Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2024 i 220 Triathlon

We’re celebrating our paratriathletes in this issue and make no mistake – there’s a lot to celebrate! Our columnist Tim Heming runs you through the big stories to come out of the paratriathlon in Paris this summer (p10) and you can see more in a photo round-up from page 24. Next, looking ahead, we talk to racing driver, commentator and double-amputee Billy Monger (p32). No stranger to triathlon after completing a multisport challenge for Comic Relief in 2021 he’s back this year fundraising again – but this time with the added pressure of the Ironman World Champs in Kona. Think the big race on the big island looks tough? Imagine navigating it with two prosthethics and trying to break a world record to boot. Now that’s truly inspirational. Good luck,…

BIG PIC: PARIS PARATRI SPECIAL…

TRAINING There’s nothing more satisfying than coming home from a hard training session to the tempting aromas of a slowcooked meal prepped in advance by your own fair hands. This month we have four delicious, substantial and nourishing meals to add to your training repertoire. I just hope you’re hungry! Firstly, a comforting slow-cooked Moroccan-style lamb shanks recipe. Soft tender lamb falling off the bone - a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals, which will really help promote post-exercise muscle recovery. Scoop up the juices with couscous and add a tin of chickpeas to the sauce to bulk it out if you’re trying to increase your calorie intake. Next up for the meat-lovers is a Hungarian goulash soup. This recipe was given to me by my very dear Hungarian…

THE ROC SOTLAND 5 OCTOBER 2024 The ROC Scotland sees a swim in Loch Leven, a mountain/gravel bike leg along the West Highland Way to Fort William and then a final run up and down the UK’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. OCTOBER 5 KIELDER GRAVEL DUATHLON (10kmR/34kmB/6km R) Kielder Waterside, Hexham, Northumberland kieldermarathon.com THE ROC SCOTLAND (1.5km S/27km B/17.5km R/26km B/1.5km R) Kinlochleven, Scotland theroc.com/the-roc-scotland/ UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE AQUATHLON (760m S/5.1kmR) Universit y of Dundee. entrycentral.com 6 WARWICKSHIRE TRIATHLON (various dists & events) Stratford Leisure Centre, West Midlands. uktriathlon.co.uk AUTUMN LAKESIDE AQUATHLON (various dists and events) Paignton, Devon. sportivaevents.co.uk TORBAY TRIATHLON AUTUMN (various dists and events) Paignton, Devon. sportivaevents.co.uk SYWELL SPRINTTBIATHLON (760m S/20km B/5km R) Sywell, Nor thants. racesignup.co.uk MINEHEAD TRIATHLON (various dists and events) Minehead, Somerset. channelevents.co.uk OULTON PARK…

THE BIG PIC Challenge Family returned to mainland China on 8 September with the Olympic-distance Challenge Beijing, where Canada’s Paula Findlay, seen here having finally broken free of GB’s Lucy Byram, ran home for the win in 1:57:36. In the men’s race, Kiwi Kyle Smith celebrated his 27th birthday with a victory after 1:47hrs.…

KIT ZONE ON TEST: RUN SHOES The not-too-distant past saw a clear delineation between race and training run shoes. Race shoes were little more than a stretch of fabric, while off-season shoes were heavy. Advancements have seen race shoes retain their lithe construction but with less sacrifice to comfort, while daily training shoes have retained cushioning, lost mass and improved flexibility. You only have to look at the weights of some of the shoes on test here to realise that times really have changed. If you’re taking on a longer race or are simply a runner who’s more comfortable in cushioned shoes, you may not want to switch to racing flats. Plus, with technology in shoes intended for high mileage progressing in recent years, you don’t necessarily need to. If anything,…

TRAINING MASTERCLASS The home favourite delivering a gold medal for their nation had happened just once before in Olympic triathlon history. Most readers will recall Alistair Brownlee withstanding the pressure to take the top podium spot in London 2012. Now, 12 years on, here was Cassandre Beaugrand repeating the achievement for the French. From the stage to the performance, it was, in every respect magnifique, and while Beaugrand’s brilliance also helped deny GB’s Beth Potter, there was at least a little British flavour to the tricolore triumph. Two years earlier, the then 25-year-old Beuagrand had moved from her training group in the south of France to be coached by Gavin Smith at Loughborough University. Already a world class performer but without the results to justify that talent, Beaugrand was looking for…

MARTYN BRUNT Martyn is tri’s foremost average athlete and is living proof that hours of training and endless new kit are no substitute for ability. We begin this month with congratulations and an apology. The congratulations are to Megan Richter, Claire Cashmore, Lauren Steadman, Hannah Moore and Dave Ellis (and guide Luke Pollard) for their sensational medal-winning performances at the Paris Paralympic Games. And the apology is to my neighbours who apparently heard me through the wait repeatedly bellowing “******G GET IN!” at my TV as I celebrated their medals. I love the Paralympics, not just for the sporting performances but because you get so much better interviews from the athletes, my favourite being Dave Ellis’ assessment of the water quality in the Seine: “It didn’t bother me because I…

TIM HEMING Cutting through the spin of tri to address the issues that matter, Tim is a sports journalist who has written extensively on triathlon for the national press. “It was just epic swimming from under the Pont Alexandre III bridge, the cobbles on the Champs Elysees, and looking up at the Arc de Triomphe as I ripped through there. A super fast bike course, running everybody down. Just the way I like it. And then a little issue on the run.” That was Howie Sanborn’s energycharged reaction having just finished the Paralympic paratriathlon wheelchair race in ninth position – his worst result in six years – with the slowest 5km wheelchair push in the field. But the US military veteran had also underplayed the reason he’d slipped from medal…

Sam Laidlow’s recent T100 success in London came off the back of the day’s fastest 80km bike of 1:46:42. Core to the Frenchman’s scorching ride around the streets of London was his jaw-dropping Canyon Speedmax CFR, whose form and function is next level. Let’s start with the looks, which in Laidlow’s bespoke case features a matte black frame patterned with LDW, standing for his logo ‘Laidlow and Swallow’. According to Laidlow, it took four craftsfolk 16hrs to complete. We particularly like the seat tube that reads ‘Watts in this booty?’, pointing north to Laidlow’s derriere. As for function, custom highlights include the Ceramic Speed OSPW (Oversize Pulley Wheel System) and “treated race chain” that Laidlow says saves 50 watts. We can’t verify those claims, but needless to say treated chains…

Unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere or somewhere with a tropical climate, the early days of October have long marked the end of the triathlon season. Farewell open water and energy gels, hello hours spent with the turbo, treadmill and television. But a winter spent indoors avoiding that daily dose of vitamin D doesn’t have to be on the sporting menu, as there are a host of furiously fun and filthy endurance adventures for you to tackle over the winter and early spring across the UK and beyond. From dirty duathlons to epic coast runs, wince-inducing swims to gravel adventures and, yep, real ale wobbles, here are our picks for the next six months to blow away the off-season cobwebs. They’ll also leave you fitter, sharper and race-readier when…

KIT ZONE Depending how seriously you’re taking your training, or what school of thought you’re part of, having reliable heart rate data is invaluable. That’s because it’ll allow you to control the intensity of your training to achieve your desired results, whether that’s staying in zone 2 for a low-impact session or opting to take on some intervals. While many triathlon watches offer very accurate heart-rate tracking, they still don’t quite reach the high levels of accuracy you can get from many dedicated heart rate monitors, particularly during higher intensity sessions. Chest and arm-based monitors are seen to be the crème de la crème in this regard, which is why we’ve got a selection of them on review right here. Read on to find out which one is right for…

01 Settle into a routine Ingraining healthy habits through a regular training regime will help your progression. As well as providing consistency - easy to say, harder to achieve - it removes procrastination about what you’re doing and when. It’s not just the physical benefits, either. For example, our squad meets 35mins before every swim session for pre-swim mobility exercises, putting them in the right place mentally, too. 02 The right coach It could be someone who gives you a detailed programme to follow each week or a mentor to help guide overarching decisions. Are you happy to have remote contact or should it be face to-face? Different athletes also have different requirements at different stages of their career. 03 Be realistic In our sport you have to play the long game. For…

HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? TRIBOURNE LONG DISTANCE TRIATHLON MEET MICHELLE Michelle Farrow, 25, is the referral manager at a small animal hospital. Outside of work, Michelle competes in trail running, Hyrox, Cross Fit and cycling events as well as triathlons. Michelle also takes part in can cross with her Labrador and three Cooker Spaniels. After a 50mm wait in line, I find myself standing at the edge of the pier looking down into the swelling sea, knowing that at any moment I’ll be told to jump. I force myself to take deep breaths to manage my mounting panic. Is my swim cap in place? Are my goggles on correctly? Both are where they’re meant to be. I have no excuses left. With a surge of adrenaline I jump, and immediately…