Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2016 i Triathlon Plus

Okay, so we all know that for most of us, we can’t just rock up and cruise our way through a triathlon without having invested time and effort into training effectively for it. It’s probably possible to blag your way through a short distance event (and when I say blag, what I really mean is struggle), but as you step up to the longer stuff, training gets a bit more meaty. If you want to achieve good results (and most of us do) then there’s something which everyone should do properly – and it goes without saying that it’s applicable to every distance: preparation. The thing is a triathlon isn’t just about the swim, bike, run element. Aside from being able to compete in three sporting disciplines (and put them…

The road to Rio has been a rocky one for Helen Jenkins. After the London 2012 Olympics where a knee injury cost her a medal, Jenkins is now heading to Rio as the only athlete to beat Gwen Jorgensen (who was on a 13-race winning streak). Here she speaks exclusively about her training and hopes for the future. ATHLETE BIOG Name Helen Jenkins Age 32 Hometown Bridgend, South Wales Recent Form 1st ITU World Triathlon Gold Coast; 3rd ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi Well done on your win at the Gold Coast. Were people surprised at your comeback? Yes, I think they were, but none more surprised than me. The last four years have been really tough. I have had a few podiums in the World Series but I haven’t…

FUEL YOUR RACE THE CHICKEN in this recipe is a lean, grade 1 protein. If you are conscious of keeping your body fat in check and your power-to-weight ratio up, Grade 1 protein contains all the essential amino acids for growth and repair, particularly needed when you have a high training volume. It’s good practice to eat grade 1 protein at every meal and from different sources across your diet to ensure you take on board enough protein and all of the amino acids needed for growth and repair. You can work out how much protein you need each day. Nutritionists sometimes use the percentage of calories, usually in the range of 10-30 per cent of your total calorie intake as a way to work out how much protein you…

“The Technique has urgency when pushed hard and rolls with surprising comfort” 1 FIRST RIDE Verenti has not only produced a sensibly specced bike here, but also a handsome one. Deep blue paint and flashes of rainbowcoloured gradient make this a real looker. A full Shimano Tiagra groupset provides a sound basis for hassle-free gear shifts and predictable braking, while a basic yet effective finishing kit completes the picture. 2 FAST RIDE Even at 9.7kg, the Technique does have some urgency when pushed hard and rolls with a surprising amount of comfort. Assured handling is provided by 28c tyres and Shimano’s RS010 wheels. The larger contact patch this rubber provides helps to improve cornering confidence, while allowing lower pressures to be run. 3 HILLY RIDE Although the Technique runs a…

£1,099.99 planetx.co.uk THE STEALTH has been in the Planet X line up for years. It’s still a go-to budget bike for solo speed merchants and has created an impressive resume of race victories and glowing reviews along the way. FRAME AND FORKS Unsurprisingly, the Stealth frame is unapologetically aggressive in its shaping. That means even the medium-sized frame gets a very short 100mm head-tube to which Planet X add 30mm of spacers so the less limber can still find a decent fit. The fork legs and frame tubing use classic straight line efficient flat or even convex sided aero profiles rather than the more rounded sections of the Ribble and Q Roo. The rear stays are very deep flat sections with a scoop for the rear brake and there’s a…

THE VERDICT IF THERE’S ONE clear take home from this test it’s that while buying a bike online can potentially save you money, you need to be careful about exactly what you buy. We’d certainly recommend making the trip to South Yorkshire to try Planet-X’s Stealth for real. While it’s a fundamentally fast and focused speed machine with a well deserved reputation for excellent value velocity, the uncomfortable own brand cockpit would be swapped out by all our testers and default options like cheap tyres and long stems are probably best changed too. We’d definitely swap out the standard rubber spec on the Ribble and upgrade the Token clip-ons too. There’s no doubt the new Aero TT is a well balanced and enjoyable ride overall and if you get it…

The whole point of all your training is to stand on the start line feeling confident in the training you’ve done over the previous weeks, months and years so that you are in the best possible condition you can be. Sometimes, triathletes of all levels forget about the work they’ve put in, and worry unnecessarily about the race ahead. We explain how to turn your negative thoughts around to regain your confidence: “I’M NOT READY” Think back to your phases of preparation and the hours of training you’ve put in. You didn’t dedicate all of that time and energy, dealing with all the niggles and strains triathlon training can throw at you, for nothing. Believe in your training and the preparation thus far, because there’s nothing you can do to…

ON A ROLL LOUISE MINCHIN Age 47 Home Chester Day job BBC journalist and presenter Career highlights Representing Team GB at the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, September 2015 and the European Championships June 2016; Qualifying for World Triathlon Grand Final at the Dambuster Triathlon 2015; Qualifying for the European Championships (June 2016 at Tri Liverpool 2015). IT ALL STARTED with a Christmas Challenge for Breakfast TV where I had to ride round the Velodrome. I loved it and I invested in a racing bike and got out on it whenever I could. I swam for the school as a teenager but I had no idea of distances or even the order of disciplines in triathlon. I entered my first race the Deva Divas, in Chester 2013, and came…

RACE THIS DETAILS What Tri The Beast and Tri The Goat When Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016 Where Lynmouth, North Devon WHEN IT COMES to dramatic scenes of nature, the prehistoric Valley of the Rocks in Exmoor, complete with wild, scrambling goats on coastal scrubland takes some beating. So you can see why Amer Dehaini, founder of Xman Events, thought it the best location to launch two of the toughest triathlons in the UK. Tri The Beast (full distance) and the newly named Tri The Goat (standard distance named after the local woolly wildlife) made their debut last year, and received rave reviews. Now, it’s back with a day devoted to each race. The course features a sheltered sea swim in clear Devon waters beneath the dramatic cliffs…

WHEN 8 MAY 2016 WHERE RIMINI, ITALY WINNERS GIULIO MOLINARI (ITA) 4:09:41 YVONNE VAN VLERKEN (NED): 4.20:45 Glorious blue skies and a golden sun set the scene for an exciting rematch at the fourth Challenge Rimini. Last year, Giulio Molinari (ITA) saw victory snatched from him in the final kilometres of the race when Filip Ospaly (CZE) careered past him to snatch the top spot on the podium. This year the Italian was determined not to let history repeat itself. After biding his time on the swim and exiting T1 behind the favourites, Molinari demolished the field on the bike. By 30km he was a full two minutes ahead of his nemesis Ospaly and Per Bittner (GER). By T2, Molinari, a member of the Carabinieri’s sports team, had opened up…

They were ready to start. The Queen of Grovelands Park looked at the coach, waiting. “Classic session,” he said, “six by five minutes at 5k race pace.” “What’s the recovery, coach?” The coach looked at them. He loved coaching this session with athletes who wanted and needed to be there, then, “With incredible generosity, I’ll allow you a magnificent 90 jog recovery”. The Queen made a huge display of looking around, somewhere between exasperation and belief. The coach looked at her: “Problem?” he asked. She replied: “I’m just trying to spot the tractor that’s going to pick us up after the sixth rep”. A few laughs, although not too many. The coach explained, brandishing his whistle, “One to start, two to stop,” his instrument of torture hanging in his mouth.…

£1,099.98 ribblecycles.co.uk “Once you’ve got your position sorted the rest of the Ribble ride is really well balanced” WE WERE planning to test Ribble’s alloy Chrono model, but Lancashire’s long standing online selling masters just managed to get their latest carbon TT update into our testing time frame. FRAME AND FORKS It’s a good looking piece of fibre, complete with distinctive “flared trouser” carbon fork legs and deep frame notch behind the fork crown carried over from their previous Aero TT design. Gear cabling is routed inside the deep teardrop down-tube and the brake cable is ported through the tapering top-tube, but there’s no Di2 compatibility. While the brakes are conventionally placed, the rear is shrouded by the broad seat-stay wishbone, which extends smoothly down into a broad wheel hugger…

Alot of people haven’t run on grass since they were at school, and probably have bad memories of crosscountry day: running on boggy, heavy ground, potentially in the freezing cold. However, running on grass can be fun and benefit you in various ways if you gradually incorporate it into your training plan. BENEFITS OF GRASS RUNNING: Muscle strengthening Running on grass can strengthen all the little muscles in your feet going all the way up to the knee and hip area. If the ground is undulating or uneven in places it can benefit your core strength as well because you engage it more to compensate for your lack of balance. Ligament and tendon resilience We all know someone who has trouble with tendons and ligaments due to the high impact…

While we know the swim is the shortest discipline in triathlon in terms of race duration, it’s also the discipline that causes many triathletes the most anxiety. That anxiety can come from numerous sources. For weaker swimmers it’s about surviving the stress of a mass open-water start, while stronger swimmers know they need to maximize their advantage to build a strong lead for the bike and run. At Cambridge Triathlon Club, we break down our preparation into three phases so all our triathletes feel as confident as possible before getting wet. Here, we explain why each phase is important as a productive tool to improve swimming, year-on-year. PHASE 1: WINTER When racing is off the menu, winter is the best time to make changes to your technique, then build your…

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET YOUR MONTH OFF TO A FLYER UNSURPRISINGLY LEE was thrilled with her ETU victory, fresh from her hard fought gold medal at the ITU in Cagliari earlier this month. She said: “It feels amazing to be European Champion although I am not sure it’s sunk in yet. I came out the swim behind the main group and worked really hard on the bike to get back to the lead group before pushing hard on the run for the win. On the third lap, I really began to feel the effort I had made on the bike! “It was great racing here in Lisbon, there were so many British age-groupers around the course, the support was amazing. There is a great atmosphere around all the athletes…

A QUESTION MARK continues to hang over the future of Tata Steel, the company behind the Tata – Kids of Steel Triathlon Series, one of the biggest and longest running children’s triathlon series in the world. Jack Buckner, CEO of British Triathlon assures us that: “Tata Steel continues to support the Tata – Kids of Steel Triathlon series. This year marks the 10th year of the series. During that time, more than 75,000 children aged 8-13 have experienced their first triathlon as part of what is believed to be the world’s largest and longestrunning children’s triathlon series. Some of those have gone on to participate and excel in the sport. He adds: “Our current sponsor agreement with Tata Steel will expire following the 2016 series of events. As always, we…

YOU DID IT THE BEST PLACES TO TEST YOURSELF DETAILS What The Keswick Mountain Festival Triathlon When 19-22 May 2016 Where Lake District National Park, Keswick, Cumbria Fancy it? The 11th Keswick Mountain Festival runs from 18 to 21 May 2017 keswickmountainfestival. co.uk THE RACE: AT A GLANCE Short Triathlon: starters: 297, finishers: 290 Long Triathlon: starters: 150 finishers: 150 Weather: Sat: heavy showers max 15.5 degrees. Sun: dry and sunny max 16.5 degrees Distance: Short triathlon: 400m swim, 18km bike and 5k trail run Long triathlon: 800m, 35km and 10k trail run Goodies: finisher medal, swim hat, T-shirt, pre-race pasta party, free evening concert ticket. Distinguishing features: 20,000 festival-goers (including 1,000 campers at pop-up campsite and 2,800 competitors for nine different sporting events) with speakers Julia Bradbury and James…

If you want to reach your potential on race day, you need to get your nutrition right. Think about it this way: even if you’ve eaten a good breakfast a few hours before your race, you still only have enough fuel to last you for 70 to 90 minutes of racing. What happens after that? Your glycogen stores run empty and you start slowing down. From that point onwards you’ll feel like you’re cycling and running through treacle. It’s not a good way to race. Getting your nutrition right is even more critical for longer races. If you’re planning on doing an Olympic distance, half-Ironman or Ironman triathlon you will need to consume carbohydrate regularly throughout the race if you want to perform well. Thankfully it’s not quite so vital…

Sprint distance: ● The night before: a simple carbohydratebased meal, with only small amounts of meat, fat and non-fibrous veg. For example, baked potato wedges (no skins), poached egg and tomato ketchup. Fruit yoghurt for dessert. Consume your normal plate-size; don’t try to eat extra. ● Race morning: four hours before your race, eat a simple carbohydrate breakfast such as three slices of toast or a medium-large bowl of cornflakes and skimmed milk. ● During the race: sip an energy drink on the bike, small amounts every 10-minutes. Olympic distance: ● The night before: As above – a simple carbohydrate-based meal such as pasta and tomato sauce. Eat your normal plateful – no more. ● Race morning: eat a carbohydrate breakfast such as three to four slices of toast or…

It’s a fact accepted by most experts that your compression wear is only as good as its fit, so when your lower body is scanned and a pair of recovery tights made from those specific measurements, you can be pretty sure this is a good fit indeed. Simply step into the cloning booth (the measurement process is available through CEP proshop or at CEP Event) and stand there as you are scanned from toe to waist. You can then customise your tights further, choosing whether you would like a high waist, silver or gold printing as well as personalise with names or initials either on the leg or groin area. The impressive compression can aid recovery after a race by improving circulation and relieving muscle fatigue. The tights also keep…

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. JUNE SATURDAY 18 JUNE ABERSOCH SPRINT TRIATHLON Distance: 750m/20k/5k Abersoch Beach, Abersoch, Gwynedd abersochtriplecrown.com DRAGON DUATHLON Distance: 290k (over 7 legs) Angelsey dragonduathlon.com DAMBUSTER TRIATHLON Rutland Water, Whitwell to Oakham, Rutland Distance: 1.5k/42k/10k pacesetterevents.com SUNDAY 19 JUNE BRIDGE TRIATHLON Distance: various Marsh Street, Dartford,Kent bridgetriathlon.co.uk RACE TO…

Bikes on test PLANET X STEALTH RIVAL £1,099.99 RIBBLE AERO TT 2017 £1,099.98 QUINTANA ROO KILO £1,085 Tech talk Base bar The section of handlebar that bolts into the stem and curves round to hand holds for cornering and braking. Clip ons See Extensions Di2 Shimano’s electrically controlled and motorised gear shifting system. Dropout The slotted frame or fork terminals that the wheel slides into. Extensions The forward projecting handlebar sections and arm rest pads that let you ‘lie down’ in an aerodynamic tuck position. Press fit Bottom bracket bearing that presses into the frame rather than screwing in. Seat angle The angle of the seat tube and seat post in relation to the crank axle. A steeper (76-80 degree) angle can make riding in a tuck - and running…

£1,085 wiggle.co.uk QUINTANA ROO was the first brand to create dedicated triathlon bikes around the concept of super steep seat angles and that’s still a key factor in their “FIST” geometry set up and a centre-piece of the entry level Kilo frame. FRAME AND FORKS Despite being the cheapest carbon frame in the UK Q Roo line-up, there’s a lot for triathletes to like about it. It’s the only frame with an adjustable seatpost head. That means you can slide the saddle mount backwards to a 74 degree seat angle or forwards to 80 degrees once you’ve figured out the slightly confusing multi bolt clamp. While the pointed head-tube is short for a potentially very low position the bike comes with a massive stack of spacers in case you don’t…

ABOUT THE CLUB Formed in 1985, the club has a regular program of drop-in training sessions to support its athletes, while also helping to promote several open and semi-open events. It also runs a thriving children’s section. Cambridge has been home to a number of high profile athletes, including Olympians, World Champions, European Champions and National Champions at every level and age group, from Sarah Springman to Susie Cheetham as well as Rachel Horn, Kelly Newark, Heather Williams, Will Clarke, Rosie Clarke, Emma Pooley, Juliet Vickery, Barbara Leverett, Georgina Schwiening, Tom Vickery, Finn Barnes, Esther Rodriguez and Lucy Gossage. TRAINING AREA Cambridge Triathlon Club is based out of Impington Sports Centre, and hosts a swimming session each week at the Frank Lee swimming pool on the Addenbrookes hospital site, with…

Debriefing yourself after a tough race, regardless of the result, can be a task no one wants to perform. Either you’ve done brilliantly and flushed with success, you put it off, making the mistake of thinking you don’t need to. Or, you’ve had such a bad race that you just want to put it out of your mind as quickly as possible. To be honest, we don’t blame you. However, to take your racing forward it’s always a good idea to ask yourself questions about your performance and process. Here’s how… THINK FIRST, ANSWER LATER Do your thinking and preparation beforehand so that you don’t have to post-race. You’re most likely to know what your weaknesses are, you will certainly know what concerns you, so turn these issues into questions…