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l'inconnue
July 5th, 2012, 07:47 PM
Hello All!

I am all set to do a triathlon (sprint) at the end of the month. But I'm still a little concerned about the best way to do my hair. I'm assuming that I'll need some type of bun to go under the swim cap, but it's difficult to get a bun to fit under my bike helmet. I usually just do a French braid when I bike or run.

Do any of my fellow longhairs have some advice?

Thanks! :)

Bene
July 5th, 2012, 08:07 PM
I am by no means an athlete, nor do I have any clue as to all the training and crap that goes into a triathalon, so take my suggestion with a ginormous grain of salt.


French braid. Keep a spare fork or stick (short legth, like a folded double ended knitting needle) in your sports bra for for safe keeping. When the swimming part comes up, bun the length at your nape, and if you position the piece just right, it should fit inside the swim cap. At least that's how I would do it.

squintinschool
July 5th, 2012, 09:10 PM
With some practice, you should be able to get your French braid comfortably under your swim cap, no bun required. My typical under swim cap hair is a French braid, which I flip up on top of my head (if necessary, just fold it back on itself). I hope that helps.

brave
July 5th, 2012, 09:43 PM
If you absolutely need something to bun it under the cap, try spin pins? Very sturdy and will fit better than a stick or fork.

jasper
July 5th, 2012, 10:04 PM
Are you willing to do a bun that starts as a ponytail? It seems like a secure ponytail positioned to fit through your helmet straps could be braided and then coiled into a flat bun for under the swim cap. Would it need to be secured in that bun? Or would the swim cap Hold it in place?

Good luck in your race!

SurferB
July 5th, 2012, 10:10 PM
I like to do tight braids for such events! It always works very well, even for swimming.

Natalia
July 5th, 2012, 10:20 PM
i would think that the flattest to your head and secure would be double braids over your scalp which turns into a single at the nape. easy to curl under a swim cap, fit under a helmet, and bun the braid with a upin or the like for the run.

Tisiloves
July 5th, 2012, 10:44 PM
How about an Elling woman braid/bun? It could be easily wound/unwound.

lmfbs
July 5th, 2012, 10:54 PM
My hair is a similar length to yours and my go-to style for these types of things is 2 dutch/french braids braided into 1 braid at the bottom. I can flip it up so it fits in a swim cap, then you can just let it down again for the bike.

pepperedmoth
July 6th, 2012, 12:14 AM
I run half-marathons, bike, and swim. I don't wear a swim cap, though, as I'm always in fresh water.

Anyway, for my halves I braid my hair ordinarily, then add an extra elastic at the nape. A bike helmet would go right over that, and then the braid could easily be bundled under the swim cap.

Alternatively, I find a Ficcare bun quite comfortable for running distances up to six miles (much more and I start noticing the tugging). After long practice with my bike helmet, I know just how to position everything so my bun fits (YMMV). I imagine a Ficcare would play well with a swim cap, as well.

I wouldn't use a fork or stick. I've tried it a couple of times and it bounces out around mile two. Also I could never get it under a bike helmet, and I imagine a swim cap would just be disaster.

torrilin
July 6th, 2012, 07:10 AM
A fair number of buns will fit under a bike helmet. If you're a no kidding i/ii, anything that's not super hard, tight and spherical will. For me as a 3" circumference ii, vortex buns, Gibraltar buns, flipped cinnabuns and Celtic knot buns all work. Tight is bad. Tight leads to rounder buns, and rounder buns do not want to fit. Loose is good, loose is flattifying.

Alternately, twin braids either left loose or pinned up work. Twin braids are IME more flattifying than a single, and you don't necessarily need anything but your swim cap and your helmet to contain 'em. If you *like* French or Dutch, that's fine, and if you *like* doing the merged into one trick, also fine. But plain twin braids can drape into Heidi braids and be held in place by a helmet.

Swim caps are pretty easy, and if you can get your hair up under a helmet, there's a way to finangle it with a swim cap. Swim caps stretch, helmets don't.

Don't psych yourself out over the hair. A sprint tri is not all *that* demanding on your physical fitness or your hairdressing skills. It's short! I routinely bike and walk further than that for grocery shopping :D. As you do more triathlons, all this will get easier. Have fun :D

jacqueline101
July 6th, 2012, 08:16 AM
I'd say a braid or bun.

Demi-Plum
July 6th, 2012, 08:50 AM
You could try a vortex bun. Torrinpaige has a good tutorial on youtube. It's what she wears to her aerobic classes.