Getting the right gear--lady gear that is

Let me start by apologizing to my dad and brother should they be reading this, because I sent them my blog link not long ago before I anticipated everything I might write. Today I want to talk about triathlon gear, specifically bras. I have been noticing over the year how much running and exercise gear has grown to embrace women of all sizes. Of course they were late in catching up, but they caught up none the less! Well it seems that triathlon gear has some work to do.

It seems that triathlon gear typically just has little shelf bras in them for support, and that won't work for this 34 F (also known as 34 DDD). I have long known Champion to have bras that fit the more well endowed women. These bras have led me through 2 marathons, a half marathon, countless 10 milers and even more 10 K races. The problem is that they are heavy on the cotton. Not as big of a deal if you are on land, but they definitely pose a problem if you are in water transitioning to land.

I recently did a search of all my usual online retailers, even calling the customer service number of a few to ask for assistance. I was told to wear two bras, given suggestions that I know were just to sell things no one else wants, and basically told I was out of luck by one. I went in-person to stores. The poor sales people never know what to make of me when I state my problem and it is very amusing to watch them try to avoid staring at my chest when I tell them the size I need. They suggested competitive swim tops underneath a tri suit. Hah, likely story, that might work for a B cup, maybe even a C... but not when you get to DDD.

I had started asking everyone I knew who did athletics, even people who weren't close to my size. They had to know someone else with this issue, right? Well as it turns out they did! And they all just wear a normal sports bra. I had begun to resign myself to the fact that I would just be sloshy when I got out of the water, that moisture wicking and fast drying fabrics were that of only skinny athletes--you know, the ones that actually might place in their races. Imagine my surprise when I go into Nordstrom one day and figured I might as well ask. Luckily the sales people there are used to any and every request and nary a twitchy eye trying not to look downward occurred before the sales lady ran off to the back room and came back with the perfect bra. It is a Freya, and goes up to 38H. Yes H. It's moisture wicking, and after trying it out under my tri suit on my open water swims, a practice triathlon, and a sprint triathlon I can say it will fit the bill for the Nation's Triathlon in two weeks.