Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2017 i Triathlon Plus

“It’s been an exhausting issue to put together this month as the Triathlon Plus team has been testing race shoes to make sure nothing slows you down on race day. As the triathlon season gets close, thoughts turn to race-day performances. Inevitably shortcomings tend to float to the top of the pile and we’ve had a lot of readers asking for extra advice on swimming, a common weakness amongst triathletes. So we’ve included a supplement based on last year’s guide. But if you’d like to get some racing in before your swim gets to race standard, why not opt for a duathlon? It’s not the easy option that some may think, as coach Phil Mosley explains in his feature on p32. And if you’re into the area of marginal gains,…

British Triathlon has launched its Elite Competition Calendar, which involves British Championship races and the much-lauded Youth and Junior Youth Series. Here is a summary of races including some well-known races and some brand new additions. • British Duathlon Championships on Sunday 9 April, hosted by Nicetri Events’ Bedford Autodrome Duathlon.• Sospan Sprint Triathlon Llanelli, Wales, on Saturday 13 May. The junior race also doubles as an ETU Triathlon European Championship qualifier.• Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds on Saturday 10 June will see Britain’s youth and junior athletes return to Roundhay Park for the second consecutive year.• Super Tri, hosted by Human Race Events, on Saturday 1 July – followed by Ryton Tri Club’s Hetton Lyons event on 29-30 July.• British Senior Elite Triathlon Championships at the Bloodwise Blenheim Palace…

ALTHOUGH LAST YEAR’S event was a huge elite success, with the Brownlee brothers making global headlines as they stormed to victory, amateurs slammed organisational issues which left them stranded for hours after the race without their bags. Chief executive officer at British Triathlon Jack Buckner now says: “We have given careful and detailed consideration to every single element of the event and will deliver a world-class triathlon experience for every triathlete.” British Triathlon, organising the event in-house, alongside professional race organisers, has decided on a single transition hub in Roundhay Park for the 5,000 plus expected amateurs. Starting with a swim (750m/1,500m) in the park’s Waterloo Lake, a new bike route (19km/36km) will take racers to Headingley before returning to Roundhay Park. The final leg will see triathletes set off…

OPEN UP Swimming with your fingers slightly apart could improve your swim efficiency by up to five per cent, say experts. Scientists at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have discovered that ‘raking’ the water with fingers slightly apart is more effective than a ‘paddle’ approach where fingers are held firmly together. Researchers measured five different conditions of finger spread from the closed hand with all fingers pressed together like a paddle and a variety of spreads ranging from five to 20 degrees. The most efficient spread was found to be 10 degrees but even five degrees made a difference. At elite level it could make the difference between winning and losing, concluded the study experts.…

WHAT IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA 70.3 WHEN 29 JANUARY 2017 WHERE EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA WINNERS:JODIE CUNNAMA (GBR) 4:39:49 ROMAIN GUILLAUME (FRA) 04:08:58 Both are familiar faces on this podium. And newly-weds Jodie and James came close to making it the Mr and Mrs Cunnama show. Despite racing for the first time under her married name other contenders were, once again, left to “follow the swallow”. From the off, Cunnama led the field, exiting the water a clear 2:40 minutes ahead of compatriot Susie Cheetham and Poland’s Agnieszka Jerzyk. Out on the bike Cunnama continued to push the pace, entering the men’s pro field, with Cheetham chipping away determinedly at her heels. Despite a brave effort, Cheetham was unable to catch her, and crossed the line just over a minute behind…

WRITE TO: TRIATHLON PLUS, KELSEY MEDIA, CUDHAM TITHE BARN, BERRY’S HILL, CUDHAM, KENT TN16 3AG triathlonplus.ed@kelsey.co.uk triradar.com WRITE IN AND WIN A LAZER Z1 AERO HELMET Bring on 2017! ALTHOUGH I LOVED volunteering at and supporting, local triathlons I never had any intention of taking part myself. The reason? Swimming….or lack of it. I was quite happy to stick to running, which I’d taken up in 2015 after turning 43), and cycling (which I only started doing last March). However, after much encouragement from a very inspirational friend, I was finally persuaded into the pool last July. With her patience, teaching and belief in me I began to improve and even inspired my daughter Beth, 19, to join me. Completing an organised river swim of 4,600 metres with Beccles Triathlon…

The first thing to know is that duathlon is a sport in its own right, rather than just a handy addition to the triathlon calendar. It has its own National, European and World Championship events for sprint, standard and long-distances. Each country has it's own qualifying events and you can compete in all of them as an amateur athlete, with bronze, silver and gold medals for the winners of every five year age-grouping. That includes juniors all the way to 80 plus years. If you fancy representing your country, this might be one of your best routes in. You can find more information about age-group teams at britishtriathlon.org. Bearing all that in mind, you could potentially avoid triathlons altogether and become a duathlete, especially if you really dislike swimming. This…

Pre-race carb intake is key to optimising your performance Chrononutrition (chrono from the Greek khronos meaning time) is the science of food timing to optimise performance. This relatively new field of nutrition is becoming an important tool in the triathlete’s armoury. In this feature we take a look at the basic theory and practice of chrononutrition and, importantly, how you can implement it to lift your training and performance to the next level. THE BASICS Nutrition is often considered the fourth discipline of triathlon, and it can be confusing, with many conflicting opinions. Here we look at the specific needs of the sport (nutrient timing) but also how it relates to your internal clock and your individual preferences for sleeping – basically if you are an early riser or night…

Physiotherapist Gary Jones from Six Physio (sixphysio.com) answers your question Q. I have stiffness in the ball of my big left toe I can’t stand on tiptoes but can run on it. I couldn’t run for a few weeks last summer and had it massaged. But the masseur concentrated on my calf, saying it stemmed from there. I always stretch after running. What else can I do? A: This is an important joint in terms of maintaining efficient loading of the foot while running. What you need to ascertain is whether the joint is truly stiff or whether it is the muscles underneath the big toe that are the issue? How much does your big toe extend towards you when you are standing as opposed to when non-weight bearing? If…

WOMEN’S TRI SUITS ORCA WOMEN’S CORE RACE SUIT £89 orca.com A fabulous feel, look and performance. Orca have raised the bar with this suit. HUUB ESSENTIAL TRI SUIT £79.99 huubdesign.com Top-quality looks and performance at an almost entry-level price. MORE MILE SONIC LADIES TRI SUIT £30 moremile.co.uk Bargain, entry-level, suit. An extra zip guard and smoother seams would make it better. TYR COMPETITOR TRI SUIT £99.99 wiggle.co.uk A quality suit oozing with impressive features. 2XU PERFORM TRI SUIT £105 2xu.com A comfortable, flattering, suit that looks good and performs brilliantly. MEN’S TRI SUITS DHB PERFORMANCE TRI SUIT £45 wiggle.co.uk Impressive performance at a budget price point. SAILFISH MEN’S TRI SUIT PRO TEAM £185 sailfish.com A joy to wear across all three disciplines but pricey for a sprint suit. MORE MILE…

Triathletes are particularly sensitive to gastrointestinal (GI) issues during competition and unfortunately races can be won and lost in the portaloos. Suitably termed “gut rot”, a sudden urgency to need the toilet mid-race is one of the most common GI troubles. The last thing you want to be doing mid-race is looking about in panic worried that you won’t make it to the loo in time. So how do you reduce the risk of falling foul on race day? TRAIN YOUR GUT Training your gut plays a big role in preparing it to cope with the stresses of a competitive environment. Don’t leave your nutrition as an afterthought. Practise the foods and fluids you intend to race with regularly during training sessions. Failing to practise a nutrition strategy can cause…

When it comes to swimming in triathlon the idea is to get to T1 as quickly as possible while using as little energy as possible. Anyone who’s watched the elites race will know that you can’t win a race in the swim, but you can certainly lose it. Getting quicker in the water is as much about developing efficiency as well as strength and stamina. Here we expose the hidden training tactics of swimming faster. SPRINT INTERVALS Much like High Intensity Interval Training in cycling and running, adding sprint lengths into your swim set can be a very effective way of increasing speed, strength and stamina in the pool. Incorporating sprint sets off a challenging turnaround time will help to break the monotony of swimming endless lengths while also stimulating…

PHIL MOSLEY Coaching editor Phil is an Ironman Certified Coach with 20 years experience. His race CV includes top-10 Ironman 70.3 finishes, several national age-group titles and an 8_hour_55_minute_Ironman. He_runs the triathlon coaching business myprocoach.net, where he writes a popular fortnightly training advice blog. GUY KESTEVEN Guy Kesteven has been testing bikes and components professionally for 18 years, and was riding every bike he could try for a decade before that. That gives him an unparalleled knowledge base to compare everything from affordable first bikes to state-of-the-art superbikes. AMY KILPIN Our columnist Amy is an age-group long distance triathlete and a world champion qualifier in both ITU and WTC racing. She documents her triathlon success in both her Triathlon Plus column and on her website, amykilpin.co.uk. GEMMA SAMPSON Gemma is…

GB JUNIOR ELITE triathlete Jamie Bedwell was on his usual early Monday morning 10k training run last October when disaster struck. “I had no idea the car was coming from behind until I felt the impact,” he says. Blinded by the glare of a low October sun, the driver didn’t see the 18-year-old on the country lane until it was too late. Jamie remembers a burning sensation in his left leg and a spasm wracking his body as the vehicle ploughed into him at 60mph. Hitting his head on the windscreen, he lost consciousness and came around lying in thorny bushes at the roadside. “I fractured my spine in two places, tore my kidney, suffered a second degree burn to my left calf and lost all my toenails on my…

Helen Jenkins, former world champ, has announced her pregnancy on twitter. Dave Camp won the Double Deca Ultra-distance tri raising thousands for East Cheshire Hospice Shane Williams, former rugby international has signed up for the tough Caderman tri The BBC’s Louise Minchin is hosting a free lecture on her tri experiences Accidents between pedestrians and cyclist rose by nearly 50% over seven years Weston-Super- Mare triathlon was cancelled after organisers went bust Strava users are concerned records are being set by mechanical bikes Two US Ironmen Lauren Barnett and Beth Gerdes have been handed suspensions for doping violations TRIOMETER THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE TRIATHLON WORLD…

RUB IT BETTER Want to boost weary bones and joints without popping pills? Healthspan has just launched a Glucosamine and Magnesium Gel (£150ml £14.95; healthspan.com) which is perfect for triathletes. Apply it to skin every day after a bath or shower for a combination of Bioavailable n-acetyl glucosamine and and magnesium chloride. The gel can be used to soothe and ease post workout aches and pains. Methyl salicylate works as a topical analgesic, while a combination of capsicum (a compound found in red peppers and chilli), eucalyptus oil and pure peppermint oil provide gentle thermal effects. The gel is non-sticky, non-greasy and easily absorbed.…

Zone3 has become a firm favourite in open water and the brand is marking its 10th anniversary since it was founded by former elite triathlete, James Lock. To celebrate Zone3 is giving Triathlon Plus readers the chance to win a special prize bundle worth £1,000! As the brand has grown, so has the range. It now caters for all triathletes’ needs with its new swim, cycle and casual wear, as well as an exciting new performance compression and fitness range, launching this year. Zone3 wetsuits have won multiple awards. The top end Vanquish won the Triathlon Plus Gold award in July 2016 (issue 96) and the budget Vision, which also won Triathlon Plus Gold in June 2016 (issue 95). One lucky Triathlon Plus reader will win a Zone3 Aspire wetsuit,…

Never Look Back Placings in a duathlon are hard fought. One great piece of advice is to never look back or even think about those behind you. It’s amazing how many people focus on those behind them rather than the people ahead. Looking back ruins your running form and gives hope to those behind you. Whether you are winning or you are in last place, looking back or even just thinking about those behind you serves no purpose at all. Focusing on those in front helps boost your morale and may even help you pick up a couple of places. Even if you are actually slipping backwards, still think ahead. The equipment, tactics, nutrition and know-how for duathlon are similar to triathlon. However, there are also some things that set…

1 Pick a goal. You need something exciting and realistic to work towards. 2 Break goals down. The short term and medium term are very important in a long training block to keep motivation up. 3 Work on skills. Knowing you are not just fit but also technically sound in the water, on the bike and during the run will give you confidence to push hard. 4 Set a plan. Create a logical path between the present and the goal to contextualise training. 5 Mix things up. Try new sports that keep up fitness levels but relieve boredom. 6 Be prepared to adapt. Know that a piece of paper does not run your life; you can adapt your training plan when there are pressures from work, family and illness. 7…

“I realised I was genuinely good at something and could use sport to turn my life around” It was prison officer Darren Davis who spotted John McAvoy’s potential to become a world-class endurance athlete. McAvoy, a notorious armed robber, had only embarked on fitness training to relieve the mind-numbing, soul-destroying boredom of confinement. But as he grew stronger, both mentally and physically, John gradually underwent an astonishing transformation. With Darren’s help and encouragement, he has morphed from one of Britain’s most wanted men to one of the nation’s most promising distance triathletes. Born into a notorious crime family (his uncle was a key player in the Brink’s-Mat bullion robbery) John was both destined and determined to follow the same path. “I grew up surrounded by people with lots of money…

Notes and key The Race List AT THE TIME of going to press, some race details were yet to be confirmed. Before entering a race, or if you can’t find your favourite event here, please contact the organisers for the most up-to-date information. Distances given are: for triathlons, swim/bike/ run; for duathlons, run/bike/run; and for aquathlons, swim/run. Swim distances are in metres up to 999, then kilometres. Bike and run distances are in kilometres unless otherwise stated, with ‘M’ denoting distances are in miles. LISTINGS PROVIDED BY FINDARACE.COM 12 MARCH PEAKY FREAKY DUATHLON CHALLENGE Loxton, Somerset Distance: 30km bike, 4.5km run, 15km bike; 5km run, 15km bike, 5km run freakevents.co.uk 18 MARCH THE WEE TRIATHLON Fort William, Scotland Distance: 400m run, 10M bike, 3km run nofussevents.co.uk 19 MARCH UK FIRE…

Specialized ALLEZ E5 £525 specialized.com FRAME AND FORK Size tested 54cm Sizes available 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61cm Weight as tested 9.54kg Frame E5 Premium aluminium Fork FACT carbon fibre blades with straight alloy steerer TRANSMISSION Chainset FSA Gossamer Pro 50/34T Bottom bracket FSA Cassette SunRace 8speed 11-32T Derailleurs Shimano Claris Shifters Shimano Claris WHEELS Front Axis Sport Rear Axis Sport Tyres Specialized Espoir Sport BlackBelt 700x25mm OTHER COMPONENTS Stem Specialized 3D 100mm Bars Specialized shallow drop 420mm Headset FSA Saddle Specialized Body Geometry Toupe Sport Seatpost Alloy 27.2mm Brakes Tektro dual pivot Raleigh CRITERIUM £500 raleigh.co.uk FRAME AND FORK Size tested 54cm Sizes available 52, 54, 56, 58, 61cmL Weight as tested 10.25kg Frame Al6061 double butted alloy Fork Endurance blend carbon blades with tapered alloy steerer TRANSMISSION…

In 2016 the ITU changed the game in amateur racing, allowing age-group sprint triathlon and duathlon age-group championships to be draft legal, which means you’re allowed to follow other cyclists closely to benefit from their slipstream. The changes don’t affect standard distance currently and local level competitions, but it heralds a significant change in how we race. Draft legal races bring more excitement with bunch racing and it probably won’t be long until all distances and levels of competition will follow suit. But if you are going to race in draft legal races, you need to practise this in training. GROUP CYCLING Cycling in a group is very different to cycling solo, with the first point being that you ride a road bike, so need to race in a different…

1. PROarm Panel PROarm proprioception panels allow for stroke feedback, promoting flawless technique and maximum power transfer. 2 FLEXlift AEROdome 6 strategically placed panels for exceptionally balanced buoyancy. 3. FLEXskin 0.5mm of super flexible neoprene is fully coated with Super Composite Skin Nano coating for the ultimate combination of flexibility and speed. 4. Optimal Kick Design Zoot’s proprietary leg patterning works with the anatomy of the swimmers legs to increase kick velocity, frequency, and efficiency.…

Ploughing up and down the pool can be tedious and counter-productive to your aim of getting faster. Break up your training with these technique drills that will reinvigorate your swim sessions while encouraging you to focus on key aspects of your stroke. SIX-KICK Many triathletes struggle with a shortened pull; almost windmilling the arms around as they try to start another pull as quickly as possible. The six-kick encourages you to slow down, and lengthen the pull so that you can fit six kicks into the time frame, while also increasing the training effect on the leg kick. • Raise your leg kick speed to a fast beat, ensuring you kick from the hip.• Simultaneously slow down your arms so six kicks can be fitted in each arm pull.• Increase…

Garmin Forerunner 920XT £389.99 (various HRM options) garmin.co.uk 4/5 Garmin’s Forerunner range has long been somewhere near the head of the pack for multisport watches and the 920XT is no exception. Featuring a native triathlon setting for seamless use during races, ANT+ connectivity, accurate swim distance measuring, a SWOLF measure and Garmin’s ever-improvingyet- familiar user interface, this is a watch that’s hard to ignore. New Forerunners are always in the pipeline, so look out for discounted models as the newest take the baton in the market. TomTom Spark Cardio £149.99 tomtom.com 4/5 The Spark Cardio is an all-round fitness monitoring device, with a HRM built into the body – so there’s no need to take it on and off throughout the day. It looks good too; you can genuinely get away with wearing…

The union between two of the biggest names in triathlon, the ITU and Ironman, marks a remarkable step forward in mending the chasm that once yawned between the two bodies under their predecessors. According to Slow Twitch the ITU twice took legal action to stop Ironman from calling its races world championships, losing on both occasions. The row culminated in Ironman being expelled from ITU’s governance for two years from 2004 to 2006. But over the last few years, under the leadership of ITU President Marisol Casado and Ironman President and CEO Andrew Messick, the two have not only mended bridges but began to work closely together. Now, after a week of meetings at Ironman’s headquarters in Florida, the two have signed a “historic co?operation framework to further develop and…

THE BOWDEN FACTOR British bike brand Factor Bikes has announced a new partnership with British triathlete Adam Bowden. Bowden, 34, who ranked 9th last year in the ITU World Rankings, will have access to the new Factor Slick time trial bike as well as the O2 for his Ironman targets in 2017. CHAMPS RETURN TO TENBY Long Course Weekend Champions Tracy Markham (South Africa) and Marcus Hultgren (Sweden) will return to Tenby in July to defend their titles. The sporting festival (from 7 to 9 July) features separate swim, cycle and run events of varying lengths (including Ironman distance) over three days. Visit longcourseweekend.com JUST KEEP SWIMMING… British Triathlon has teamed up with The Royal Life Saving Society UK to launch SH2OUT, an open water safety initiative. Key strategies included…

WIN £250 SIMPLY SWIM VOUCHERS simplyswim.com Simply Swim is one of the largest online retailers of swimwear and triathlon gear in the UK with over 40 of the most well-known, quality brands and thousands of products to choose from. Simply Swim is giving away one £250 voucher to spend online to one lucky winner. TO ENTER VISIT TRIRADAR.COM GOR-TEX SHAKEDRY RUN JACKET £230 goreapparel.co.uk With the unpredictable weather, every training triathlete needs a light weight waterproof run jacket in their armoury and the new Shakedry from Gor-Tex ticks all the boxes. It’s ultra-lightweight and breathable plus the new Shakedry technology means it goes from soaking wet to dry in just a couple of shakes. There is a ladies’, men’s and bike version of the jacket so you can be sure…

Training for a duathlon is in many ways simpler than triathlon training. With just two disciplines to worry about, it's easier to fit in the workouts needed to really improve. Even so, it's easy to get things wrong too. Most of your training is leg-based, meaning that muscle fatigue and injury are common. In this section we'll provide you with a four-week training plan and a set of training zones to help you get fit and avoid common pitfalls. It includes recovery days, aerobic endurance sessions, speed workouts and multi-discipline brick training. In short, everything you need to increase your race readiness and confidence for a duathlon. TRAINING PLAN GUIDELINES This training plan is designed for anyone aiming to do a sprint or standard distance duathlon. It's made with novice…

Suspension bodyweight training is a simple way to improve your whole body strength, helping to improve your overall body position in the water, ride position on the bike and enable you to hold a stronger core when running. It’s the ultimate go-anywhere training aid to improve your performance. Some of these exercises will have a specific benefit in one element of a triathlon, however they will all improve your overall performance. Make sure you have a good 10-minute warm up before you get started with these exercises. SQUAT 1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine. 2 Squat down until your knees are at at least a 90 degree angle, keeping the weight in your heels and your…

SUPERCHARGING NUTRITION While there is no one single super food that can meet all your nutritional needs, eating a wide variety of wholesome foods can help supercharge your training by providing the nutrients your body requires to perform at its best. These are six foods that all triathletes should have in their kitchen to aid fuelling and recovery after training. OATS Whether you eat them in porridge, muesli, overnight oats, baked oats, flapjacks, or blended into smoothies, oats are a versatile source of carbohydrate. They have a low glycemic index (GI), meaning the energy they contain is released slowly into the blood stream avoiding any blood sugar spikes or dips. The beta glucan in oats helps promote heart health by preventing cholesterol in food being absorbed as well as removing…

1 Hydrate well. Depending on the intensity and amount of exercise, replenish with the appropriate fluids, be it water or an electrolyte balanced drink. 2 Nutrition. Make sure you replenish your body with a sufficient balance of proteins and carbohydrates in order to allow for optimum recovery. 3 Massage. Regular massages by qualified practitioners can help to reduce the incidence of niggles during training, and relieve post-training session pain. 4 Stretch and/or use a foam roller. Take your muscles through their range of movement post training session. After cycling stretch out those hip flexors and upper back. Post running make sure to stretch out your upper back and quads. 5 Sleep – get enough of it! This is the primary time that our body and mind recovers from training. SEND…

NEW GEAR PUT THROUGH ITS PACES 1 DHB TRIPLE LENS SUNGLASSES £19.99 wiggle.co.uk These are exceptionally light and cheap compared to some others on test. Despite slipping down the nose when looking down we were surprised at how well they stayed in place while running. Because these don’t sit as high on the bridge as some of the other more snug-fitting models, we did find ourselves dazzled at times by lowlying sun. Three simple-to-change lenses cover all light conditions. Superb ventilation means little fogging; a great budget option. Unisex and women’s version available. OVERALL 2 DRAGON ALLIANCE ENDURO X £135.90 shadestation.co.uk The light semi-rimless frame and yellow lenses (which give a sepia tinge) remind us of safety glasses. But they are exceptionally comfy – so much so, you’ll forget you’re…

Whether you’re a wannabe triathlete terrified to rack your bike and head to the start line or a racer keen to improve your time or increase your distance, there’s usually one thing holding you back and that’s the swim leg. We can’t deny diving into a cold dark body of water isn’t everybody’s idea of fun, but you’ll find once you do take the plunge, it’s really not as bad as you think. Even if you’re an established swimmer, the likelihood is that the swim is your weakest discipline. So whether you’re a newbie or a experienced triathlete, we’ve put together this complete swim guide to ensure you can rack your bike on race-day feeling swim ready. We’ve prepared a plethora of technique (p4) and speed drills (p6) alongside open-water…

WHAT TO LOOK FOR With so many wetsuits on the market, here are the key things you should focus on Comfort and fit A suit needs to be snug to your body but flexible enough in the shoulders, legs and crotch to offer you free movement for swimming. Any restriction or chafing will hinder your swim. Sizes vary between brands. Thickness/thinness This can vary enormously. Many companies now use 4-5mm for the body, but thinner neoprene for the arms. Think about the conditions you’ll be swimming in and your buoyancy needs. Buoyancy Many now offer extra buoyancy in the legs which is great for sinkers, but a hindrance to those who don’t need it. Wetsuit manufacturers will have their own guides so read up online before buying. Sealants Wetsuits should…