Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2011 i Triathlon Plus

"The snow has melted, the daffodils are out and it’s almost time for us triathletes to pull on our pointy helmets again in search of this year’s PB. After a winter like the one we’ve just had in the UK, you can’t blame us for being a little bit excited about our first event of the new tri season. But the weight of expectation can ruin a potentially good first race and that, in turn, can set the tone for your season. Get ready for that race physically and approach it in the right frame of mind, and you’re setting yourself up for a great year. But the weight of expectation can ruin a potentially good first race and that, in turn, can set the tone for your season. Get…

THE WAITING is almost over – on 9 April the 2011 ITU World Championship Series begins in Sydney, and it promises to be the most exciting season yet. Javier Gomez and Emma Moffatt will have to defeat stiff competition if they are to retain their titles, in a series that travels to some of the most glamorous locations in the world. Here’s our rough guide. ROUND ONE Date 9 and 10 April Population 4.5 million Average temp 23 degrees Majorattractions Opera House, Bondi Beach, Harbour Bridge Sporting pedigree 2000 Olympic Games, 2003 Rugby World Cup Final, The Ashes Famous sons/daughters Baz Luhrmann, John Howard, Toni Collette, Ian Thorpe Crowd favourites Emma Moffatt, Emma Snowsill, Brad Kahlfeldt 2010 WCS winners Bevan Docherty (NZL); Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) Course info One of…

www.audiofuel.co.uk AUDIOFUEL MUSIC is designed to motivate you through a tough running session and so the tracks on this 3 Step Interval programme are at specific speeds matched to the intensity you’re supposed to run at. It features the dulcet tones of Triathlon Plus contributor Martin Yelling who coaches you through a 43-minute session, leaving you with no excuse for slacking off. Motivate Independent research has indicated that Audiofuel increases motivation and performance Rhythm king The beat helps you run to the rhythm and respond to changes in pace…

THE FIRST time I attempted a triathlon was way back in 1987, shortly before I went to university. I enjoyed it and I did quite well, so when I started at Loughborough University a few months later I became one of the initial members of their now world-class triathlon club. I did quite a few races up at Loughborough and the competitive spirit of the place really rubbed off on me. I had access to some excellent resources – top swimming coach Colin Hardy ironed out the flaws in my swim and improvement swiftly followed. Back then, the concept of age-group racing within the UK wasn’t really around. The events were still quite small and everyone competed in the same field. I got a job after university and carried on…

£1.49 PERGEL www.myprotein.com MY PROTEIN are known for their customisable nutritional powders and potions that come in no-frills packaging, and this is their latest energy gel. First impressions are pleasing; not only does it taste great but each sachet contains over 21g of energy from a blend of several carbohydrates. They also include a range of electrolytes to help replace the salts you lose through sweat. They don’t come cheap if you buy them singly, but a box of 30 is much better value at £25.99. Available in Orange and Summer Berry flavours. Refuel Each gel provides 101 calories of energy Nutrition B vitamins help improve the amount of energy your body produces from stored nutrients…

EVER WONDERED where your tarsal tunnel is? It’s the area that runs along the inside of your ankle and is home to several nerves, ligaments and tendons. When any of these, usually the tibial nerve, become inflamed, pressure builds up inside the tarsal tunnel resulting in pain in your toes and a tingling sensation in your heel. In acute cases it can lead to pain all over the affected foot and a build-up of fluid in the tarsal tunnel. The injury is common in regular runners. One of the main causes is flat-footedness, where the flattened arch puts increased pressure on the nerves and muscles. So if it’s something you think you might have, check your stride with a running specialist.…

SHOPPING LIST Ix whole free range egg 2x free range egg whites 100g Greenland prawns 1 bunch watercress 2 slices of spelt bread 2 spring onions, flinely chopped 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 2tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley 1tspo live oil Seasoning saltand ground white pepper NUTRITION Serves 1 Prep time 30 mins Perserving 617kcal, 38g carbs, 43g protein, 29g fat 1 Defrost the prawns and ensure they are well drained. In a bowl, gently mix the eggs with the finely chopped spring onions for about 20 seconds to keep as much air out of them as possible. Season. 2 Warm a non-stick pan on a gentle heat, melt the butter and add the finely chopped garlic. Fry gently for two minutes before adding the prawns and the chopped…

SWIMWEAR GIANTS Speedo decided to re-enter the triathlon market after the 2008 Olympics, releasing their first new collection of tri clothing and accessories last year. Hot off the production line is their all-new TriathELITE 2011 range, which incorporates some of the most advanced technology in the world. Top of the pile is the TRI-ELITE wetsuit and, according to Speedo, “it’s all about speed”. This full, tri-specific suit makes use of the manufacturer’s Vortex Stroke System, which is aimed at significantly improving your swimming efficiency by increasing the drag coefficient of the arm panel (increasing resistance in the water during the ‘pull’ phase of your stroke). It’s coated in Yamamoto’s SCS (super composite skin) that drastically reduces water resistance to a friction coefficient of 0.032 (standard neoprene has a coefficient of…

While triathlon is predominantly an aerobic sport, don’t underestimate the ability to sprint. This could be racing to get a clean run out of the water, sprinting through a line of riders or going head to head on the run leg. As you get closer to races, practise a few surges to get your body use to it. You can’t keep this kind of training up all summer as it’s hard on your legs, but at this time of year it gives fast results before your real peak speed training has kicked in, giving you a nice confidence boost early on. Plyometric drills have also been shown to improve running economy and 5K speed so don’t leave them for the 100m runners.…

During winter you may have been using your normal choice of energy drink or even a basic fluid. However, as things start to get warmer you also need to use more electrolyte-based drinks to accommodate increased sweating. Remember to fuelup during your sessions too. Noted nutritionist and triathlete Professor Asker Jeukendrup has found that when riding a bike for 25mph, your glycogen levels will deplete after approximately 90 minutes of exercise and your power levels will drop massively. Under-fuelling could also be the reason you can’t shake your winter colds. Research at Bangor University, Wales, has shown that taking carbs during long sessions reduces your chances of picking up infections. This could be due to the stress hormone, cortiso I, that’s released during fat-burning, suppressing parts of your immune system.…

Team triathlon has never just been for the pros, or even for long-distance athletes. Ever since tri became popular in Europe in the late 1980s, team races and relates have been part of the racing calendar. The biggest team event in the UK is the British Triathlon-endorsed National Club Relays competition, which has taken place annually since 1991. These days it’s a huge event – British tri’s answer to Glastonbury, according to organisers One Step Beyond – with 660 teams of four competing in three categories (men, women and mixed) over three days. To compete at this year’s National Club Relays (27-28 August, Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham), you need to be a member of a British Triathlon-affiliated club. If you’ve not joined your local club, this is a good excuse –…

Meet the expert Bike guru Kesteven spends his life reviewing bike bling for Triathlon Plus, and our sister magazine Cycling Plus WE TELL colleagues it’s for the camaraderie and cardiac fitness, we tell our partners it’s to get rid of the paunch, we tell runners, cyclists and swimmers that it’s because just one sport doesn’t tick all our boxes. If we’re honest though, one of the big reasons so many of us love triathlon is because of the totally hi-tech toybox it opens up. As triathletes we tend to be harder working, higher earning folks, with a reputation for treating ourselves to the latest gear more regularly than faded fluoro jacket roadies and runners still skanking along in original Ron Hill Tracksters. That means we’re literally a rich market for…

Meet the expert Currell is a performance nutritionist at the English Institute of Sport, specialising in triathlon CHOCOLATE – IT’S everywhere you go, in every shop and all over the TV. When it comes to the nation’s favourite sweet snack you are bombarded with choice. It’s also a good example of a food where its positives may also contribute to its negatives. For non-sporty people there are plenty of cons to write about, but as triathletes we have different nutritional needs. This feature will help you decide whether it’s food heaven or sugary hell. ✓ GOOD 1 ENERGY CONTENT There are times, and we have all been there, when out on a long ride you have run out of energy and all you can think of is getting to the…

Q I’m thinking about getting some compression tights as my legs ache a lot after running, but I’ve read some conflicting reports about how effective they really are. Is compression kit worth the investment and will it do anything to help with my recovery, or am I better off without it? Andy Royle WELL, I’M sat here writing this, wearing a set of compression leggings after my long run. And while this type of clothing is becoming more and more popular, it’s been around for quite some time across a wide variety of sports. In endurance sports, compression clothing was first popularised when Paula Radcliffe set a world record wearing compression stockings in 2003. However, as you’ve found, there has been a lot of conflicting research into whether they really…

Protection Your eyes are prone to damage from strong sunlight. There’s no accepted worldwide scale for sunnies’ level of protection, but most experts recommend you go for glasses that filter out all UVA and UVB light (you might see the label ‘UV400’ on sunnies, denoting this). The cheapest sunnies on test here offer as much as the most expensive, so the extra you’re paying is for other features (like better clarity of vision). Nosepiece An adjustable, removable nosepiece is best so you can get a good fit. When you try sunnies on, make sure the nosepiece isn’t big enough to be irritating in your eyeline. Look for soft, hydrophilic rubber here to stop slipping, especially on the run. Lenses This is where most of your money goes. Interchangeable lenses are…

FUJI PRODUCE a full range of aero machines and even their entry level bike ticks most top-end feature boxes to produce a good-looking and super-friendly introduction to reduced-drag riding. THE FRAME AND FORKS The Fuji frame certainly looks the part, with the short inset headset tube giving seriously low cockpit potential and thin carbon-bladed aero forks giving cutting-edge drag reduction. Deep oval down tube, aero seat tube with wheelhugger cut-out and skinny top tube keep airflow clean. Rearward facing dropout wheel slots manage tyre clearance and the gear and rear brake cables are internally routed through the tubes. You can also dismantle and rebuild the two-position seatpost to give a properly radical forward-pedaling position. This is great for those who like to feel that they’re right over the pedals or…

THIS ENTRY-point bike from the longest-established tri bike maker gets a frontend face lift for ergonomically efficient long-distance cruising comfort. You need to look elsewhere if you’re after a pinpoint precision powerhouse. THE FRAME AND FORKS Q Roo were the first mainstream manufacturer to introduce steep-angled seat tubes on their tri bikes to open up the pelvis area for better in-tuck breathing and postbike-run performance. This much-copied FIST geometry is still very much present in the 78.5-degree seat angle of the Kilo. In recognition of the huge numbers of new riders flooding into the sport with less flexibility (and often more flab) they fitted a taller headtube for a less intimidating drop to the bars. The skinny top tube also keeps comfort levels high despite the ‘wind tunnel designed’ seatstays…

Welcome to the Triathlon Plus Buyer’s Guide. It includes as much at-a-glance information as possible to help you get the best triathlon gear for your money. Our guide includes a TT/tri bikes section, featuring hundreds of bikes with a total value of more than half a million pounds! We’ll be adding highlights of great rides we’ve tested over the coming months. This month we’ve brought back our wetsuits guide, with at-a-glance comparisons of new wetsuits out this year. We’re testing them next issue, so look out for our verdicts then. Still stuck? You’ll find more gear reviews and buying advice on our website, triradar.com. Phil Mosley Coaching editor DON’T FORGET OUR BRAND NEW KIT TESTS ON PAGE 100 CUSTOM-BUILD BIKE OPTIONS Several manufacturers, such as Ribble and Planet-X, offer the…

BACK IN the days when I was a runner, it was 11:30pm on a Sunday and I’d just got in from an evening out (a small drink actually). Just enough time to go over my training diary before getting to bed. Then – disaster! Why? I’d only managed 77 miles that week instead of the scheduled 80 miles, and there was half-an-hour to go. What to do? A no-brainer – get the running shoes on and head out for a rushed three miles to make the schedule. Phew! Panic over and miles achieved, I’d ticked the box. Now, would I have been anything less of a runner had I not completed that magic 80 miles for that week? Of course not. But 80 miles is 80 miles. It was on…

We’ve assembled the biggest and best team of triathlon experts around to bring you unrivalled coverage of your sport ELIZABETH HUFTON Triathlon Plus’ editor Liz is a triathlete and veteran of eight marathons. She completed her first Ironman event in Zurich, Switzerland in 13:43 in 2009. She’s taking part in a 5k swimathon in April. PHIL MOSLEY Our coaching editor is a triathlon coach, sports scientist and keen triathlete. He’s a top 10 Ironman 70.3 finisher and has been part of the GB elite duathlon team at the World Championships. GUY KESTEVEN Guy has tested thousands of bikes for us and sister mags Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike. Hisin-depth testing methods are both loved and feared by manufacturers everywhere. PHIL GRAVES Philis an Ironman triathlete and demon cyclist. He…

If you’ve got a triathlon coming up in the next few weeks you should make a permanent list of everything you’ll need to pack for race day. Firstly think about the obvious stuff like your bike, helmet and running shoes before thinking more closely about the little bits like number belts, medication and hair bands, which are the things you’re most likely to forget in your last-minute panic. Build the list up over time, and check it off every time you pack your bags for a race. You can even download mobile phone applications that perform a similar function.…

PEOPLE SAY it’s just a case of when, not if, when it comes to bike crashes, and I’ve had my fair share of one-on-one dates with the Tarmac. So, this month I want to take you through my career in crashes and hopefully you’ll learn from some of my amateurish mistakes! I can still remember my first bike crash on a proper race bike, and I’m sure it is exactly the same as everyone else’s. I got my first road bike with clipless pedals when I was 13, and for anyone starting out, getting used to proper bike pedals is a nightmare. Anyway, out on my first ride I made it around the roundabout at the bottom of the street, but just round the corner there was a queue of…

WITH JUST over a year to go, fever for the London 2012 Olympics is growing stronger by the day. So why not take yourself down to one of the Olympic venues next month and try your hand at the Dorney SuperSprint – an extra race for 2011, which is being staged by Human Race, handy if you didn’t get a place on the Eton SuperSprint. Human Race organise several triathlons of varying distances at Dorney Lake every season and demand has grown so much that they are staging an extra SuperSprint in May this year. The 400m open water swim takes place in the famous lake, which will host the rowing events at next year’s Games. So when you’re watching the rowers going at it hammer-and-tong on the telly next…

1 FIRST RIDE Storck have produced a carbon bike for under £2,000. The diameter and thickness of the carbon tubes vary across the sizes, so a 47cm bike will ride with exactly the same character as a 63cm. Highlights include the full carbon minimal rear wheel dropouts, which shave weight and add strength, and the Stiletto aero fork with its high stiffness-to-weight ratio. 2 FAST RIDE The Scenero’s frame is so perfectly balanced that acceleration of your cadenceis rewarded with instantaneous power, delivered straight where you need it-pushing you forward, fast. The handling is quick too: the slightest movement and lightest touch of the steering makes easy work of cornering or fighting through a group, and the Scenero holds its line with absolute precision. 3 HILL RIDE It may have…

1 Check your footwear. Wider fitting shoes and trainers with arch support will help combat the effects of flat-footedness and reduce the chance of developing the injury. 2 If this doesn’t work, the use of orthotics to address flat-footedness can also be undertaken. This involves correcting the arch of the foot to increase mobility by using shoe inserts. 3 Anti-inflammatories will help reduce the swelling in the nerves, ligaments or tendons and allow them to move more freely through the tarsal tunnels. 4 In some cases of tarsal tunnel syndrome, surgery is the only option. The operation involves the cutting of the laciniate ligament to increase the amount of room in the tarsal tunnel.…

1. MAXXIS XENITHEQUIPE LEGERE £38.99 Weight 151g www.oneindustrieseurope.co.uk www.maxxis.com Xenith’s light weight means they accelerate fast and stick like glue so you can let rip with the power. Rapid direction change and super road suction means they’re crazy-quick in corners, making them ideal short-course/hill-climb race rubber. But they pick up grit, debris and punctures easily, wear quickly and are slower in a straight line. OVERALL: 3.0/5.0 2. CONTINENTAL GP TRIATHLON £36.95 Weight 204g www.conti-tyres.co.uk This flower logo version of the legendary GP 4000 tyre delivers a proven balance of mid-weight speed, very predictable handling and reasonable survivability, thanks to a Vectran protective sub layer. The full Black Chili compound is fast, but it still gives a confident feel as you lean into wet, greasy corners despite the full slick design.…

WRITE IN AND WIN A PAIR OF TRI SHOES Fighting spirit EIGHT YEARS AGO I started working in Dubai. It was a complete culture shock from the start. Biking was not big over there at all. Six months into my job I bought a cheap bike, and met some great people from Europe, Asia and local Arabs that all trained for triathlons. A few months later I signed up for my first sprint tri and I finished sixth. The team spirit was amazing and the atmosphere was great, until one day I was on the road and I got hit by a truck. I was hit front on and I fell in the middle of the street with cars coming up behind me. Nobody stopped. With all my strength I…

Love it or hate it, training with music is shown to improve your performance and although you can’t race with music, playing familiar songs in your head while you race can help keep your speed constant. Get your playlists together to help your pre-race mood or your training on the turbo or trails. Research from the University of Cumbria in 2004 showed that at certain intensities, music can lower an athlete’s perceived exertion and increase their motivation to complete demanding training. You can also use music to work on your running cadence. Research has shown that the fastest distance runners in the world all run with a cadence of around 180 strides per minute (both legs). Finding music at the right pace to use as a metronome in training can…

The 2011 long-distance season is barely three months old, but already professional triathlon’s most decorated team has tasted success. On the first weekend in March, Commerzbank Triathlon Team celebrated yet another podium finish at Ironman New Zealand, this time a third place from Mathias Hecht. Those gathered round the finish wouldn’t have been too surprised: the golden yellow tri suit sported by Commerzbank’s seven athletes has been a familiar sight on Ironman podiums around the world over the last two years. There is no doubt that Commerzbank has been taking professional team triathlon to a whole new level. While pro teams are becoming more commonplace in triathlon – particularly in long-distance racing – few of them have achieved the same consistent level of performance or worldwide recognition. Put simply, the…

THE ENCOURAGING, open-armed world of the triathlon club is not an obvious port of call for a retired bunch of professional rugby union players in search of something to fill the void. The testosterone-packed world of the dressing room – home to sarcasm, competitiveness and barbed japery – is as far removed from the sometimes cuddly world of beginner’s triathlon as it’s possible to be. So make no mistake, the Knackered Dads are a tri club with a difference. The banter between members is relentless, as one of the original members Sean uprichard explains to us. It’s one of the core values at the heart of the Knackered Dads, but near the top of the list is also the will to improve and the desire to inspire their children. Raising…

Meet the expert Coaching editor of Triathlon Plus, Mosley is an experienced coach and elite athlete with a sports degree from the University of Chichester THE FIRST triathlon I ever did was in a swimming pool. It was 15 years ago, and yet I remember it like it was yesterday. It was only a 400 metre swim so I expected it to be a breeze, but it ended up being something of a disaster. I went off too fast and blew up, I tried overtaking someone but swam straight into a heavily tattooed bloke, I lost count of my laps, I messed up my turns… the list goes on and on. It was a terrible start to a triathlon, and in hindsight it wasn’t my fitness that was lacking, but…

Meet the expert Giddings is a cycle coach, a triathlete and has a PhD in biomechanical engineering Reverse periodisation is all about training to be fast, and unlike traditional plans there isn’t such an emphasis on long, slow training miles. You may already know that periodisation involves splitting your year into separate blocks of time, with each block focused on improving a specific area of fitness. It’s a proven way of improving your performance and has traditionally involved spending your winter doing long, low-intensity workouts and drills before upping the pace and shortening the distances as race season approaches. These days many coaches and sports scientists argue that if you’re already capable of completing your race distance, you should focus all your time on getting faster instead. This new season…

Q I’m training for an Ironman this summer and hoping to do the bike leg in about six hours – this should be achievable based on my previous performances at middle and Olympic distance. I’ve joined a bike club to help me get in the long rides, as I find them quite boring, but do I need to break out on my own as I get nearer my race? The club rides are at an average 15mph with lots of chatting and the odd cake stop, but we do get 100 miles in. Is this good enough to make me fit for the race? Eamonn Deane Elite cyclist and coach While you definitely need to do some longer rides and get miles in to build up your stamina, I recommend…

Overall verdict WINNERS: VALUE MADISOND’ARCS & SUNDOGATTACK WINNER: PERFORMANCE OAKLEY CUSTOMRADAR OVERALL WINNER ADIDAS EVIL EYE HALFRIM PRO BACK IN the day, sunglasses looked cool, but got in the way of seeing where you were racing. Now, though, lens technology has moved on to a point where putting on one of the high-end sets of specs here could help you hone in on the guy in front. Vision is so enhanced by lenses like those on the Oakley, Giro and adidas sets we tested that we would have worn them all day if it weren’t for the taunts of our colleagues. There’s also a growing and impressive range of budget glasses on the market and if your limit is £50 or less then, OK, you won’t get the Superman vision…

AFEW TWEAKS to components on cube’s distinctively versatile, high-value aero entry are more than enough to keep it very competitive if you’re a combative short or medium distance rider. THE FRAME AND FORKS The Aerium frame and forks are unchanged from 2010, but then if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The short headtube, aero downtube and curved wheel-wrapping seat tube with alloy aero seatpost all shave extra seconds off the face of the wind. Gear and brake cables are routed internally to reduce drag and conventional vertical wheel slots make removing the wheel to fix punctures much easier. The triple-butted alloy frame is light for an aero frame too which, with the ultralight conventional carbon fork up front, creates a very responsive and upgradeable chassis. THE EQUIPMENT Weight and…

HOWEVER MUCH we enjoyed riding this selection, some bikes will definitely suit some riders more than others. Unfortunately the Quintana Roo won’t be taking a bow for a medal. It’s a super-friendly, relaxing and reassuring ride that’ll still get you round a flattish course against the clock quicker than a conventional bike. Low-kit value, high weight and a limp power reaction leave it off the pace. It’s the Fuji that knocks it out of contention too, injecting more style and better kit at a lower price into a very similar, relaxed, friendly and comfortable ride. The last two bikes ask a bit more from the rider in concentration and coping with rougher roads. But they give a lot back in return. Cube’s Aerium is light, responsive and equipped with a…

Buying advice What to look for THEMATERIAL The maximum neoprene thickness allowed in tri is 5mm. Thicker neoprene is more buoyant but less flexible, so choose in line with your ability. SHOULDERS AND ARMS If you’re a competent, fast swimmer and don’t need the extra buoyancy, you might want a lower neoprene thickness around the shoulders and arms. It’s common now for high-end wet suits (at £400 and over) to feature some kind of ’catch panel’ or high-friction zone on the forearm. This helps you latch on to the water at the start of your stroke. STRETCH PANELS Some more expensive wetsuits have extra-tretchy panels around the body and shoulders to allow more freedom of movement for your arms. LEGS If your heavy leg muscles naturally sink, it’ll play havoc…

PAULA FINDLAY Despite taking 3rd at the previous year’s World U23 Championships, and coming off the back of a 4th place at the Hy-Vee race, nobody had Paula Findlay in the frame for Hyde Park. However a little research would have shown that her running strength in tough conditions was superb, with a top finish in the World Junior Cross Country Championships a couple of years before; truly a dark horse waiting to be discovered. Running away from Nicola Spirig and Helen Jenkins in the final mile gave notice that Findlay was a true contender for an Olympic medal in 2012, and not just a one-race wonder. Hyde Park was a huge performance and has definitely marked her out as one to watch – and the rest of 2011 will…

THE GOVERNMENT Equalities Office has launched a brand new charter aimed at eradicating homophobia and transphobia in sport, and one of its first signatories was the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone has been the brains behind it, and the paper has also been signed by other significant sporting governing bodies such as the FA, the RFU and the LTA. The testosterone-fuelled world of competitive male professional sport has fallen decades behind other industries when it comes to eradicating the taboo of homosexuality. And triathlon is no less at fault than any other sport. Recent revelatory statements by former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas and former England cricketer Steven Davies, who have both come out as homosexual, have gone some way towards…

According to our nutrition expert Dr Kevin Currell, it’s best to avoid fresh fruit and veg the day before a triathlon. While they’re full of good carbohydrates and nutrients, they’re also high in fibre, which can potentially cause stomach problems when you’re racing hard. His advice is to stick to carbohydrate-based snacks and meals, such as energy bars or pasta, with a tomato-based sauce. Then get back on that lovely fresh fruit and veg the day after your big race when it’s safer to do so.…

"WOLLATON HALL and Deer Park, close to the centre of Nottingham, is a haven for running either on your own or as a group, and is where Absolute Triathlon Club have their weekly Saturday morning run session. Covering 500 acres, the park offers a huge variety of terrain to satisfy any training needs. It has a lake that’s about a mile around and pretty flat for doing interval work, and also as a way to measure progress. In the middle of the park is Wollaton Hall, which is built on a hill with different gradients on all sides, allowing numerous different hill rep sessions from short steep ones to more gradual inclines. This also allows you to do some quality leg-speed work on the downhill sections to work on that…

2011 NORTHERN SPORTS AWARDS Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee are set to be frontrunners for the inaugural Northern Sports Awards, which are being held at Lancashire County Cricket Club on 4 July. Over 400 star-studded guests are expected at the ceremony and you can find out more information at northernsportsawards.co.uk. NEW TRIATHLON AT CANARY WHARF The British Triathlon Super Series has a new event for 2011, after the confirmation of the GE Canary Wharf Triathlon for 30 June. Fifty starters will be reduced down through a series of heats, with 20 athletes lining up for the Grand Final. For more info visit british triathlonsuperseries.com JACOBS SIGNS DEAL WITH BOARDMAN Boardman Bikes have agreed a two-year sponsorship deal with Australian triathlete Pete Jacobs, which will run to the end of the 2012…

EMMA-KATE LIDBURY Age 30 Career Highlights 10th place 2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon; 6th place 2008 Ironman 70.3 Antwerp; overall winner 2008 ETU Age Group Championships Lisbon I was working for the Oxford Times and my editor wanted me to give the Blenheim Triathlon ago and even borrowed all the kit and a bike for me. As a former swimmer I swam really hard and completely killed myself. The bike was pretty hard and on the run I just tried to keep up as much speed as possible. I can still remember, with a kilometre to go on the run, a feeling of total euphoria that I was actually going to make it. I was on a high for weeks. I had a Bianchibike, lent to me by a local…

KEN FOX: AGE 30 FROM London JOB Fitness instructor/community worker I started in triathlon when I was 16 or 17. I had a running background and decided to try a sprint triathlon in Crystal Palace. I did about three weeks of training and finished about halfway down the field but loved every minute. After that I got a coach, and with her encouragement I entered the National Championships as a junior. Last season I finished 20th in my age group in the ETU European Sprint Championships in Ireland. It was the highlight of the year, as well as finishing 2nd in a local triathlon in Midsomer Norton. I’m stepping up to middle distance this year, and I hope to do an Ironman in 2012. Send us a pic and tell…

After Along dark winter of turbos, tantrums and too much food, spring is here and your first race is just a few weeks away. Don’t let it take you by surprise: show your rivals how much work you’ve put in over the winter, get your season off to the best possible start and you’ll be confident for the rest of the season. Sit down, take a deep breath and plan your final few pre-season weeks carefully, and your first results will be right on target and not a write-off. Get a coach It’s never too late to get some valuable professional advice. When your winter training has been erratic or you just feel the urge to play catch-up, sometimes a lack of personal objectivity can cause disaster as things ramp…

Get serious about day to day recovery. Many a good race has been lost due to an athlete feeling overtrained and flat. Research on recovery methods (active recovery, like easy riding; ice baths; stretching; massage; or complete rest) is inconclusive, but none of these harm recovery and one thing is clear: time out from training is necessary. That means taking a whole day off every week. Use your training time to get extra sleep on your rest day and you’ll certainly benefit. Get your glycogen levels topped up by eating as soon as you can after your workouts and slightly increase your protein intake to 1.2g-1.4g per kilogram of body weight, to help repair and build your muscles. A faster recovery means more consistent performances over your training week and…

Abu Dhabi triathlon team Triathlon Team AKA ‘Faris Al-Sultan’s team’, Team Abu Dhabi feature a mixture of men and women and also boast Britain’s Rachel Joyce within their ranks. Team TBB triathlon team Sponsored by The Bike Boutique, Team TBB has three teams of athletes based in the USA, Germany and Asia. Arguably the world’s biggest pro team with 18 athletes. Team Erdinger Alkoholfrei triathlon team A German multidiscipline sports outfit whose triathlon team have proved very successful in their native country. Zoot Ultra triathlon team US-based team which first launched in 2008 and features 25 leading amateur and age-group triathletes alongside their 10 seasoned professionals. Trek K-Swiss triathlon team Chris Lieto, Julie Dibens and Fraser Cartmell are among the big names representing this outfit, which is endorsed by Trek…

ABUDHABI INTERNATIONAL TRIATHLON WHERE ABU DHABI, UAE WHEN 12 MARCH WINNERS FREDERICK VAN LIERDE (BEL) 6:43:14, JULIE DIBENS (GBR) 7:14:13 Our own Julie Dibens was once again the star turn at the 2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, with a win that was boosted further by the presence of four other British ladies in the top ten. Dibens led from start to finish to retain her title and earn the $50,000 first prize. After racing the 3km swim, 200km bike and 20km run in an exhausting 38-degree heat she was visibly ill as she crossed the line, later spending over two hours being treated for heat exhaustion in the medical tent. She later said, “In the last 100 yards it was gruelling and I felt sick. From the 160km mark I…

Meet the expert Smith is a coach and elite triathlete. He’s won two world championships, two Ironmans and has been a professional cyclist I KNOW many people fear training at the track, but you shouldn’t. You need to embrace it and see it as your secret weapon in gaining run speed. By doing a track session every week during your racing season, you will increase your speed, learn about pace, and become a more efficient runner. I think track sessions are essential in order to become a faster runner at any distance. I remember once I had to do a run benchmark test on the track at St Mary’s College in Twickenham. Some Kenyan runners were training there, and they said I was too big to run fast. They certainly…

Meet the expert Coaching editor of Triathlon Plus Mosley has coached dozens of triathletes to Ironman success IRONMAN is the ultimate test of triathlon endurance, and with 12 weeks left there’s no room for messing about. It’s time to knuckle down, or it’ll be a very long day out. Thankfully these plans are designed to get you fit and race ready without taking over your life. They follow on from the Ironman Foundation plan we published in Triathlon Plus issue 23. Don’t worry if you didn’t see it, because as long as you’ve trained consistently over the last 12 weeks, there’s no reason why you can’t start now. There are two plans to choose from here, one for the ‘time poor’ which takes up to 13 hours per week, and…

Introducing our awards Triathlon Plus has two awards that can be bestowed upon products featured in these pages Peak Performer A product that does a truly stunning job, regardless of its price Top Value An outstanding deal – you’re getting an excellent product for the money Strada: 50MM CARBON TUBULAR WHEELSET £850 www.stradawheels.co.uk STRADA ARE a relatively new company who hand-build wheels in Britain to your exact needs. For example if you want a set of these 50mm carbon wheels but with Hope hubs, red nipples and no stickers than that’s fine – the choice is yours. Before getting to work on this set the wheel builder at Strada took into account our weight and type of riding (triathlon) and made them to suit our needs. They feature Sapim CX…

IT’S MIXED news about our chosen test category this month, but mostly good news. To get it out of the way first, the bad news is that the prices of a decent entry-level aero bike have definitely gone up from the £1,200 point they were at a couple of years ago. That’s a trend you’ll see right across the bike industry though, not just among aeronauts. The good news is that for another few hundred quid the quality of affordable drag queens is now much closer to a Las Vegas caberet than Blackpool pantomime. Among this month’s test selection we’ve got a superfocused, fully aero speed machine you could upgrade to race at any level, a great value, super versatile ‘outside the box’ option, and two extremely comfortable and easy-to-ride…

GIANT’S trinity is a fully equipped speed machine that’s perfect for focused riders who want to fulfil their potential at a bargain. THE FRAME AND FORKS The short rounded headtube plus a deep, thin downtube and similarly shaped seat tube with half depth wheelhugger cut out and deep aero seatpost certainly create a very wind slippery front end. Chunky chain stays, very flat triangular seat stays and horizontal wheel slots for tuning tyre clearance keep it fast at the back, while cables are cleanly routed inside the mainframe. It’s not that heavy for an aero bike, and while the carbon-legged aero forks are weighty it’s still a very purposeful performance chassis. THE EQUIPMENT Giant have certainly ticked all the equipment boxes for a serious attack on the clock too. The…

Fuji ALOHA 1.0 £1399.99 www.evanscycles.com, fujibikes.com FRAME AND FORKS Size tested 56cm Sizes XS (50cm), S (52cm), M (54cm), L(56cm), XL(58cm), XXL(60cm) Weight as tested 9.19kg (20.26lbs) Frame weight 1,790g Fork weight 550g Frame A-6 Quaternary phase Aluminium Fork FC-770 Fuji Bonded Aero Carbon TRANSMISSION Chainset FSA Gossamer MegaExo 53/39T Bottom Bracket FSA MegaExo Cassette Shimano 105, 11-25T 10sp Chain KMC DX-10SC, 10sp Derailleurs Shimano Ultegra rear, 105 front Shifters Shimano Dura Ace TT WHEELS Front Oval W-530 Aero Alloy Clincher Wheelset Rear Oval W-530 Aero Alloy Clincher Wheelset Tyres Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 700x23c Wheel weight 1,270g/1,700g OTHER COMPONENTS Stem Oval R-700 100mm Bars Profile T2 Wing 400mm base bar with T1+ extension Headset V.P. 1 1/8" Integrated Saddle Fuji Custom w/CrMo rails Seatpost Fuji Carbon Aero Multi-Position Brakes Oval…

I’VE BEEN thinking about how good the UK is at producing great triathletes at Olympic and Ironman distance. There are the obvious big names, but are there any dark horses who will knock them off the top spot in the fight to be the best of British? If you look at the women’s results of any Ironman race, it’s usually a long list of GBR, and this is the strongest department of British triathlon at the moment. I don’t need to mention Chrissie Wellington, but not too far behind her are the likes of Julie Dibens, Leanda Cave and Bella Bayliss. I’ve had my butt whooped in the pool by Julie, and with her third place in her Hawaii debut, I believe she will challenge for the top spot with…