not fear that they will come off. It's a matter of time and it's a "no-brainer" as our neighbors say. The foot would possibly be less well held (it's still funny...), but that doesn't seem to be a problem for the majority.
• The visor. It retains sweat and lets heat escape. As it protects your eyes from the sun, you can wear it without sunglasses. Which means you can splash your face easily and if you didn't plan to finish your Ironman in the dark but that's what happens; At least you're not taken with your star glasses (which, casually, attracts more attention than anything else) when you want to crawl quietly in anonymity. The visor for the triathlete is like the leather jacket for a member of the Hells Angels, the hydration bag for the trail runner, the limited “thong” swimsuit for the swimmer, the ugly shirt for the mechanic hat or the trucker cap for the DJ. It's like that. Are you real? Ask yourself no questions and wear your visor, it's a question of identity. Yes; it's ugly, but.
• The trisuit. In two pieces, in one piece, with or without sleeves, the triathlon suit called "trisuit", it is this garment in technical fabric that the triathlete wears throughout his competition. His chamois is thin, so no big accumulation of water in the pants during swimming! He swims (yes, he wears it under the wetsuit), rides and runs in it. He trains with it. He...ah, I don't want to know what he's doing with it. In short, it is a comfortable, aerodynamic and quick-drying garment. No, in principle, a triathlete does not change in the transition zone. The transition zone is where you come out of, not where you hang out. We'll have that discussion another time...
• The wetsuit. The wetsuit for swimming is no different from that of a traditional swimmer, the difference is only that the triathlete is afraid, terribly afraid, excruciatingly afraid, that the wetsuit will be prohibited on race day. For what? Because the triathlete often has a funny kick (read: a very bad kick) and saves himself for the rest. If you take him off, it's as if he were already starting to pedal, and above all, it's really faster with a wet than without. It seems that there are triathletes who spend more time praying for the temperature to allow the wearing of the wetsuit than time training to swim better. It seems.
• Compression stockings. You know those bands of fabric on the calves that are often flashy in color? It would seem that it is useful for recovery but it is not unanimous. It would also seem that there is no point in wearing them during the race (it would depend on the models...some would be designed as much for the "during" as for the "after"), but that is not unanimous either . Placebo or not, it would work for some, and if some feel better with it and it has a beneficial effect on their performance, then why not? One way or another, compression stockings (or calves) are part of the triathlete's uniform.
• Rear bottle cages. For aerodynamics, once again, the triathlete puts his cans behind his back. It would be another gain at little cost (always relative, the cost, in triathlon). What history does not say is that several athletes pee on the bike on race days; so we don't want a water bottle under the saddle...
• Supply bags. Yes, we buy a nice aerodynamic bike and then bang, we hang lots of shapeless bags on it to transport food and lots of hydration systems, plus what you need to repair a puncture. We transform our Ferrari into a Westfalia. It doesn't just have all the looks or common sense… Then we find it ugly and sad to add all that, but the athlete who completes a long distance triathlon has to eat along the way, it's is like that, and it's mostly on the bike that it happens. A non-professional triathlete rarely succeeds in his Ironman below 9:30 am, it even regularly takes more than 12 hours (we are entitled to 5 pm); so there is like a little hollow that is created at some point…Nutrition would be the fifth sport after the art of transition in a triathlon: you have to see it!
• Triathlon glasses. The triathlete often takes glasses (mask or goggles) of sorting or larger glasses than normal swimmers during competitions. Kwai? To protect against blows (mostly involuntary) when starting and overtaking. Most of the time it goes well, but sometimes it's a little rock and roll the washing machine… Protecting the brow bones is not a bad idea even if I have heard more legends than I saw broken noses.
• The stickers. Following a triathlete's car can be pleasant because we sometimes read. We see LPs (for Lake Placid), 140.6s, 70.3s, REV3s, “Try a Tri” and other “m dots”; it's the equivalent of the badges on the backpack of the traveling freak of the 70s. Basically, it's still a sign to recognize yourself more than anything else. It is also sometimes a source of pride, a sign that we have completed an event that matters to us.

The tattoo. We cannot ignore the famous "m dot" (the Ironman logo) tattooed on many calves (or elsewhere) of triathletes. We know, it's weird to get a tattoo of something that, no more and no less, is a registered trademark. But all it takes is a few (140.6s, not 70.3s!) to realize that this sign means a lot to many athletes. This ordeal can be magical, but in addition, for many, it represents a great victory in their personal history. My opinion? I often allow myself to make jokes about the famous tattoo, but in fact, I have a deep respect for the people who finish an Ironman and I completely understand the phenomenon of the tattoo that comes with it. Personally, in the absence of having the permanent tattoo, I keep the temporary "tattoo" on my leg for a long time, the one that indicates our age. It soils the white satin sheets and the ottoman in the living room, but it remains a little well-placed pride. Being able to endure the bracelet (the one that allows us, among other things, to enter the transition zone) a few more days, I would keep it too. Of course, it doesn't have the makings of real branding. Many of my friends don't have any tattoos...except the "m dot". It’s as personal as the solid wheel fantasy; to each his distinctive signs! Anecdote: it cost me so much to have the FTW that I had tattooed on my forehead removed, that I thought about it 5 times rather than once at the "m dot" (ok, ok I'm lying...) . Seriously, this tattoo is usually more than a symbol of accomplishment, but more of a reminder of what's possible if you put in the hours. Now that you're tattooed... don't let go, it's going to stretch! Move on, this is just the beginning!

Of course, there would be a lot more to say about the distinctive signs. And if you don't always take out all the gear in training, you still have to test things before race day, and you have to get used to all that equipment. Anyway, at the price that things cost: we use it! Of course, this is all for fun. None of those trinkets are needed to do a triathlon. With all this equipment, also comes a specific training. You don't necessarily work on the same things as a swimmer, cyclist or runner. In swimming, for example, some exercises are almost exclusively used in triathlon (tracking, drafting methods, buoy contour techniques) and we do not necessarily work on training in the same way (we at least try not to imitate the great 50-meter swimmers, but mainly focus on improving endurance). In cycling for example, well, the pelotons, we know little or badly (except for the elite), while in running, we must never forget that we run after riding and swimming. Perhaps that is why we have so many distinctive signs; a way of saying to the swimmer, the cyclist and the runner, ok, get past me, but know that I have two other sports to do today…