Race Day Wardrobe and Etiquette
I am struggling with the decision about which gear to race in. It is either tri shorts for every thing or bike & running shorts, respectively. I know the tri shorts will help simplfy the transitions, escpecically since it is a DU and I would need to change twice. However, I hate to say it, the bike shorts would be a big mental boost for the 85 mile ride.
Anyone ever deal with making these wardrode changes?
BTW, what is the etiquette when it comes to something like this? I normally don't wear anything other than the shorts, so changing could become rather risque 
.
I am thinking that I should just HTFU and wear the tri shorts. "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."
Pete
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I'm not familiar with this specific race, just in 99.99% of races there are no changing tents. Nudity is a pretty big penalty and seems like a real pain in the butt anyway.
I personally only ride in tri shorts, its just a habit I started when tri training. I wouldn't even know what bike shorts feel like at this point.
Chris G has done AmerZ, maybe ping him on logistics...
I do all my RUNNING races, much less triathlons (including 112 mile ones) in my DeSoto racing suit, with a skinny chamois. The aerobars take a lot of the weight off the saddle, so there's a lot less pressure on the nether parts than on a road bike. If you really want to go all the way in a DU, get those LONG pedals, and bike in your running shoes - those guys have 45 second transitions.
This is what the transition area at AZ looks like. The pavillion overlooks it. The entire thing is very low key. There is really no way you could change there without putting on a show. Not sure that anyone would really care but you may get heckled fairly seriously. However, once you come out of the transition area to start the run loops you run up the stairs [where the west point kids are passed out as that is the finish line also], through the pavillion and then out onto the run course. About 100 feet on the other side of the pavillion are some porta potties and an actual bathroom which you have to run right by. If you really wanted to you could leave the transition area carrying your run stuff and then change in the bathroom a couple hundred feet later.
This plan will really not help too much unless you are either willing to do the first run loop in bike shorts. As an alternative, have you considered some thin tight shorts with no chamois for the run and then just put thicker bike shorts over the top of them?
I have long ago given up on changing anything during races as I find that within a minute or so I am back to being an uncomfortable sweaty mess anyhow.
Here are some pics from last year to give you the "feel"
T2
Murphy'sLaw off on the bike [former ENer, infamous STer and last years champ]
The RD and Fancher
The view from the pavillion
West Point Cadets at the finish of the Middle Distance
Long Course Start
Irish Car Bomb Aid Station
AG awards
Drinking aside, my attire is pretty evenly divided down equipment lines, I wear bike shorts, preferrably bibs, on my road bike but Tri shorts only on my Tri bike for training and racing. Honestly, the Tri shorts are more comfortable on my Tri bike than road shorts are but that may be a result of my Saddle selection (Cobb V-Flow max). That being said, I do have different Tri-shorts that I ride for different distances. For longer races I wear 2XU Endurance Tri Shorts or my DesSoto Forza one-piece. The 2xu Endurance have slightly more padding than normal Tri shorts. For very long bike efforts I wear my DeSoto Forza Riveria which have much more padding than normal Tri shorts but less bulk than normal bike shorts. I've done bricks in them but I've never raced in them, I'm not sure about how I'd feel about the chamois on a long run.
I suppose the moral of the story is go Tri Shorts! -- but not all tri shorts are made equally.
The interesting thing is that it seems that a lot of people wear shorts depending on the bike they are riding. I am actually using a road bike for this race. So in that way it would make sense to have the bike shorts. However, I think I am just going to suck it up and go with the tri-shorts. My butt won't like it but the pain is only temporary, correct?
Pete
Peter,
About the pain is temporary thing, remember that while AZ long course is "only" 84 miles, they are nasty ones. I would make sure you have what you need to me comfortable for 5 plus hours on the bike. I would rather ride to loops at LP than the 3 at AZ.
As for the irish aid station, it was a new feature last year. It came about after a friend of mine the year before boasted on ST that he would not only beat another friend but would do so after stopping to make and then drink an irish car bomb in T2. Here is the video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhnOpsrpz_s
Stupid human trick to be sure...
@Chris: I know exactly what you mean. I am anticipating almost 6 hours on the (road) bike. That is why I wanted to use the normal bike shorts. I may look into your suggestion of a pair of thin tight shorts that I can simply wear under the bike shorts. Will slow down the transition, but at this point I think the day is just going to be about survival.
Pete