Getting the darn thing on and off
On…
* Leave your socks on when you put your wetsuit on, it'll slip right over your foot. Take your socks off after the suit is on.
* Put the suit on in sections, lower leg first, get the knee in the center of the kneepad, put the suit on up to your waist, tight into your crotch.
* Get into the arms, pull the arms up, then put the suit over your torso.
* Make sure the suit is pulled up enough in the back, otherwise the front of the neck will press against your neck, and you'll find it difficult to breathe.
* Don't worry if there is a little fold of rubber under your armpit, that's okay.
* Make sure the zipper flap is not folded over itself. Best to have someone zip up your suit for you if you're not experienced at adjusting the zipper flap. Check it again after you've warmed up, and before the start of the race, to make sure it's properly adjusted. If the zipper flap gets folded over you're going to get a nice hickey on the back of your neck, and it's a bit painful.
* If the suit is uncomfortably tight the suit is too small. If it feels snug but comfortable it is correct.
* Swim in the suit a few times before racing, especially a fullsuit, you'll have a better race that way.
* Warm up in the suit before you start the race.
* If it's a warm day, pull the suit down to your waist after your warmup. You'll overheat waiting for the start of your wave if you keep the suit all the way on. Put the top of the suit back on a minute or two before your wave start.
* Relax at the beginning of the swim. There is a lot of speed in our suits, but you can't sprint in a fullsuit at the start of a race, or you'll load up. Relax and let the suit do its work.
Off…
* When you get out of the water, onto dry land and onto the first solid, i.e., paved, footing, take the suit off. It's going to come off a lot, lot faster when it's wet. If you run to the transition area, then take it off, it's likely to be dry on the outside of the suit by the time you get there.
* You can put a little Pam, or Bodyglide, on your ankles if you want, but if you do what I suggest above you won't have to.
* You can cut the suit right below the fat of the calf, with a sharp pair of scissors if you want, but if you do what I suggest above you won't have to. If you do cut the suit, dab a little shoe goo, or liquid silicon from the hardware store, on the end of the thread at the seam termination at the bottom of the suit.
