MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER WITH THESE PRACTICAL TRIWIFE TIPS

Living with a triathlete has both its rewards and punishments; its ups and downs! Since rewards are so much better, we thought we’d share with you some tips to keep the punishments to a minimum. We’ve collected a few tidbits of good information over the years, as we’re sure most of you have. So, let’s make all of our lives just a bit easier AND more pleasant with these practical triwife tips for the home…

To prevent chlorine smell after a swim, ask your triathlete to shower before they get in the pool. It gets the oils off the body, so the smells are less likely to be absorbed. Also, have them use swim shampoo and wash if they swim in chlorine to cover all the bases. You know it’s bad when your triathlete goes, “I can even smell myself”.

Put a waterproof bag in their gym and swim bags for dirty and wet clothes and rinse it out once a week. Better yet if everything can be thrown in the wash.

Speaking of laundry…Use two laundry baskets; one for normal clothes and one for the gross, sweaty tri clothes. And, make sure they know the difference! The two should never mix. I used to ask that he go ahead and throw the clothes in the washer, but found there were times I needed to do another load first and opened the lid to the smell and then had to move them, so decided the two basket system was the way to go.

Use a sports wash detergent to clean the tri clothes and shoes. We use all natural products in our homes and try to do the same with these sports washes. Some of our favorites include The Laundress Sport Detergent, Sport Suds, and GoSoap, which also has a product just for shoes. Tide Sport with Febreeze is also a favorite. The odors really set in fast on these clothes, so best to wash quickly.

Keep a stock of towels by the door and the training areas for wet bodies and feet. Just because they take their shoes off doesn’t mean their feet aren’t soaking wet. It will save you from wiping up wet footprints off your floor and getting aggravated.

Do spring cleaning on a regular basis. Always check workout wear and kits for wear and tear. They probably aren’t doing this too often and more likely than not, you’re doing the laundry. This is especially true for yellowing on t-shirts and thinning swim trunks and bike shorts. The world doesn’t need to know what your triathlete has going on! And get rid of bottles and shoes that smell despite multiple washings.

Don’t let the triathlon equipment and gear take over the house. Organization is really your friend. Just say no to bikes in the dining room, unless you really don’t have the space anywhere else. Dedicate what space you can to the bike, probably CompuTrainer, posters, medals, etc. and maybe even a bike repair area. Basements and spare bedrooms work well in houses and corners of rooms with dividers work well in apartments and condos.

Keep a triathlon station in the kitchen where your triathlete has easy access to their pre and post training nutrition and basic needs. Just break down and give them a drawer or cabinet. It’s better than everything lying on the counter top. They can keep bottles, belts, books, protein powders, nutrition plans, etc. hidden away.

Prep snacks for easy grabbing, so that the kitchen is not torn apart by an oxygen-deprived triathlete. Bars, whether homemade or store-bought, fresh fruit for smoothies, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and bagels are just a few items to keep stocked,make sure they know where everything is kept. We keep many of these items in plastic bags, so literally, all they have to do is grab and go.

Put a comfy chair or couch near their training area, so on long rides, you and the kids can visit and hey, why not be comfortable – it could be a long ride!

ALWAYS AND WE MEAN ALWAYS have them wear their Road ID and use the ecrumb app when they’re out for a run or ride. This will cause you less stress when they’re gone and you can always figure out when they might be home…

WHAT HELPFUL TIP HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM LIVING WITH A TRIATHLETE?

Sherry Wernicke

Sherry is one of the TriWivesClub and LifeDoneWell co-founders and contributes to multiple blogs. She is a former co-owner of the California Apparel News and had a career in the healthcare industry. Her passions include traveling, real food, the environment, and animal rescue/welfare. She lives a healthy lifestyle and has been a vegetarian since 1987. She and her husband are parents to two rescue pups and reside in Connecticut.