 |
Anne Garton
Anne has been a triathlete for years now, a
seasoned competitor and Australian representative.
She trains with the Croc Squad in Brisbane run by
one of the veterans of our sport - Brad Beven.
|
triaction® Seamfree Top – Test Drive
Triumph triaction® Product Promotion
It's tough being a female triathlete. For females, it’s not just a matter of hopping on the bike or going for a run.
Have you ever tried training through PMT? Every four weeks, there's a week of no energy, feeling lethargic, moody, crying for no reason, and bloating that looks horrible in swimming togs. And it always perfectly co-incides with race day...
Then there are our race suits – skin tight suits that show every bulge and bump. No matter how hard I try, race suits can't make the cellulite disappear, nor stop the `wobbles’ when running. Same with swimming togs and cycling knicks – why is it that all triathlon clothing is skin tight?
To beat the race day wobbles, every night I sit down with my bowl of salad or steamed vegetables, whilst my male counterparts shovel down junk food or giant servings of pastas, breads, ice cream, chocolate... never gaining weight. That's not fair!
Don't forget bike seats. Most bikes come with men's seats – they cause females great pain and agony. Therefore we have to spend a fortune buying special female bike seats with extra width for our larger bottoms and holes in the middle for comfort.
And it doesn't matter how hard you train, unless you are Emma Snowsill, men will always go faster. Even the male weekend-warriors go faster.
Last but not least, one of the biggest nightmares about being a female triathlete are our chests. Without the right bra or correct support, training and racing can be painful. If it's not the weight of your chest bouncing up and down causing discomfort, it's the itching and scratching and chaffing from so-called sports bras.
I am blessed (in the triathlon world) with a smallish chest, but many of my fellow, more endowed female triathletes suffer terribly during training and races. Never a training session or race goes by when they don't complain about discomfort and lack of good quality sports bras.
But this is all about to change. A new sports bra is about to enter the market. It's called triaction®Seamfree Top and was developed by Triumph right here in Brisbane. I was lucky enough to be asked to test drive these new sports bras.
And I mean test-drive! I train 25-30 hours per week - seven days a week of running, cycling, swimming, gym, pilates... Every training session this past week, my triaction® Seamfree Top and I shared the sweat, exertion, long mileage and exhaustion.
Who is Triumph? Triumph is a global company with their Australian head office based in Brisbane. Triumph specialises in women’s underwear. In the past year, Triumph started off dabbling in triathlon – sponsoring triathlons in Queensland, and then sponsoring female triathletes, including Emma Snowsill. Through sponsorship, Triumph caught the triathlon bug – the same addictive passion and unconscious pull that drives all of us to the sport of triathlon. Hence, it didn't take long for Triumph to realise that women desperately needed decent sports bras. Desperately...
Triumph has designed a revolutionary sports bra – triaction® Seamfree Top. `Revolutionary’ is my word from test-driving this bra, not one of Triumph's publicity and marketing words.
What makes them revolutionary? Firstly, they are so comfortable. They are seamless; this stops the annoying rubbing and itching synonymous with other sport bras – great for me as I have sensitive skin and get easily irritated. Also, the hook/eye fastenings at the back are gel-padded, and this stops the fastenings from digging into my back.
The bra has adjustable cross-over straps on the back. I am not used to cross-over straps, so initially it felt strange. But within minutes of commencing a training session, I realised the freedom cross-over straps bring; no more uncomfortable straps rubbing over my shoulder blades. Cross-over straps also means these bras can be discreetly worn and hidden under race suits, v-back running shirts, crop tops when training in summer, and even under swimming togs.
Most bras these days come in that ugly bone colour. But the two triaction® Seamfree Tops I tested were navy blue and dark grey. So much nicer, and just like wearing sexy underwear...even though no-one can see, it makes you feel good!
Last, but not least, you simply throw the triaction® Seamfree Top in the washing machine along with your other clothes. It doesn't lose its shape or strength, and it is ready for the next gruelling training session.
After a week of living in the triaction® Seamfree Top, all I can say is goodbye ugly, uncomfortable sport bras, and hello triaction®. My old sports bras are already in the bin.
Thanks to Triumph's triaction® Seamfree Top, the life of a female triathlete has become just a little bit easier.
- Anne Garton
Want more information?  |
