MN Ironman Prep – Step 3 – Clothing

Hey Riders.  Springtime in MN is a guarantee of unpredictable weather.  And nowhere is this more evident than at the MN Ironman Bike Ride.  It may be hot and sunny.  It may be cold.  It may be rainy (but it won’t be cold AND rainy like last year.  Let’s hope not anyway).  We may get a few flakes of snow as we did 2 years ago. 

So the weather could include any or all of the above.  But so what?  Weather is part of the allure of the event, and if we dress for it, we can handle just about any conditions.

The keys to being prepared are:

1. Plan in advance
2. Dress in layers
3. Be Flexible!

If you remember nothing else of this post, remember these points and you’ll be ahead of the game.

Now, let’s talk about the topic in more detail.  What exactly does “plan ahead” and “be flexible” mean?  Most importantly, it means having all the clothing available so that you’re prepared for any weather condition.  The following photos show a small sampling of the variety of clothing you should be prepared to pick and choose from.

This first photo shows the various pieces that may be required to keep extremities warm:

• 2 different types of booties:  light and heavy.
• 3 different gloves:  light weight finglerless gloves, light weight full finger gloves and heavy gloves with nylon exterior to protect from cold wind
• 3 types of socks:  short socks for warm conditions, heavier and longer socks for cool weather and wool socks for COLD
• Finally, a skullcap.  Remember that a high percentage of body heat is lost through the head, so if it’s cold, keep your head covered!

The second category of clothing includes shorts and leg coverings. 

• Standard cycling shorts for warmer conditions.  (Above 60)
• Longer cycling shorts that extend over the knees to keep them protected in cooler conditions (below 60)
• Full length tights with Windstop facing on the front of the legs to keep the legs warm in cold, windy conditions
• 2 different types of knee warmers.  A shorter pair that’s also lighter weight.  These are ideal when it’s cool in the morning but will warm up as the day goes along.  The second pair is longer and is also lined with a light fleece.  These are for coler conditions.  Remember that 60 or 65 is typically the break point for covering the knees versus not covering them. 

The next photo shows a variety of base layers.  I always wear a base layer, whether it’s hot or cold outside.  This layer keeps sweat away from your body so you’ll stay warmer in the cold or cooler in hot conditions. 

• The base layer on the far left is sleeveless and is the one I most often wear in cool through hot conditions. 
• The long sleeved base layer in the middle is what I’ll wear in cold conditions.  It’s hard to see, but this piece is made of a mesh material and does a great job of keeping the body dry (and thus, warm).
• The long sleeve piece on the right side is a combination wicking base layer and also includes a nylon face on the front.  This is my favorite under layer to wear when it’s both cold AND windy.  If I wear this, I’ll typically wear the sleeveless base layer under it.

The next category, which includes cycling jerseys, is an easy one.  I have 2 photos of jerseys.  The first includes options for warm weather and is pretty basic:

• Sleeveless, for the hottest days (which isn’t likely for the IM, but who knows?) and
• Standard short sleeve jersey.   The other items in the picture are arm warmers.  These work great when it’s cool at the start but will warm up throughout the day.  These arm warmers can then be peeled off and stuffed in the jersey pocket.

The second photo includes jerseys for cooler weather.

The yellow jersey is fairly light weight, but the front of the jersey includes a layer of Windstop material.  This is my favorite jersey for temps in the 50′s, and even into the low 60′s. 

The blue jersey is heavier weight and is worn in very cool conditions, such as the 30′s to mid-40′s.  If in doubt, however, wear 2 light layers rather than 1 heavy one. 

The next photo shows one of the most important pieces of clothing for the IM – a windbreaker.  While the day of the IM may be hot or cold, it’s almost guaranteed to be windy.  Keeping the wind off your body is one of the most important keys to keeping comfortable, so be sure to have a windbreaker available.  The photo shows 2 options:

• A sleeveless wind vest, which can be worn if it’s breezy and just a bit chilly.  This particular vest is nylon in the front and mesh in the back.  This keeps the wind off the chest, but allows your back to vent.
• The second is a standard wind jacket.  Nylon in front and back.  This particular one has mesh on the inside of the arms to allow venting.  In keeping with my suggestion of layering and keeping flexible, I recommend using a lightweight windbreaker such as the ones shown rather than a heavier, lined jacket.  If it’s cold out, it’s easy to layer underneath the jacket for warmth, then you can peel off layers as you warm up.  If you wear a heavier jacket and don’t layer, you may be stuck by getting  hot and not having the ability to take layers off. 

DRESS IN LAYERS!

The final category, and the final photo, includes rain gear.  Let’s be clear about one important fact right off the bat.  No rain gear will keep you dry in a steady rain.  It doesn’t matter what the material is.  You WILL get wet.  And also, I never wear rain pants.  They don’t keep you dry, there’s a chance they could get tangled in the chain, and your legs will get heavy.  If it’s cold and rainy, wear the long knee warmers as previously discussed.  Your legs will be wet, but will be somewhat insulated.

OK, 2 types of rain jackets shown here:

• The one on the left is a really cool technical piece that doubles as a windbreaker or can also be worn in drizzle or light mist.  It breathes fairly well, but also does a great job of keeping the wind away from your body.  Not designed to be worn in a heavy rain, because as I mentioned a minute ago, you’re going to get wet regardless of what you wear.
• The red jacket is Gore-Tex and is marketed as a rain jacket.  Personally, I call it a furnace.  The Gore-Tex does not breathe very well at all, so heat builds up and you sweat – like crazy.  And since the material doesn’t breathe, you feel like you’re in a sauna.  I’m not a fan.
• There are also very inexpensive rain jackets available.  I don’t have one pictured because I don’t own one.  They don’t breathe (like Gore-Tex) so you get hot, and they also are generally rather stiff.  ANd they also are about as waterproof as other rain jackets, meaning that if you’re in a steady rain, you WILL get wet.  These aren’t a bad option, mainly because of the cost.

There you have it.  Have the clothing available, know how to mix-n-match and be flexible.  I know this was alot.  I’ll write another bonus post about clothing and show some possible combinations for certain weather conditions.  So stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, add your comments and questions below (or contact me directly), then GET OUT AND RIDE!