220hr crt r 7 by foliandersolas

MASTER THE IRONMAN BUILD PHASE – 12-WEEK PLAN

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P76BECOME A FASTERRUNNER ...IN THE GYM P91SMASH A 3.8KM SWIM

0 2 0 R A E Y G RACIN Y O UR

BRUN N Y T R A M Y B D AS PR EDICTE

BEST RUN SHOES

£750 ROAD BIKES

INSIDE HOKA

10 pairs, inc. Saucony, On & Asics, go head to head

Three sub-£1k racers from Merlin, GT & Carrera tested to the max!

Meet the shoe brand at the very forefront of run-speed tech

I’M...

H EL E N J EN K IN S AND I’M BACK FOR 2020!

IN 2018 I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SURRENDER MYSELF TO THE MEDICAL EXPERTS.

“HELEN, YOU NEED BACK SURGERY IN ORDER TO LEAD A NORMAL, ACTIVE, AND HEALTHY LIFE!”

A NORMAL LIFE WAS MY ONLY GOAL.

BUT IN FEBRUARY 2020... I AIM TO RACE AGAIN

THAT’S WHY... I CHOOSE HUUB

contents START P10 TH E BIG P I C P12 H OW TO P13 STATE OF P LAY P14 QU ICK SCI EN C E P15 W HY I TRI P16 DREA M B IK E

KI T ZON E P40 KIT ZONE P46 RACE DAY RUN S H OES P5 1 R AC E WHEELS P5 4 HOKA SHOES P6 0 Â£750 ROAD BIKES T RAI N ING P72 SWIM P74 BIKE P7 6 R U N P7 8 TRA IN ING P L AN P8 5 NU TRITIO N P8 8 AS K T HE D O N KN OWHOW P100 WET WEATH ER RI D I NG P101 ELL IOT S MA L ES P102 KIT G UI D E P104 RACE CA LEN DA R R EGULA RS P18 FAO 22 0 P3 8 SU BS CRIB E P92 H OW WAS I T FO R YO U? P114 WEEKEN D WA RR IO R

KIT ZONE TRAINING KNOWHOW TURN OVER FOR MORE i 4/

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20 HOW TO TRI

ON A BUDGET

20 quick and easy ways to save big on tri this season, with expert tips to cover all aspects of training and racing

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54 THE BRAND

VISITS: HOKA

BRUNTY’S 2020 TRI HOROSCOPES

Our Weekend Warrior provides his predictions for the multisporting year ahead

JEFF YINGLING

STEVE SAYERS

How the Carbon X has raised more questions than answers in the run shoe market

TIME-CRUNCHED KONA QUEEN

Meet Ruth Purbrook, the Kona 2019 age-group winner who works 70hrs a week!

BUILD STRONG RUN FORM IN THE GYM

Run faster and stay injury free with this month’s gym-based, 60min strength session

DANIEL SEEX

ON THE COVER

SMASH A 3.8KM SWIM

STEVE SAYERS

Our swim expert John Wood on how to make the move up to Ironman swim distance CELTMAN / ALESSANDRO A

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

GE T TO

WORK With Green Commute Initiative you can make your daily commute part of your training programme – with the bonus of saving at least 32%

f you’re struggling to fit training time into your day, why not make it part of your daily commute to work? And if you do it through the Green Commute Initiative (GCI), you could save some money too. Unlike many other cycle to work schemes, with GCI you can buy any type of bike at any price. That means road bikes, e-bikes, MTB bikes, cargo bikes and adapted cycles and trikes are all available on the scheme – or the specialist training bike you’ve always wanted. Whatever bike you choose, you’ll get it at a massive discount and effectively on an interest-free loan, plus there are no scheme exit fees. There are other benefits too. GCI has exclusive partnership deals with bike manufacturers Canyon and SwiftCarbon, and specialist shops like Sigma Sports and Tri UK are registered resellers. With GCI the only limit is your ambition!

HOW GCI WORKS GCI is a true pioneer in the cycle to work industry, and that’s because employees can make massive savings of 32-47% on the scheme (depending on income tax rate). And because GCI is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, the scheme is not restricted to the usual £1,000 limit, meaning you can find the right bike and accessories for you. But here’s the really clever bit: your employer pays for the C2W voucher on your behalf, and you repay them by accepting a reduced salary to cover the value of the package, spread out over 12-60 months. Accordingly, neither you or your company will pay any tax on the value of the package, making it a win-win for both employers and employees.

FIND OUT MORE AT GREENCOMMUTEINITIATIVE.UK

TURN TO P TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

REMY WHITING

Diving into 2020 with plenty of new goals and no idea how to achieve them?! Then use this issue to inspire and support you to the finish line… plus bag a bargain or 10 by looking out for the ‘Budget Buys’ badge.

FROM THE EDITOR... A friend of mine recently voiced a concern which many others will share at this time of year. Her worry? ‘There are so many races I want to do this year, but I don’t have the time!’ Now, this friend is talented and ambitious, but already juggling a uni course, two part-time jobs and family life. Her race goals for the year included ‘some’ triathlons and duathlons, a long open-water swim event and two big trail running races. Too much? Maybe, but she also wanted to excel in every race. If this sounds like you, then you should find plenty in this issue to inspire and support you. From Ruth Purbrook who trained for Kona while working 70 hours a week (p32) to Tim Don’s tips for building new-season fitness (p88) we’ve got something for every level of ambition and ability. Enjoy!

Helen webster, editor

THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS THIS MONTH tri on a budget special Look out for our ‘Budget Buys’ badge throughout the issue for our top bargainous tips for an easier, cheaper and more accessible way into tri.

brunty’s predictions Martyn ‘Mystic Meg’ Brunt looks to the stars on p27 to see what challenges lie ahead for triathletes in the year 2020.

post-training suppers We’ve got your evening meals covered with these four, super speedy and ultra delicious recipes, ideal for those after-sesh munchies. See p85.

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THE BEST TRIATHLON KIT REVIEWS We take gear testing seriously – you need to know that the kit you buy will help you reach your goals in all three disciplines and work as hard as you on race day. Our test team is made up of experienced triathletes, cyclists and runners who test each product that appears in 220 to the max during training and racing, rating it honestly for performance and value.

JACK SEXTY

A triathlete since blowing his student loan on a bike, sub-2hr Olympic athlete Jack moved to Ironman at Lanzarote in 2016. Tri on a budget tip “Buy tri shorts instead separate swim and run shorts as you can use them for all three sports.”

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HELEN WEBSTER

220’s editor made the move from marathons to tri seven years ago. Happiest when in the open water, she also competes in swimrun. Tri on a budget tip “Join a tri club to get coaching for less – plus your new friends will probably lend you kit!”

MATT BAIRD

With 1 years of testing for 220, features editor Matt knows what works and what doesn’t in tri. He moved to Ironman in 2018. Tri on a budget tip “Quit the gym. Buy a second hand MTB and last season’s trail shoes. Venture to the woods!”

JAMES WITTS

With a sports science background, former 220 editor and author James Witts knows his stuff when it comes to product quality. Tri on a budget tip “An obvious one, but you can’t beat triathlon laces. I’m a Greeper laces fan myself.”

WANT MORE? VISIT

why 220?

We’ve been helping triathletes go faster for 30 years. When the magazine launched in 1989, the way to estimate your

TRIATHLON.COM

220 AWARD WINNERS And the votes are in! You’ve put fingers to keyboard and your winners have been decided. Head to 220tri.com now to find out which athletes, products and races took top honours in 2019.

DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL EDITION

maximum heart rate was to subtract your age from 220. The team behind the mag wanted you to know that they’d help you achieve your athletic potential, so they incorporated ‘220’ into the title to reflect that. The method for finding your max heart rate may have changed, but our promise remains the same.

ENJOY YOUR FAVOURITE MAGAZINE ON YOUR TABLET Get all the great advice and expert reviews from the print version of your favourite tri magazine on our digital edition.

FROM THE VAULT ISSUE 74 This month’s delve back into tri’s flesh-revealing past takes us to January 1996, the month of Babylon Zoo’s ‘Spaceman’ and this classic cover from the 220 archives. Office heroes Karen Smyers, Mark Allen and Simon Lessing are all present and correct following their M-Dot/ITU championship-winning races in 1995, as is a backwards cover line that reads ‘Last Year in the Mirror’. We’re also fans of the graphics on the swim training spread, right.

ON SALE january 1996

@220Triathlon

/220Triathlon

@220triathlon

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DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF TRI

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the big pic

GB pro legend and 220 contributor Tim Don on the off-road marathon run at Patagonman, 1 December 2019. After finishing first by over an hour with a time of 9:32:42, Don commented on Instagram: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wow, just wow. Hands down the hardest triathlon I have ever done, but man I enjoyed it so bloody much!â&#x20AC;? WAGNER ARAUJO

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TS From Amazon comes the Eono Essentials Men’s Softshell Jacket. It’s windproof, has an adjustable hood, elasticated hem, drawcord and zipped hand and chest pockets, all for just £25.99.

Soothing your wintertime aches and pains is the Ultimate Performance Foam Roller (£19.99), a solid, lightweight (660g) and portable roller that’ll improve flexibility and core strength.

Boasting two white-light brightness settings, the 60-lumen Lomo

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Peak head torch (£6) is a versatile kit-cupboard essential for running in lowlevel light on roads and trails. It takes AAA batteries, but still only weighs in at 85g. The key temperatureregulating element in this Kalenji Run Warm+ top (£19.99) from Decathlon is the high collar, which will keep you toasty for the first 1-2km of your run, then can be rolled down once comfortable. Has thumb loops, too.

A technical hat offers maximum warmth

with minimal faff, this Ultimate Performance Beanie (£15.99) is quick and easy to pull on before you head out the door. There are also sweat-wicking properties and a reflective print for staying seen in the dark.

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Want to face driving rain and Baltic temps on the cheap? Enter these five affordable offerings…

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HOW TO

STEVE SAYERS

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FOOT RACE TO ARMS RACE 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.

Carbon-plate innovation has sparked a series of contentious run shoes that blur the reality of what we’re watching Around 15 years ago a little-known company called Spira Footwear developed a pair of running shoes with springs in them. The patented technology claimed to reduce the impact on a runner’s feet, leading to easier recovery and less overall exertion. The IAAF, the athletics governing body now rebranded as World Athletics, clamped down, invoking rule 143.2, which states shoes ‘must not be constructed so as to give athletes any unfair assistance or advantage,’ and left Spira’s founder, Andy Krafsur, lamenting: “There are politics involved. If Nike came out with our tech, their shoes would be allowed.” Spira closed in 2016 and Krafsur died in April, but his words proved prophetic. Now any competitive road race is replete with a sea of key lime or brilliant pink sneakers towards the pointy end – Nike’s new generation of

carbon-plated running daps is blasting the opposition, and the record books, to oblivion. Triathlon is not immune. If you’re not capable of a 7:45 (men), 8:40 (women) over a standard Ironman, then don’t turn up thinking the top podium spot is within reach. Jan Frodeno won the 2019 Ironman Worlds in a course record 7:51:13 with a 2:42:43 marathon. He wasn’t wearing Nikes, but a pair of prototype Asics with a carbon-plate. Sports marketing, especially when promising a ‘4% improvement’ is usually met with a healthy dose of cynicism, but from 2hr marathoners to hardy club runners slicing chunks off their PBs, then forgive the paraphrasing, but you’ve got to be in ’em to win ’em. So what? Technological progress has evolved sport from the outset, and if said shoes are ‘reasonably available to all in the spirit of universality’ (also in the rule book), albeit at an eyewatering price point, then there’s no contravention of the rules, right? Not so fast. Interested parties can get about as close to Eliud Kipchoge’s triple carbon-plated Nikes used in the

state of play

“The reality is the big brands with their sponsorship bucks call the shots”

INEOS 1:59 attempt as his competitors can get to him in a race. But while it’s fair to argue that was an experiment, prototypes worn in competition are, by definition, not ‘reasonably available to all’. No governing body has a handle on this. The International Triathlon Union confirms it defers to World Athletics. British Triathlon said it looks to the ITU. Ironman don’t have any answers and no will to intervene. Hoka has a carbon-plated offering and sponsors its Kona run course. The reality is the big brands with their sponsorship bucks call the shots. Other brands are rushing to catchup with Nike and athletes are breaking sponsorship contracts to make sure they have the best kit. But the cautionary tale of swimming, that banned full body polyurethane swimsuits in 2009 after an asinine two years and damaged reputation, should be heeded. And what if this year’s Olympics aren’t won by the best triathlete, but by a competitor wearing a prototype that allows him or her a 30sec advantage over 10km? If we’re being asked to care about what we’re watching, we need to believe in the fairness of it too.

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DANIEL SEEX

EAT A POTATO TO BOOST ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE A study finds that potato purée is as effective as energy gels 14 /

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Suffering from flavour fatigue? The answer to your sugary prayers might come from a recent study by researchers at the University of Illinois, who’ve suggested that potato is as effective as gels for boosting athletic performance. The team, led by professor Nicholas Burd, recruited a dozen cyclists who were assigned to one of three groups, fuelled by either water, energy gels or a potato purée. “We found no difference between the performance of the cyclists who consumed 60g of carbohydrates from

either the commercial energy gel or the potato purée.” Burd said. The physiological parameters were similar, too, with blood-glucose concentrations and heart rate rising to a similar degree. Arguably, that’s not surprising as though potato is a starchy vegetable, many have a high GI rating, meaning they rapidly increase blood-sugar levels. However, potatoes lack the electrolytes of energy gels and, as Burd observed, the potato subjects experienced heavy bloating, pain and flatulence.

quick science

why i tri

“IN THE WATER I CAN STILL GET SCARED” A near-death experience saw Els Visser put a career in medicine on hold to become a professional triathlete

ELS VISSER

The Dutchwoman survived a shipwreck in Indonesia in 2014. She was facing death after the boat sank and she was forced to swim for eight hours to reach an uninhabited island, before flagging down a passing ship to come to her rescue. After the accident, she turned her attention to her PHD studies in surgery, and became a professional triathlete.

What I sometimes say to people is that I don’t really want to relive the accident again because it was a big trauma for two days, but it was afterwards that I really started living my life. It developed me as a person, and it opened my eyes to how I want to live my life. It was intense at the time, but in the end it brought me a lot of things. [In 2014, Els, then 24, was backpacking solo around Indonesia after finishing a medical internship in Bali when the small boat she was travelling on sank in the middle of the night with no means to raise the alarm. After an eight-hour swim to the closest island, Els and another passenger were eventually rescued.]

“I experienced how strong we are as humans – in body and mind”

I still have flashbacks and emotional moments – they come all of a sudden. Occasionally, when I’m swimming in the sea in the high waves and it’s rough, it makes me feel like I’m swimming back towards the island. It takes me back to the moment. It’s mainly in the water that I can still get scared. In the end it’s a process and takes time to settle down.

humans – in our body and in our mind. Now it really helps me in difficult situations. It’s always with me and part of who I am. What I really like about Ironman races is that it’s about mental strength. In the end it’s not about the fittest person who crosses the line first, but the one who is strongest in mind and body.

I see getting through the shipwreck as a strength, because I experienced how strong we are as

When I did my first Ironman in Switzerland, the goal was to finish – I never expected to turn professional. My life changed slowly, from having dinner with friends every night to skipping the social activities to focus on a race. I was able to combine it with my job in a hospital, and with doing

my PHD in surgery because my working hours were flexible. I had a coach from the Dutch federation and he told me I was talented and if I focused more on triathlon then I would be able to achieve great results. Then I started wondering, ‘I should continue with my PHD and get into the specialty of surgery. But then again, I’m still young…’. I had a life-changing moment with the shipwreck in Indonesia, and decided to give professional triathlon a go, and I got my pro licence in 2017. I went to Australia to start training with Brett Sutton’s Trisutto group, and also did research in the Brisbane hospital for my PHD. It was very serious training – my body had to adapt to the new circumstances – and it was also challenging for me to put my job on hold and focus on triathlon. But the Trisutto group was the best antidote. Looking back, it was the best decision I made.

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Want to add a surge of fun to your tri training and racing in 2020? Step forward this affordable all-action off-roader from Decathlonâ&#x20AC;¦ IMAGES STEVE SAYERS

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ROCKRIDER XC 500

£1,099 Whenever frugal friends ask us for bike recommendations, we send them towards Decathlon’s range of Triban road and Rockrider trail bikes. This cross-country Rockrider hardtail fits the bill as a dream offroad triathlon bike for more serious athletes on a budget, however, with Rockshox Reba RL front suspension, compatibility with three different wheel sizes (27.5in, 27.5in Plus and 29in) and a SRAM Eagle GX drivetrain. Overall weight is a lean 11.5kg and there’s a lifetime warranty on the alu frame. decathlon.co.uk

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FA0 220 Your emails & pictures

DISHEARTENING BEHAVIOUR

star letter Got an opinion to share? Then email us at fao220 @220triathlon.com

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I thought I’d share a recent, rather disheartening experience at a local pool that I hope will encourage others to be a little more considerate to newbies. On arrival, I saw no indicators of the lane speeds so picked a relatively quiet lane so as not to annoy anyone faster than me. Much to my regret! I’d obviously picked the fast lane, a lane with egos who took great pleasure at the end of one length telling me loudly to ‘move to the far lane with the slowest swimmers’. Part of me just wanted to leave and part of me wanted to give them a piece of my mind, but with so many people now watching I sheepishly did as I was told. As it transpired, I ended up swimming in a lane with people who not only made me feel welcome, but also had obviously left their egos at the door. My point is, that while yes, they were correct, I was in the wrong lane, humiliating someone will only discourage them from continuing, especially when a quiet word in the ear would be far more beneficial for both parties. I’m quite a determined individual, but I dread the same treatment being inflicted on someone who lacks confidence and is easily discouraged. Damon Parker

STAR LETTER WINS

A PAIR OF SWANS VALKYRIES WORTH

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“I dread the same treatment being inflicted on someone who lacks confidence and is easily discouraged” 220 replies: We’re sorry to hear of your recent experience, Damon, but we’re also pleased that it hasn’t put you off. People like this have no place in tri.

BUDGET CONCERNS Just a concern after reading February’s edition – if it was my first-ever read of your magazine I think my conclusion would be that triathlon seems very elitist and expensive. Pictures of great triathlons to do, of which half are abroad, bike reviews of which the cheapest is £2,180, helmets for £300, wheels for £1,700, turbo trainers - with the cheapest on test at £649…. Now I know that you do try to balance this with the ‘Spend Small, Fuel Big’ article in the nutrition section, but I fear a budding triathlete picking up your magazine would think that unless they had a big budget they’d steer clear of the sport. And from experience it’s a very welcoming sport, which can easily be done on a low budget. P.S. Martyn Brunt’s column is still the first page I read every time. Love it. Mark Peacock

Havingaclearpurpose foryourtrainingiskey, saysreaderJackde Bokx,whowrotein inresponsetolast issue’scolumnbyTim Hemingonhowweight loss offers no gains

220 replies: Thanks for writing in, Mark. You raise a valid point and one which we hope we’ve addressed with this issue, which is our Tri on a Budget Special. Look out for the ‘Budget Buys’ badge throughout the mag.

FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE Tim Heming is right in arguing that athletes can become obsessive about weight loss and that this might lead to physical and mental problems [Weight Loss Offers No Gains, issue 373, p13]. However, athletes can be obsessive about many things and, sometimes, if they want to perform at the highest level they have to be. I know many triathletes and cyclists who are ultra-focused on power, for example. But I believe that that level of obsession needs to be aligned with performance goals, which in themselves should be aligned with our ultimate goals in life. If you really want to perform at a certain level, there will be significant disadvantages if you’re too skinny or too big. And you’ll either have to work on getting within certain margins or you have to change your objectives. Having a clear purpose is important, as this can give guidance to performance objectives, which can lead to performance priorities. Losing a bit of weight might well be part of this. But becoming obsessive about anything performance related, if you’re not a professional, will most likely negatively impact your mental wellbeing and prevent you from being your best self. Jack de Bokx

YOUR INSTAGRAM TRI PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

01 @amelia_hanley So dark in December... Can’t wait for summer! 02 @emersandham Not every day goes to plan but with a view like this it didn’t end too badly! 03 @ reallyaveragetriathlete Yes, they’re all mine 04 @

ashleydelotz Putting the work in to get strong after my hamstring injury 05 @ lifestyletriathlete 40 x 50m easy with as much rest as I liked. AVG pace 1:49/100m. Thanks coach @tripezza 06 @petealexander1981 A bit of

Tag your pictures #220gram

light reading over breakfast 07 @will_usher_precision_ coach Finishing last week and starting this week with an incredible group of people 08 @sonia.kiwi Two feet off the ground! First time since August

FEATURE

20 WAYS TO

DON’T LET MISCONCEPTIONS OF COST, CARBON AND CRAZED COMPETITION STOP YOU FROM MAKING 2020 THE YEAR YOU TAME TRIATHLON. IT’S EASIER, CHEAPER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN YOU THINK…

TRI ON A BUDGET WORDS JAMES WITTS IMAGES STEVE SAYERS

e recently spent the day riding around the beautiful Leicestershire countryside, trying desperately to hold onto the rear wheel of tri legend Tim Don. An impossible task, compounded by Don’s incredible Specialized S-Works Shiv. “With the customised cockpit, it’s valued at over £10,000,” Don told us. Blimey. Thankfully, despite its reputation, triathlon doesn’t have to break the bank. You see, as Britain’s former ITU world champion and one of the fastest-ever Ironman also proclaimed, “Ultimately, you compete using your heart and your head, not your wallet.” And if you use your head – and time – wisely, you can make huge

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multisport inroads for a fraction of a Don Shiv. Or a fraction of the ‘average’ triathlete. According to the Triathlon Industry Association (TIA), the mean 2018 spend by an age-grouper in this country reached £2,970, making the UK triathlon industry worth £475-million. That’s money spent on wetsuits, bikes, more bikes, run shoes, sports nutrition, race entry, travel and training. Which is all fine but, especially if you’re starting off, there are several shortcuts that’ll delay the extra spend until you’ve hook, line and sinker caught the triathlon bug – which we guarantee will be after your first race, if not before. Time then, for us to morph into a multisporting Martin Lewis…

MONEY SAVING TIPS

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DO DRY FEBRUARY

It’s 2020 and you’re invigorated to crank up the tri training. But has Dry January proven too hard a pill to swallow? The month’s moribund anyway without the occasional drop of alcohol. So why not abstain in February instead? It’s a shorter month and the days are becoming longer. As well as saving your wallet, you’ll enjoy a host of benefits to your performance. These include better absorption of nutrients and vitamins; sidestepping dehydration, which would lead to impaired performance; and a more robust immune system, resulting in more consistent training.

ance Aropec Endur 22 £ , es ev le Calf S

PARK A PB

MAXIMISE TRAINING TIME

Parkrun is a fitness phenomenon with more than 600 free 5km runs taking place all over the UK. Its inclusivity is highlighted by the weekly average time, up from 22:17mins in 2005 to 29:22mins in 2018. That said, there is a competitive edge. Simply set up your account at parkrun.org.uk and you can monitor your speedendurance improvement over time. The benefits stretch beyond the physical: research conducted by Staffordshire University showed that parkrun boosts mental health, including a sense of achievement and connecting with others.

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioural changes that follow a daily cycle, and is why some of us feel more alert in the morning (larks) and

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05 some in the evening (owls). Studies show that 10% of us qualify as morning people, 20% night owls while the rest sit in the large spectrum in between. You’ll probably know which you are, but you can quantify your self-assessment more accurately by undertaking the free Morningness-Eveningness questionnaire (at tinyurl.com/v83pf9r). And then what? Look to undertake your harder sessions when you’re at your circadian peak to extract that bit more from the session.

HUNT FOR BARGAINS

The likes of Decathlon, More Mile and even Aldi stock extremely affordable bike and run gear all year round. You can also take advantage of the likes of eBay and Facebook Marketplace to grab yourself a bargain. Keep an eye out for older models of run shoes in particular as they’re generally as good as the latest, pricier version.

PLOD BY PODCAST

Numerous studies have shown that music can boost exercise performance. Music that’s motivational or synchronised with your run cadence, for example, is shown to elicit multiple physical and psychological benefits. Which is great but, for us, we’d complement the music with free podcasts. Their recent rise matches their quality and our current favourite is The Hurricane Tapes by the BBC, which tells the story of boxer Rubin Carter’s conviction of a murder that many say he didn’t commit. Wirelessly sync to your smartphone via a set of Mpow Flame headphones. We’ve used these for years and they’re impressive, especially for under £25 (at Amazon).

A pair of cheap earphones and some good tunes will do wonders for performance

g Hood Lomo Trainin Balance ew N (£25) with horts (£22) Accelerate S

HOWABOUTDAVEPHOTOGRAPHY

RACE CLOSER TO HOME

Challenge Roth, the Alpe d’Huez Tri, Escape from Alcatraz – all events that should be on your bucket list. And all events that, once you’ve factored in travel, accommodation and race entry, will leave a dent in your bank account. The solution? Simple. Race closer to home. With over 700 triathlons around the UK, from March to October, there’ll be a fiscally prudent event near you (the Croyde Ocean Tri is seen here).

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MONEY SAVING TIPS

09 Nucleus VTR Vitus’ brilliant st £650 trail bike is ju

BE CREATIVE

When it comes to training, a little creativity sends you a long way. Save money on a float and pull buoy by using an inflated bag from inside a wine box, while swim shorts, often reserved for summer sojourns, can act as drag pants for added resistance and increased power. Trainers, instead of clipless shoes and pedals, are fine on the bike. And when it comes to the run, free internet tools such as MapMyRun save on expensive fitness watches.

GO EAST TO GO LONG

Those of you who’ve raced triathlon for a while and are looking to make your Ironman debut in 2020 will baulk at the £500 entry fees. But not if you enter the full-distance offering at Triathlon Estonia on 22 August, which is an incredible 68. With return flights from the UK to Tallinn starting from less than £50, you’re onto a memorable long-distance bargain.

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WEIGH UP YOUR GYM OPTIONS

Brits waste half-abillion pounds on unused gym memberships, but it needn’t be so. There are numerous gym chains up and down the country, including PureGym and Xercise4less, that offer deals that don’t lock you into a 12-month contract. You can also buy day passes for an increasing amount of gyms and, if you’re really canny, tap into free trials that usually last from a day to a week. Outdoor gyms that nestle within parks are another frugal option.

JOIN A CLUB

Securing the services of a personal triathlon coach will move you one step closer to multisport nirvana – but it’s not cheap. That’s why we’d recommend joining your local triathlon club. Joining fees tend to be nominal, and some of the biggest clubs offer technique and social support every day of the week. Go to britishtriathlon.org for a comprehensive clubs listing. You can also tap into the forum at 220triathlon.com and seek training advice from like-minded, goal-achieving folk.

DIY fitness tests will help you set goals and gauge your fitness

“BRITS WASTE HALF A MILLION POUNDS ON UNUSED GYM MEMBERSHIPS, BUT IT NEEDN’T BE SO. THERE ARE NUMEROUS GYM CHAINS IN THE UK THAT OFFER FLEXIBLE DEALS, YOU CAN ALSO BUY DAY PASSES OR TAP INTO FREE TRIALS”

DO YOUR OWN SWIM, BIKE & RUN TESTS

Fitness tests help you to create training zones accurately, with full-on aerobic and anaerobic efforts within the confines of a university or performance centre the ideal. But that ideal comes at a cost. Instead, undertake gratis swim, bike and run tests. For the bike and run, warm up for 10mins before riding or running as hard as you can for 20mins. Take your average heart rate as a maximum, from which you can then create zones. In the pool, swim 50m, counting strokes and measuring time. The combined number is your swim golf score, which you’ll then look to lower through technique and stamina work.

LOAD UP YOUR BIKE

It’s a fact: lightweight carbon bikes will end in a faster bike split. But when it comes to training, there’s a strong argument that heavier is better – the greater effort required to

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move a substantial force demands more muscle power. So, that £200 mountain bike gathering dust in your shed? Use it. And even add a water bottle packed with iron filings for further resistance. It’ll pay dividends come race day.

GO TRI IT FOR YOURSELF

TAKE THE SUNSHINE SUPPLEMENT

Berghaus’ long sleeve running Te ch tee is currently £ 18 on eBay

Go Tri is arguably one of British Triathlon’s finest initiatives, providing newcomers to our splendid sport the opportunity to complete manageable swim, bike and run distances for a small outlay. Take March’s Go Tri Bath Duathlon, which features a 1.5km run, 10.5km bike and 800m run, all for £20. You can also complete Go Tri challenges at the gym and even organise your own events.

You could spend your entire salary on supplements: it’s not needed. A healthy, nutrientpacked diet is sufficient to optimise training gains. Apart from vitamin D, that is. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption so is linked with bone health. There’s also evidence that vitamin D is important for a strong immune system and muscle function. Predominantly you get vitamin D from the sun and it’s hardly present in food. So, a supplement during the UK winter is essential. Prices start from less than a fiver.

MAKE YOUR OWN ENERGY DRINK

Many commercial energy drinks are nothing more than a bucket of sugar loaded with preservatives and sweeteners. So, make your own. One option is ‘Orange Energy’, which requires mixing 700ml water, 300ml orange juice, a small amount of sugar to taste, plus a pinch of salt to replace sodium lost through sweating. Or go for ‘Energy Ice Tea’, mixing one tea bag, six teaspoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, 60ml lemon juice and 800ml of boiling water. Refrigerate to cool.

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INVEST IN LIGHTS

Many of us use our commute to work as a training hit, and a study by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reported that the average daily cycle trip to work and back is around 44mins. At this time of year, most of that’s in the dark. Which is where a £5 set of front and rear lights from Cycle Republic comes in. They’re certainly more ‘to be seen’ than ‘to see’, but that’s fine when tackling the urban jungle. They’re also easy to clamp on and off. A must-buy, we say.

RENT YOUR WETSUIT

Incredibly, Scottish brand Lomo’s triathlon wetsuits start at £79 [read more on p40]. That’s not even an arm panel of 2XU’s £600 Pro offering. But there’s an even cheaper option – and that’s renting. Take mywetsuithire.co.uk for example, whose two-week hire starts from £29.95. For that, you can choose from any number of the top brands, including Zone3, Huub, Blueseventy and Orca. It’s also a great way to test out fit and sizing before you manage to save up for the full purchase.

“YOU COULD SPEND YOUR ENTIRE SALARY ON SUPPLEMENTS: IT’S NOT NEEDED. A HEALTHY, NUTRIENT PACKED DIET IS SUFFICIENT TO OPTIMISE TRAINING GAINS. APART FROM VITAMIN D, THAT IS”

Zone3’s Aspire is just one top-draw suit available to hire from mywetsuithire.co.uk

MONEY SAVING TIPS

BRUSH UP ON BIKE MAINTENANCE

There are hundreds of fantastic and affordable independent bike shops that’ll have your bike running perfectly in no time. But even more affordable is maintaining smooth shifting and precise pedalling yourself. Haynes classic, The Bike Book, is a good place to start, covering every topic imaginable, from basics such as mending a puncture, to more advanced gear-cable changes. Used versions on eBay are less than a tenner.

20 R ’s Point Mango 75) is an (£5 Tiagra tarter bike s e r assu d iathlon for tr

MIRROR JACK MONROE

Value-packed, tinned food isn’t the enemy. Studies show that the amount of minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, protein and carbohydrates remain relatively unchanged through the process of canning. The main nutrients either lost or diminished are water-soluble vitamins that can’t be stored in the body. The most nutritious cans are oily fish, such as omega-3-rich salmon, and chickpeas and lentils, which are good for swifter muscle repair and rebuild.

SPEED UP TRANSITION

Aerodynamic helmets and deep-rimmed carbon wheels are all well and good, and there’s no doubt that used correctly they can save you time. But you can arguably race as fast by investing in a set of triathlon laces. There are many on the market to ensure a swifter transition, starting with dhb’s £3 pair (wiggle.co.uk). Conserve further time in transition by attaching a strip of bright ribbon to your bike, helping you to avoid transitional turmoil and locate your steed quick-smart.

JAMES MITCHELL

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TAKE

ON A NEW

CHALLENGE FOR 2020 racing Scottish locks? Check. 30ft sand castles? Present. A 25-hour race against time. You’ve got it. If you’re looking for a fresh swim, bike or run challenge in 2020, then Red Bull’s calendar of unique events has more than enough to shake off the post-Christmas slumber. Targeted at all levels of athlete and abilities, Red Bull’s 2020 race season brings fun to the fore with a quartet of varied single-discipline swim, bike and running events in locations around the United Kingdom. Kicking off the season is the Red Bull Neptune Steps from 21-22 March in Glasgow, now held over two days. The event – sold out in 2019 – will once again witness over 1,000 hardy souls brave the bracing waters of the city’s Maryhill Locks for a 420m swim that involves seven 3-4m climbs from lock gate to gate along the route. Up next is the Wings For Life World Run in Cambridge on 3 May, the only run race in the world without a traditional finish line – instead, a Catcher car pursues you! Meaning you run as

B Need a fresh challenge for the 2020 race season? From climbing canal locks to scaling sand dunes, Red Bull have it covered 26 /

/ March 2020

far as you can until you’re caught. This unique format has athletes covering anything from 3km to 42km, with 100% of your entry fee going directly to research that will help to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Want to tackle the most brutal mile you’ll ever face? Step forward the Red Bull Quicksand set for Margate on 16 May and South Shields on 15 August, which inserts giant sandcastles, dunes and trenches over its mile-long course. Closing out the quartet is Red Bull Timelaps, at a to-be-confirmed location on 24-25 October for another edition of the world’s longest one-day road cycling event. The race pits teams of four and solo riders on a 6.7km closed-road circuit to race through the night on the weekend the clocks go back in the UK, making it a gruelling 25-hour race against time. Whether you’re in search of an A-race for 2020 or just want to take part in a fun event with your mates, head to redbull.co.uk/newyearchallenge to find the 2020 challenge for you.

NEW SEASON PREDICTIONS

As our regular back-page columnist, Martyn Brunt’s in a prime position to provide his predictions for what will – and won’t – happen to you in the world of tri in ��… WORDS MARTYN BRUNT ILLUSTRATIONS DANIEL SEEX

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t’s a little known fact that I have powers. Sadly none of them relate to swimming, cycling or running, but you can’t have everything. No, my powers have to do with seeing into the future, making unerringly accurate predictions about the triathlon year ahead. As powers go, I admit this is fairly useless and I’d obviously prefer it if my soothsaying extended to predicting the outcome of horse races or selecting six National Lottery winning numbers, but psychic beggars can’t be choosers. I should say that I’m naturally gifted when it comes to my multisport mysticism and I need no clairvoyant training aids to assist me with my predictions, which is just as well because the only crystal balls I’ve ever had are the ones I got when I slipped off my saddle onto the top tube. Admittedly some of the future is dead easy to predict, based on even a cursory analysis of the past. I predict, for example, that my friend Tony will fail to make the start line of his A-race for the year after three months of dedicated not-training. In my own case, it’s also not that hard for me to predict my immediate tri future, I merely have to take all my 2019 times and add a few minutes, plotting my gentle age-related descent from competitive mediocrity into the ‘He was quite quick back in the day’ category. But with 2020 set to be such a memorable multisport year thanks to the Olympic Games, the Paralympics, Kona, the World Tri Series in Leeds and whichever race I end up doing, it’s high time I flexed my supernatural mental muscles to tell you what the year holds for you, me and the wide world of tri. Here then, is Mystic Mart’s 2020 Vision…

JANUARY Kicking off 2020 I predict that you will enter an event on New Year’s Day, and you will either abstain from alcohol all through Christmas in order to do well, or you will still be hungover when you race. If you abstain, you will feel faintly disappointed that your time isn’t quicker, and if you are hungover you will be pleased how well you’ve done considering the pounding headache. Elsewhere you will begin your ‘New Year New You’ daily plank and push-ups routine, your new healthy diet, and your carefully crafted plans for 2020 race entries will be thrown into disarray by a) ‘Race full’ messages appearing 0.5 seconds after entries open, and b) Entering massive challenge races on a whim at 2am after a night out.

FEBRUARY Fresh meat This is the month for ‘Reliability Rides’ when innocent, fresh-faced triathletes turn up in car parks on Sunday mornings on carbon bikes with tri-bars, only to be met by craggy-faced, sinewy old men on steel-framed Raleighs. I predict that they will silently ride with you to the middle of nowhere and then crank up the pace until they drop you. Upon your return from this ride your healthy eating resolve will crack in a sea of cakes and flapjacks. I also predict you will restart your ‘New Year New You’ daily plank and push-ups routine having given yourself a pep-talk in the mirror at your failure to have visible abs.

“Upon your return from this ride your healthy eating resolve will crack in a sea of cakes and flapjacks” 28 /

/ March 2020

NEW SEASON PREDICTIONS

MARCH

APRIL

Make a splash

Best-laid plans

Outside! Yes, in this month open-water swimming starts for the brave, and several thousand knobby cycling knees are unleashed on an unwary public. I foresee that you will spend the month bitterly regretting your pre-ride/run choice of clothing as you alternate between freezing and boiling without ever getting the layering right. To coincide with the approaching tri season, a manufacturer will launch the latest must-have item, such as a carbon skinsuit, which we will all buy out of fear that it is giving other people a 0.5% edge over us. I also predict you give your ‘New Year New You’ daily plank and pushups routine one last go.

I see sunshine, sea and sweaty torment on the horizon for you as you jet off on a warm-weather training camp, at which you will try to make up for three months of dossing about by cycling 500 miles in six days. Everyone will turn up saying they haven’t trained and will then try and duff everyone else up in the first session, and you will spend more time selecting which race T-shirt to wear at breakfast than you will on your swim technique. Around the pool you will regret your inability to maintain your ‘New Year New You’ daily plank and push-ups routine.

“You'll spend more time selecting which race T-shirt to wear at breakfast than you will on your swim technique”

MAY And they're off...

With the Tokyo Olympics looming large, my spidersenses tell me that the ITU World Triathlon Series race course in Yokohama will become the most fiercely contested strip of tarmac outside a Fast and Furious film, with all the big stars trying not to look cool and strong, and definitely not collapsing while looking hot and knackered. At the Mixed Relay qualification event, Team GB will comfortably qualify making it look easy, while despite almost 20 years of experience, I will make my first race of the year look extremely difficult, with items I have unprofessionally forgotten including body glide, watch, goggles and track pump.

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JUNE Smashing it It’s time for your big race of the year, which you have been diligently preparing for by swimming, cycling and running so much that the smell of your kit could bring down a yak at 50 paces. I predict that you, like me, will be moody, obsessed with weather forecasts, paranoid about germs, and suddenly willing to tinker with parts of your bike you’ve never even looked at before. You will set your alarm for 4:30am on race morning, which is a waste of time because you’ll be awake at 1am, 2:30am, 3:15am and 4am. Despite this, I predict that you will get a PB, you badass.

JULY Olympic efforts Olympics! Accuse me of bias all you like, but the spirits tell me that greatness beckons for Welshwonder Non Stanford, Lauren Steadman, the notoriously heat-loving Jonny Brownlee and George Peasgood, who once sat next to me and my mate Neill at dinner and wisely declined to get into a round with us. Don’t hold me to this because as George noted, I’m not that great with spirits. I also predict that I will suddenly become an expert in gymnastics judging based on whether someone sticks a foot out upon landing, and that despite not being Russian, I will be banned from certain events (mainly watching beach volleyball by my wife).

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AUGUST Sign-up satiation This month’s dung-cracker of wisdom that I must hurl at you is that, inspired by Olympian exploits, and by an increasing sense of panic upon seeing your friends’ social media posts, you’ll go at it like a spin class instructor and will enter several unplanned events. This is unless you’re preparing for Ironman Wales, in which case skip back to June’s prediction. For everyone else, as these are mostly ‘no-pressure’ races, you will perform well and you will ensure that your A-race finisher’s T-shirt from earlier this year will be ultra-visible to everyone in transition.

“Inspired by the Olympics, you’ll go at it like a spin class instructor and enter several unplanned events”

NEW SEASON PREDICTIONS

BRUNTY’S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

1. Look after myself better by stretching (see p114), recovering properly, and making voodoo dolls of my enemies. 2. Stop swearing at headwinds, they never listen. 3. Find the source of ‘the smell’. 4. Start going to the gym, and then stop. 5. Stop celebrating when I manage to pee while cycling. 6. Learn to laugh off criticism in a way that makes the critic scared. 7. Remove the sticker covering the engine warning light on my car. 8. Beat my dog Bertie at running. 9. Put money IN to my savings account. 10. Admit to my wife she’s right.

SEPTEMBER Last-chance saloon Normally I only get a hunch when I’m cycling into a headwind, but this month I have a strong one that you’ll continue to pack in as many ‘last-chance saloon’ races as you can, knowing that soon the water will be too nippy for your nether regions. In the world of Brunty, I shall be switching my focus to swimrun races, and I can accurately predict that my goggles will repeatedly mist up in the cool waters, because they did last year and I won’t have been arsed to buy a new pair.

OCTOBER Bets are on Kona! I’m going to stick my neck out here and say that following his heroics at Western Australia, Alistair Brownlee will complete the entire race faster than my Ironman Lanzarote bike split. I can also confidently predict that the 2020 Ironman World Championships will, once again, not feature M. Brunt of Coventry, UK – keeping up my 15-year tradition of failing to qualify. Next year, definitely.

“I can also confidently predict that the 2020 Ironman World Championships will, once again, not feature M. Brunt of Coventry”

NOVEMBER Knuckling down As Mr T said: “I predict pain…” Cross country running, cyclo-cross, swimming galas, mountainbiking, spin classes, Pilates, circuit training, yoga, gym classes and, oh God, – turbo training! To escape this torment, in this month I shall be attempting four 10,000m swims within 48 hours, which should give you some idea of how much I hate turbo training.

DECEMBER Groundhog Day Christmas is coming, and Brunty’s getting fat. Yes it’s that time of year when, having spent 10 months packing in the miles and piling in the vomit-tastic intervals, we’re suddenly into the mystical realm of ‘resting’. I predict you will embark upon a social whirl of club dinners and awards nights before spending the start of 2021 attempting to shed a stone of flab and a long-term hangover. For Christmas, manufacturers will bring out a carbon kit bag, which we must all buy just in case it gives other people a 0.5% edge over us. And as the last of the Christmas dinner disappears off your plate, you will prepare for your ‘New Year, New You’ daily plank and push-ups routine.

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TIME-CRUNCHED

KONA

QUEEN Ruth Purbrook worked 70 hours a week but still topped her age-group in Kona. Tim Heming meets the age-group star – turning pro in 2020 – to ind out how she achieved World Champs success and what advice she has for fellow iron athletes WORDS�TIM HEMING��IMAGES�JEFF YINGLING

here cannot be many who embark on a career as a professional triathlete conceding that one of the things they’re most looking forward to is a rest. But then, Ruth Astle is no ordinary triathlete. Not only has the 30-year-old from south west London enjoyed a rapid climb to the top of the ever-more competitive ranks of age-group Ironman competition, but she’s achieved it while holding down a 70-hour-aweek job in the corporate world of banking. After a string of eye-catching performances, Ruth’s amateur career concluded with an overall age-group win in the Ironman World Championships this October in 9:20:06, with a 14min gap to second place. Of age-group women in Hawaii, only fellow Brit, Catherine Faux, in 2013, has ever raced faster. Whether seeking the best support for coaching or nutrition, sponsorship or sports

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/ March 2020

science, Ruth has a track record of making smart choices, and as she heads for her debut pro year, tells 220 how she structured training, work and life to forge her own blueprint for age-group success.

THE HORRENDOUS DEBUT Ironmans rarely go 100% to plan, even for the best. Ruth describes her first attempt, in Lanzarote in 2017, as “horrendous”. “How can I forget?” she says. “I over carb-loaded beforehand, and then swallowed too much saltwater. I was sick in the swim, sick exiting the water, stopped three times on the bike, and the run was from Portaloo to Portaloo. Really not fun. I might have to go back and redeem myself at some point.” But poor races are all relative, so what Ruth terms a disaster still resulted in a third-place finish and landing a Kona spot. A first visit to Hawaii then resulted in another podium

Ruth, racing in the 30-34 age-group at Kona 2019, was the fastest female age-grouper overall

“In the final run down Palani hill, I knew my gap was up to 14mins so I just had to not collapse – which, in Kona, is not always a given”

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before a return in 2018 secured the age-group victory. In qualifying for a third visit in 2019, she publicly stated her goal to be the fastest woman amateur in Hawaii, and she duly delivered. The Big Island’s heat and humidity is notoriously difficult to master, and proves how Ruth is not just quick on the course, but the sharpest of learners off it. Kona 2019 was marked by the fastest bike and run splits, and new marathon and swim personal bests, despite imperfect preparation.

“I felt very mixed going in,” she admits. “I broke my collarbone in a crash 12 weeks out and it put doubt in my mind as to whether I could go for the overall win. But I found some fast feet and had a decent swim – a 2:30min improvement from the year before. “That bike course is so fun to ride. The stretch down from Havi was probably the most fun I’ve had in a race, and I was overtaking a lot of men. I felt good on the marathon until 33km, where I was getting a bit tired and hot, but in the final run

4:30am turbo sessions are a daily feature in Ruth’s training schedule – “I’m 100% a morning person”

A SOLITARY PURSUIT

Going pro in 2020, Ruth will use her newfound time to adhere to a more disciplined S&C programme

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down Palani hill, I knew my gap was up to 14mins so I just had to not collapse – which, in Kona, is not always a given. I really enjoyed the last bit, even though everything was hurting. It was probably about as close to the perfect race I’ve had.”

The most coveted of titles completed the age-group puzzle, but whatever Instagram pictures, or in Ruth’s case, race results, might suggest, it’s worth acknowledging that life is rarely plain sailing, and endurance athletes are no exception. British triathlon aficionados will have already spotted the unfamiliarity of the surname. Ruth has been a Purbrook throughout her triathlon successes, but is reverting to her maiden name after separating from husband. It’s a topic to be addressed upfront to understand further discussion on the work-train-life balance. “After 13 great years, we’ve decided to separate for a number of reasons,” Ruth says. “While I’m sure my focus on triathlon has played its part, human beings evolve and relationships change. It can often be hard to pinpoint specific causes, and sometimes it’s better to try and just focus ahead.”

RUTH PURBROOK PROFILE

TOP 5 TIPS FOR IRONMAN

“When I’m focussed on a race like Kona, I prioritise it over most things other than work” Triathlon at the top end of agegroup racing can be a solitary pursuit. As sessions become more refined to eke out diminishing returns, each requires purpose, which often rules out group workouts. Training windows squeezed into a time-crunched week are also rarely compatible with training buddies. “When I’m focussed on a race like Kona, I prioritise it over most things other than work,” she says. “The social life takes a back seat, but I try and combine some training, particularly at weekends, with socialising. During winter I make sure I get in dinners and drinks with friends, and if I miss the occasional training session it isn’t the end of the world. If I have a week where I need to let off steam, I do that!” Exercise can be a stress-buster though too, Ruth explains. “It gives me a mental release. I’ve even noticed that when I’m recovering in the days after races, I struggle more at work.”

says. “Work increased to 65-70hrs a week, where one day it might be 15hrs, and the next day 9hrs.” Ruth also has the job to thank for originally leading her to the sport. She was training for the Berlin marathon in 2013, when it was suggested she take part in the London Triathlon as part of a corporate team. After a successful debut, she joined her local club, Ful-On-Tri, and progressed through British age-group qualifying ranks to the ITU World Championships in Chicago in 2015, where she concluded that she didn’t have the footspeed over 10km to challenge for victory. Having had a taste of long-course action in Alpe d’Huez earlier in the summer, and with the cycle leg

ENJOY IT Remember why you’re doing it, but never take it too seriously.

PRACTISE NUTRITION I’ve reached the point where it’s quite nailed down. I have an SIS beta fuel after breakfast, a gel before the swim, a set number on the bike, and then every mins on the run. i mainly drink to thirst, and I have salt tabs in hot races.

EMBRACE THE DARK There are always going to be moments you don’t feel great, or it feels tough. Recognise it will happen and find a way of getting through. Think of your favourite song of the moment. Right now, mine is Higher Love – the Kygo version.

BE PATIENT It’s a long race and lots of things happen, but an Ironman is won or lost in the final 10km of the run, so there’s no point getting too stressed about anything until then.

the strength, she set her sights on going long. She was picked for the highperformance amateur squad Team Freespeed, and then selected for the Zwift Academy in March, an ambitious project created by the online training software firm that brought in professionals such as Tim Don and Sarah True to mentor chosen age-groupers, and provide support and accommodation in Kona. It’s been Will Clarke, though, the 2008 Olympian, who has taken charge of her coaching duties for the past five years who has been the biggest influence. “I would be nowhere without Will, and I really don’t know how anyone tries to structure their own training around work and family,” she says. “It’s not just how he puts my sessions together, it’s also how he adjusts my programme after I give him feedback. He keeps it interesting. I don’t think I’ve had the same swim session twice in the past six weeks, and he’s got so much experience to draw on. I enjoy not having to think about that stuff.”

RACE WITH FRIENDS It makes the after-party much more fun!

NOWHERE WITHOUT WILL With triathlon the chosen path, there appears no shortage of motivation. Ruth took advantage of her Kona fitness to race as a pro for the first time in Busselton, Western Australia, on 1 December, and delivered an assured debut, finishing eighth and even recouping US$500 for taking the final prize money position. She’ll continue to work full-time as an executive assistant at Lloyds until Christmas, and then drop to one day a week. “My current role on the technology side of the business started in 2018 and was like trying to pick up a new language,” she

Ruth attributes her success to coach Will Clarke, who keeps her training varied and interesting

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FEATURE

Alan Murchison supplies the nutritional expertise. The Scottish chef has moved from Michelinstarred restaurants to performance nutrition and worked with 2016 Olympic triathlon champion Gwen Jorgensen. “I’m a massive foodie,” Ruth says, “But although I was eating healthily, I didn’t know if I was fuelling myself to be the best I could be. “Although he upped my carb intake, the main benefit was helping me to produce quick and easy meals in the evening. After a long day at work and training, I don’t want something that will take an hour to cook. But I do make a conscious decision not to do a lot of lunch prep, because I just won’t leave my desk all day.”

3 TIPS FOR WORKLIFE-TRI BALANCE BE ORGANISED Lay your stuff out the night before, do your meal prep, give yourself as few excuses as possible to skip the session.

ARRANGE TO MEET FRIENDS TO TRAIN I really do try, even if I fail a lot at this one.

TAKE THE OFF SEASON SERIOUSLY You need a mental and physical break. I tend to do two weeks after an Ironman during the season and then four weeks after the season.

ENFORCED REST Despite the guidance, the risk of injury is ever present, as illustrated by a tibial stress reaction in June that led to an enforced lay-off ahead of Challenge Roth, where the goal had been to dip under 9hrs. “The problem with stress reactions is that it’s not always

Ruth is now working on retaining bike strength while improving swim and run splits

obvious there’s something badly wrong,” she says. “Is it just a niggle that will ease off? I tried to run through it for 10 days and that definitely didn’t help. I think my injuries mainly come from not enough sleep and recovery, or gym work. The gym session is the one that gets sacked off if I run out of time. That’s my other commitment for next year. I’ll have no excuse to skip it.” It wasn’t the only injury she’s been forced to deal with this year. A horrific bike crash near Windsor, where an oncoming vehicle pulled in front of her group of riders, left her with a broken collarbone and facial lacerations. While far from ideal in the buildup to Hawaii, Ruth believes there can be a silver lining. “It’s widely underestimated how much good, enforced rest does,” she says. “It’s easy to look at everyone else’s training and think, ‘I’m losing fitness’, but I missed six weeks of running ahead of Roth [where she was the fastest woman age-grouper in 9:12:15], and produced a marathon PB in Kona after a three-week enforced break. If you miss

sessions, it’s really not a big deal. Try not to stress about it – although, I know it’s hard.”

MOTIVATED TO WIN Much of Ruth’s training is the sort that many of us might try and avoid anyway. Rising at 4:30am for training rides on the turbo, treadmill runs in a heat chamber staring at a blank wall, or solo swim sets at the wrong end of the day. “I’m 100% a morning person,” she says. “Having to be in the office at 7am, the pool isn’t open early enough and I find motivation to swim in the evening so tough. I’ll arrange to meet someone – which is hard when I don’t know what time I’ll finish. Or I’ll tell someone I’m going, to make myself accountable when they ask me the following morning.”

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RUTH PURBROOK PROFILE

In the build-up to Hawaii, Ruth even invested in heat chamber sessions at Roehampton University, where she acclimated through turbo and treadmill sets under the expert eye of PhD researcher Jodie Moss. “I’ve learnt you get more adaptation by doing it about 10 days straight just before flying out,” she explains. “For my first visit, I tried an interval session on the treadmill and blew up just 20mins in. The main purpose is to get hot, stay hot, and let your body become used to sweating. Expect your heart rate to be through the roof, and make sure you always recover properly.” Transitioning to pro status, the competition will intensify, but what will be the biggest challenge? “I’m motivated by winning, and I really enjoy winning,” she says.

“I produced a marathon PB in Kona after a three-week enforced break” “Will I enjoy it as much when I’m not winning?” Time will tell, but to enjoy that champagne corkpopping feeling again, Ruth must retain bike strength as both swim and run splits improve. A slightly increased training load might help, yet it’s likely the biggest gain will come from the newfound time to both recover and adhere to a more disciplined strength and conditioning programme.

Ruth’s ultimate goal for 2020 is to return to the podium at Kona, having battled the likes of Lucy CharlesBarclay and co.

“Sleep is definitely something of which I’m very conscious. I try to be in bed by 10pm,” she says. “When I broke my collarbone and worked from home for four weeks, I got a good chunk of sleep and it really helped me mend. Also, on training camps without other distractions, I’ve noticed how much better I’ve felt, and then trained.” So, is Ruth’s ultimate goal to once again return to the podium at Kona, but this time battling the likes of Lucy Charles-Barclay in the pro ranks? “That’s the dream of most long-distance triathletes’, but my main ambition in 5 to 10 years is to still be enjoying it. It’s meant to be fun, and if I can use it to explore the world, go to great places, and keep getting better, then I think it will continue to be fun.”

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TRIA

GOOD

A DECENT PERFORMER

50-69

CIA

70-79

A strong age-grouper focusing on top-end gains.

JAMES WITTS He’s a published author writing about sports science.

A BUDGE

ONE OF THE BEST YOU CAN BUY

N ON

A GENUINE CLASS LEADER

MATT BAIRD

90+

ith the ability to make wetsuits, but the Prime appeals here or break an athlete’s with its orange flashes and clear race, wetsuits are a key branding. The construction feels piece of tri kit that secure, courtesy of the internally we’d rarely recommend skimping on blind-stitched seams and chunky and dipping under the £100 barrier. A YKK zipper, and the fit – barring a regular exception to this rule is little bagginess under the armpits – Glasgow-based Lomo, who have is close without being restrictive. largely scored well for their wetsuits Our key outdoor test came in the since their 2011 debut on these pages. 8°C waters of Portishead Lido in early Back then, direct sellers such as December, an ideal temperature for Xterra Wetsuits were a rarity, but gauging any water ingress (less so for that landscape has fundamentally the ability to move our fingers). And shifted. While the lack of ability to there’s very little seepage to speak of, test wetsuits for sizing before with the neck creating a welcome buying is still a negative of seal free from chafing. online purchasing The 4mm-thick core ON A BUDGET N (Lomo do have a shop is a millimetre shy of S LO in Glasgow), the fiscal many wetsuits, which benefits to the loses the suit a consumer of modicum of cutting out the warmth and lift, middleman are but we found the clear, as evidenced in buoyancy levels Lomo’s startling value. consistent and far from “We’re lucky being a the excessive lift that direct sales brand because blights many budget suits. our customers can feedback The 2mm arms and shoulders offer directly to us,” say the brand. “They relatively impressive flexibility, have our email address and, because while the 2mm leg and arm cuffs will the feedback goes straight to us be a boon in T1 in the summer. rather than to a shop, we get really So how does it compare to the best useful direct feedback. We look at budget suits? We prefer it to Dhb’s what works, what doesn’t, and what Hydron (£110) and Aropec’s Cheetah to keep in our range.” (£98), but Speedo’s Fastskin Proton Top of Lomo’s wetsuit range in (currently just £98) is still our suit to 2020 is the new Prime, tested by beat. MB lomo.co.uk Lomo’s focus group of triathlete testers in 2019 before being made in VERDICT LOMO’SBESTWETSUIT China from Japanese and Chinese YETANDASMARTBUYFOR neoprene. Aesthetics have never NEWCOMERS TO TRIATHLON % been a strong part of Lomo’s

TRIA

OUR RATINGS

BUY NOW

LOMO PRIME WETSUIT W

MEET THE TEST TEAM

KIT ZONE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The buoyancy levels from the 4mm thick core are consistent and far from the excessive lift that blights many budget suitsâ&#x20AC;?

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KIT ZONE

TRIBAN RC500 WINTER JACKET

LOMO THERMAL CYCLING TOP

Off-season cycling jacket from Decathlon

£25 The affordable Scots move into cycling apparel

he Triban range from Decathlon has built a solid reputation for refreshingly good quality at low prices. And the RC500 winter jacket falls into that category, surpassing our expectations in many ways. It’s thick enough to keep you warm when the temperature drops to freezing and below, while the fleecy membrane does a fine job of regulating our temperature on long training rides (there are also side vents). Storage options include a zipped pocket on the chest and at the rear, plus two large open pockets at the back and one either side of your waist for easy access to snacks. There’s even a snood/neck warmer buttoned to the inside collar, which can be utilised on cold days to stop wind whipping through. The cuffs are well crafted, with an inner designed to fit under your gloves so there’s no chance of exposed skin. Although it’s more than double the price of the Lomo, this head-to-head isn’t a close contest as the RC500 is in a different league. It’s more appropriate to compare with high-end technical bike jackets, and we can’t find one that offers this level of performance for less. It’s also an investment that should last you for thousands of winter miles based on our experience so far. JS decathlon.co.uk

omo’s thermal cycling top is more long-sleeved jersey than jacket, with a thin fleecy fabric liner and Lycra-like outer with plenty of stretch. Lomo say it’s ‘ideal for winter cycling’ and has thermal properties, yet we felt little wind blocking on cold days and, when we did get warm, sweat quickly built up in the midriff. It doesn’t have much form fitting, and the size medium that we tested as per the size guide hung off us and fitted more like a casual track top rather than techy cycling apparel. The bagginess means you can stuff the three rear pockets, with easily enough room for snacks and puncture repair kit if you prefer this to saddlebags. There’s also a zipped pocket for valuables. The main front zipper feels too stiff, and isn’t the same quality as a YKK zipper that’s standard on pricier fully-zipped cycling tops, but it just about does the job. At just £25 it’s a case of ‘you get what you pay for’, and for casual riding or commuting in dry and mild temps, there’s no harm in having one of these in your kit drawer. For long rides and serious training, we’d spend more to take advantage of the better fit, fabrics and zippers found on more technical long-sleeve jerseys for layering up, and invest in a jacket such as the Triban RC500. JS lomo.co.uk

£54.99

budget bike jackets

94 %

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VERDICT APROPERWINTER BIKEJACKETWITHAN UNBEATABLE PRICE TAG

63 %

VERDICT THELACKOF PERFORMANCEFEATURESIS REFLECTED IN THE PRICE

KIT ZONE

TENOLA INSPIRE £80 Sub-£100 triathlon suit from British brand ith their Inspire range, Tenola aim to offer all the performance features of expensive tri-suits at a more accessible price, making it ideal for first-timers. Combining Brit design with Italian fabric, the women’s Inspire tri-suit is available in two colourways: black and bright pink or, less predictably, black and white. We tested a size 10 and found it a little short in the body, which meant some pinching on the shoulders, but otherwise the sizing delivers a raceready fit to aid aerodynamics and avert post-pool bagginess. There’s no internal bra but the fabric is substantial enough to provide some support, and there’s a zip-garage to minimise chafing – though the base of the zip caused some irritation. The Inspire’s ‘four-way stretch’ fabric is divided into panels of two types: a treated water-repelling material which dries impressively

fast, and ventilation-focused sections which kept us cooler during our sweaty turbo sessions. At a depth of 3mm, the pad is lightweight even for a tri-suit, yet it delivers comfort across all bike positions. In action, the legs stayed pleasingly put, though the silicone grippers are narrow and caused more restriction around the thighs than we’d prefer. We loved the two pockets, which, sitting flush against thighs, are unnoticeable when empty yet deep enough to sink lots of nutrition. Overall, the Inspire does what its name suggests and could be your ideal race partner for every triathlon discipline. Though if you’ve a longer torso-to-leg ratio, you’ll want to try it first. Janine Doggett tenola.com

74 %

VERDICT DELIVERSSOME WINNINGFEATURES,BUT WITH A FEW NIGGLES

WIGGLE ENERGY GEL £12.99 (for 12) Lemon gel iggle’s range of energy gels comprise seven flavours, of which we tested the lemon meringue option. And pretty tasty it is, with the sharp citrus hit tempered nicely by lighter meringue. It delivers 22.6g of carbs via maltodextrin, glucose and fructose. The addition of fructose theoretically raises hourly carb-ingestion levels to around 90g, due to fructose hopping on a different intestinal transporter into the bloodstream than the other two simple sugars. That’s four an hour if exercising over 90mins, though three is fine for many age-groupers. Any more and it could be gastro-distress. It flows down smoothly, while a modicum of electrolytes partly replenishes those lost in sweat. But it’s the price of 65p per gel that’s the real winner. JW wiggle.co.uk

85 %

VERDICT ASOLID,TASTY ENERGYGELATANINCREDIBLE PRICE FOR A BOX OF 12

EONO RUN WAIST PACK £9.99 Storage belt for running his belt, currently down to £7 on Amazon, initially looks too slender, yet the Polyamide fabric offers plenty of expansion and we managed to fit five gels, keys and an iPhone with room to spare. Having two split pockets is handy for dividing fuel and the fit is secure, although it lacks waterproofing and the buckle feels a little cheap. MB amazon.co.uk

82 %

VERDICT ACOMFORTABLE ANDSECURETARDIS LIKE BELT FOR LONGER RUNS

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KIT ZONE

Kalenji Kiprun Race 4 £49.99 Do these budget shoes have the chops to handle the trails? e get excited when any serious running shoe has a RRP under £100, so the £50 price tag of these trail shoes from Decathlon’s in-house Kalenji brand had us positively foaming at the mouth. But would they prove to be a fiscal find or a false economy? First impressions out of the box, bar the satisfactory aesthetics, are of a very narrow shoe, so these won’t appeal to those with wider feet out there. Decathlon also pitch these for runners lighter than 75kg (11.8 stone); useful and honest advice, but further limiting the broadness of the Kiprun Race 4’s appeal. Yet there’s much here for lighter runners, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed a test period that’s taken in the Afan Off-Road Duathlon in Wales and higher-intensity runs on the trails of the west country. Ironically

LOMOVIGOUR POLARISED £15 Sub-£20 open-water goggles he Vigour from Lomo display plenty of similarities with Aqua Sphere’s Kayennes, which isn’t such a bad thing when they’re one of the classics of the open-water goggle genre. Comfort and suction from the substantial gaskets of the Vigour is long lasting in the water, and the split strap adds to the secure feel. The polarised lenses and anti-fogging properties produce effective enough visibility for wintry outdoor swims in Portishead lido, while peripheral vision is aided by the curvature of the lenses. Where they fall down compared to the Kayennes (and why we’d rather spend £8 more) is in the cheap-feeling adjustment mechanisms, which give us some durability concerns, although the included hard case is welcome for longevity. MB lomo.co.uk

CRANE BASE LAYER £7.99

Women’s base from Aldi

quality base layer is vital for winter warmth, but can this thrifty Crane number from Aldi cut it? The size 1214 felt more like a snug 10, but it didn’t skimp – there’s excellent coverage on hips and wrists. Its silky polyester/ polyamide fabric makes for cosiness on test and it wicks well. You rarely get change from a tenner for decent kit, but Aldi has nailed it. Janine Doggett aldi.co.uk

90 %

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/ March 2020

83 %

VERDICTCOMFYCUT PRICE CONTENDERS,YETCONCERNS OVER THE FIT MECHANISMS

for the beginner-friendly price, it’s more experienced and nimble trail runners who’ll reap the benefits of the Kiprun’s lean 250g weight (UK size 7), slender heel-to-toe drop of 6mm and relative lack of cushioning (think more Inov-8 than Hoka in terms of stability). There’s a two-year guarantee but we do have longevity concerns over the shaping of the upper on the inner sides of the shoe, and there’s little protection provided here from rogue thorns and rocks. That said, inner comfort is fine, breathability is impressive and the grip is genuinely good due to the smartly-placed 5mm studs. MB decathlon.co.uk

86 %

VERDICT ALOW PRICEWINNER FORLIGHTERATHLETESWANTING A HIGH INTENSITY TRAIL SHOE

O P T I M I S E D

F O R

R A C I N G

h j cs p o r t . co m

KIT ZONE

BUYER’S GUIDE

RACE-DAY RUN SHOES

Lightweight racing shoes deliver both a physical and psychological surge to your tri race day. James Witts strides in 10 lean machines MIDsole Located inbetween the outsole and the insole, this is where manufacturers will add most of their cushioning technology.

istal weight. Heard of it? Broadly, this is the pendulum weight of your lower limb. The heavier the weight hanging from your knee – in this case, your shoe – the greater force required to get it moving. Therefore, a strong argument for choosing lightweight racers over your slightly heavier training shoes. According to a study by former Nike coach Jack Daniels, adding 100g to a shoe increases the aerobic demand of running by 1%. This, he calculated, equates to around a minute over a 26.2-mile marathon. Those of you who’ve read the brilliant Sports Gene by David Epstein will already be aware of this distal-weight concept. It’s why, argues Epstein, the Kalenjin tribe of Kenya has produced runners of the calibre of Wilson Kipsang. The Kalenjin tribe has particularly thin ankles and calves, ergo a lower distal weight and a faster, more sustainable leg turnover. That’s why the weight of a race-day shoe is important but it’s not everything. In our experience, you’re still after a shoe with a bit of fizz, one that delivers a healthy return on your landing force. So we’re after propulsion. And stability. A slipping foot leaches energy, as well as raising the spectre of injury. As our racing amphitheatre kickstarts with transition, we’re also after a swift and stable foot entry. Right, onto the search for third-discipline speed…

upper The upper covers the top of your foot, and should be breathable while offering plenty of support and flexibility.

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STEVE SAYERS

THESECRETSTUDIO NET

OUTSOLE The bottom of the shoe, usually made out of blown rubber and featuring all manner of tread patterns to provide grip.

RACE DAY RUN SHOES

ZOOT ULTRA TT

NEWTON DISTANCE ELITE

£140 Zoot have produced quality tri gear since the 1980s and so it is again with the Ultra TT, built in collaboration with the co-founder of Newton. Tri features start with the elastic laces, which work fine but feel parochial compared to New Balance’s Boa system. Drainage holes in the outsole allow water to escape, helping to cut weight and reduce blisters, and there’s a heel loop. Fit is comfy. As is your run gait, with the 3mm heel-to-toe drop hiding a midsole that features graded cushioning and implants beneath the foot. The minimal VERDICT ASOLIDBUT drop doesn’t feel flat but took a PRICEYEFFORTWITH few runs to bed in. Weight is a SPECTACULAR PATTERNS % low 266g. zootsports.com

£150 Newton’s promise of forefoot running, and the efficiency and injury-prevention benefits that brings, carved them a profitable niche before sales began to suffer. Now they’ve stabilised and built a solid shoe in the 253g Distance Elite. It utilises Newton’s classic four-lug platform upfront, yet it also features raised cushioning in the heel area, recognising that the heel of forefoot strikers often kisses the ground. They’re comfy but do take some acclimatising to those lugs. The main concern, though, is the upper. It’s light VERDICT DOESTHE and breathable, but is delicate JOBBUTCOSTLYANDWE and laterally moves too much HAVE UPPER CONCERNS % for us. newtonrunning.com

BEST ON TEST

NEW BALANCE 1500T2 BOA £110 The 1500T2 is a brash beast – its colourway and Boa closure system screaming tri race day. Yet there’s substance behind the shouting as this is one fine shoe. NB has come to terms with Boa. Gone are hotspots; instead, your foot comfortably clamps into place, all at transition speed. And all without weight as, despite the added circular mechanism, it’s only 232g. Despite a minimal build, there’s comfort thanks to a REVlite midsole that’s said to be 30% lighter than other foams but without losing stability. The VERDICT TRANSITIONS knit uppers add breathability, ANDYOURFINALLEG while a heel loop adds more tri JUST GOT BRIGHTER % appeal. newbalance.co.uk

MAXIMISE SPEED: RACE DAY RUNNING TIPS Lightweight race shoes deliver a psychological as well as physical surge in performance. First, pick a bright, vivid colour. Studies show this forges the mentality that you’re fast (even if you can’t match it physically!). But before purchasing your next pair of speed shoes, also bear the following in mind… • Consider race distance. If your goal event’s an Ironman, arguably you need greater cushioning than a sub20min 5km sprinter needs. • Sweating expands your feet so it’s prescient to try out prospective new shoes in the afternoon. • Don’t leave your lightweights collecting dust until race day. Ensure you acclimatise to them in training first. You can even start on a softer, more forgiving surface like grass. Gradually increase the amount of time you wear them, from part of one weekly session to several each week as your structure strengthens. • Make sure you’re fit and strong before slipping into lightweights. If you have any existing injuries or niggles, racing flats could tip you over the edge. • Off-season strength and conditioning work is a worthwhile exercise to bulletproof your body from the strains and stresses of running, which are greater when slipped into racers.

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KIT ZONE

BEST VALUE

SAUCONY TYPE A9

HOKA ONE ONE CARBON X

£100 The Type A9 is an out-and-out racer. And a damn good one at that. It’s the lightest on test at 197g and one of the loudest. That’s a good thing as racing’s not a place for the meek of heart. Comfort is high for such a stripped-down shoe, yet the 4mm drop hints at a modicum of cushioning that derives from the Super Lite EVA midsole. That said, it’s not enough to have us slipping into these for 70.3 and above. Fit is excellent. We put that down to a thin fabric skeleton within the shoe that clamps to your feet when tightening your VERDICT SPEEDAND laces. It’s a simple idea but COMFORTFOROLYMPIC works well. The upper breathes DISTANCE AND BELOW % well, too. saucony.com

£160 We’ve gone into the making of Hoka’s Carbon X on p54, but one thing’s clear: these aren’t as fast as Nike’s Vaporfly 4%. But it’s a damn good effort. Similar to the Vaporfly, its carbon plate stores and releases tension, exaggerating the company’s Meta-Rocker motion and, in turn, engineering impressive forward thrust. Despite that, we’d argue its 270g weight – around 50g greater than the Vaporfly – makes it more an all-rounder than an out-and-out racer. A heel loop, a stitchedin and stretchy tongue, and VERDICT IMPRESSIVE comfy inner lend a nod to swift BUTLIGHTERATHLETES transitions and barefoot MAY PREFER HOKA’S REHI % running. hokaoneone.eu

CUTTING EDGE

361° CHASER2

ON CLOUDFLOW

£99.99 The Chaser 2 from 361° weighs a moderate 268g and looks like a training shoe, yet actually performs swiftly and is a much firmer ride than a cushioned number. But the shape of the last and its inner comfort harks to its preferred home of longer sojourns. Like Hoka’s Carbon X, the Chaser 2 features a carbon strip in the midsole, though it’s more for stability purposes than propulsion. The upper’s a reasonably snug fit – more so than the original Chaser – and your feet are clamped in nicely thanks to a tensioning of wire VERDICT ASOLID technology. That said, the OFFERINGBUTWATCH overall size comes up a touch OUT FOR THAT SIZING % small. 361europe.com

£130 The Cloudflow are worn by Brit Ironman Tim Don, which shows their key ground; ticking off 70.3 or Ironman with aplomb. Mind you, at 266g, many short-course athletes will fancy them. Why? First, there’s On’s rebound force. In the case of the Cloudflow, 18 lugs on the outsole compress on landing before offloading for a forceful take-off. Historically, we grumbled this led to a flat stride. Not anymore as On’s Helion foam midsole boosts comfort. So does the breathable upper. Our concerns that the tongue is VERDICT ANOTHER flimsy proved unfounded, but a IMPRESSIVEONSHOE, complaint is the tepid colour ESPECIALLY FOR IRON % scheme. on-running.com

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RACE DAY RUN SHOES

ASICS GEL-DS 24

TOPO ATHLETICFLI-LYTE3

£120 The DS are now at chapter 24. But are they improving with age? They’re the comfiest here, with a solid heel counter stabilising your feet that’s then cradled by an EVA sockliner. This is a midsole forged from two different densities of material that dampens the impact of landing and also smooths out pronation issues. Transition from landing to toe-off is proficient, and maximised via a band beneath the midsole that prevents twisting and torsion. You do feel fast in the DS, though not up there with the Saucony, which comes VERDICT ACOMFYAND down to weight. At 282g, these SWIFTSHOEFORTHE are over 90g heavier than the HEAVIER TRIATHLETE % Type A9. asics.com

£110 Topo pride themselves on a light weight, roomy toe box and low drop. And they’ve achieved all three with the Fli-Lyte 3, which comes in at 277g. Similar to Lyte 2, the toe box – designed so that your toes can splay as nature intended – again concerned this slimfooted tester. Again, that apprehension proved unfounded as they comfortably shrouded our feet without blister-rubbing slippage. As for lightness, 277g’s not light for a race shoe, and these felt more high-milers than speedsters. The 3mm drop encouraged VERDICT SPEED swiftness, however, though SUBSTANCEBEHIND we’d argue they look rather THE LACK OF STYLE % ugly. topoathletic.co.uk

OVERALL VERDICT BROOKS HYPERION £90 A run shoe under £100? Be still my beating heart. Logic says race shoes should be cheaper than cushioning-loaded training shoes, but are these worth the outlay? Possibly. It’s a 100% racer, hitting the scales at 204g, and resembling a track shoe without the spikes. Instead the outsole comprises ‘Propulsion Pods’ that aim to return rebound force. It’s princess-and-pea stuff if there’s reality behind the rhetoric, but they feel fast. And as per pure racers, that often results in beaten legs, and our limbs were in shreds after swift VERDICT ONEFORFAST fartleks. Comfort is fine thanks WORKOUTSANDSPRINT to the stretch-woven upper. TO OLYMPIC DISTANCE % brooksrunning.com

Thankfully, the flash exteriors seen here aren’t compensating for inferior technologies below. In all honesty, there isn’t a bad shoe here, although some clearly tick the race-speed box with more elan than others. The Saucony Type A9 has pure thoroughbred stamped all over it. It’s a racer in the best tradition, coming in as the only shoe that dips beneath the 200g mark. Impressively, there’s enough cushioning not to leave your legs in tatters for days afterwards. We’d still only recommend them for short-course racing, though. Special mentions to On’s Cloudflow, which continues the Swiss manufacturer’s mastering of energy-rebound lugs, and Topo Athletic’s Fli-Lyte 3 that’s much more than its moderate looks. But the title of best lightweight racer on test goes to New Balance’s 1500T2 BOA. Yes, it’s the most triathlon-friendly shoe here, that impressive closure system and heel loop begging you to transition fast. But it’s so much more than that, delivering a fast, comfortable stride at an impressively low weight. This is one shoe that’ll light up the triathlon circuit in 2020.

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TRAINING CAMP

FROM THE MAKERS OF

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CYCLING HEALTH AND FITNESS

MEET THE AUTHOR MARK BAILEY

EXPERT ADVICE

What sort of core training should I do? Forget standard sit ups for peak cycling performance it’s all about asymmetr cal exercises

THE WIN NING TIP! CREATE A STIR Test your core strength with the British cycling team’s most feared exercise: ‘stir the pot’ This involves doing a plank on a Swiss ball then making a circular stirring motion with your forearms still resting on the ball. Start with small circles and gradually get bigger.

155 EXPERT TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR RIDING

HOW TO

TRAIN SLOW GET FAST

Whether you love core workouts or loa he them strong abdominal and lower back muscles are essential if you want to maintain a comfortable position on your bike and maximise the power output of your pedal stroke But many standard core exercises suggested by personal trainers such as s t ups a en’t the best choice for road cyc ists That’s because riding a bike involves some major body imbalances (each pedal stroke sees one leg extended downwards while he other is bent and raised upwards) and some unique challenges (such as maintaining a st ll upper body on c imbs wh le your legs are pedal ing frantically) so you need much more functional core exercises “It is much better to focus on asymmetrical exercises which mirror the challenges of riding a bike ” insists Robby Ketchell a former sports scientist for Team Sky (now Team Ineos) Sample exercises include towel crunches (place a towel under each foot adopt a plank pos tion then slide your right knee towards the left side of your chest and repeat with the opposite leg) swimmer sets (lie on your f ont then raise your

right arm and left leg for 10 seconds, and repeat with the opposite limbs); and twist crunches (lie on your back in a crunch position, then raise your left knee and right elbow to meet together and repeat with the opposite limbs). Elinor Barker, team pursuit gold medal winner at the 2016 Rio Olympics, agrees that core exercises should always relate back to cycling. “I don’t do a lot of twisting exercises because I have back problems, but I do focus on very specific core exercises that help me maintain an aerodynamic position on the bike,” she explains. “The plank is very good for cyclists because, again, it is so specific to holding your position on the bike. “I do body saws, too – it’s a variation of the plank but you put your feet on little mats or towels and extend the plank stretch by gliding both your legs backwards and forwards. Really, it’s just ike when you’re riding a bike, but extracha lenging ”

SPECIFIC CORE EXERCISES HELP TO MAINTAIN AN AERODYNAMIC POSITION ON THE BIKE

BODYWEIGHT TRAINING THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR RIDE PERFORMANCE FITNESS & TRAINING

Girl

WOMENS TRAINING WORDS Nicola Smith PHOTOGRAPHY Robert Smith

How can women better understand their unique physiology to improve training and maximise performance gains on the bike?

RIDES FOR ALL WEATHERS From turbo trainers to tough bikes

FAT BUSTING HACKS TO BUILD A LEANER BODY

GO FURTHER AND FASTER IN 2020

BEAT BIG CLIMBS | RIDE ALL WINTER | RECOVERY SECRETS | PLUS MUCH MORE

FITNESS ADVICE TAILORED TO BOTH MALE AND FEMALE RIDERS EAT WELL LOSE WEIGHT

NUTRITION

EAT WELL AND LOSE WEIGHT WORDS RICH OWEN

10 fat busting rules for a leaner cycling body

TRACK YOUR CALORIES

No matter how many miles you clock up, if you’re putting more fuel in your body than you use, you’re never going to lose weight. Apps such as MyFitnessPal will help you tot up what you eat, while ride tracking apps like Strava can be helpful in giving you a measure of how many calories you burn on your bike. A daily reduction of around 200-300kcal shouldn’t affect your energy levels or leave you gnawing on your slippers by the end of the day. Rigidly adhering to controlled calories can quickly start to feel restrictive, but if you avoid the mid ride cake stops and other calorie-rich treats, while mostly sticking within your calorie limits, you’ll soon start to see the pounds fall away.

DON’T CUT OUT CARBS

Carbohydrates are essential for athletic performance, so while it can be tempting to cut them from your diet to aid weight loss, doing so will mean that your cycling performance wi l noticeably suffer as we l as your gene al energy levels. A study has shown that eating a modest meal containing carbs before exercise will actually elevate your metabolism and fat burning ab lity for up to 24 hours after the session

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT SWIFTLY AND SAFELY AS YOU RIDE

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY www.buysubscriptions.com/rideﬁt20 or call 03330 162 138 and quote ‘Ride Fit 2020 Print 1’ Lines are open 8am-6pm weekdays and 9am-1pm Saturdays Overseas please call +44 (0) 1604 973 746 Subscribers to 220 Triathlon magazine receive FREE UK postage on this special edition *Prices including postage are: £9.99 for subscribers, £11.49 for all other UK residents, £12.99 for Europe and £13.49 for the Rest of the World. UK calls will cost the same as other standard ﬁxed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). Outside of free call packages call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute. All orders are subject to availability. Please allow 28 days for delivery.

BUYER’S GUIDE

RACE WHEELS

Deep-section rims can reduce drag and are proven to give you aero gains. But which are the best to invest in? Jack Sexty tests six sub-£2K pairs

ant to go faster on the bike? Then some carbon wheels with deeper rims to slice through wind are one of the most proven investments you can make. While your legs are the most important piece of the puzzle in the quest for speed, when we’re talking about time you can save using deep rims compared to standard training wheels over an hour, we’re often dealing in minutes rather than seconds. And, if you’re competing in Ironman, you can multiply that a few times over. Modern carbon race wheels are relatively more affordable and better quality than ever, with numerous brands now offering imports designed to their own specifications. These are considerably cheaper than rims fully designed and built in Europe or the USA, and the quality is often close to wheels you’ll see from big names such as Enve, Mavic and Zipp. With the shift towards disc brakes and wider tyres, many brands now offer rims that are wider internally with options to run standard clinchers with inner tubes, or tubeless tyres with sealant to bolster puncture protection. There are three sets of rim brake wheels and three for disc brakes in this test, in varying rim depths. On windy days, very deep wheels can make things difficult to control. It’s a case of purchasing based on your preferred race distances and locations, and if you have even more budget then that could mean investing in different depth wheels for varying conditions.

rim Comprising of the upper and outer edge, race wheel rims will have more depth (50mm and more) than training wheels for wind-cheating benefits. hub The central part of the wheel, consisting of the axle, bearings and a hub shell to which spokes are attached.

JARGON BUSTER

TOROIDAL A rim shape that gets fatter below the braking surface to keep airflow smooth in crosswinds.

spokes A number of rods threaded from the hub to the rim that give the wheel tensile strength.

STEVE SAYERS

YAW ANGLE The angle of a crosswind in relation to the wheel.

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KIT ZONE

BEST ON TEST

PARCOURS STRADE

CES SPORT RC88

PROGRESS APRIME DISK

£999 This new full carbon wheelset was subjected to countless hours of R&D, starting with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to design a disc brake, tubeless-ready wheel optimised for 28mm tyres and refined in the wind tunnel. Parcours claim it’s faster than their Passista wheelset even with 25mm tyres, and can save up to 19 watts over 40km compared to a baseline shallow wheelset. The 56mm depth was no problem in crosswinds, and they roll incredibly smoothly with a pleasant hum from the rear hub. Bladed spokes further improve aerodynamics and, although fairly light at 1,520g, they felt tough enough to take on battered British roads. We found the rim bed was stubborn with some tyres when it came to popping the bead off the edge of the rim, so try some tyre combinations to ensure you can replace rapidly should you puncture in a race. parcours.cc

£750 Cardiff-based triathletes CES Sport are new to us here and their aim is to bring aero gains to the masses with their basement prices. And this is just about the most affordable deep dish set you’ll find without buying direct from the Far East. The 24 rear and 20 front aero spokes laced in a radial pattern provide a decent amount of strength, and crosswind battles are about what we’d expect from wheels with an 88mm depth, while feeling suitably fast on the flats with low winds. The basalt-infused brake track performed well in the wet without squealing or feeling too grabby, and the sounds produced by the freehub are just the right amount of intimidating. They don’t feel quite so alive as the more luxurious wheelsets out there and, at 1,825g a pair, aren’t the lightest even for deep rims, but at this price we can accept a couple of compromises. ces-sport.co.uk

£1,595 These special edition disc brake wheels in a 50mm depth front and rear have graphene infused to bring the weight down further and increase strength, while a wide 21mm internal rim measurement means you can fit wider tyres for increased comfort. They weigh in at 1,450g – seriously impressive for disc brake wheels – although we noticed they didn’t feel quite so tough on rough road surfaces and in inclement weather compared to more robust pairs on test, despite the graphene infusion. And yet, for race day, they’ll make a fast addition to your road or tri bike with no weight penalty. They still cost much more than similar wheelsets from Parcours and Scribe with no discernibly better performance evident. Yet they’re still at the lower end of the price scale for what you get compared to Zipp et al, which is a largely reliable, swift wheelset with interesting tech innovations. badgercycles.co.uk

91 %

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VERDICT THELONGDEVELOPMENT PERIODHASPRODUCEDGREAT PERFORMING WHEELS AT A DECENT PRICE

/ March 2020

79 %

VERDICT ALITTLELESSREFINEDTHAN SOMEOFTHECOMPETITION,BUT A BARGAIN DEEP RIM BUY

84 %

VERDICT IMPRESSIVEPERFORMANCE COMBINEDWITHCUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY

RACE WHEELS

BEST VALUE

VISION METRON 55 SL

SCRIBEAERO 50/65 DISC

REVOLVER KRONOSTOK 6/9

£1,839.95 Vision’s USA-designed Metron carbon rims weigh in at 1,580g for the pair, not the lightest for a rim brake set of wheels but not the worst considering their 55mm depth. They’ll suit fans of a quieter hub as the sound is more discreet from the back when you’re freewheeling, with six sealed cartridge bearings inside the hubs that engage quickly and provide a fast and responsive ride. The micro-dot brake surface is predictable and reliable even in the wet on British winter roads, and in high winds we didn’t feel any noticeable instability. At more than double the cost of some of the wheelsets in this test, though, they lose marks for comparitive value as we didn’t gauge clear extra performance benefits on the roads (admittedly we haven’t tested in a wind tunnel), but the graphics look great, the rims roll well and come ready to set up tubeless if you prefer that option. windwave.co.uk

£870 New UK brand Scribe offer you more than a nondescript imported wheelset with a badge on for your £870, with the 65mm rear coming with their exclusive Five4 hubs with 6.6 degrees of engagement for a responsive ride. The freehub is extremely screechy and won’t be for everyone, but if you want to announce your arrival when you pass a rival triathlete then these are the wheels to do that with. This is another wheelset that uses the Sapim CX-Ray aero spokes, with 21 at the front and 24 at the rear in a radial pattern, and, at 1,498g, the weight is impressively low. But they also feel tough and more than capable of taking on British roads year-round. A 19mm internal width will easily accommodate 28mm tyres, and they arrive taped up with tubeless-ready valves to make the 50/65s a truly modern and very affordable carbon race wheelset. scribecycling.co.uk

£799 The 90mm rear and 60mm front version of Revolver’s 1,780g Kronostock 6/9 wheels are ideal for your tri-specific bike, with the price brought down lower for 2020 to make them a real bargain. Revolver’s new 321 hubs are specifically designed for the 2:1 spoke ratio (two spokes on the driveside for each one on the non-driveside), which they say results in less flex and equal tensioning. In combination with the aerodynamic spokes, we found the Kronostoks incredibly stable in crosswinds considering their depth, and they have a vibrant ride feel with a pleasant hum from the freehub when you’re off the pedals. The unusual skewers have very minimal levers and it took us a couple of tries to be confident we’d secured them properly, but this is a small gripe over what’s a watt-saving bargain of a wheelset. revolverwheels.co.uk

77 %

VERDICT SOLIDANDSTYLISH PERFORMERS,BUTPRICIERTHAN THE COMPETITION ON TEST HERE

85 %

VERDICT FASTANDSTABLEWHEELS THATCOMEATAVERYAFFORDABLE PRICE; ALTHOUGH INCREDIBLY LOUD

87 %

VERDICT OUTSTANDINGVALUE,STABLE INWINDSANDHARDTOFAULT FOR TRIATHLON RACE DAY

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THE BRAND VISITS: HOKA

THE MAKING OF

CARBON X

From derided to dominant, Hoka One One has been the triathlon running shoe success story of the decade. But have they taken on more than they can chew with the Carbon X? We ind out WORDS MATT BAIRD IMAGES STEVE SAYERS JAMES MITCHELL

he blue of the Pacific Ocean. The noir of the lava fields. The lack of leg hair and pot bellies. Some things are instantly apparent when landing in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, for the annual Ironman World Championships. What also became clearly evident on arrival for our visit in October 2019 was that everyone was seemingly wearing Hoka shoes; an Ironman badge of honour to file alongside the M-Dot tattoo and faded Ironman Lanzarote race tee. Hoka One One (pronounced O-Nay O-Nay) were founded in 2009 by two former Salomon employees (Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard) in Annecy, France, wanting to create a shoe that allowed them to run downhill faster. The brand stood in contrast to the era’s minimalist ‘barefoot’ movement spearheaded by Born to Run author Chris McDougall and exemplified by the Vibram Fivefingers, which themselves were a response to the heavily-cushioned trainers that dominated the run market in the 2000s. Both Hoka and minimalist shoes, though, offered low heel-to-toe drops and encouraged athletes onto their mid and forefoots to improve running economy. Derided as clown shoes upon their arrival in multisport circles, Hoka started gaining traction in trail and then tri circles a couple of years after their launch. 220’s first review in 2011 labelled their Bondi B as “one for the fitness market and not the performance runner,” but admitted that “we can

almost smell the next big thing,” in regards to the oversized shoe formula that maximised cushioning but somehow kept weight to a minimum. Soon the Spice Girls and tweenie remarks were being drowned out by praise and everincreasing popularity as triathletes – always early adopters of new tech – embraced the maximal ethos. Ever a pioneer of multisport, six-time Ironman world champion Dave Scott became a Hoka athlete in 2015. “My first impression was ‘Wow, it looks like you’re on a pillow,” says Scott to 220. “I was mocking my athletes for using them, but I just had to try them as I heard it may alleviate some of my knee and hip pain. A lot of shoes look for style first but functionality is key and Hoka is top of the very best in that regard. And the misnomer with cushioned shoes is that, if you’re on a pillow you think you’re going to sink, but Hoka’s design of a meta-rocker allows a natural rotation of your foot. These shoes deliver what can only be described as a ‘snap’ on push-off, which is perfect for runners and triathletes.”

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By 2017, Hoka had ousted Asics as the most popular brand in Dave Jewell’s influential ‘Kona Shoe Count’ at the Ironman World Championships. They grew on that success in 2018 due to the popularity of their Clifton shoe, with Ironman champions Mirinda Carfrae, Heather Jackson and Joe Skipper all converts to the Hoka cause. Cut to 2019, however, and the carbon shoe arms race had arrived in Hawaii, with Nike’s VaporFly Next% worn by the three fastest female athletes (Anne Haug, Lucy Charles-Barclay and Sarah Crowley), an Asics carbon prototype worn by the men’s champion Jan Frodeno, and Hoka’s carbon offerings worn by silver medallist Tim O’Donnell and Britain’s fastest man, Skipper. As our columnist Tim Heming highlights on p13, this influx of carbon-plated shoes throws up plenty of questions about prototypes for competition and unfair advantages, as well as questions of injury prevention and where, just where, running shoe tech will dare to venture in the 2020s.

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Released to the public in the summer of 2019 after being worn by Jim Walmsley to break the 50-mile World Record in a time of 4:50:08, the Hoka Carbon X followed in the tetravalent footsteps of the carbon fibre insoles from Italian brand Ares and Nike’s Vaporfly 4% (not forgetting the Zoot Ultra TT’s short-lived CarbonSpan+ midsole from 2012), and included a carbon fibre plate in the midsole. “We’ve been implementing carbon fibre technology in our footwear gradually over the last five years,” says Hoka director of design, Dr Michael Head, to 220. “The carbon plate is designed to help the amplified Meta-Rocker present in the Carbon X retain its shape over long miles and many uses, ensuring the geometry remains efficient and that there’s minimal breakdown in that efficient gait cycle. It doesn’t act as a spring, but rather as a lever, keeping the shoe and the athlete using it as efficient as possible.”

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“WHEN RUNNING WITH CARBON MIDSOLES, THE EFFECT IS TO ENHANCE HOW OUR FEET ACT AS LEVERS” Onto our test runs and this efficiency (a mix of the sole delivering energy return and a reduction in toe flex) was immediately evident; our times dropped, ground contact time diminished and excitement grew on each asphalt run. The 4% increase in efficiency touted by Nike’s army of marketeers felt about right in our timed tests. Here, more so even than Hoka’s Clifton or Rincon, is a maximal shoe designed for speed. “With the Carbon X, we were trying to figure out how to accelerate the rocker,” says Hoka’s Product Line Manager, Zack Paris, over iced coffees at Hoka’s Hawaii headquarters on Palani Road days before the 2019 edition of Kona. “And that rocker profile is one of the things that gives Hoka it’s really unique feel, that roll off the foot, that snap to it. And one of the first concepts we came up with was having that carbon fibre plate, so that you have that extra roll and that extra responsiveness to it. We had a couple of test pairs with athletes for years in development, and we played with the exact shape of the plate itself – how it curves and how it forks – and how much cushioning there was under foot.” The design process of the Carbon X took over three years,

Images, clockwise from above: Joe Skipper training in the Hoka Carbon X; Skipper has since said he should’ve gone for the Carbon X over Hoka’s Rincons at Kona 2019; A glimpse of the Carbon X’s carbon fibre midsole; The Carbon X retail at £160; Skipper racing IM Wales 2019

THE BRAND VISITS: HOKA

2:39:01 Joe Skipper’s marathon time at Ironman Florida in the Carbon X

3 YEARS Development time of the Carbon X before their 2019 launch

18.1% Hoka’s share of race shoes in Kona in 2018, the highest of all brands

with Hoka’s own biomechanic labs testing deceleration and acceleration forces, as well as recording exactly how the foot is moving through the running process. The result was one of Hoka’s most-tested shoes. One athlete testing Hoka’s prototypes was British Ironman star Joe Skipper. “The Cliftons were my first experience of Hoka in 2014 and they felt light but still had cushioning. I originally only used Hoka for training but I now race in the Carbon X, which I used when winning Ironman Florida in November. All of my sessions and interval sets in the Carbon X are consistently faster and I wasn’t expecting to run quite that fast in Florida [Skipper clocked a 2:39:01 marathon].”

ALL IN THE TOES

4% The reported energy return benefit of running in carbon soles

6 OUT OF 6 The top 3 men and women in Kona all ran with carbon soles

Given the five fastest eligible marathons in history have all been run in versions of Nike’s Vaporfly shoes over the last 13 months (as well as Eliud Kipchoge’s historic sub-2hr marathon in Vienna), there’s little doubt that shoes with carbon fibre plates produce an advantage for the runner. How, says leading physio Brad Beer, is all in the toes. “When running in shoes with an embedded carbon fibre plate in the midsole, the effect is to enhance how our feet act as levers by increasing the longitudinal bending stiffness of our feet. Our feet act as levers by transmitting forces developed by the leg muscles (e.g. the calf) to the ground in order to generate the required propulsion for running. These plates thereby can reduce the energetic cost of running by upwards of 4% through increasing the leverage of the ankle joint and foot: namely toe joints.” Despite those 30mm high soles, we personally credit Hoka for reducing our chronic ankle and knee injuries due to their stability. Yet, thrilling as it is, there’s something Hoka meta-rocker turned up to 11 about running in the Carbon X and, anecdotally, our recovery times seem slower. We’ve also latterly been asked by a number of triathletes about the increased chances of plantar fasciitis when wearing carbon midsoles,

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something, ironically, that Hoka have long been celebrated for reducing. “The effect that this increase in stiffness of the midsole has on our running body isn’t yet entirely known,” says Beer on carbon soles and injury risks. “One school of thought is that with the stiffer shoe the foot/toes don’t function in their biological ‘typical’ way, and that this may contribute to heightened muscle fatigue of the kinetic chain, starting with the plantar flexors (calf muscles). The effect of such muscle fatigue may be heightened injury risk, but this is unfounded and unresearched at present.” Beer suggests strength and conditioning for triathletes using carbon shoes. “I’d recommend calf muscle strengthening ahead of stepping into the shoes. This can be achieved through bodyweighted calf raises, but more effectively with loaded standing and seated calf raises being completed in a gym setting. Of course, building up muscle strength further up the kinetic chain – hamstrings, quadriceps – is also a good idea.” When repeatedly put to Hoka about injuries and adaptation periods, they were unusually uncooperative in engaging on the topic and declined to comment until more research has been conducted in the next six months, suggesting further developments in this area in 2020. Beer, however, is positive that the current carbon trend won’t go the way of the Zoot Ultra shoe in the 2020s. “I don’t see the release of the Carbon X as being a deviation from Hoka’s reputation for ‘injury minimisation’, rather a response to the science that supports improved running economy through

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“THE EFFECT THAT THIS INCREASE IN STIFFNESS OF THE MIDSOLE HAS ON OUR RUNNING BODY ISN’T KNOWN” the addition of a carbon fibre plate to a shoe’s midsole. A 2:08hr marathoner recently told me that without carbon fibre midsoles you simply cannot compete.”

THE CARBON FUTURE With carbon shoes in development at Asics, Saucony and Brooks, New Balance just releasing their debut offering, and further models to come from Hoka and Nike, the battle over the insoles of running is only going to intensify as we enter the new decade. And yet Nike and Hoka, similar to Vibrams with the barefoot movement, will always be synonymous with carbon midsole design for having the foresight – and marketing budgets – to release their shoes first. “Too many shoe brands are using old school designers and are stuck using the same tech,” states Skipper. “Hoka have always led the way in innovation and now them and Nike have left the other brands behind when it comes to carbon.” And with more carbon midsoles comes more questions about where the lines of unfair advantages sit and the power (or lack of) that triathlon’s race organisers and World Athletics (the IAAF) possess when facing multibillion dollar shoe brands (“Nike are too big in athletics to ban,” believes Skipper). For better or worse, what does feel certain, however, is if you’re at the pointy end of endurance racing and want to secure that age-group podium or Kona qualifying slot in 2020, going carbon could make the difference.

Images, clockwise from above: Run course sponsor Hoka’s HQ on Palani Road at the 2019 Ironman Worlds; Brit Ironman Joe Skipper training in the Carbon X ahead of Kona in 2019

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POUND STRETCHERS Spend £750 on a bike and things are starting to get serious, with carbon, decent shifting and leaner weights all on show. But which of our sub-£1K contenders can cut it for tri training and racing? WORDS SIMON WITHERS IMAGES ROBERT SMITH

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£750 RACERS

t’s not unusual for test wheels, even those at an entry-level price point (see p51), to cost much more than the bikes featured on test, which are priced at around the £750 mark. And yet, with a carbon frame, improved aesthetics and celebrated groupsets in the mix, buying cheap isn’t always a false economy, and the three bikes here all have training and racing appeal to triathlon beginners as well as more experienced athletes on a budget. The least expensive bike on test is the Merlin PR7, a racy entry-level road bike of £650 that features Mavic CXP 22 rims and one of the most wallet-friendly routes into the Shimano Sora groupset. Up next is GT, which has a celebrated mountain biking history, but have long produced high-end road bikes and even a revolutionary track bike for the 1996 Olympics. Its 2020 GTR Sport (£750) is an all-rounder, with thru-axles, mechanical disc brakes and GT’s distinctive triple triangle. Our final entry is an £800 road bike with, if you can believe it, a carbon frame and fork and Shimano Sora. The Virago is from Halfords’ Carrera brand, but can a carbon bike at that price really be any good? We put all three bikes to the test to see how much bang you can get for your buck with these entry-level bikes.

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BIKETEST

MERLIN PR7 DISC

e’ve listed the Merlin PR7 at £650, but it presently has 27% off and could be yours for £475. Perhaps, even more impressively, Merlin – Preston’s long-standing online outfit – is also offering the PR7 ‘Road Bike Starter Kit’ with Shimano Claris for £439 – down from £699. That also gives you Shimano shoes, pedals – Look Keo or Shimano – helmet and even a saddlebag with tools. If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of road triathlon for the first time, what Merlin describes as a ‘simple, reliable road bike’ looks like it could be a great place to start, regardless of its spec. The PR7 features a triple-butted 6061 aluminium frame and a carbon-bladed fork with an alloy steerer. The triple butting reduces tube thickness in the middle

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/ March 2020

MERLINCYCLES.COM while keeping strength at the ends where it’s needed. The glossy black paint with bold Merlin logo belies its modest price and the Mavic CXP 22 rims are a rare sight on a £650 bike, let alone one at £475. Elsewhere, there’s the usual cost-cutting on a couple of the PR7’s components, notably the non-cartridge brake blocks and the Kenda tyres, but even these are in a 25mm width and both are very easily upgradable; you might want to think about going for the maximum 28mm tyre width when the tyres are worn. We also think a wider cassette than the very aggressive 11-25 fitted would probably have greater appeal to tri newcomers. After all, you can never have a low gear that’s too low, not where we live anyway. But if you’re looking for a racy introduction to the world of multisport, Merlin has put its century-plus

£750 RACERS

SPECS Weight . kg Frame Triplebutted aluminium Fork Carbon blades Gears Shimano Sora Brakes Tektro Wheels Mavic CXP rims Finishing kit Uno alloy stem, bar and seatpost, Merlin Black saddle, 25mm Kenda tyres HIGHS A fast-riding road bike with a good groupset. LOWS Modest tyres and the cassette could be too aggressive for some.

85 %

BUY IF You want a fast and racy road bike at an attractive price.

“It’ll be overgeared for some, but there’s little to fault about the performance and the Shimano Sora groupset is great at the price” MORE OR LESS: MERLIN The Merlin Cordite LTD ED (£ , ) has a carbon frame, full-carbon fork and Fulcrum Racing 3 clincher wheels on the grey and yellow model. The frame has a 990g claimed weight, and the full 105 groupset has a 50/34 chainset and 11-28 cassette. The Merlin PR Claris (£ ) has the same triple-butted aluminium frame, carbon-bladed fork and Mavic wheels, and Shimano’s Claris eightspeed groupset with an 11-28 cassette.

experience to good use. The 10kg weight is perceptible when sprinting or climbing, but once you’re up to speed this romps along and it handles well, cornering and descending surefootedly, although better brake blocks would help with the latter. The current ones stop you safely enough but without the modulation of the best rim brakes.

RACE WORTHY Throw the RP7 around, aim at the apex and lean into the corner and it’ll repay your efforts in spades, a result of its racy geometry. Our medium size model has a 540mm top tube and a moderate 145mm tall head tube, although 2cm of spacers allows you to adjust this. The 74° seat angle and 72.5° head tube are also at the racy end of things. We thought that the larger diameter 31.6mm seatpost and the Merlin’s budget 25mm tyres (rather than 28mm rubber) would make the PR7 overly firm on poorly surfaced

roads, but it actually surprised us. While no magic carpet ride, the days of rough-riding, backside-beating budget aluminium are thankfully behind us. We also got on with the Merlin Black saddle, although that’s subjective and easily swapped if it doesn’t suit you. Shifting from the nine-speed Shimano Sora groupset is slick and efficient, although our preference would always be for a lower bottom gear and a wider range overall. It did make for very small jumps between gears, better for competitive riders. Merlin may not be the most glamorous name, but its RP7 is a fast-riding, entry-level twowheeled treat. It’ll be overgeared for some, but there’s little to fault about the performance and the Shimano Sora groupset is great at the price, even if the Tektro brakes don’t quite match it. If you’re looking for a bike that can handle tri racing or exist as a budget training workhorse, this Merlin’s a wizard.

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BIKETEST

GT GTR SPORT

t the tail-end of the millennium, this tester competed in the British National Duathlon Championships on a GT Blade Edge Aero. Although it was with no distinction, that lack of success wasn’t down to the bike. Apart from having a decent cyclist in the saddle, that late 1990s Aero Edge was also missing GT’s ‘iconic’ (GT’s word) triple triangle. But it’s present on its 2020 entry-level GTR Sport, a budget-friendly bike that combines a dropped handlebar, full-carbon tapered fork and cable disc brakes. The claim about the triple triangle’s ‘notoriety’ (GT, again) is that by shrinking the rear triangle, and welding reinforced seatstays to the seat tube on their way to the top tube, it would ‘help reduce unwanted lateral frame flex and improve acceleration’. The 2020 GTR Sport is similar to 2019’s model – wide-range

SPECS Weight . kg Frame GTR Alloy Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Claris Brakes Promax Render R cable-actuated disc, 160mm rotors Wheels Alex ATD tubeless-ready Finishing kit GT alloy stem, bar and seatpost, GT Road saddle, mm Zaffiro Pro tyres HIGHS Comfortable discbraked all-rounder. LOWS Not as good value as some and it lacks rear rack mounts. BUY IF You want a plushriding, tubelessready bike.

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82 %

GTBICYCLES.COM

Shimano Claris gears, thru-axles, 28mm Zaffiro tyres – but the Alex ATD470 rims are tubeless-ready. Road tubeless dates back to 2006 when Hutchinson and Shimano brought it to market. It’s been a slow take-up since, partly due to its lack of use by pro teams. For those of us riding without support cars – so nearly all of us – the reduction in punctures, including the absolute absence of pinch punctures, makes tubeless a practical proposition. Lower tyres pressures, greater comfort and grip are also potential advantages. The GTR Sport’s budget Promax disc brakes aren’t noticeably more powerful than caliper rim brakes on bikes at this price, but modulation is good, they’re quiet and the 160mm rotors work consistently in all weathers. The other big benefit is that the wheels stay working even when the rims are knocked out of true. The brakes certainly worked a treat when a suicide squirrel made a darting appearance, skittering just

MORE OR LESS: GT

The Grade Elite (£ . ) is GT’s popular big-tyred allrounder. The triple triangle alu frame and tapered all-carbon fork both come with thru-axles. Wideranging Shimano Claris gearing, Tektro mechanical disc brakes and WTB rims complete the line-up. A little more is the GT GTR Comp (£ . ), which has the same frame and full-carbon fork as the test bike here. A nine-speed Shimano Sora groupset is accompanied by Tektro Spyre-C cable disc brakes.

£750 RACERS

in front of us across the hardpacked grit of Sustrans’ Two Tunnels route. A sharp pull on the levers and a quick, quiet, controlled halt – rider and rodent survive...

NO UNWANTED FLEX The Zaffiro tyres aren’t designed for full-on gravel but cope with towpath and light gravel easily, as did the bike. We wonder whether some of the comfort over rougher surfaces is down to the ‘decoupled’ – rather than welded – rear triangle; there’s clear daylight visible between seatstays and seat tube. There’s no obvious unwanted flex when riding, although there’s an excellent smoothness to the GTR generally. The dramatically kinked chainstays also add a little vertical give. The groupset is below that of the Merlin and Carrera here – eight-speed Claris, rather than nine-speed Sora

– but the 34 x 32 pairing gives a much lower bottom gear than the racier Merlin, which helps to haul the slightly weighty GTR Sport up hills. There are neat mudguard fittings on the inside of the carbon fork and at the rear, but no rack mounts, which we would’ve appreciated on this adventure- and commuter-friendly bike. If you look at the figures, the weight and the components, the GTR Sport looks slightly outshone by the opposition. But we like this apparently modestly equipped bike a lot. Yes, the 28mm tyres and wheels are basic (though the latter are tubeless ready) but it’s comfortable over a variety of surfaces and copes with rolling terrain well, aided by a low bottom gear and decently performing disc brakes. We also think the silver and blue looks better than last year’s white-withblack-logo look on a bike that, to use a tried-andtrusted cliché, is more than the sum of its parts.

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BIKETEST

CARRERA VIRAGO

or years now, Boardman’s 8.9C has been the least expensive carbon bike you can buy on the British high street. Not so fast. For 2019, Halfords’ Carrera brand launched its Virago carbon bike that’s £200 cheaper than the £1k Boardman. It doesn’t look that elegant in the website photos, but it’s better in the flesh – the lines clean and the finish attractive while not trying to do too much. Weight is a claimed 1.1kg for the Taiwanese-made frame, which would be a decent achievement even on a bike twice the price. The frame also has a lot of the features familiar from more expensive road machines – the head tube and fork steerer tube are tapered, the top tube flattens along its length, the chainstays narrow in diameter. Impressively for the price, the cables are neatly routed through the top and down tube. The bike’s

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HALFORDS.COM big in all the right areas – the trapezium down tube is chunky, the bottom bracket shell likewise, even if the bottom bracket is a skinny FSA cartridge that looks a little lost in the bulked-up setting. It’s pretty skinny elsewhere, however, with that flattened top tube and 27.2mm seatpost. The frame geometry is surprisingly aggressive for a budget bike, most of which tends to have more of an endurance bias. The Virago has steepish frame angles and a shortish head tube, though this is balanced by a handlebar with a very short reach, which means you’re not too stretched out. If you want to go really racy, a longer-reach bar or stem will allow you to stretch your body and put your legs to the test.

TWO-WHEELED TREAT One advantage that the Virago has over the Boardman is its hill-friendly bottom gear. The Boardman’s 11-28 is

£750 RACERS

MORE OR LESS: CARRERA

The Carrera Vanquish Disc (£ ) has a triple-butted aluminium frame, eight-speed Shimano Claris with a double chainset and Tektro C mechanical disc brakes. The rim-braked Vanquish has the same Claris kit with Tektro dualpivot calliper brakes. The £ Carrera Zelos is one of the least expensive ‘genuine’ road bikes you can buy. Available in men’s and women’s versions, it has an alloy frame, hi-tensile steel forks, Shimano Tourney shifting and Tektro R calliper brakes. Weight is a claimed kg.

outdone by the Virago’s 11-32, a considerable improvement if you ride the Mendips and Cotswolds, and those are just our close-tohome hills. The downside on the Virago is that the shifting wasn’t as sharp as we’d have expected, and we struggled to make it change gears perfectly at times. The brakes have the noncartridge blocks – common at this price – and we’d have appreciated 28mm tyres to make the most of the clearance and add a little more comfort. Not that the Virago is uncomfortable – far from it. On good road surfaces it’s smooth, measured and controlled, and on fine grit and gravel – such as canal towpaths – it performs equally well. The only thing that seemed to shake it was when hitting a big bump – you’d feel it through the bar and the chain skips on the cassette. But generally, road chatter is handled very well. Our out-of-the-saddle efforts reveal that the frame is sufficiently

stiff, too. You could induce a little brake rub, but you don’t need enough for it to be an issue. The oversized steerer and head tube are solid and resolute, and it climbs as well as any 10kg bike is going to. Overall, we were staggered at the quality of ride the Virago offered. The 27.2mm seatpost and Velo saddle gave no cause for complaint, and the rest of the finishing kit is standard stuff on a £500-£1,000 bike. Okay, you may have to overcome prejudice about buying a bike from Halfords, but you’ll nab yourself a bargain if you do – and it comes with a lifetime of safety checks and the frame and fork are guaranteed for life. Carrera’s Virago is no dodgy internet knock-off. There’s little to distinguish this from entry-level carbon bikes from the big names, though it might be worth investing in Shimano outer gear cables to sharpen up the shifting. But overall, this is a real two-wheeled treat from Carrera.

“On good road surfaces it’s smooth, measured and controlled, and on fine grit and gravel it performs equally well” SPECS Weight . kg Frame Carbon Fork Carbon tapered Gears Shimano Sora, FSA Tempo chainset Brakes Tektro R315 Wheels Alloy rim Finishing kit Alloy stem and bar, Carrera alloy seatpost, Carrera Road by Velo saddle, 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro tyres HIGHS Carbon frameset and a great all-round ride. LOWS Gears not as slick as we’d have liked.

91 %

BUY IF You have to go for carbon and you’re on a sub-£1,000 budget. You won’t regret it.

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BIKETEST

BEST ON TEST

OVERALL VERDICT Trickle-down economics may not have benefited the wider world generally, but when it comes to budget road bikes it does seem to have worked in our favour. All of these have inherited qualities from more expensive bikes, which means three bikes that we’d happily recommend, although they will suit different types of riders. Merlin’s RP7 is a racy little number and some of us would appreciate – or need – lower gears, but it’s a fine, fleet-of-foot, fast-handling bike with a near-complete Shimano Sora

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groupset. GT’s GTR Sport, which also has Claris gears along with cable disc brakes, doesn’t offer quite the same value. But the new incarnation of GT’s triple triangle adds excellent comfort to a fine all-round road bike. The star of the show is impressively specced – to say the least. Budget carbon bikes are few and far between, but the Virago not only has a 1.1kg frame and full-carbon fork, but it comes with a Shimano Sora groupset. It’s the real thing too, Halfords offering a lifetime guarantee and safety checks.

BACK ISSUES & BINDERS MISSED AN ISSUE? Issue 373 20 ways to winterproof your training; Top Ironman tips from the man who coached both 2019 world champs; How to fuel on a budget; Tim Don on pool tools; 12-week sprintdistance plan; 18 must-do races; Tested: turbos, gels, titanium bikes…

Issue 372

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FROM THE MAKERS OF

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WINTER TRAINING HANDBOOK The Winter Training Handbook, brought to you by 220 Triathlon magazine, is your essential training partner this off-season â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whatever your ability and experienceâ&#x20AC;Ś

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OFF SEASON TRAINING

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OFF-SEASON TRAINING

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TRAINING FOCUS

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An indoor session of mins will lay a strong aerobic base

Form

Kee ur arms relaxed but c ose to y to maintain good g overall form

3 Cool down 0mins Red cing from mode ate to e sy

Technique

ÂŁ675 roka com

A sub-60min indoor run set for more speed

2 Speed session

90mins

Stand upright p g and ook straight g ahead not down at the screen.

The Session

COACH S T PS Optimise your run

Adapt for beg nners Complete he max e fo t as a bui d (f om ea y to max e fo t) If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also a beginner to tre dm ls this w ll a l w you longer to et used to unning fast on he tre dm l wi hout being too tired

Practise leaning g forward from the ankle so y your feet are landing g underneath y

Adapt for Ironman

01 Start a The grou d o ts d completely lat w in spo t science

88% VERD CT A sky high pr ce but th s is one impress ve thermal wetsuit

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ll ca or g in in ra rt te in /w m co s. on ti ip cr bs su uy Order online www.b 1â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t in Pr ok bo nd Ha ng ni ai Tr r te in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;W e ot qu d 03330 162 138 an â&#x20AC; UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). Outside of free call packages call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute. *Subscribers to 220 Triathlon magazine receive FREE UK postage on this special edition. *Prices including postage are: ÂŁ9.99 for subscribers, ÂŁ11.49 for all other UK residents, ÂŁ12.99 for Europe and ÂŁ13.49 for the Rest of the World. All orders are subject to availability. Please allow 28 days for delivery.

TRAINING BOOST YOUR PERFORMANCE - TODAY! P72 IMPROVE POSITION… JOHN WOOD

is an award-winning triathlon coach of 10 years and a former international swimmer. As well as coaching, he’s also raced all distances up to Ironman.

BUILD STRONG RUN FORM IN THE GYM P76

ON THE BIKE STRENGTH BOOST P74

JOEL ENOCH

NIK COOK

is an award-winning coach with the Edinburgh Triathletes Squad and has competed for the GB age-group team at world and European champs.

TRAINING LEVELS GUIDE In all 220’s coaching advice, our experts refer to four levels of effort to tell you how hard you should be working. Based on the standard ‘rate of perceived exertion’ scale (RPE) the levels are as follows…

is an experienced multisporter who has won the Marathon des Sables, the 2010 6633 Arctic Ultra and raced for Team GB in duathlon.

MAX EFFORT (RPE 9–10)

Redlining. Things are getting very difficult at this level. You can barely breathe and are struggling to speak. At the top end, it feels almost impossible to keep going.

VIGOROUS (RPE 7–8)

The pain cave. Your activity is starting to become uncomfortable. You’re short of breath, but can speak a sentence. In short, it’s getting tough: but you can carry on.

MODERATE (RPE 4–6)

Adding some load. Things are starting to become more challenging. You’re having to breathe harder, but not so much you can’t hold a conversation.

EASY (RPE 1–3)

A ‘go all day’ effort. Light activity, which at the lower end takes hardly any exertion and towards number 3 is still easy enough that you feel like you could maintain it indefinitely.

P78 MASTER THE IRONMAN BUILD PHASE Follow our 12-week plan for Ironman race-day success

P85 FOUR POSTTRAINING SUPPERS Four ‘fast food’ alternatives to fill that post-work-training-sesh hunger gap

P88 ASK THE DON & Q&A Tim Don on how to build newseason fitness. Plus, expert advice on brick sessions; Cycle to Work Scheme; loss of appetite in training; male menopause

March 2020 /

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SWIM BASE SESSION DURATION

MINS COACH JOHN WOOD

FOCUS ON BODY POSITION FOR A FASTER SWIM

WITH THANKS TO CLUB LA SANTA LANZAROTE

TRAINING

WARM-UP m as: x [ m front crawl; m any other stroke] • x m with 10secs rest, side kick Keep your lead hand level with your shoulder, below the surface • x m with 15secs rest as: 25m streamlined kick (arms in front ears/ cheeks between your biceps, when you need to breathe lift your head forward, then go back to looking down; 25m swim

How to set a strong foundation to make the rest of your stroke feel easier o many people have issues with their swimming. Whether it’s learning to swim or trying to get quicker, there are many facets and focus points that you can work on. The good thing is that if you can give yourself a solid foundation, a stable base, everything else becomes a little bit easier. That foundation for your swim stroke is a good body position. Other efforts in your swim almost become worthless if you don’t get your position correct – because

THE SESSION

breathing will be harder, you’ll be creating more resistance against the water (meaning you’ll have to work harder), and you won’t be in a position to pull and kick as efficiently as possible. Good body position relies on keeping your spine as long as possible, keeping your neck neutral (i.e. chin tucked in a little, looking down at least to a degree), and engaging your core. By doing this, your hips will come closer towards the surface, like a see saw, and make it easier for you to roll your body to breathe.

MAIN SET x m with secs rest as: lengths pull; lengths swim • m easy backstroke • x m with 15secs rest as: m pull buoy; m swim • x m with ssecs rest as: m pull buoy; m swim • m easy backstroke • x m with secs rest as: m pull buoy; m swim • m easy backstroke

COACH’S TIPS CORE EXERCISES

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Dead bug Press your back flat into the floor, stretch your arms up vertically, and knees above hips. Lower one arm back and the opposite leg down to the floor – then bring back up. Alternate sides.

Hollow body hold Press your back flat into the floor and stretch your arms out behind your head, arms and legs off the floor. To make it harder, keep the gap between your hands and feet as small as possible.

m easy swim, with at least 50m not front crawl

Adapt for beginners Swim shorter and fewer reps throughout the main set. Go 4 x 25m/4 x 50m/4 x 75m/4 x 100m.

Adapt for ADVANCED Lengthen the reps, descend the efforts (i.e. get quicker), or put the pull buoy between your knees or ankles.

JAMES MITCHELL

SIDE PLANK Keep your body long and straight, elbow underneath your shoulder and draw your belly button towards your spine. Place your feet one in front of the other if needed.

MLADEN MITRINOVIC/ALAMY CENTRE GETTY IMAGES

COOL-DOWN

SWIM

FORM Try and swim the same way when you take the pull buoy out – mimic how you swam with the pull buoy.

PACE Try to maintain a consistent pace throughout the set. Take your time, don’t force it.

POSITION Use the streamline on each length to reset your body position and speed.

“If you can give yourself a solid foundation, a stable base, everything else becomes a little bit easier” March 2020 /

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TRAINING

BIKE STRENGTH SESSION DURATION

MINS COACH NIK COOK

ON THE BIKE STRENGTH TRAINING How to build cycling-specific strength without having to head to the gym ig-gear work should be a winter-training staple for all triathletes, especially if you come from a running or swimming background and find that your strength on the bike is a limiter. Specificity – meaning that if you want to improve a particular activity you need to spend more training time doing it – is one of the golden rules of conditioning. Although there’s no doubt that there are proven performance, injury prevention and health benefits to strength work in

the gym, for cycling-specific strengthening, a dose of big gear/ low cadence grinding is hard to beat. It forces you to engage all of your key cycling muscle groups to keep your pedals turning, it necessitates a balanced, all-round pedal stroke and it demands a strong, stable platform from your core to deal with the high torque. You’ll also find that during the intervals you’ll be working around and above threshold level, which gives bonus FTP-boosting benefits. Come race day, you’ll be able to convert this new power into speed.

THE SESSION WARM-UP Keep gearing low and focus on the cadence targets 3mins easy @90rpm • 1min moderate @95rpm • 1min moderate @100rpm • 1min moderate @105rpm • 1min vigorous @110rpm • 30secs vigorous @120-130rpm • 2:30mins easy @80-90rpm MAIN SET 3-5 x 1min vigorous @60rpm seated • 1min vigorous @55rpm stand • 1min vigorous @60rpm seated • 1min vigorous @55rpm stand • 50secs vigorous @60rpm seated • 10secs max effort @max rpm stand • 5mins easy spinning recovery COOL-DOWN

COACH’S TIPS BE STRONG IN AND OUT OF THE SADDLE

2mins easy @100+rpm • 10mins easy @80rpm

Adapt for beginners Dial down the length of the efforts to three minutes. Stay seated for the first minute, stand for the second and then go seated into the final sprint for the third minute.

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strong out the saddle Don’t allow your stable platform to collapse when you stand up. Transition smoothly from sitting to standing, avoid stalling your pedal stroke, and don’t wrestle your bike.

100% on the sprints Don’t sandbag the finishing sprints. Brace, drive hard out of the saddle, and imagine you’re deadlifting. Watch a top track cyclist doing a gate start and copy the technique.

Adapt for Ironman Five reps with sprints is about as advanced as this session needs to be. Increase the difficulty by dialling up the resistance.

REMY WHITING

Stable in the saddle Really focus on bracing your trunk, keeping your back flat and your head up. Think strong, and avoid excessive hip rocking. Your upper body should be still and relaxed.

BIKE

Benefits These sessions will lay the strength foundations upon which to build the rest of your cycling fitness.

Technique Focus on achieving a smooth and even pedal stroke â&#x20AC;&#x201C; try not to stomp!

Balance Leg speed work on rollers is the perfect session for the following day.

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TRAINING

RUN STRENGTH SESSION DURATION

MINS COACH JOEL ENOCH

BUILD STRONG RUN FORM IN THE GYM Condition yourself to run faster and stay injury free with this 60min gym session 2018 study reported that among Australian triathletes 50% took part in strength training, but only 40% of those athletes completed ‘heavy’ strength training, with females representing the minority of those. On the flip side, I know of a female British elite athlete who can squat nearly two times her bodyweight and run a sub-16min 5km! Strength then, is no barrier to running quickly and could increase power and stride length, as well as

improve balance, core control and reduce injury risk. However, some principles are important:

• Heavy lifting and aerobic running • •

stimulate opposing adaptive systems, so separate strength and aerobic work as much as possible. If you train more than once in a day, consider doing leg and core work on swim days and upper and core work on a running day. Place heavy lifting in the first part of your training cycle, switching to more dynamic movements towards the season.

THE SESSION WARM-UP -

mins easy on cross-trainer or rowing machine MAIN SET

All reps should be performed in a controlled manner x 20 squats pelvic tilts , 10secs each 10 straight arm push-ups 10 hip rock-back 10 high knee to lunge 10 Yoga push-ups Single leg destabilise, secs 4 plyometric jumps • x Plank w/leg lift, secs Arabesque, secs each side Plank hand lift to shoulder (slow), secs Single-leg squat, secs Plank rotation, secs 4 plyometric jumps For a full video of this routine, see: youtu.be/b3Em7mcYaHk

COACH’S TIPS OPTIMISE YOUR SESSION

And find more strength training inspiration at swimswam.com/ 4-exercises-to-strengthen-theshoulders

COOL-DOWN 10mins easy on cross-trainer or rowing machine

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Work with an expert This session is a good start, but you ideally need to develop a programme with a PT or coach who understands running, and you. This is a good investment of your time and money.

Breathe right It’s all too easy to hold your breath while performing reps, but don’t. Exhale against the resistance and inhale on recovery. This will stop you fainting and help engage core muscles.

Adapt for beginners Focus on achieving good form before adding weight.

Adapt for Ironman With good form, add higher weights for greater robustness.

GETTY IMAGES

Don’t train starved Eat carbs and protein two hours before your session and ideally recover with both again afterwards. Berries and cherries are good for reducing inflammation from strength work.

RUN

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Strength is no barrier to running quickly and could increase power and stride length, and improve balanceâ&#x20AC;?

Hydrate You lose more sweat than you think. Consider adding protein to fluid.

REST Take 60-90secs between sets to maintain movement quality.

Technique Stabilise any standing exercise with glutes not quads. Weight through heel.

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TRAINING

12-WEEK PLAN

MASTER THE IRONMAN BUILD PHASE Make that all-important leap from base to build phase and get set for Ironman race-day success. Dermott Hayes has the plan…

ironman inspo Need some real-life inspiration to take up the long-distance mantle? Then head to p32…

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IM BUILD PHASE PLAN

TRAINING PLAN COACH DERMOTT HAYES here’s no avoiding the fact that big sessions for an Ironman are done in the final peak phase, but before you get there the real hard grind must be completed in the build phase. Having executed a solid base phase [issue 371; bit.ly/ IMbaseplan], you should have improved aerobic efficiency, be comfortable with the increasing training volume and have spent time looking at your technique. Now the real work starts. The build phase is the bridging section of IM training and is crucial to race-day success. There needs to be a noticeable increase in distances, a greater focus on strength/power development and brick sessions need to be started to help find your race pace. You can expect to develop long runs up to 28km, long rides up to 160km, plus a long 4km swim. However, the real benefits are found in the interval and tempo sessions, where the focus is on improving power and strength – through stressing the anaerobic system – so that you can better cope with the physical demands of racing over 226km. Once your anaerobic system begins to work more efficiently, it will drag your

aerobic system up and so your ‘sweet spot’ for racing an Ironman will improve, allowing you to achieve greater pace. Key to this phase is the promotion of power, so there’s a focus on this in all disciplines. In the swim we introduce pull buoy and paddles as tools to help develop greater upper body power. On the bike we include hill-specific workouts, spending time both in and out of the saddle, as well as ‘overgearing’ – a drill where you cycle at a resistance one or two gears bigger than usual. The run sessions also include hill sessions, and, where possible, I encourage you to include rolling hills in the longer endurance runs. Having not dedicated much time to this intensity of training in the base phase, it probably will feel stressful, so accept that it will take a couple of weeks to adapt physiologically before you see any improvements. Spend time looking at the course profile and terrain for your Ironman race, and where possible try to simulate the course into some of your longer sessions. Also note: this plan does not include prescribed open-water swimming, but if you are able to include open-water time, (which I advise) it could take the place of the long endurance sets.

COACH’S TIPS TRI HARD, REST UP

THESECRETSTUDIO NET

HIT THE HILLS Make inclines your friend. Strength work will pay dividends on race day.

GO AERO Practise time in the aero position on the bike. Play around with setups to find the most comfortable.

RECOVER RIGHT Recovery between sessions is vital: prepare meals in advance, use foam rollers, sleep as much as you can.

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS Be very clear as to what pace/ power/heart rate you’re aiming for in each stage.

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TRAINING

TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 1 TO 4 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

SWIM END

BIKE END

5 x 600m; 45secs RI

120km on an undulating route • Include 2 x 25km @ 1-2kph faster than target IM RP, with 15km moderate in between efforts

WEEK 1 – OUR WEEKLY PLAN BEGINS ON A MONDAY, BUT YOU CAN START ON ANY DAY OF THE WEEK SWIM INT

RUN TEMPO

BIKE TEMPO

RUN INT

12 x 200m @IM RP • Odd sets include PB; even sets as normal • 30secs RI between sets

4x [1.5km @ IM RP; 500m @ 20secs/km faster than IM RP; 500m @ recovery pace]

2 x [2mins easy; 10mins @ IM RP; 4mins hard SC OG] • 6mins @ recovery pace • 2 x [2mins easy; 10mins @ IM RP; 4mins hard SC OG]

6 x [1.5km @ 30sec/km faster than IM RP] • 1min RI between sets

REST DAY

WEEK 2 – REMEMBER, IM RP = IRONMAN RACE PACE; PB = PULL BUOY; RI = REST INTERVAL; SC = SEATED CLIMB; OG = OVERGEARING RUN END

BIKE HILLS

SWIM INT

BIKE RP

2 x 5km @ 15-20secs/km faster than target IM RP • Take 3mins recovery between efforts

4 x [6mins moderate SC; 4mins recovery; 3mins hard STC; 2mins recovery]

3 x [300m @ IM RP; 3 x 100m PD; 6 x 50m sprint, 15secs RI] • 45secs RI between sets

3 x [5mins easy; 15mins @ IM RP aero]

REST DAY

SWIM END

BRICK

4 x 750m; 1min RI

100km bike 12km run • Complete both @ IM RP • Include run/ walk strategy

RUN REC 4-5km @ 15secs/km slower than RP

WEEK 3 – DON’T FORGET, AERO = AERO POSITION; IRPM = INCREASED REVS PER MIN; STC = STANDING CLIMB; PD = PADDLES SWIM INT

BIKE TEMPO

RUN TEMPO

BIKE INT

12 x 200m @ IM RP • Odd sets include PB; even sets as normal • 30secs RI between sets

4 x [4mins easy; 12mins @ IM RP aero; 4mins hard IRPM]

3 x [2km @ IM RP; 1km @ 20secs/km faster than IM RP; 500m @ recovery pace]

3 x [4mins @ IM RP; 2mins hard STC]; 3 x [3mins @ IM RP; 3mins hard IRPM]; 3 x [4mins @ IM RP; 2mins hard sprint] • 8mins moderate between sets

REST DAY

SWIM END

RUN END

3.2km @ IM RP

20km at moderate intensity, aiming to finetune your RP • Include run/ walk strategy

BIKE REC 25km • Gentle spin at low intensity

WEEK 4 – ALWAYS INCLUDE A WARM-UP WITH EACH SESSION, 5-8MINS GRADUALLY BUILDING INTENSITY

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BIKE HILLS

SWIM INT

RUN INT

BIKE RP

4 x [6mins moderate SC; 4mins recovery; 3mins hard STC; 2mins recovery]

3 x [300m @ IM RP; 3 x 100m PD; 6 x 50m sprint, 15secs RI] • 45secs RI between sets

6 x [1.5km @ 30secs/km faster than IM RP] • 1min RI between sets

3 x [5mins easy; 15mins @ IM RP aero]

/ March 2020

REST DAY

BIKE END

RUN END

90km on an undulating route • Focus on fuelling strategy

2 x 8km @ 15-20secs/km faster than target IM RP • Take 4mins recovery between efforts

IM BUILD PHASE PLAN

TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 5 TO 8 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

REST DAY

SWIM END

BIKE END

4 x 750m; 1min RI

140km on an undulating route • Include 2 x 25km @ 1-2kph faster than target IM RP with 15km moderate in between efforts

WEEK 5 – DON’T FORGET, END = ENDURANCE; INT = INTERVALS; REC = RECOVERY SWIM INT

RUN TEMPO

BIKE TEMPO

RUN END

2 x 250m @ IM RP • 15 x 100m hard – 10secs RI • 2 x 250m @ IM RP • 30secs RI between sets

4 x [1.5km @ IM RP; 500m @ 20secs/km faster than IM RP; 500m @ recovery pace]

2 x [2mins easy; 10mins IM RP; 4mins hard SC OG] • 6mins recovery pace • 2 x [2mins easy; 10mins @ IM RP; 4mins hard SC OG]

14km at moderate intensity, aiming to finetune your RP • Include run/ walk strategy

RUN REC 4-5km @ 15sec/km slower than RP

WEEK 6 – ALWAYS INCLUDE A COOL-DOWN FOLLOWING EACH SESSION, 3-5MINS OF EASY CARDIO FOLLOWED BY STRETCHES RUN END

BIKE HILLS

SWIM INT

BIKE RP

2 x 6km @ 15-20sec/km faster than target IM RP • Take 3mins recovery between efforts

4 x [6mins moderate SC; 4mins recovery; 3mins hard STC; 2mins recovery]

3 x [400m @ IM RP; 4 x 100m PD; 4 x 50m sprint, 15secs RI; 45secs RI between sets]

3 x [5mins easy; 15mins @ IM RP aero]

REST DAY

SWIM END

BRICK

4 x 800m; 1min RI

100km bike • 14km run • Complete both @ IM RP • Include run/ walk strategy

RUN REC 4km @ 15secs/ km slower than RP

WEEK 7 – RUN/WALK STRATEGY = INCLUDE STRUCTURED AND REGULAR PERIODS OF WALKING INTO LONG RUNS SWIM INT

BIKE TEMPO

RUN HILLS

BIKE INT

2 x 250m @ IM RP • 15 x 100m hard – 10secs RI • 2 x 250m @ IM RP • 30secs RI between sets

4 x [4mins easy; 12mins @ IM RP aero; 4mins hard IRPM]

6 x [3-5min uphill efforts hard; 5min recovery]

3 x [4mins @ IM RP; 2mins hard STC]; 3 x [3mins @ IM RP; 3mins hard IRPM]; 3 x [4mins @ IM RP; 2mins hard sprint] • 8mins moderate between sets

REST DAY

SWIM END

RUN END

3.6km @ IM RP

25km Gentle spin at low intensity

24km at moderate intensity, aiming to finetune your RP • Include run/ walk strategy

BIKE END

RUN END

90km on an undulating route • Focus on fuelling strategy

2 x 8km @ 15-20secs/km faster than target IM RP • Take 4mins recovery between efforts

BIKE REC

WEEK 8 – PROPER RECOVERY BETWEEN SESSIONS THROUGH REST AND NUTRITION IS VITAL BIKE HILLS

SWIM INT

RUN INT

BIKE RP

5 x [6mins moderate SC; 4mins recovery; 3mins hard STC; 2mins recovery]

3 x [400m @ IM RP; 4 x 100m PD; 4 x 50m sprint, 15secs RI] • 45secs RI between sets

10 x [1km @ 30secs/km faster than IM RP] • 40secs RI between sets

3 x [5mins easy; 15mins @ IM RP aero]

REST DAY

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TRAINING

TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 9 TO 12 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

REST DAY

SWIM END

BIKE END

3 x 1km; 1min RI

160km • Try to simulate IM race profile • Include 4 x 15km @ 2kph faster than target IM RP, with 10km moderate in between efforts

WEEK 9 – SWAP YOUR POOL ENDURANCE SESSIONS FOR OPEN WATER IF YOU CAN SWIM INT

RUN TEMPO

BIKE TEMPO

RUN END

2 x [2 x 150m PB; 5 x 100m hard, 10secs RI] • 2 x 150m PD • 5 x [100m hard, 10secs RI] • 30secs RI between sets

4 x [2km @ IM RP; 1km @ 20secs/km faster than IM RP; 500m @ recovery pace]

2 x [2mins easy; 10mins @ IM RP; 4mins hard SC OG] • 6mins @ recovery pace • 2 x [2mins easy; 10mins @ IM RP; 4mins hard SC OG]

16km at moderate intensity, aiming to finetune your RP • Include run/ walk strategy

RUN REC 4km @ 15sec/ km slower than RP

WEEK 10 – YOU’RE WORKING TOWARDS A LONGER-THAN-RACE SWIM DISTANCE OF 4KM TO ACE TECHNICAL ENDURANCE RUN END

BIKE HILLS

SWIM INT

BIKE RP

2 x 6km @ 15-20secs/km faster than target IM RP • Take 3mins recovery between efforts

5 x [6mins moderate SC; 4mins recovery; 3mins hard STC; 2mins recovery]

4 x [200m PB; 200m Hypoxic Breathing; 200m PD; 200m IM RP]

3 x [5 mins easy; 15mins @ IM RP aero]

REST DAY

SWIM END

BRICK

4 x 800m; 1min RI

120km bike • 12km run • Complete both @ IM RP • Include run/ walk strategy

RUN REC 4km @ 15secs/km slower than RP

WEEK 11 – AFTER COMPLETING THE PLAN, SCHEDULE IN A REST PERIOD AND ALLOW YOUR BODY TO REAP THE REWARDS SWIM INT

BIKE TEMPO

RUN HILLS

BIKE INT

2 x [2 x 150m PB; 5 x 100m hard, 10secs RI; 2 x 150m PD; 5 x 100m hard, 10secs RI; 30secs RI between sets]

4 x [4mins easy; 12mins @ IM RP aero; 4mins hard IRPM]

6 x 3-5mins uphill efforts hard • 5mins recovery

3 x [4mins @ IM RP; 2mins hard STC]; 3 x [3mins @ IM RP; 3mins hard IRPM]; 3 x [4mins @ IM RP; 2mins hard sprint] • 8mins moderate between sets

REST DAY

SWIM END

RUN END

4km @ IM RP

28km at moderate intensity, aiming to finetune your RP • Include run/ walk strategy

BIKE REC 25km Gentle spin at low intensity

WEEK 12 – YOU’VE COMPLETED THE 3-MONTH PLAN AND GIVEN YOURSELF THE VERY BEST BASE FITNESS FOR YOUR IRONMAN!

82 /

BIKE HILLS

SWIM INT

RUN INT

BIKE RP

5 x [6mins moderate SC; 4mins recovery; 3mins hard STC; 2mins recovery]

4 x [200m PB; 200m Hypoxic Breathing; 200m PD; 200m IM RP]

10 x [1km @ 30secs/km faster than IM RP] • 40secs RI between sets

3 x [5mins easy; 15mins @ IM RP aero]

/ March 2020

REST DAY

BIKE END

RUN END

90km on an undulating route • Focus on fuelling strategy

2 x 8km @ 15-20sec/km faster than target IM RP • Take 4mins recovery between efforts

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TRAINING

NUTRITION

POST-TRAINING SUPPERS Four nutritious, ‘fast food’ alternatives that can be whipped up in less than 20mins and help satiate those tricky, post-work-training-session munchies ooking nourishing meals from scratch every night doesn’t have to take the whole evening. With a well-stocked store cupboard you can rustle up some pretty impressive training suppers without too much forethought, using ‘longer life’ ingredients such as frozen peas, red cabbage, beetroot, polenta and dried

PHIL SOWELS

mushrooms. No matter how quick you cook this month’s ‘real fast food’ recipes (the target is sub-20mins if you’re feeling competitive), take a moment to ‘eat slow’; sit down, relax and really savour your food. It will help your digestion and put a smile on your face. First, try this speedy version of a Pad Thai – not exactly authentic, but utterly delicious and a doddle to throw together

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TRAINING

on a weekday evening. Packed with good quality protein for healthy muscle growth and repair, as well as slow-releasing carbohydrate for sustained energy and heart-healthy unsaturated fats, it’s rich in nutrients to keep you on top form for training. Next up, a go-to, post-swim speedy meal in our house: Flatbreads with halloumi and crunchy slaw. Cabbage is loaded with fibre, vitamin C and minerals such as calcium and potassium. Red cabbage contains antioxidants called anthocyanins, which can help boost circulation, protect your cardiovascular system, and offset damage to your body’s cells. Soft polenta with wild mushroom ragu is an incredibly quick-toprepare source of carbs. Delicious and comforting this is an excellent recovery meal if you need to replace depleted glycogen fast. Real fast food at its best! Studies show that consuming beetroot juice can improve athletic performance. If you don’t like drinking the juice, you could try getting your beetroot fix in this strikingly purple Beetroot orzotto with smoked salmon. Although it looks like rice, orzo is in fact pasta – it’s delicious, nourishing and sustaining and, although high in carbs, surprisingly light on the stomach.

Nutritionist and keen amateur athlete Kate Percy set up the #GoFaster campaign in 2009, and now has a website (gofasterfood.com), several books and a new range of Go Bites - allnatural energy balls.

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/ March 2020

BEETROOT ORZOTTO WITH SMOKED SALMON Prep 5-10mins Cook 10-15mins Serves 4

INGREDIENTS • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 1 tbsp olive oil • Knob of unsalted butter • 250g pack cooked beetroot plus its juice • 300g orzo pasta • 800ml hot vegetable stock • 25g pack parsley or dill, roughly chopped • 100g smoked salmon, torn into pieces • Squeeze of lemon juice • Toasted pine nuts • 50g feta or goats cheese, crumbled

METHOD

Heat the oil and butter in a nonstick frying pan. Gently sauté the

onion for 5mins until soft. Stir in the beetroot, beetroot juice and the orzo. Add the hot stock to the pan. Bubble for about 15mins, until the stock has been absorbed and the orzo is cooked through, stirring frequently. Add the parsley or dill, saving a little to serve. Remove from the heat, add the smoked salmon and lemon juice, and taste for seasoning. Serve in bowls with plenty of black pepper, cheese, pine nuts and reserved herbs.

NUTRITION

HALLOUMI FLATBREADS WITH CRUNCHY SLAW Prep 10mins Cook 5mins Serves 2

INGREDIENTS • 2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed • 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar • 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil • 1 small red cabbage, finely shredded • 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced • 1 large carrot, grated • 20g pecan nuts • 4 large flatbreads • 2 x 250g blocks halloumi, cut into 1cm slices • Two handfuls rocket leaves • Small tub hummus • Sweet chilli sauce

METHOD In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, 1 tbsp oil and caraway seeds with a fork. Season. Combine with the cabbage, pepper, carrot and pecans. Set aside. Heat oven to 130°C and warm the flatbreads. Brush the halloumi with the remaining oil. Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle and, when really hot, fry in batches for 1-2 mins each side until golden. Don’t overcook or they’ll turn to rubber! Arrange wraps as desired – hummus, halloumi, crunchy slaw, rocket leaves and sweet chilli sauce. Tuck in!

PAD THAI Prep 5mins Cook 15mins Serves 4

INGREDIENTS • 200g linguini-shaped rice noodles • 1 tbsp coconut oil • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped • 1 tbsp lime juice • 2 tbsps fish sauce • 1 tbsp chilli sauce • 1 tbsp brown sugar • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced • 200g beansprouts • 3 spring onions, finely sliced • 3 tbsps unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped • 50g dried coconut flakes or desiccated coconut • 25g fresh coriander, chopped • 1 lime

SOFT POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM RAGU

METHOD Heat a drop of oil in a large wok and add eggs. As soon as they begin to set, gently stir until they form an omelette. Transfer to plate and cut into strips. Cook noodles according to pack, drain and rinse. Set aside. In a bowl, combine garlic, chilli, lime juice, fish sauce, chilli sauce and sugar. Set aside. Pour remaining oil into wok, and fry chicken for a few mins until just cooked. Add beansprouts and onions, fry for 1min. Add noodles, fry for 2mins. Add peanuts, coconut, coriander, egg and sauce.

Prep 5-10mins Cook 10-15mins Serves 2

INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 shallot, peeled and finely sliced • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed • 125g mixed mushrooms, sliced • Handful dried rosemary, or thyme • Splash of dry white wine or sherry (optional) • 10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar • 200g instant polenta • 1-2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil • 50g grated parmesan

METHOD In a pan, gently fry shallots and garlic in oil until soft. Turn up the heat. Add mushrooms and fry for 5mins. Stir in herbs, wine, tomatoes and gently simmer for a further 5mins. Add balsamic vinegar. Cook the polenta according to pack for soft polenta. Stir in a good glug of oil, season and dish up. Top with mushrooms, more oil and parmesan.

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TRAINING

KORUPT VISION

HOW TO BUILD NEW SEASON FITNESS I’ve just completed my first season of tri, doing one sprint and one Olympic. I want to move up to 70.3 next year, but how do I build new-season fitness for even more distance? John Avant

TIM DON

is a multiple ITU world champion and a 3 x Olympian. Now one of the fastest Ironmans in the world, he’s here to answer all your racing questions and concerns.

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/ March 2020

ey, welcome to the triathlon club! Once you get hooked on triathlon it can really take over, but in a good way… most of the time. No, really, it’s brilliant, and you won’t look back!

BE WARY OF YOUR RAMP RATE Being new to triathlon and multisport is just awesome, and improvements can come pretty quickly – the more training you do the better, stronger and faster you become. That said, I’m not saying go out and massively increase what you’ve already been doing as you have to be careful of your ramp rate, especially if you’re stepping up in distance to 70.3 – consistency is key here, not injury or overtraining. But you will find that in 2020 you’ll be stronger thanks to having the last 12 months under your belt, and building from there is key.

WORK ON ALL THREE SPORTS It’s great you’re really planning ahead, even pre-winter, so you have loads of time to step up your training. Maybe even get a few shorter races in early season, to help get you ready for the 70.3. I find the best way is to keep working on all three sports, maybe with a slight emphasis on one every one or two weeks, but don’t drop off one discipline too much.

ENTER A RACE SERIES Using indoor training, such as a Wahoo Kickr and Zwift is great in the winter. I’d also consider entering a race series or following a few group workouts on Zwift. If the weather is kind to you a longer session on the weekend outside would be great, especially to help with bike handling and holding the aero position. Getting a bike fit might not be a bad idea as well, so you can work on holding the new position come the race season.

COACHING Q&A

THIS MONTH’S COACHING PANEL DERMOTT HAYES

Brick session benefits Cycling writer Nik is a competitive multisporter who’s competed for Team GB in duathlon.

MATT BAIRD

Cycle to Work Scheme 220 features editor Matt has been with the brand for over 10 years and is our go-to man for all things kit-related.

TRACK IMPROVEMENTS I also love doing a parkrun every three weeks or so as they’re a good benchmark, even under fatigue they’re great to do. Add in one or two other runs – a longer, easier one and maybe a swing set of 10km, 21km and marathon pace – but not going off your best ever times, rather focus on your current level of fitness. Using a sports watch in these might also help track your sessions and improvements.

JOIN A CLUB Consider joining a run club or, even better, a triathlon club – shared pain is less pain right?! This will really help give you some more structure to your week.

TRY SWIM SMOOTH Swimming is the one that’s hardest to improve, especially if you came to swimming late. But I always recommend [the coaching outfit] Swim Smooth (swimsmooth.com), their app can help you with your stroke and body position which are both so specific to triathlon.

SWIM OFTEN I think swimming often is vital, but only short(ish) distances – 1.5-2km – are best to start off with as when you start to fatigue you’ll lose your stroke and it gets messy very quickly! Again, swimming with others or even doing a one-on-one swim analysis with a coach would be great and help give you a few pointers to work with and focus on on your own. If you have time I’d also add in some strength and conditioning sessions, as they really work on your core activation, mobility around your shoulders, flexibility, and lower body, calf, lower back and glute strength, which are all key for triathlon. This would really help maintain consistency over the winter, and again it’s a great way to break up training and add in some fun over the darker, colder months.

KEEP IT LIGHT AT FIRST Finally, try some mountain biking or jump into a local cross-country race. Just putting on a number can help get that extra few percent out and help bring you on. Remember, you still have to want to race come next summer, so keep it light at first and build into a nice routine – you don’t want to burn out and fall out of love/like with triathlon before you’ve really started. And always remember there are no medals in training – train hard, race easy and enjoy it! Need some advice from The Don? Send an email to askthedon@220triathlon.com

STEPHEN SMITH

Loss of appetite in training Stephen is a sports nutritionist, sports science researcher, and is completing a PhD in GI health and exercise.

QUICK-FIRE Small gains still mean seconds off your PB...

Can exercise help hot flushes? While there’s no medical evidence that exercise can reduce the frequency of hot flushes, it can certainly help ease stress, which is a trigger. Regular exercise will also help keep your body in tip-top condition, and maintaining a healthy weight and staying fit and strong is also recommended to relieve symptoms. What is plantar fibroma and how is it treated? Plantar fibroma is a benign lump that forms on the plantar fascia – the fibrous band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes. Cause is not well understood, although trauma could be one. Treatments for painful cases include physical therapy – strength and stretching exercises – or using orthotic devices to support your arch. Steroid injections can reduce pain and inflammation. Surgery is a last resort, and only recommended for severe cases as regrowth of the lump is common.

DR NICKY KEAY

Male menopause Nicky is honorary research fellow in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Durham.

ASK 220 BRICK SESSION BENEFITS Should I do brick sessions in the offseason, and if so why? David Bowman

Q A

Triathlon training can follow quite a traditional pattern of base, build, peak, taper, race, followed by the off-season. And this does work as it follows a progressive building structure, but what you do in those phases doesn’t need to include the same old tried-and-trusted sessions While the off-season is a time for a bit of evaluation, recovery and focus on technique, it doesn’t mean that you can’t do brick sessions, as they can be included at any stage of a tri season. The key to using them correctly is that their intensity or duration should be appropriate for the stage of training. I’d suggest including a brick session every 2-3 weeks in order to keep reminding yourself what it’s like to train one discipline after the other. But these sessions can take different structure and should be done with a focus on low-to-moderate intensity, after all this is the off-season. So maybe a 50min fat-burn bike followed by a 10min run focusing on posture and technique, or a steady 5km run followed by a 20km bike with some high cadence intervals. One very worthwhile brick session to include is a run off the bike to nail down your run pace. Very often in triathlons, the first 20-30% of the run stage is too fast and then the athlete fades, but with practice you can develop discipline to hold back the run pace and then build as the run progresses. Dermott Hayes

CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME How does the Cycle to Work Scheme work? And what’s the max amount you can spend on a bike? Nicky Bennie

The Cycle to Work Scheme is a government-funded initiative

March 2020 /

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TRAINING

Q A

OF APPETITE IN TRAINING y can you experience loss of petite during training? Fergus Lyons

When I ask athletes why they don’t eat anything during training, the most common reply is simply, ‘I just don’t feel like eating.’ But with evidence showing that consuming calories during training can improve performance, why do we experience a loss of appetite? Appetite is regulated by circulating hormones, some released by the stomach and fat cells. Certain hormones stimulate appetite, while others increase our sense of satiety, or fullness. Eating and fasting can affect these appetite-regulating hormones, but exercise has also shown to have an effect. A multitude of physiological responses are seen during exercise, including blood being redistributed away from the gut as well as sympathetic nervous-system activity. These processes result in the release of hormones into the blood stream, some of which contribute to the regulation of appetite, leading to a reduction in hunger signals along with an increase in satiety signals. Greater exercise intensity also causes a greater reduction in appetite. This makes sense as greater intensities cause more blood flow redistribution away from the gut. So essentially your body is trying to fuel the muscles, heart and lungs while dissipating the heat you’re generating

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QUICK-FIRE (CONT)

Imposter syndrome: what is it and how can you overcome it? Do you worry that your successes have been achieved through luck rather than talent and ability? This overriding feeling of anxiety and selfdoubt is a physiological condition called Imposter Syndrome and prevents people from achieving their full potential. Talking therapies can firstly help you identify the condition and symptoms, and then offer strategies to help overcome negative thought patterns. What should I wear for my first aquathlon? Initially you won’t need more than the basic kit you use for the individual disciplines, swimming and running. Wear your costume or shorts under your running gear for the first leg, then after the swim, pull back on your running gear over your wet swim stuff for the final leg. Women might want to wear a sports bra under their costume. You could also invest in a tri-suit with little or no padding, which you can swim and run in, and a race belt so you can put your number on quickly.

BMC/JAMES MITCHELL

introduced in 1999 with the aim of encouraging a healthier and more environmentally-friendly UK population. The scheme allows consumers to purchase bikes and cycling equipment tax-free. Purchasers pay off the value of the bike over a year (extension periods are available) and the claimed savings on a bike are up to 42% of the overall value depending on the tax bracket you sit in. Your employer will need to be signed-up to the system (from our own past experience, don’t let them drag their feet on this – 40,000 business are signed up in the UK after all) and you’ll need to request a certificate from them (usually the HR or accounts departments) and take it to the relevant bike retailer. The maximum value of the bike is £1,000 but this has recently risen to over a grand for e-bike purchases. There are similar initiatives to the Cycle to Work Scheme out there as well and many retailers have their own, including Ride to Work from Evans Cycles and Wiggle’s Cycle to Work. Matt Baird

while exercising; adding the stress of digesting food is unlikely to be a priority. Stephen Smith

MA E MENOPAUSE

hat is the ‘male menopause’ and w can it affect my performance? can I do about it? Luke Briars

Men do not have an abrupt finish to the production of sex steroid hormones, as found in women reaching the menopause. Nevertheless, there is a gradual decline in testosterone with increasing age, from middle age onwards. Testosterone is an important hormone, driving adaptations to exercise such as maintaining haemoglobin levels and optimal body composition. So decreasing levels can potentially impact athletic performance in age-group male triathletes. However, seeking out testosterone medication is a big no no, as it’s a banned substance under WADA jurisdiction. Instead, being proactive in terms of athlete behaviours is the best approach. This might include ensuring adequate fuelling, especially around training sessions to maintain consistent levels of energy to support healthy hormones. Strength and conditioning, in particular resistance training, is also important to maintain optimal body composition as we get older. And not to be overlooked is adequate rest and recovery between training sessions, with sleep being the key time for the release of growth hormones to back up adaptive responses to training. Dr Nicky Keay

Greater exercise intensity can cause a greater reduction in appetite, as more blood flow is distributed away from the gut and towards the muscles, heart and lungs.

READER RESCUE

JOHN WOOD

John is a triathlon coach and a 2019 FINA World Masters Championships’ bronze medallist in 50m and 100m butterfly.

Reader Douglas Cowie wants to know how to train for a 3.8km swim I’m 66 and currently enjoying life as an age-grouper, but I was a marathon runner by trade. I’ve decided to try and qualify for the ITU Long Distance World Champs in September, but I’m not sure how to train for a 3.8km swim. I have the time and there are a couple of suitable lochs close by. Douglas R Cowie

The most important thing about getting swim fit for a long distance race is to spend time in the water regularly and consistently. Twice a week is ideal if you can do it on a regular basis. Get your swim stroke looked at – it’s the best way to make

When it comes to increasing swim distance, it’s important to vary your training efforts advises coach, John Wood

ALESSANDRO ANNUNZIATA

improvements in your swimming and make your training, and your race, easier. When you know what you need to work on to make your stroke easier and more effective you’ll have drills in your locker that you can refer back to and help keep your swimming on track. All your training swims should have some sort of technical emphasis to them. That’s not to say that you need to do lots of technical swim sessions. Rather, during your warm-ups think about what you’re going to focus on that day. In steadier, aerobic sessions you could combine drills into the session, e.g. in a set of 20 x 100m, do the first 25m of each 100m as a drill.

Other than the technical focus, training for distance swimming is no different really to training for longer bikes or runs. Of course, the distances and times spent in the water will change, but the principles are exactly the same. The main thing I suggest to anyone going long, whether swimming or across triathlon as a whole, is to make sure that you vary your efforts. This will become even more important when you come to swim and train in open water. If you stick to one pace, you’ll only have one pace, and it’ll make getting fitter or swimming further in one go a far more laborious process. If you train, however, the same way as you would train for your marathon runs – alternating longer steadier swims with shorter faster sprint intervals, and adding tempo/ threshold/CSS efforts in between – you’ll get more enjoyment from your training and a faster physiological response. On the basis that you might swim twice a week, you could do a longer, more aerobic swim once a week, and alternate the other session between shorter, faster sprint efforts and a session predominantly using tempo efforts. When the spring comes around, you might want to do fewer of the sprint sessions and concentrate on the threshold swims, as well as doing more of these training sessions in the open water. Finally, as you near race day you could take the threshold efforts out and focus on the sprint speed again, to keep your body and form feeling sharp. Good luck!

“All your training swims should have a technical emphasis to them” March 2020 /

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CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN

A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB With only four years of triathlon experience under her belt, Katrin Meyer ventured to the inaugural Challenge Cape Town with an ambitious plan to qualify for the Challenge Championships. Here’s her tale of racing 113km in the Rainbow Nation… WORDS KATRIN MEYER IMAGES CHRIS HITCHCOCK

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how was it for you?

he buoys out in the Atlantic Ocean are barely visible. I watch the male and female triathletes starting in front of me. They swim out and instantly become swallowed up by the grey fog. At this moment of the 1.9km swim, I’m not sure if I can make it around the course and back to the Big Bay Beach again. With every metre I get closer to the start, I become more nervous. I’m a weak swimmer. Am I strong enough to do this? Can I stand the cold water? Finally, it’s me who has to toe the start line. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and then the gun for the debut Challenge Cape Town in South Africa goes off. It was a whole year ago that I planned my holiday to Cape Town to visit one of my best friends who’s studying here. And then, in April, the Challenge Family announced a new race in Cape Town that coincided with my holiday. As a previous finisher at Challenge’s flagship Challenge Roth event in my native Germany, I didn’t think twice about entering. For me, this would be a once-in-alifetime experience. And it would be the grand finale of my 2019 season that included Ironman Barcelona just six weeks before. When I signed up, I knew there was a cold-water swim, a relatively-flat bike course and a hilly run. But I never imagined a start like this.

SEALS AND SHIFTERS

MEET KATRIN Katrin, 32, lives in Cologne, Germany, and started triathlon four years ago following a bet having never done any sports before, apart from dressage. So far she’s completed Challenge Roth in 2018 and the 2019 Ironman Barcelona, three middle-distances and a few shortcourse triathlons.

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/ March 2020

The holiday doesn’t begin brilliantly. When I unpack my bike after the 10,000km journey from Germany to Cape Town, I’m shocked to find the left shifter of my aerobars is completely broken. Luckily I found a local bike shop, but the mechanics can’t tell me how long it will take to fix. I have to be patient. The next few days test my nerves as I wait for the spare parts to arrive. Finally, on the Friday, they show up. The bike mechanics do a great job and I’m so happy to have my bike back in perfect condition, and also to have the chance for a short ride on the Saturday before registration. Going 10 days without biking isn’t the best preparation! While waiting for my bike to be fixed, I spend my time running and swimming in the beautiful

Langebaan Lagoon north of Cape Town, but I don’t get used to the Atlantic Ocean – the waves are high and an inquisitive seal scared me a little during one of my swims. The day before the race, I miss out on the swim familiarisation event as I need to complete registration and drop my run bags at T2. So I decide to try the swim on my own. Then there’s time for one final picture in front of Table Mountain before I rack my bike in its place. I make sure I check out the quickest way to leave transition and head down to the beach. My swim isn’t as bad as I expect it to be. Out to the first buoy and back to the beach – 700m will surely be enough. Finally, I get some last-minute advice on how to handle swimming in the waves as I enjoy sundown at this epic location on South Africa’s western coast.

RACE-DAY NERVES The fog is touching the waves when we arrive in the suburb of Bloubergstrand on race morning, but luckily the waves aren’t as strong as the day before. It’s a cold morning and the water temperature is a bracing 15.5°C. I walk to my bike to lay down my nutrition and pump up my tyres. My bike is ready. I’m possibly not. It’s almost time to put on my wetsuit and get in the line for the rolling start. The pro athletes are already underway. I run into the water, watch the waves, and then count them as I run

in deeper. After wave number four the set seems to be done, so I dive in and start swimming. The water doesn’t feel as cold as I’d expected, and the waves aren’t as high as they look from the beach. But the visibility is terrible so I try to keep up with the feet in front of me. The first few metres feel good and I establish a rhythm. But then my goggles start to fog up. I try to ignore it. After a while the waves get higher. I pass buoy number one, which marks the halfway point of our distance out. But I can’t see the next buoy. After a few more

CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN

how was it for you?

minutes of swimming, it seems that the swim group I’m positioned in has lost direction and veered away from the course. The volunteers on the stand-up paddleboards scream that we have to stay left. We change direction slightly, but for me it’s hard to hold the line as I can’t see anything due to my goggles. I have to stop several times to clear them and try not to lose orientation again. It feels like hours before I pass the turning point and the next buoy, which marks the way back to the beach. The way back feels long. I’m freezing and it’s hard to keep swimming in the right direction. Luckily, the fog clears a little and I see the red arch that marks the end of the swim. I’ve made it. I can’t describe the feeling when my hands touch the ground. Hell yes! I glance at my watch and it reads 51:49mins for the 1.9km, which confirms my terrible pacing during the swim. I run up the beach, open my wetsuit and grab my transition bag. I put on my bike kit, hand my bag to a volunteer and run straight to my bike. I jump on it, knowing that from this point on the race can only get better.

THE CHASE IS ON I try to calm my pulse, which is very high. On the first few kilometres to turning-point one I pass the first

male riders. I try to remember the undulations of the road – the slight ups and downs. I know I have to ride the course three times, so it’s good to know where to push hard and where to take care. The coastal road is picturesque and my legs are feeling strong. After my first lap I pass some of the female riders, too. Honestly, I start counting them. I really want to end this season with a good result – I have a dream to qualify for the Challenge Championship in Samorin, Slovakia, in late May. I know already that I have to hope for the roll-down, but to keep the dream alive I have to finish 12th woman in my age-group. At the moment, I feel way off that target.

CURVES AND KERBS Above me the clouds disappear and the sky turns blue. I feel perfect on my bike. It’s like I’m flying on the flat course. I really want to push harder; I really want to increase the speed. My legs feel strong enough. But my pulse is unusually high and I don’t know why. It’s hard to keep calm and not push for more watts. There’s only 15km to go when I finish my last lap in Bloubergstrand and make my way down to Cape Town. If nothing goes wrong, I’ll be able to finish the 90km bike in under 2:40hrs. The rise into the city is good, but the last 5km aren’t

“To keep my Challenge Championship dream alive I have to finish 12th woman in my age-group” 96 /

/ March 2020

AFRICAN RACES 2020

The Ultra Tri Series is set for Durban on South Africa’s east coast on 1 March, with both sprint- and middle-distance races on offer. ultratri.co.za

A classic on the M-Dot calendar is Ironman South Africa, and the 226km event returns to Port Elizabeth on the Rainbow Nation’s southern coast on 29 March. ironman.com

The off-road ATU Cross Triathlon African Championships will arrive in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, on 26 April. triathlon.org

The Amazigh Triathlon is the Xtri series’ first venture into Africa, and will be held in Ouarzazate, South Morocco, on 31 October. amazighxtri.com

CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN

“I really want to push harder, my legs feel strong enough, but my pulse is unusually high and I don’t know why”

how was it for you?

Katrin secures her spot at the 2020 Championships

easy. I rush through an industrial area – the scenery is noticeably less beautiful here. The road conditions are now very bad, and we have to change from one street to another. There are a lot of curves and kerbs – it’s all very frustrating. I lose speed and miss my goal of finishing sub-2:40hrs. The clock stops at 2:47hrs when I arrive into transition two.

INCLINES AWAIT I rack my bike and run towards the transition bags. It’s good to see that there are a lot more untouched than there were in T1. I put on my running stuff and hit the halfmarathon course. Three loops are waiting for me. The first length is straight and I relax into the run. But when I take the first curve to the right, I can see the first incline, and I can’t see it ending anytime soon! I establish a good running rhythm, but this incline is very long. When I take the next curve, I’m shocked: there are two steep climbs waiting for me. Most of the runners in front of me are already walking. I decide to run for as long as I can, although I know I have to approach this run strategically and not to destroy my legs in the first section. I plan points where I’ll start walking, and then where I’ll start running again. After the first climb I see where I can get in a short run and let my legs turnover. I pick up speed and close down on one of the professional women who passed me on the climb just a couple of minutes before. What a great feeling. But the next incline is already waiting, and the elite athlete passes again at speed. I have to stop running and walk for a few metres. Mercifully, this climb isn’t as long as the one before and the final 3km aren’t that hard. I decide to run the remaining laps

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/ March 2020

with the same tactics as before, a strategy that works. I didn’t train for running at altitude like this, but I manage it. The time flies and I’m nearly done. There’s only one last climb to the tape.

SET FOR SAMORIN I enter the finish area and now there are only 100m to go. Table Mountain is on my right, the finish line in front. I can’t stop smiling. One last high-five with the two race comperes and then I’m done. I’ve made it in 5:48:46. I’ve finished my third middledistance race, but this one has been the most challenging by far. It’s

CAPE TOWN INFO

First event 2019 2019 starters 307 2019 finishers 294 Next date 8 November 2020 Entry fee £151 Nearest airport Cape Town Website challenge-capetown.com

hard to put this feeling of elation and achievement into words. I also secure my starting slot at the Challenge Championships in May. And not because of the roll-down, but because I’ve finished sixth in my age-group – a result I never dreamed I could achieve. Overall, the debut Challenge Cape Town was a great race with a friendly atmosphere, and it’s run by a proven race organisation. The scenic course around a city that’s regularly voted the world’s best also deserves its Challenge moniker. But of the 113,000 metres that athletes faced here in Cape Town, every single one has been worth it.

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Marcos Knight, Niamh Lewis, Charlotte Lyon, Katrin Meyer, James Mitchell, Mia Nielsen, Kate Percy, Steve Sayers, Daniel Seex, Jack Sexty, Elliot Smales, Robert Smith, Stephen Smith, Nigel Tassell, Els Visser, Vikki Voysey, Remy Whiting, Simon Withers, James Witts, John Wood, Jeff Yingling

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HIT NEW HEIGHTS IN 2O20

The benefits of altitude training, including the best places to train

LICENSING & SYNDICATION 220 Triathlon is available for international licensing and syndication. For more information, please email Tim Hudson: tim.hudson@immediate.co.uk 220 Triathlon is published 13 times a year by Immediate Media Company Limited Cover image: James Mitchell Every care is taken when compiling this magazine, but we accept no liability for mistakes and no responsibility can be taken for the contents of these pages.

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SUPERCHARGE YOUR TRI

How to go from complete beginner to confident competitor in just 6 months!

ISSN: 14791500 We abide by IPSO’s rules and regulations. To give feedback about our magazines, please visit immediate. co.uk, email editorialcomplaints@ immediate.co.uk or write to Katherine Conlon, Immediate Media Co., Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT.

SMASH A HALF-IRON

The only 12-week training plan you will ever need to conquer a 70.3 March 2020 /

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faq

advice

kit

races

KNOWHOW THE HOW, WHAT AND WHERE OF RACING

HOW CAN I RIDE SAFELY IN THE RAIN? According to the Met Office it rains for 107 days each year, meaning there’s around a 30% chance you’ll be riding in the rain. That’s why it’s essential to learn the gear tweaks and skills to ride fast and far through bad weather…

faq

TYRES When pumping up tyres, use around six atmospheres rather than the usual seven or eight to increase the surface area of tyre touching the road. Tread amount seems to make little difference, but don’t race on brand new tyres in the wet. New rubber can have a surface layer containing slippery elements, such as silicone, that’ll reduce grip.

BRAKES Adjust your brakes so that they’re close to the rim – you’ll need to pull harder on the brake levers when braking in wet conditions. Your brake blocks will wear down quicker in the wet, so you might have to replace them more often.

DRIVECHAIN Keep your drivechain – that’s your front chainrings, chain, rear sprockets – clean and apply a coating of water-repelling lubricant before you ride. Ensure that you avoid spraying or dripping lubricant onto your tyres or wheel rims while you’re doing maintenance.

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/ March 2020

GETTY IMAGES

CLOTHING

OUT OF THE SADDLE

Wear enough kit to keep you as dry as possible and warm, including windprooffronted, breathable jerseys and goodquality tights. Use overboots, gloves and hats as required. A racing cape stuffed in your back pocket is always a good idea.

Be careful when accelerating out of the saddle. Avoid wheel spin by keeping your weight back, particularly on steep hills. When accelerating out of a corner, apply the power smoothly and keep an even weight distribution between front and back wheels.

CORNERING Ensure your centre of gravity is low by keeping your hands on the drops, lowering your shoulders, keeping your inside knee low and pushing down on the outer pedal. Keep your body, head and bike in line as you lean into the corner. You won’t be able to lean as much as you can in the dry. Keep the balance of weight equal between your front and back wheels. Brake before you enter the corner, and not in it.

DESCENDING AND BRAKING When descending, brake early and gradually. Mainly use the front brake and be careful about the amount of back brake you apply to avoid skidding. Don’t pump the brakes. Good-condition brake blocks disperse the water on the rim quickly and prevent the film of water building up between the rim and block, which can impair efficiency.

GETTY IMAGES

ABOUT ELLIOT

Elliot, 25, started out as a club swimmer before taking up tri at university in 2013. In his second year of going long, in 2018, he won Ironman 70.3s Staffs, Dun Laoghaire and Weymouth. In 2019, he took the title at 70.3 Jönköping, Sweden, 2nd at Dun Laoghaire behind Alistair Brownlee and 4th at Ironman Barcelona, where he also posted the fastest British Ironman debut time of 8:01:22.

ELLIOT SMALES Rising Ironman 70.3 star, Elliot Smales, provides his top five tips for getting the most out of your winter training and setting yourself up for a strong 2020

01 CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Goals for the new year may still be a way off and drawing motivation from something so far in advance can be hard. Try and incorporate a structured weekly plan around your life and stick to it. It can be monotonous, but winter is when all the hard work is done.

USE MUDGUARDS

fewer mechanical issues regarding bolts and bearings.

SPICE IT UP

Although repetition will likely be key to good performance come the start of the new season, don’t forget to mix things up and try new ways to train. With apps, training computers and do-it-all bikes, there’s never been an easier time to access new roads/paths and trails. Whether this is using a route planner in your local area to find new training options, or for a weekend away doing a bit of off-road riding and running, a change of scenery can invigorate your motivation and provide transferrable skills.

pro advice

If you’re lucky enough to spend most of your winter in warmer climates this may not apply. But if you spend winter tackling the muddy and wet lanes of the UK, full-length mudguards with flaps can make grim rides a bit more bearable for yourself and others. Coupled with good kit it allows you to stay dry for as long as possible and bank those tough winter miles while battling the elements. It also keeps your bike that little bit cleaner, meaning

LISTEN TO BODY & MIND

No matter how much you train, your head will always be your

strongest tool. It’s a learning process but be confident to abort or alter a session if your body isn’t up to it and you’re going to come out of the other side mentally or physically deflated. On the flip side, learn when to use your head to push through a challenging session. You’ll reach the end and get the massive hit of endorphins knowing you’ve achieved something, both physically and mentally.

IN THE 05 BELIEVE IMPOSSIBLE

When doing anything new we immediately put up barriers and limits as to how far we can go, because it’s all an unknown. Try and approach your goals with sensible targets, but don’t limit yourself to what people have done before or what you think you can’t do.

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essential kit

All you need to train & race, as rated by our 220 Kit Zone expert testers

WETSUITS Build quality, comfort, flexibility and insulation – the four key factors when choosing your neoprene. Spend more and the quality for each factor tends to increase.

ENERGY GELS Carb and caffeine content, added extras (such as electrolytes and salts), digestability, and, of course, flavour and texture are all things to consider when grabbing a gel.

83 %

zoot Wave 1 £220 Solid construction, warm and buoyant. Love the chest panels, too. Issue 366 zootsports.co.uk

82 %

Clif Shot Mocha £1.29 The texture harks of gels from days gone by, but the taste more than compensates for it. Issue 373 clifbar.co.uk

93 %

orca Equip £239 Peerless comfort and flexibility for the price. Great for frugal swimmers. Issue 366 orca.com

84 %

Powerbar PowerGel £1.39 A savoury nutty delight, especially beneficial to the heavy sodium sweaters out there. Issue 373 powerbar.eu

90 %

roka Maverick Comp III £325 Superior arm flexibility and reach, plus assured buouyancy. Issue 365 roka.com

81 %

SIS Go Isotonic £1.40 A timeless composition but there are more palatable SIS flavours out there than this fruit salad. Issue 373 scienceinsport.com

91 %

AQUA SPHERE Racer 2.0 £399.99 Striking graphics, a decent price and a superior build – winning! Issue 365 aquasphereswim.com/uk

80 %

OTE Apple Energy Gel £1.50 A relatively low carbohydrate content, but a tasty gel that’s soft on the stomach. Issue 373 otesports.co.uk

92 %

yonda Ghost 2 £549 A highly comfortable and superb all-rounder wetsuit. Issue 364 yondasports.com

86 %

Torq Rhubarb & Custard £1.60 Another impressive Torq energy-delivering gel; and a good taste too. Issue 373 torqfitness.co.uk

IRONMAN TRI SUITS Consider what type of triathlete you are – top-end agegroupers should assess their suit’s aero properties, but comfort is key for all levels, so consider pads, grippers and material quality.

TRI BIKES The key here is fit and comfort. Remember: the least aerodynamic thing on the bike is you, so get a bike fit to refine your position.

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/ March 2020

90 %

heart Purple Thunder £125 Brilliant touches abound, as does affordability. Issue 362 heartsports.co.uk

92 %

giant Trinity Advanced £1,799 Powerful yet surprisingly comfortable ride that’s literally geared to be intimidating! Issue 357 giant-bicycles.com

82 %

dhb Aeron Lab £160 Great ventilation, design and grippers. Issue 362 wiggle.co.uk

89 %

neil pryde Bayamo £2,250 For the price, superb ride performance and build quality on the frame and forks. Issue 351 neilprydebikes.com

93 %

2xu Comp Full Zip £160 Comfortable, good looking and practical. Issue 362 2xu.com

91 %

ribble Ultra Tri £4,469 Clever windcheating features and fantastic range of adjustment. Bike as built is ready to race. Issue 358 ribblecycles.co.uk

87 %

sailfish Aerosuit 199.99 A goodlooking, breathable choice for 70.3 racing. Issue 362 sailfish.com

95 %

canyon Speedmax CF SLX £5,199 A bike that just wants to go fast… but will also get you into T2 with fresh legs. Issue 328 canyon.com

93 %

huub Anemoi £299.99 One of the very best just got better. Issue 372 huubdesign.com

87 %

wilier Turbine £8,800 A comfortable and rapid ride that’ll stand out from the multisport crowd. Issue 366 wilier.com

MILEAGE RUN SHOES Where possible, go to a run shop so the staff can analyse your gait and running style. Also pay attention to cushioning, especially for offseason miles.

85 %

asics Gel-Cumulus 21 £120 Asics’ most cushioned and supportive shoe, so not a speedster but a highly-durable shoe. Issue 369 asics.com/gb

87 %

saucony Ride ISO2 £120 Not overly bulky, grippy in the wet, a luxury upper and the best for neutral runners. Issue 369 saucony.com/uk

82 %

newton Kismet 5 £125 Updated upper to make it more breathable, springy and cushioned for neutral runners. Issue 369 newtonrunning.com

92 %

on running Cloudswift £135 An ideal blend of flexibility and comfort with a reinforced yet stretchy upper that moves with your feet. Issue 369 on-running.com

89 %

brooks Glycerin 17 £140 In its 17th iteration, but look no further for support and cushioning. Issue 369 brooksrunning/com

POOL GOGGLES Look for a pair that’s easy to adjust and with comfortable gaskets so you can dial in the best possible fit. Field of vision, anti-fogging properties and zero leakage are also vitally important.

ROAD BIKES We really can’t stress enough just how much a proper bike fitting will improve your overall ride and comfort – so buy from a shop that offers this service.

82 %

ZOGGS Podium £25 Good value goggles with some stylish features. Issue 370 zoggs.com

89 %

vitus Razor £499.99 A bike that’s meant to be ridden fast. Add some tribars for even faster bike splits. Issue 371 chainreactioncycles.co.uk

87 %

mp Xceed £29.99 Provide clear vision and a bright tint with great comfort. Issue 370 michaelphelps.com

91 %

kinesis 4S Disc £1,850 Fantastic bike that majors on fun as much as it does on performance. Issue 369 kinesisbikes.com

85 %

huub Brownlee £34.99 Quality and good-looking goggles, with extras. Issue 370 huubdesign.com

93 %

giant TCR Advanced Pro 2 £2,399 A brilliant frameset that’s comfortable but still effective at turning energy into speed. Issue 367 giant-bicycles.com

93 %

swans Valkyrie £34.99 Superb fit and clarity, stylish and very comfortable. Issue 370 swansuk.co.uk

92 %

specialized Tarmac £4,250 Endlessly accessible performance, amazing grip and compliance. Issue 372 specialized.com

88 %

speedo V-Class £58 Quality package with good visibility, but very expensive! Issue 370 speedo.com

93 %

cervélo R5 Disc £7,299 Great handling, smooth ride quality and highest levels of equipment to match the best. Issue 356 cervelo.com

sub-£800

TURBO TRAINERS ELITE SUITO

£649 All the features a triathlete needs at a better price than the competition. Plus, it’s impressively quiet. madison.co.uk

WAHOO KICKR CORE

£699Awkward to move around but a highly capable, quiet trainer that’s more compact than the flagship model. uk.wahoofitness.com

STAC ZERO HALCYON

799 The big sell on this is that it’s virtually silent and completely wireless. However, it’s not straightforward to use. staczero.com

March 2020 /

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race calendar Pick your races and plan your season with the 220 Knowhow event guide

MUMBLES DUATHLON

21 MARCH Dust off the winter cobwebs on this out-and-back course, ideal for all levels and ages. Athletes can choose from either super sprint or sprint distances.

TRI SPEAK

Wondering what the ‘washing machine’ is, or where to find your M-dot?! Make things easy with our guide to common tri terms… ‘A’-Race The most important race of your season Age-grouper Non-pro triathlete (most of us!) Aerobic Aerobic exercise involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body Anaerobic How much energy your body can produce without using oxygen Aquabike Race with just swim and bike elements, no run Bilateral breathing Breathing every 3 strokes when swimming

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FEBRUARY

DIRTY GREEN TRAINERS

MARCH

EPIC FIRE FIGHTERS 2UP DUATHLON (4-mile R/25-mile B/ 4-mile R). Rivington & Blackrod High School, Bolton, Lancs. epicevents.co.uk HOP FARM MULTI-TERRAIN DUATHLON 3 (3km R/10km B/3km R). Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent. velocity-events.co.uk PEMBROKESHIRE DUATHLON (5km R/20km B/2.5km R). Neyland, Pembrokeshire. pembstri.org.uk BURNTWOOD SPRING AQUATHLON (various inc. Tristar and youths). Burntwood Leisure Centre, Staffordshire. burntwoodtriclub.org.uk

HOP FARM MULTITERRAIN DUATHLON (3km R/10km B/3km R). Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent. velocity-events.co.uk

DORNEY LAKE WINTER DUATHLON (various dists). Dorney Lake, Berkshire. f3events.co.uk

ASHRIDGE DUATHLON 1 (various dists). Ashridge, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. ashridgeduathlon.co.uk

ANGLIAN WATER DUATHLONS (various dists). Grafham Water, Perry, Cambs. nicetrievents.com

PARBOLD DUATHLON (5km R/29km B/5km R). Bispham, Parbold, Lancashire. epicevents.co.uk

EUROPEAN CHAMPS QUALIFIER

WORLD CHAMPS QUALIFIER

BEDFORD AUTODROME DUATHLONS (various dists). Bedford Autodrome, Thurleigh, Beds. nicetrievents.com ASHRIDGE DUATHLON 2 (various dists). Ashridge, Berkhamsted, Herts. ashridgeduathlon.co.uk

BATH DUATHLON (various dists). Odd Down, Bath. bathduathlon.org.uk CLUMBER PARK DUATHLON (various dists). Clumber Park, Worksop, Notts. trisociety.co.uk MUMBLES DUATHLON (various dists). Mumbles, Swansea. mumblesduathlon.com

RIPON HORNBLOWER DUATHLON (5km R/24km B/3km R). Ripon Grammar School, Ripon, North Yorkshire. trihard.co.uk BRITISH AG CHAMPS

OULTON PARK SPRING DUATHLON (various dists). Oulton Park, Little Budworth, Cheshire. opevents.co.uk EAST LEAKE ‘END OF SEASON’ TRIATHLON (400m S/22km B/ 5km R). East Leake Leisure Centre, Loughborough, Leics. 4lifeeventsuk.co.uk

APRIL 4

THAMES VALLEY SPRING DUATHLON (various dists). Dorney Lake, Berks. f3events.co.uk COWMAN CITY TRAIL DUATHLON (various dists). Willen Lake, Milton Keynes. big-cow.com

ULVERSTON TRIATHLON (400m S/28km B/5.8km R). Ulverston, Cumbria. epicevents.co.uk

TRI ENGLAND NATIONAL CHAMPS

HARLECH TRIATHLON (various dists and events). Harlech, Merionethshire, Wales. alwaysaimhighevents. com GRANTHAM TRIATHLON (various dists and events). Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham, Lincs. sbrevents.co.uk BOUNDARY PARK TRI (750m S/55km B/10km R). Boundary Water Park, Allostock, Cheshire. uswimopenwater.com CLITHEROE TRIATHLON (400m S/30km B/8km R). Ribblesdale Swimming Pool, Clitheroe, Lancs. epicevents.co.uk MAIDSTONE DUATHLON (various dists). Maidstone, Kent. velocity-events.co.uk

BEDFORD AUTODROME DUATHLON (10km R/39km B/5km R). Bedford Autodrome, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire. nicetrievents.com STORM THE CASTLE DUATHLON (10km R/33km B/5km R). Ludlow, Shropshire. stormthecastleduathlon. com WEST LANCS SPRING TRIATHLON (400m S/18.5km B/ 5km R). Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancs. epicevents.co.uk LINCOLN SPRINT TRIATHLON (400m S/23km B/5km R). Burton Waters, Lincoln. osbevents.com WILMSLOW TRIATHLON (various dists). Wilmslow Leisure Centre, Wilmslow, Cheshire. opevents.co.uk

OSPREY SPRINT TRIATHLON (300m S/17km B/5km R). Osprey Leisure Centre, Portland, Dorset. bustinskin.com SPLASHWORLD TRIATHLON (400m S/20km B/5km R). Dunes Splash World, Southport, Merseyside. epicevents.co.uk STIRLING DUATHLON (various dists). University of Stirling, Stirling. stirlingtriathlon.com STOCKTON DUATHLON FESTIVAL (various dists). Stockton Riverside, Durham. trihard.co.uk WINCANTON TRIATHLON (400m S/27km B/5km R). Wincanton, Somerset. wincantontri.com

MAY STRATFORD TRIATHLON (various dists). Stratford Leisure Centre, Stratford-uponAvon, Warwickshire. uktriathlon.co.uk HORWICH TRIATHLON (500m S/40km B/ 8.6km R). Horwich Leisure Centre, Horwich, Lancashire. epicevents.co.uk SKEGNESS TRIATHLON (various dists). Richmond Holiday Park, Skegness, Lincolnshire. sbrevents.co.uk STEYNING TRIATHLON (various dists). Steyning Leisure Centre, Steyning, West Sussex. rawenergypursuits.co.uk SOUTHWELL SPRINT TRIATHLON (400m S/17.6km B/5km R). Southwell Leisure Centre, Southwell, East Midlands. osbevents.com

STOCKTON DUATHLON FESTIVAL

26 APRIL Go Tri, sprint and standard races are on offer at this fully-closed road event, which also offers European (standard) and world (draft-legal sprint) qualification and national champs status.

DAVE CHARNLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

ST NEOTS TRIATHLON SERIES 1 (various dists). Regatta Meadow, St Neots, Cambridgeshire. nicetrievents.com

THE ROC (SPRING) (1.5km S/50km B/12km R/50km B/1km R). Abersoch, Gwynedd, North Wales. abersochtriplecrown.com

ETON SPRINTS (various dists). Dorney Lake, Berkshire. humanrace.co.uk IMMORTAL STOURHEAD (various dists). Stourhead, Wiltshire. immortalstourhead.com STRADBROKE TRIATHLON (160m S/17km B/3km R). Stradbroke, Suffolk. canbuttri.co.uk

16-17

TATA STEELMAN (various dists). Port Talbot, South Wales. welshtriathlon.org OUTLAW HALF NOTTINGHAM (1.2-mile S/56-mile B/ 13.1-mile R). National Watersports Centre, Nottingham. outlawtriathlon.com SOUTHPORT TRIATHLON (various dists). Marine Drive, Southport. epicevents.co.uk #51FIVER COTSWOLD TRIATHLON (1.5km S/40km B/10km R). Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire. dbmax.co.uk CRANBROOK SPRINT TRIATHLON (300m S/20km B/ 5km R). Weald Sports Centre, Cranbrook, Kent. velocity-events.co.uk

Biomechanics The forces applied to your body during exercise bonking Running out of energy mid-race or training session Brick session When you ‘brick’ two disciplines together, e.g. bike & run Cadence Pedal rate on bike, in revolutions per minute (rpm)

Carb-loading Eating a carb-heavy meal prior to a race to boost energy Catch The part of the swim stroke where you pull on the water Core strength Development of the stomach and lower back area in support of whole body strength DNS/dnf Did not start, did not finish – abbreviations in race results

OUTLAW HALF NOTTINGHAM

17 MAY A fast, scenic course with a welcoming racing atmosphere has made this race the UK’s fastest-selling tri. Charity entry still available for 2020.

DOMS Delayed onset muscle soreness (after racing or training) DQ Disqualified, abbreviation in race results

March 2020 /

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TRI SPEAK (CONT) Drafting Hitching a ride on someone else’s slipstream in the bike or swim Drag The amount of turbulent displaced air that an object creates, resulting in a slowing effect Duathlon Usually a run/bike/run format Electrolyte drink Contains sodium and potassium to help your body hydrate Elite Another word for a ‘pro’ – e.g. the Brownlees Glycemic index A ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood glucose levels HIT High-intensity training HRmax Your maximum heart rate Hyponatremia A deficiency of sodium in the blood Intervals Intensive training using repeated on/off efforts Kona Place in Hawaii where Ironman Worlds are held every October Lactic acid Produced in high-intensity workouts, it can inhibit oxygen movement around the body and slow you down Low glycogen training Training without taking on carbs to increase the body’s ability to burn fat

106 /

/ March 2020

BLENHEIM PALACE TRIATHLON

30-31 MAY An excellent beginners’ race in the grounds of Blenheim Palace – just be ready for the killer hill run out of the lake, around the palace and into transition.

ARUNDEL LIDO TRIATHLON (various dists). Arundel Lido, West Sussex. rawenergypursuits.co.uk CHESHIRE TRIATHLON (various dists). Nantwich, Cheshire. uktriathlon.co.uk ASHBOURNE TRIATHLON (various dists). Ashbourne Leisure Centre, Derbyshire. pma-racing.co.uk

23-24

LOUGH CUTRA CASTLE TRIATHLON (various dists). Lough Cutra Castle, Co Galway, Ireland. castletriathlonseries.co.uk

THE SWYD TRI (various dists). Barry Island, Glamorgan, South Wales. allornothingevents.com GRAFMAN TRIATHLON (1.9km S/88km B/ 21.1km R). Grafham Water, Huntingdon, Cambs. nicetrievents.com MARLOW CLASSIC TRIATHLON (various dists and events). Higginson Park, Marlow, Bucks. f3events.co.uk

SRI CHINMONY SOMERSET SPRINT TRIATHLON (400m S/25km B/5km R). Portishead Open Air Pool, North Somerset. srichinmoyraces.org HERTFORDSHIRE SPRING TRIATHLON (various dists). Stanborough Lakes, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. activetrainingworld.co.uk

ARCTIC ONE TRI & PARA-TRI FESTIVAL (various dists). Dorney Lake, Berks. arctic1.co.uk WESTONBIRT SPRINT TRIATHLON (400m S/24km B/5km R). Westonbirt School, Tetbury, Glos. dbmax.co.uk

TAUNTON TRIATHLON (400m S/21km B/5.7km R).Taunton School, Taunton, Somerset. tauntontriathlon.com

30-31

BLENHEIM PALACE TRIATHLON (various dists). Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire. livetotri.co.uk

SWANSEA TRIATHLON (750m S/20km B/ 5km R). Prince of Wales Dock, Swansea. swanseatriathlon.com FLEET FEET SPRINT TRIATHLON (various dists). Knockburn Loch, Banchory, Aberdeenshire. fleet-feet.com EPIC MAN WINDERMERE (various dists). YMCA Lakeside, Lakeside, Cumbria. epicevents.co.uk SWASHBUCKLER MIDDLE DISTANCE TRIATHLON (1.9km S/90km B/ 22km R). Buckler’s Hard, Beaulieu, Hampshire. theswashbuckler.co.uk

JUNE 6-7

WORLD TRIATHLON LEEDS (various dists). Leeds, Yorkshire. leeds.triathlon.org

IM 70.3 STAFFORDSHIRE (1.9km S/90km B/21.1km R). Lichfield, Staffs. ironman.com THE MARSHMAN (various dists). Action Watersports, Lydd, Kent. velocity-events.co.uk TALLINGTON LAKES TRIATHLON (various dists). Tallington Lakes Country Park, Tallington, Lincolnshire. sbrevents.co.uk OUTLAW HALF BOWOOD (1.2mile S/56mile B/ 13.1mile R). Bowood Estate, Wiltshire. outlawtriathlon.com

THE WALES TRIATHLON (1.2mile S/56mile B/ 13.1mile R). Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. walestriathlon.com FISHGUARD SPRINT TRIATHLON (0.5mile S/13mile B/ 3mile R). Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. fishguardtriathlon.com

13-14

SLATEMAN (various dists). Llanberis, Snowdonia, Wales. alwaysaim highevents.com

RB CREATE

EASTBOURNE TRIATHLON (various dists). Eastbourne College, Eastbourne, East Sussex. eastbourne triathlon.co.uk DEVA TRIATHLON (various dists). Grosvenor Park, Chester, Cheshire. chestertri.org.uk ROYAL WINDSOR TRIATHLON (various dists). Alexandra Gardens, Windsor, Berkshire. royalwindsor triathlon.co.uk RACE TO THE BILL TRIATHLON (various dists). Isle of Portland, Dorset. bustinskin.com THE BRIDGE TRIATHLON (various dists). Dartford, Kent. bridgetriathlon.co.uk ULTIMATE TRIATHLON (various dists). Alderford Lake (formerly Dearnford Lake), Whitchurch, Shropshire. uktriathlon.co.uk

TITAN BRECON MIDDLE DISTANCE TRIATHLON (1.2mile S/60mile B/ 13.1mile R). Parc Bryn Bach, Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, Wales. dbmax.co.uk DAMBUSTER TRIATHLON (1.5km S/42km B/ 10km R). Rutland Water, Leicestershire. pacesetterevents.com

13-14 JUNE A unique mix of incredible scenery and a gruelling course makes the Slateman a must on any racing bucket list.

20-21

CHOLMONDELEY CASTLE TRIATHLON (various dists). Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire. castletriathlonseries.co.uk

A DAY IN THE LAKES TRIATHLON (various dists). Pooley Bridge, Ullswater, Cumbria. trihard.co.uk CENTURION TRIATHLON (various dists). Stanborough Lakes, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. activetrainingworld.co.uk SOSPAN SIZZLER (1.9km S/90km B/ 20km R). Burry Port, Carmarthenshire. healthylifeactivities.co.uk

26-28

RIPON TRIATHLON FESTIVAL (various dists). Ripon, North Yorkshire. ripontriathlon.co.uk

ITU WORLD SERIES

Catch all the action live online at triathlonlive.tv

6-7 MARCH ABU DHABI UAE 18 APRIL BERMUDA 16-17 MAY YOKOHAMA Japan 6-7 JUNE LEEDS United Kingdom

SLATEMAN

27-28 JUNE MONTREAL Canada 11-12 JULY HAMBURG Germany 17-23 AUGUST ITU GRAND FINAL, EDMONTON Canada

HENRY IDDON

THE BANANA TRIATHLON (various dists and events). Dorney Lake, Berkshire. humanrace.co.uk

IMMORTAL EXMOOR (1.2mile S/56mile B/13.1mile R). Exmoor, Somerset. immortalsomerset.com

27-28

5-11

CARDIFF TRIATHLON (various dists). Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Wales. alwaysaim highevents.com LEEDS CASTLE TRIATHLON (various dists). Leeds Castle, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent. triathlon.leeds-castle.com

OUTLAW HALF HOLKHAM (1.2mile S/56mile B/13.1mile R). Holkham Hall, Norfolk. outlawtriathlon.com BIRMINGHAM TRIATHLON (various dists). Sutton Park, Birmingham. uktriathlon.co.uk THE WMD TRIATHLON (various dists). Weymouth College, Dorset. bustinskin.com

JULY 3-5

LONG COURSE WEEKEND (3.8km S/180km B/ 42.2km R). Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. lcwwales.com

ITU/JANOS SCHMIDT

THE FUGITIVE (various dists and events). Higginson Park, Marlow, Bucks. f3events.co.uk MAIDSTONE SPRINT TRIATHLON (300m S/18km B/4.2km R). Sutton Valence School, Maidstone, Kent. velocity-events.co.uk THE FESTIVAL OF ENDURANCE (various dists). Hever Castle, Kent. castletriathlonseries.co.uk

THE MONSTER TRIATHLON (5km S/1,000km B/ 50km R). Loch Ness to London. monstertriathlon.org

PEMBROKESHIRE COAST TRIATHLON (1.5km S/43km B/ 10.6km R). Broadhaven, Pembrokeshire. pembstri.org.uk

Main set A block lasting 40-50% of a session where the heart rate is elevated

11-12

M-dot Abbreviation for the Ironman logo – often seen as a tattoo!

M3 TRIATHLON (various dists). Monikie Country Park, Dundee. m3tri.com

IRONMAN UK (3.8km S/180km B/42.2km R). Bolton, Lancashire. eu.ironman.com WORTHING TRIATHLON (various dists). Marine Crescent, Worthing, West Sussex. rawenergypursuits.co.uk HENLEY TRIATHLON (various dists). Henley Leisure Centre, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. uktriathlon.co.uk CROYDE OCEAN TRIATHLON (1.5km S/38km B/12km R). Croyde, Devon. croydeocean.co.uk

18-19

IMMORTAL FARMOOR (various dists). Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire. immortalfarmoor.com

MALLORY PARK SPRINT TRIATHLON (750m S/20km B/5km R). Mallory Park, Leicestershire. racerapid.co.uk

Midfoot strike When running, your front foot strikes the ground flat – as opposed to toe or heel first Muscular endurance Your muscles’ ability to produce a given level of force for an extended duration Negative split Completing the second part, e.g a run lap, faster than the first overpronation Foot rolls inwards on impact rather than outwards overtraining Common symptoms of training too much with inefficient recovery include insomnia, headaches, moodiness, loss of enthusiasm and increased illness due to a suppressed immune system PB Personal best Pronation The natural ‘turning in’ of the foot

March 2020 /

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LONDON TRIATHLON (various dists). ExCel Centre, Royal Victoria Dock, London. livetotri.co.uk MIDNIGHT MAN TRIATHLON (various dists). Dartford, Kent. bridgetriathlon.co.uk

8-9

YORK TRIATHLON (various dists). York Sports Village, York. uktriathlon.co.uk

GOWER TRIATHLON

MARTIN ENNIS

BLITHFIELD TRIATHLON (various dists). Blithfield Sailing Club, Abbots Bromley, Staffs. pma-racing.co.uk GOWER TRIATHLON (1.5km S/37km B/ 10km R).Port Eynon, Gower Peninsula, South Wales. gowertriathlon.com

TRI SPEAK (CONT) reps Pre-fixed distances covered and pre-fixed recoveries maintained Rest interval (RI) Period of rest between reps Sculling Swim drills that use your hands alone to propel you Sighting Looking ahead/at an object while swimming to keep on course

CASTLE HOWARD TRIATHLON (various dists). Castle Howard, North Yorkshire. castletriathlonseries.co.uk

25-26

OUTLAW NOTTINGHAM (2.4mile S/112mile B/ 26.2mile R). National Watersports Centre, Nottingham. outlawtriathlon.com REDCAR SPRINT TRIATHLON (750m S/20km B/5km R). Redcar seafront, Cleveland, North Yorkshire. trihard.co.uk

ABERFELDY MIDDLE DISTANCE TRIATHLON (1.9km S/90km B/21km R). Taymouth Castle, Aberfeldy, Scotland. aberfeldytriathlon.com THE EVOLVE TRIATHLONS (various dists). The Blue Lagoon, Womersley, North Yorkshire. bluelagooners.com

25JULY The race starts on the Blue Flag-awarded beach for a fast 1.5 km swim, followed by a hilly, 37km bike around the Gower Peninsula and a scenic 10km run around Port Eynon.

AUGUST CLEVELAND STEELMAN (various dists and events). Ellerton Water Park, Richmond, North Yorkshire. clevelandtriathlon.com

SNOWMAN TRIATHLON & DUATHLON (various dists). Plas y Brenin National Mountain Sports Centre, Capel Curig, North Wales. alwaysaimhighevents. com

1-2

COWMAN/CALFMAN/ STAMPEDE (various dists). Emberton Country Park, Olney. Milton Keynes. big-cow.com SHEWALTON OPEN WATER AQUATHLON (750m S/5km R). Shewalton, Ayrshire. ayrodynamic.org.uk

SOUTH COAST TRIATHLON (various dists). Seaford, East Sussex. uktriathlon.co.uk

THE DALESMAN TRIATHLON (various dists). Ripon Racecourse, Ripon, North Yorkshire. trihard.co.uk

TRIATHLON RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS (500km S/15km B/ 5km R). National Watersports Centre, Nottingham. trisociety.co.uk

SEPTEMBER UMUK (various dists). Swallow Falls Hotel, Betws-y-Coed, North Wales. racingquest.co.uk

3-6

DORNEY LAKE DUATHLON (various dists). Dorney Lake, Berkshire. f3events.co.uk SAUNDERSFOOT TRIATHLON (750m S/20km B/5km R). Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire. saundersfoottriathlon. com THE ROC (SUMMER) (1.5km S/50km B/12km R/ 50km B/1km R). Abersoch, Gwynedd, North Wales. abersochtriplecrown.com

WOBURN ABBEY TRIATHLON (various dists and events). Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. woburnabbey triathlon.co.uk

5-6

IRONMAN WALES (3.8km S/180km B/42.2km R). Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. eu.ironman.com HELVELLYN TRIATHLON (1-mile S/38-mile B/ 9-mile R). Glenridding, Ullswater, Cumbria. trihard.co.uk FLEET FEET TRIATHLON (various dists). Knockburn Loch, Banchory, Aberdeenshire. fleet-feet.com DORNEY LAKE TRIATHLON (various dists). Dorney Lake, Berkshire. f3events.co.uk BOX END TRIATHLON (various dists). Box End Lakes, Bedford. activetrainingworld.co.uk WEYMOUTH CLASSIC AND SPRINT TRIATHLON (various dists). Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth, Dorset. bustinskin.com

T1/T2 Abbreviation for ‘Transition 1’ (swim to bike) and ‘Transition 2’ (bike to run) Taper Reducing your training in the days just before your big race time trials A setdistance session, where the aim is to swim as fast as you can over the allotted distance Transition area The place where you rack your bike and swap kit between disciplines Tri-bars Also known as aerobars, they help you race aerodynamically Underpronation Foot rolls outwards on impact rather than inwards

108 /

/ March 2020

IRONMAN WALES

6 SEPTEMBER One of the most stunning swims and enthusiastic crowds on the Ironman circuit – tough bike and run, though! GETTY IMAGES

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MUST DO EVENTS 2020 We showcase a host of events in 2020 that are a perfect way to test the results of your winter training…

THE ARTEMIS GREAT KINDROCHIT QUADRATHLON

SWYD SPRINT & STANDARD DISTANCE TRIATHLON

SATURDAY TH JULY

SUNDAY TH MAY BARRY ISLAND

An exhilarating team challenge of a 0.8 mile swim, a run/walk across 7 Munros, 7 mile kayak & 35 mile bike ride around Loch Tay in the Scottish Highlands. 3 different route options cater for all abilities and participants will experience a bagpiper during the swim and haggis, home-made shortbread & locally caught fish & chips along the route. Enjoy a post-event dinner and ceilidh dancing under a starry sky illuminated by a spectacular firework display. This challenging, family-friendly event delivers the most extraordinary adventure.

Sprint or standard? You decide! Both distances will exit the Western end of Whitmore Bay before entering the new transition in the Harbour car park. From there you will ride on very flat and fast closed roads before starting your run around the island finishing under the Eastern Shelter on the prom. Our finish area as always will have our DJ and MC welcoming you back with your finishers medal and our amazing memento goodie bags.

artemisgreatkindrochit.com

allornothingevents.com

LONG COURSE WEEKEND HOLLAND

SWANSEA TRIATHLON

TH TH MAY BEESEL HOLLAND KM SWIM KM BIKE KM RUN MULTIPLE SWIM BIKE & RUN DISTANCES AVAILABLE

SUNDAY ST MAY SWANSEA CITY CENTRE SWANSEA M SWIM KM BIKE AND KM RUN

Only 4 hours drive from Calais, LCW Holland is the latest event on the incredible Long course weekend circuit. It is fast becoming the “go-to” event for many athletes looking for a pre-season weekend away. With the options of the Full Long Course Weekend or pick and mix individual swimming, cycling or running events, it’s a great event for all athletes and all abilities.

lcwholland.com | info@lcwholland.com

With arguably the best finish line on the triathlon circuit, The Swansea Triathlon is suitable for all. With dedicated waves for the Elites through to first timers, the course takes place on fully closed roads and starts in the safe, enclosed open water for the 750m swim; followed by a flat and fast city centre bike and run, finishing in the middle of the city on the red carpet of Castle Square.

swanseatriathlon.com info@activitywalesevents.com | 01437 765777

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MUST DO

THE WALES TRIATHLON

THE WALES SPORTIVE

SATURDAY TH JUNE FISHGUARD PEMBROKESHIRE MIDDLE AND SPRINT

SATURDAY TH JULY TENBY PEMBROKESHIRE Mi Mi Mi BIKE

With 2 distances to choose from, The Wales Triathlon is one of Beauty! A stunning swim is followed by a fast 2 lap bike course that takes you out and through St Davids, Wales’ smallest city. On your return, the views just get better and better as you run 4 laps along the Pembrokeshire coast, lapping the crowds on the finish line on every occasion.

Wales’ only closed road Sportive, is an absolute must for your calendar. Starting in Tenby and taking in the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast national park, this ride has it all. Including the famous finish, where you will witness crowds and support like no other!

walestriathlon.com | info@activitywalesevents.com | 01437 765777

thewalessportive.com info@activitywalesevents.com | 01437 765777

STOCKTON DUATHLON FESTIVAL

CASTLE TRIATHLON SERIES

SUNDAY TH APRIL STOCKTON RIVERSIDE STOCKTON ON TEES

TH ST JUNE CHOLMONDELEY CASTLE CHESHIRE

Stockton’s well established Duathlon Festival returns to Stockton Riverside for 2020 and this year will host the European and World Championship Qualification Races - open for all. Participants will benefit from racing on fully closed roads around the picturesque Stockton Riverside. With various distances available, there is a race suitable for all. For more information and to apply visit the website.

This festival of sport falls over the summer solstice weekend of 20th/21st June 2020 and will see all levels, from beginners to professional triathletes, race in this stunning rural location in Cheshire. The event offers a wealth of triathlon; 6 adult distances and 3 juniors, from age 8 upwards, as well as the exciting 4-person Mixed Team Relay! And with 6 multisport options, 3 swim and 3 run courses including the new Marathon course, there really is a race to suit all levels.

stockton.gov.uk/duathlon

castletriathlonseries.co.uk

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EVENTS 2020

OUTLAW HALF BOWOOD

OUTLAW HALF HOLKHAM

SUNDAY 7TH JUNE 2020 BOWOOD HOUSE & GARDENS 1.2Mi SWIM, 56Mi BIKE, 13.1Mi RUN

SUNDAY 28TH JUNE 2020 HOLKHAM HALL, NORFOLK 1.2Mi SWIM, 56Mi BIKE, 13.1Mi RUN

*NEW FOR 2020* Outlaw Triathlon are heading South West for a brandnew summertime event – Outlaw Half Bowood!

Set in the historic Holkham Estate, Outlaw Half Holkham is without doubt one of the UK’s most spectacular triathlons.

Following a 1.2m swim in Bowood Lake, athletes will embark on a spectacular single-loop 56m ride through the unspoilt Wiltshire countryside before completing their epic journey with a three-lap 13.1m run through the beautiful Bowood Estate.

Holkham Hall provides a stunning backdrop to the swim, both transitions and the run course, while the single loop bike course will take participants on an unforgettable journey through some of the most beautiful countryside and coastal roads Norfolk has to oﬀer!

outlawtriathlon.com

OUTLAW NOTTINGHAM

OUTLAW X

SUNDAY 26TH JULY 2020 NATIONAL WATER SPORTS CENTRE, NOTTINGHAM 2.4Mi SWIM, 112Mi BIKE, 26.2Mi RUN

SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2020 THORESBY PARK, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 1.2Mi SWIM, 56Mi BIKE, 13.1Mi RUN

Since the inaugural event in 2010, Outlaw Nottingham has grown into one of the UK’s most iconic long distance triathlons.

Outlaw X provides you with the perfect opportunity to put your summer ﬁtness to the test and ﬁnish the 2020 triathlon season on a high.

Outlaw Nottingham has retained its friendly, welcoming and inclusive environment. Whether you break a course record or ﬁnish at 11pm, everyone is guaranteed to receive a hero’s welcome when they cross the ﬁnish line.

Following a 1.2m swim in Thoresby Lake, athletes will embark on a spectacular 56m ride through the north Nottinghamshire countryside before completing their epic journey with a 13.1m run through 1000 acres of unspoilt English countryside within the grounds of Thoresby Park.

outlawtriathlon.com

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