Oh what should I wear to the ball ? It’s always a dilemma here in Kona as it’s a none wetsuit swim. All those tried and tested approaches over the years go out the window when you can’t just wear you’re race kit under your wetsuit. The past few years with the skin suits it’s more or less allowed the same approach but boy oh boy can skin suits rub. This year with the change in rules I came here thinking “great back to the good old days of 2005”. back then more or less all the guys just swam in tri shorts and no top. No rubbing, simple, no worry someone was getting an advantage over you.

My decision was made – tri shorts in the swim (the CEP ones I wore last year), put on a cycle jersey for the ride then switch that to a pro cool top for the run. SIMPLES. Unfortunately, on arrival here you find there are alsorts of legal swim skins being put up for grabs. Swimming with Roger and Russell made me wonder – it seemed to me my waits at buoys for them was less when they had the swim skins on. Not scientific I know but the key this week is to be confident in what you’re doing and the confidence in what to wear was ebbing.

These suits are pricey though. Luckily the guys from Oomph! have come through for me. They made our great Everyday Training race kit which is certainly the nicest and best quality kit I’ve ever raced in. They made up a special once piece tri suit designed for swimming in and have given me one to race in. This opened up a whole new avenue of considerations. I could now wear my Oomph! gear underneath but testing that I think I’d lose any swim advantage due to the suit underneath flapping about. So it’s got to be wear just the one piece. I haven’t raced in a one piece in years but what I don’t like about it is running in it. Thus I think the plan of attack is to swim and ride in the one piece then change for the run. I will wear my pro cool top for the run and an Oomph cap. Shorts is still a question mark – I’ve got some nice Oomph shorts which have some compression and lots of white which appeals but not sure how quick they will be to get in on transition. The alternative is to go all traditional and put on running shorts. Still undecided and may even just put both in my transition bag.

I will be testing out the suit tomorrow and will give a full report.

You may think it’s a little daft to make decisions on race kit this late. The “advice” always given is to not change anything. Like so much stuff taken for granted it’s not necessarily as wise at it appears when you think about it. I’ve done races in new running shoes (3 years ago), new tri shorts (last year) to name just two. getting new stuff last minute is quite common and most people don’t have a big problem with it. Anyway, it’s easy to decide for yourself rather than just take the advice. Do you tend to have problems with new running shoes ? If not (like me) then why worry about having new ones for the race. Do you find new kit rubs and take a while to get used to ? If yes then don’t change things last minute but if no then feel free to have the fun of something new for race day.

[I reserve the right though to complain after the race if any of these late decision backfire ;o)]

It’s been a super relaxed day. Got up, got ready for swim and decided against it. Had leisurely breakie with Jo. Then registered and when to chat with Chris at the Quintana Roo stand. Chatted with Scott who was doing signings for the DVD thats just out about our length of New Zealand Epic Camp: “Going Long Going Hard” – off tonight to a Epic Camp get together and screening ! Made me think they should have a Kona without the race as it’s great to catch up with people and would be fun if we could just all head out and party ! The only training for today was a 30 minute run along the Queen K. Felt as it should at this stage to the race – nothing particularly special.

The photo today is from yesterdays photo shoot with Richard.