We all know that triathlons are about swimming, biking and running. But there’s a lot that isn’t discussed widely when it comes to the sport that can only be learned from experience. Or from unladylike friends like me who let you in on these secrets.

Jenelle from Mile Twenty Eight recently asked about this.

“I would like to hear the ‘little secrets’ of triathlons. I’ve done 3 sprint distances … but I know when the distance gets longer in tris, more things come up.”

You guys can all thank Jenelle, because today you’re in for one of my unladylike conversations: What no one tells you before you start training for triathlons and what you can do about.

Lumps and bumps on your lady parts.

Now, before you get grossed out, scared or start blushing, just try to hang with me for a second.

Cycling is a huge catalyst for irritated skin, ingrown hairs and painful boils that can look like tender red lumps or pimples. As you spend more time on your bike, the friction from your saddle, bike shorts and the sweat from your body can lead to inflamed hair follicles that can become rather painful.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I got a really bad saddle sore last year that actually had to be surgically dealt with. Many of my triathlete friends had shared with me that waxing instead of shaving would really help this problem.

Enter: The Brazilian.

And I’m not talking about a hunky guy from Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian waxing consists of removing all hair from the pelvic area. I know you’d rather be talking about how to improve transition times or swimming technique but comfort “down there” while riding and running is critical for continued training success.

If you’ve never waxed your lady parts for performance purposes (among other things), here are some things to know:

• It’s a quick process, but can be very painful. In other words, it hurts like hell but it’s pretty fast.
• The cost is similar to getting a mani/pedi.
• It should be done every 4 weeks.
• Over time, your hair will become finer and less abundant.
• It can feel uncomfortable and embarrassing to do a spread eagle for someone you don’t know, but just try to remember they do this all day every day and you’re not alone.
• The person who waxes you will likely use baby powder afterward to help soothe the area. Some of the wax may still stay on your skin and be a little sticky until you shower.
• Exfoliating every 2-3 days with a gentle scrub like St. Ives can help reduce ingrown hairs.
• Washing with antibacterial soap, such as Dial, can help reduce negative effects of all that saddle sweating and make sure hair follicles are as clean as possible.
• Before you ride, cover your lady parts with chamois cream like Chamois Butt-er. I recently tried Button Hole, which has menthol in it. The cooling sensation is, er, interesting. I’ve also found plain old Vaseline to work too.

• Make sure the triathlon or cycling shorts you wear have a chamois (the padded part on the shorts) that fits you properly and doesn’t rub in weird or uncomfortable areas. Some are narrower while others are wider. Find out during training which works better for you.
• You can still get ingrown hairs. After some sessions, you’ll have very little problems, while after others, you will see a number of ingrown hairs. The process isn’t perfect, but many triathletes feel it reduces the frequency of boils and saddle sores. I have one training partner that believes only laser hair removal works for her. Everyone is different. Shaving, waxing, laser hair removal. You will have to decide what is right for your body and your budget, but grooming becomes even more important when you find yourself on your bike for hours.

During my first ever Brazilian, I remember some of the thoughts that were going through my head …

• You’re only done with the bikini area? You mean there’s more?
• Keep spreading my legs??? What do you mean I have to spread them even more!?!
• I. Am. Sweating.
• Am I bleeding?
• God, I hope this is almost over.
• How does one get into this line of work?

What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right? What until you see what the next triathlon secret is. [Hint: In involves peeing on yourself while racing.] Oh, what we do for endurance sports.

To read more about saddle sores, my personal experience and how to prevent them, check out this and this.

How do you feel about waxing? If you’re a triathlete, has it helped reduce unwanted lumps, bumps and saddle sores? What other dirty little triathlon secrets do you have to share?