Duathlon training

I worked up a loose plan of running and biking for the next month to get ready for the Dunes Duathlon, and last night was a 4 mile run. I don't have a lot of short distance routes mapped out around my house yet, since I've been biking way more than running since I moved here. So I chose a route that I knew would be exactly 4 miles long - straight up Kalamazoo Avenue from 44th to 28th.

Actually, I should say straight DOWN Kalamazoo because it's almost entirely down hill as you go north. And of course that means that it's almost entirely up hill on the way back. I had worked up in my head how horrible this up hill run was going to be, so when I actually did it, it wasn't so bad! LOL But I realized that sand dunes don't tend to be so flat, so running a few hills will be good practice.

Yesterday, I also went to the one sports store in town that carries triathlon gear. They didn't have much to choose from, but I found a pair of shorts that I fell in love with. They're CW-X Compression Wear women's triathlon shorts. I've never worn compression gear before, but they felt amazing and looked just as good, if I do say so myself. They tightened up all the looser spots, if you know what I mean. The thin fleece pad also felt like it would actually offer some comfort without being bulky. However, one problem was that I don't know how compressive these shorts are supposed to be. Two sizes seemed to fit me, one tighter than the other. The other problem was the price. Sixty bucks!

I don't really want to spend that much on a pair of shorts that I won't wear very often. I've found cheaper shorts online, but how do you tell what will fit? What has a nice chamois? What size do you choose?

Has anyone found a tri short that you really like?