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THE UK’S NO.1 TRIATHLON MAG

A N KOEED SEPCRETS

SPOWER UNPTYROAUINRING IRONMA

T THE BREBSO NEW ATIUNERS TR P78 ST SWIM FLAESS WITHFORT EF

AERO HELMETS 9 tested for training & racing

WATTBIKE ATOM FIRST REVIEW The ultimate home smart trainer?

DREAM ROAD BIKES ...from BMC, Merida & Cervélo

PLUS

BUILD RACE�SEASON RUN STRENGTH HOW TO PERFECT THE AERO POSITION 3 FESTIVE FEASTS FOR TRIATHLETES!

WAGNER ARAUJO

14 /

/ June 2017

DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF TRI

the big pic

The USA’s Andy Potts tucks in for Ironman 70.3 Peru’s 90km bike leg, which includes two loops of an M-shaped course along the beach road ‘Costa Verde’. Potts would honour his number 1 bib number by crossing the line first after 3:44:53.

June 2017 /

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EXPERT TIPS

23 RULES

FOR STRONG

OPEN WAGNER ARAUJO

WATER SWIMMING

Scared of the swim? Thought so. Well fear not. We asked the best open-water athletes in the world how to conquer the waves INTERVIEWS BY HELEN WEBSTER

40 /

/ Spring 2017

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

Spring 2017 /

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KIT ZONE THE LATEST GEAR - TESTED BY EXPERTS MEET THE TEST TEAM

HELEN WEBSTER 220’s editor is your go-to for women’s multisport kit.

£1,499

OUR RATINGS 90+

MATT BAIRD

%

BUY NOW

Has spent years testing tri kit and accessories for 220.

A GENUINE CLASS LEADER

80-89

JACK SEXTY

IMPRESSIVE

He’s a strong age-grouper focusing on top-end gains.

70-79 %

ROB BANINO

GOOD A DECENT PERFORMER

Is a journalist who specialises in all-things bike.

50-69 %

AVERAGE

JAMES WITTS

IT’LL DO THE JOB WELL ENOUGH

He’s a published author writing about sports science.

0-49 %

POOR SIMPLY PUT, DON’T BOTHER!

52 /

/ January 2018

We rate Wattbike’s move into the home-training market

he original Wattbike is approaching its 10th anniversary, and can now be found everywhere from gym floors to British Triathlon’s performance centres. The £2,250 price means it’s commonly used commercially, so the Atom is Wattbike’s attempt to move more into hometraining territory. Hence a price closer to that of a high-end smart trainer, although at £1,499 it’s still a considerable investment.

Those who have used a Wattbike Trainer or Pro will find the Atom looks and functions far more like an actual bike: with magneticallycontrolled resistance there are clickable gears, drop bars and TT extensions (the bars can even be swapped out for your own), and a moveable seatpost with Allen key adjustment to move the saddle back and forth, all built on a solid aluminium frame. The bike comes with flat pedals and toe cages on the 170mm cranks, but you can remove them and install your own clipless pedals just as you would a normal bike.

The Atom has no screen. Instead there’s a mount to place a tablet or smartphone so you can use it with the Wattbike Hub training app or a third-party app of your choice using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth/ANT+ connectivity. Basically, this is a must as it’s the only way you can see which gear you’re in, among other things, pushing your spend even higher if

you don’t already own a tablet or smartphone. Wattbike Hub lacks the entertainment of Zwift and the detail of Trainer Road, but there’s still a tonne of data to analyse and you can use the controls on the underside of the left drop bar to change page. Using the Atom with Zwift, you can’t see the gearing so you can find yourself madly clicking during big efforts while the Atom is readjusting itself. This slight gear delay is something we’d like to see improve with further updates, plus better integration of the Atom on the Zwift platform.

Power accuracy is claimed to be within 2%. After numerous tests and graph-plotting against Favero’s Assioma dual-sided pedals with the same claimed accuracy, the Atom is shown to be consistently reliable, if slightly on the generous side of 2%.

Noise levels are adequate, peaking at 71 decibels during an all-out effort, which isn’t nearly as quiet as the Tacx Neo at a claimed 60db, but not audible enough to be annoying from another room.

Overall, then, the Atom is a fine home-training investment with little maintenance needed. And thanks to the easy adjustability, it can become an even better one if multiple people in your household want to use it. JS wattbike.com

most wanted

%

ONE OF THE BEST YOU CAN BUY

WATTBIKE ATOM T

80 %

VERDICT A HIGHLY CAPABLE TRAINER, BUT WITH A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT NEED IRONING OUT

KIT ZONE

“Wattbike Hub lacks the entertainment of Zwift and the detail of Trainer Road, but there’s still a tonne of data to analyse” January 2018 /

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BIKETEST

.

R U O T .

S E K I B .

I R T bike test

FOR

e s of th e k i b as the , but ultisport r u o m … eT on th t home in des for tri m e h i as a Cr ed t spott clists are st three G e v a cy te lh You’l ’s greatest Alps. We e world are in th y e th

76 /

/ September 2017

he dust may have settled on another epic Tour de France and you might be struggling to fill your evenings at 7pm, but there is a way to keep the memories alive: by riding one of the showpiece bikes of the 2017 edition. Happily, there are also plenty of multisport benefits to the bikes chosen by cycling’s greatest riders. They offer versatility for tackling flat courses and hilly routes, will adapt for both training and tri racing experiences and with a pair of clipon tri-bars attached, will provide plenty of multisport-friendly aerodynamic benefits.

A Tour bike purchase also doesn’t need to break the bank. While the 198 pro riders at the Tour were racing bling-laden bikes that are out of the price bracket for most of us, thanks to trickle-down

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September 2017 /

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ASDESIGN UK COM

KIT ZONE

ON CLOUDFLOW

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM 1080V7

£120 As the run shoe that Tim Don wore to a blistering 7:40:23 Ironman finis h in Brazil, the 258g Cloudflow doesn’t fit obviously into the mileage shoe category. Yet the cushioning offered by On’s patented lugs is adequate for a wide range of runners, and will serve you well for half-marathon distance and beyond if you don’t require a high level of cushioning. The 18 lugs here essentially replace the foam and gel midsoles seen on other shoes, and we love the spring they put in your step. They can get squeaky in the rain, things can get stuck in the lugs and grip is slightly compromised, but only in icy conditions. The Cloudflow may be too aggressive for steadier VERDICT THE SOLE runners, but as a training and/ WILL DIVIDE OPINION, or marathon shoe they’re spot BUT WE LOVE THEM! % on. on-running.com/gb

£115 With plenty of cushioning, the 336g Fresh Foam is one of the most supportive options on test. Saying that, we found the ‘Fresh Foam’ a bit too solid, making us feel lethargic when the pace ramped up on our test runs. This is where New Balance could learn a trick from Saucony with their cushioned shoes, and these could do with another layer in between the midsole and upper to swallow up some impact. At slower paces they towed us along adequately, but the density and lack of ground contact underfoot isn’t ideal if you’re averaging under nine-minute miles for training or racing. The outsole is almost like a trail shoe and gives good traction, VERDICT SOLID: making it a good entry-level GOOD BEGINNER’S shoe for mixed terrain.

MARATHON SHOE % newbalance.co.uk

ZOOT SOLANA 2

361° SENSATION 2

£90 Zoot’s Solana 2 is unchanged for 2017 apart from its new ska-esque design. Having used these before, our verdict is also unchanged: it’s a beast that doesn’t really feel balanced. Looking at the huge carbon rubber outsole and the minimal upper, it’s apparent that it’s aimed at those who want support but also a lot of venting for hot days (Zoot was founded in Kona, after all). But it doesn’t really cradle your foot and just feels quite flimsy, while the bottom of the shoe feels too heavy when you want to speed up. So the Solana 2 might appeal to those who want a shoe for long-course tri in an exotic location, but it doesn’t really cut it as an everyday option. And VERDICT VERY FIRM, those who like the minimal BULKY AND LACKS upper won’t appreciate the bulk SOME RESPONSIVENESS % underneath. zootsports.com

£109.99 361° are new to the UK, with their range mostly consisting of supportive and stability shoes. The upper is a nice breathable mesh and there’s a ‘Quickfoam’ layer in the midsole, a blend of EVA and rubber that provides responsiveness through the stride. We wouldn’t go as far as saying ‘instant responsiveness’ as 361° do, as it felt a bit lost in between the very sturdy and robust sole and the upper. But for us, it gave a softer and more responsive ride than both the New Balance and Asics shoes on test. Overall, the Sensation 2 is a suitable training shoe for those who want plenty of cushioning for their steady training runs, or the recreational runner looking VERDICT TOO FIRM to tackle longer distances with FOR US, BUT IDEAL IF plenty of stability.

YOU WANT SUPPORT % www.361europe.com

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/ September 2017

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MILEAGE RUN SHOES

SAUCONY RIDE 10

ASICS NOOSA FF

£120 Any shoe that reaches its 10th iteration must be popular, and we can see why the Ride 10 continue to strike a chord. There’s some flex in the forefoot, which means you can ramp up the pace and get a good toe-off, while Saucony’s Everun continuous cushioning in between the sockliner and midsole provides a stable feeling underfoot. This is complemented with an additional ‘Tri Flex’ outsole to absorb impact and, though it’s only a small difference, we felt this shoe was more comfortable and smooth than any other shoe on test. At 308g they aren’t the lightest, but the Ride 10 meet nearly every requirement for a great mileage run shoe and will VERDICT A FANTASTIC be suitable for most runners BALANCE OF SUPPORT & looking for a comfortable, RESPONSIVENESS % responsive ride. saucony.com/uk

£125 The Noosa FF is fairly light at 275g, thanks in large part to the soft rubber one-piece midsole. While all was well with the level of cushioning, the heel counter was too firm for us, actually digging into our heel while running. Another thing is the lack of flexibility; if it’s possible for a shoe to be soft yet at the same time rock solid then this is it: the ‘Flyte Foam’ material is soft to the touch but the shoe is completely rigid, creating a hard landing and limited support through the stride. The upper is more to our liking, with soft mesh that provides good breathability. This isn’t our favourite from a brand that’s usually up there with our test winners, and we’d VERDICT LIGHT, BUT recommend Asics’ DS Trainer THE HEEL COUNTER as a better do-it-all option.

FELT RESTRICTIVE % asics.com/gb

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EXPERT ADVICE

What shoes should you buy based on your pronation? Here are some tips…

INOV-8 ROADCLAW 275 £110 Inov-8 are better known for off-road shoes, and the Roadclaw 275 is billed as a trainer with a neutral ride. It’s one of the heaviest shoes on test at 342g thanks to heavily layered mesh with a very firm midsole, but this does increase comfort. Inov-8 also offer the Roadtalon shoe for racing, with the same grippy sole, but we found that ride a little flat and unforgiving. The cushioning in the Roadclaw really balances out the firm midsole, however, and we found faster efforts easier and more enjoyable in this shoe. Being Inov-8, they’re of course suitable for off-road adventures, too, so they’re a good option if you want a do-it-all shoe for VERDICT ANOTHER running on the road and FINE EFFORT FROM THE occasionally light trails.

OFF�ROAD SPECIALISTS % inov-8.com

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Pronation is the way your foot rolls inwards to absorb the shock of landing. Too much or too little and you’re technically more prone to injuries as your whole foot isn’t absorbing as much of the shock. The force of your body pounding on the ground repeatedly puts stress on the joints, especially on tarmac, so consider pronation when looking for a run shoe.

If you overpronate, look for a shoe that provides supportive, structured cushioning, with a firm midsole to support a flat foot arch. Underpronators need some cushioning along the outside of their shoe to absorb the shock of landing on the outside of their foot, and extra flexibility to evenly distribute landing impact. If you’re neutral then you’ve got a wide choice, but pick shoes for your level of experience and distances.

If you’re worried about injuries, get a gait analysis at your local run shop. You can also look at the wear on your current shoes’ soles to give an indication of your pronation type.

Your style might change as you improve or tackle different distances, so take further tests when there’s a significant change to your training regime.

September 2017 /

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TRAINING

THE SESSION

SWIM POOL TOOLS SET DURATION

MINS COACH RICHARD SMITH

WARM-UP

BOOST YOUR SWIM EFFICIENCY Rely on pool tools to swim fast? Learn to use them effectively to make you a faster swimmer riathletes love the latest go-faster gadget and many rely on pool tools to ‘cheat’ swim training rather than improving technique… only to come unstuck in racing. But incorporating some of the great pool tools available into drills/ conditioning work can really help you swim faster.

Swim fins, for example, enhance a wide range of kick and arm drills.

Novice swimmers will benefit from additional propulsion and an enhanced body position, while

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more able swimmers may benefit from using them to develop leg strength and support more advanced drill work.

Pull buoys, floats, snorkels, buoyancy and drag shorts again can enhance body position, focus arm drills and introduce resistance, but they can also encourage poor body rotation if used incorrectly.

Hand paddles are great for feedback and improving technique, but unless you’ve great stroke mechanics, they can contribute to shoulder injury. So where possible, ask a swim coach for guidance.

COACH’S TIPS POOL TOOLS THAT WORK!

3 x 100m 15secs rest • 2 x 50m side kick Wearing fins and 1 freestyler paddle on extended arm for alignment 20secs rest • 2 x 50m side kick 6/1/6 drill (6 leg kicks on one side; 1 full stroke; 6 leg kicks on other side) 20secs rest after each rep • 2 x 50m side kick 6/3/6 drill (as above but with 3 strokes, bilateral breathing, in between), wearing fins and freestyler paddles. Focus on streamlining, entry, catch 20secs rest after each rep DRILL SET Focus on catch • 4 x 50m as 25m scull/25m swim (wearing finger paddles) 4 x 50m as 25m single arm drill/25m swim 4 x 50m swim with freestyler paddles 2 x 50m fists only 2 x 50m swim 2 x 50m as 6 strokes fists only, 6 strokes swim 2 x 50m swim All 15secs rest after each rep MAIN SET Focus on pacing • 10 x 100m race pace Use a tempo trainer to hit pacing, then use the pace clock only 15secs rest COOL-DOWN 200m mixed stroke Including back stroke

78 /

/ January 2018

FREESTYLER HAND PADDLES The feedback from these paddles make them a top tool. Get a good feel for full-stroke swimming by using both hands, and use one to isolate specific stroke elements.

METRONOME YOUR PACING Tempo trainers are great to develop pacing, which is essential in tri. But practise with them to start and then switch to using a pace clock, as you need to race by feel.

ADAPT FOR BEGINNERS Reduce the drill sets to reps of 15m drill/10m swim and wear fins to improve your body position.

ADAPT FOR IRONMAN Increase main set to 10 x 200m.

JAMES MITCHELL

FINGER/SCULLING PADDLES Progress the use of finger paddles by using just the front strap.

This’ll focus the sculling drill hand position, build propulsion and improve feel for the water.

“Incorporating some of the best pool tools available into your drills and conditioning work can really help you swim faster”

MIX IT UP Mix up the drills with pool tool work and swimming to further improve your stroke technique.

TECHNIQUE Work out which aids/drills are most impactful to target specific elements of your stroke technique.

DON’T BECOME RELIANT Use tools for technique gains, but don’t become reliant on them.

January 2018 /

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TRAINING

JOHN SEGESTA

HOW TO RACE FAST IN HOT WEATHER I hope to race in Lanza (maybe even Kona!) next year after a good first Ironman season. I’m worried about how I’ll get used to the heat though, living in the chilly UK! Any advice?

Matt Allington

DAVE SCOTT

is a six-time world Ironman champion and has coached some of the biggest names in the sport, including Chrissie Wellington.

He’ll make sure you hit all your goals.

102 /

/ June 2017

ppropriately for this question, I’m in Kona writing this at the moment! There are many other hot places in the world triathletes could find themselves racing as well though – Mexico, Lanzarote, South Florida – in all of these you could find yourself racing in extreme conditions and also having travelled there having trained in much colder environments.

So how do you acclimatise? Well, it’s a tricky question as it does take time for your body to adjust to the different climatic conditions when you head somewhere a lot warmer. But there are things you can do at home beforehand.

First up, there’s some very good data and studies done around the use of sauna. A hot sauna treatment every day, or even just four days a week for 15-20mins, can really help you here.

A lot of people have to start off with

A

5-8mins and then build up over time though, so the protocol on this is to start with that 5-8mins and then progress up to 15-20mins over your sessions.

There’s actually good data on exercising under those sauna conditions as well.

Now, I think that’s extreme – but what can you do to replicate those hot race conditions without putting your turbo in a sauna? Yes, by all means try to turn up the heating a little bit. So if you’re training in winter for a hot race on your turbo trainer, then try to recreate conditions that are closer to those of race day by cranking up the heating. Maybe not the humidity, but certainly the heat!

Doing this also gives you a way to look at water loss and sodium loss under race-like conditions. Plus, your body begins to adapt and starts creating more brown fat, which has an insulating quality to it. The longer you have to train

COACHING Q&A

THIS MONTH’S COACHING PANEL NIK COOK

Bike fit Freelance writer Nik is an experienced competitive multisporter and 220’s resident bike coach.

MARK KLEANTHOUS

Bike to run transition Mark’s an athlete and coach who has completed more than 460 triathlons, including 38 Ironman events.

in a hot environment then the better your body will adapt, so I would start with these adaptations 3-4 months before your race.

DURING RACE WEEK I will mention something about race day and race week as well. I see a lot of athletes out here in Kona, just before the Ironman race, running flat out at 2pm in the afternoon! I think that’s a big mistake. The dehydration you’re going to have during that short period of time, the heat overload you’re going to get, is not good! Also, generally the athlete is running a lot faster than they would be during the race and that generates a lot of internal heat and puts an amazing load on your cardiovascular system as your body tries to cool itself down – and you’re going to feel that the next day and maybe the next day after that as well as being slightly dehydrated. Your body doesn’t need that stress just before a big race.

If you do want to try out the conditions once you arrive at your race destination, then absolutely do this – but in the window about 10 days out from the race, not the week before. Try two or three days running in warm conditions and at the same intensity that you’re planning to race at. You’ve done your homework in all your training sessions so don’t be over-zealous just to see if your body can handle it – that’s just craziness!

REPLACE WATER LOSSES One more thing – just a quick word on nutrition. The best thing to do in hot conditions is to take on fluids regularly, maybe every 8-12mins, as your body will be feeling the stress of the warmer conditions. Sweat rates vary dramatically, though! You can take an athlete of one size and look at body weight and losses through sweat and it could be completely different from the next athlete. As an example it could be anywhere up to 6% of body weight, or even 7 or 8% in an Ironman race, because the intensity is slower for the run segment.

The intake required by an athlete on an hourly basis can vary from anything between 400ml up to 1.8-litres – it’s a huge variance, so you can’t put a figure on it and tell people how much they should be drinking. The way to do it is to work out your body’s personal needs by weighing yourself before exercising and then weigh yourself again after exercising in those hot conditions, then work out your percentage weight losses and then go from there.

I hope these tips help unravel some of your questions. And good luck with your bid to qualify for Kona!

Need some advice from Dave Scott? Email asktheman@220triathlon.com

JOHN WOOD

Back-to-back sessions John is an award-winning tri coach of 10 years, a former international swimmer and has raced all distances up to Ironman.

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

How can I improve my transition?

In short, practice! If you can, do a mini tri at your local gym (hopefully one that has a pool) or set up your race bike on a turbo and lay out all your kit in your garden/house. To make it even quicker, use clip-in bike shoes but, again, practise with these as slotting your feet into the shoes on the fly requires skill.

What’s the difference between lactic acid and lactate?

Basically, lactate is lactic acid missing one proton. The body produces and uses lactate, not lactic acid.

Is magnesium good for cramp?

There’s little evidence to support magnesium supplementation reducing the risk of exercise-associated muscle cramping.

However, western diets don’t tend to be rich in magnesium, and given the strong evidence that supplementation helps other forms of cramps (e.g. night cramps), it’s still wise to include a supplement and the following foods in your diet: unrefined breads (not white) and cereals, whole brown rice, all nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds), beans, peas and lentils (especially chickpeas) and all green leafy veg.

AMANDA MCCRACKEN Mindfulness Amanda is a writer, university lecturer, triathlete, and running and tri coach with 15 years’ experience.

ASK 220 BIKE FIT ADVICE What should you look for to indicate that your bike is fitted properly?

Karl Paulsen

Q

Phil Burt, GB Cycling Team lead physio and author of Bike Fit, talks about the three pillars of bike fit: aerodynamics, comfort/sustainability and power. How you prioritise these comes down to a number of factors including your goals, experience and injury history.

For example, you could spend thousands on wind tunnel time to find an ultra-aero position but, if you couldn’t sustain it for your bike leg, it’s not the right fit for you.

A better question would be, ‘How do I know if my bike’s fitted incorrectly?’. The simple answer is, ‘If it’s preventing you from attaining your training and racing goals’. Is riding pain-free? Can you hold your position? Does your bike handle well?

Do you feel you’re delivering power effectively? Are you aerodynamic? If, depending on your goals and priorities, you’re answering no to any of these questions, it’s probably worth assessing your bike set-up.

For the majority of riders, investing in a physio-led motion capture bike fit will have far more of a positive impact on their bike split than any carbon bling upgrade.

Nik Cook

A

HOW TO AVOID JELLY LEGS At the start of the run following T2, my back often aches and my legs feel like jelly. How can I make this transition more comfortable?

Paul Jameson

Q

During the bike your hips will have been compressed, so when you start your run your lower back tightens up and you’re unable to use your normal gait.

Firstly, a professional bike fit is a must.

A

June 2017 /

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how was it for you?

THE LEGEND OF LANZA With howling winds, lava fields and searing heat, Ironman Lanzarote is the European Kona. So just how tough is the 226km classic? Greg Ashley faces the Mirador Del Rio and naked pensioners to find out… WORDS BY GREG ASHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIEGO SANTAMARIA/IRONMAN FINISHERPIX

108 /

/ July 2017

IRONMAN LANZAROTE

July 2017 /

/ 109

essential kit

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

TRI�SUITS Comfort is key when buying a tri-suit.

Ideally it needs to be supportive, lightweight and include pockets.

Also check for any irritating seams.

Here we’ve included both sleeved and vested options.

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

92 %

dhb Blok Short Sleeve £76.00 Comfy, easy on the wallet and eyes. A major statement of intent from the brand.

Issue 340 wiggle.co.uk

84 %

dhb Wetsuit £99.99 There’s much to admire in this budget suit – easy to remove, durable and warm.

Issue 338 wiggle.co.uk

91 %

blueseventy TX2000 £100 A top quality, good value performance suit with plenty of padding and roomy side pockets.

Issue 337 blueseventy.co.uk

92 %

roka Maverick Comp II £255.00 Unrivalled flexibility and spec for the price. Sub-2mm thickness on arms = excellent movement.

Issue 338 roka.com

92 %

heart sports Short Sleeve £115 Remarkably good, remarkably versatile… and remarkably cheap.

Issue 344 heartsports.co.uk

91 %

blueseventy Reaction £345.00 The latest version of this topend suit is even better than ever… and at a mid-end price.

Issue 338 blueseventy.co.uk

89 %

sailfish Aerosuit Comp 199 Comfortable, fast and great for warmer climes. A top quality suit from the German brand.

Issue 341 sailfish.com

93 %

2xu Propel £550.00 Supremely light for all race distances, leaving you fresh for the bike and run.

Issue 338 2xu.com/uk

88 %

louis garneau Course Lgneer £269.00 Excellent suit that’s packed with tech and looks great.

A sound investment for all distances.

Issue 339 garneau.com

88 %

zone3 Victory D £645.00 Luxurious – titanium coating anyone? Flexible and buoyant suit with a huge price to boot.

Issue 338 racezone3.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.

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.

110 /

/ January 2018

80 %

huub Varga £21.99A good allrounder for indoors and out, comfy fit.

Issue 344 huubdesign.com

90 %

boardman ATT 9.0 £1,899.99 A top first tri bike that could see you all the way to the age-group world champs.

Issue 339 boardmanbikes.com

90 %

zoggs Predator £22 A solid, reliable and versatile training goggle.

Issue 344 zoggs.com

85 %

giant Trinity ADV Pro £2,699.00 Comfortable, fast and versatile – a very wellengineered triathlon bike at a good price.

Issue 326 giantbicycles.com

94 %

zone3 Volaire £29 Tick all the performance boxes – mighty fine!

Issue 344 racezone3.com

92 %

quintana roo Prsix Ultegra £3,400.00 Nearendless potential for fine-tuning position, and a spectacular ride.

Issue 315 quintanarootri.com

92 %

Aqua Sphere MP Xceed Titanium £45.99 Fantastic comfort, anti-glare properties & looks.

Issue 344 aquasphereswim.com

95 %

canyon Speedmax CF SLX £5,199.00 A bike that just wants to go fast… but will also get you into T2 with fresh legs.

Issue 328 canyon.com

89 %

speedo Fastskin Elite £47 A top-draw pair of race goggles with great vision.

Issue 344 speedo.com/uk

93 %

boardman TTE 9.2 £5,999.00 Slick, good handling and braking, and boasting a very impressive spec list for the price.

Issue 341 boardmanbikes.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.

81 %

361° Sensation 2 £109.99 They were a bit too firm for us, but ideal if you want plenty of support and cushioning.

Issue 342 361europe.com

80 %

inov-8 Roadclaw 275 £110 Another fine effort from the offroad specialists – make fast efforts easy and enjoyable.

Issue 342 inov-8.com

85 %

on Cloudflow £120 Divisive sole but it’s the shoe that helped propel Tim Don to the fastestever Ironman finish.

Issue 342 on-running.com/gb

89 %

hoka Clayton 2 £120 A great trainer for experienced runners and our ‘go to’ shoe for steady training runs.

Issue 342 hokaoneone.com/eu

91 %

saucony Ride 10 £120 A fantastic balance of support and responsiveness; meets every requirement.

Issue 342 saucony.com/uk

LIGHT BIKE JACKETS If you want good waterproofing, look for taped seams. If you prioritise comfort then more seams equal a better fit. Also consider breathability and aesthetics.

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.

88 %

boardman Women’s Waterproof £55 Good-looking and good features, plus the price is great.

Issue 343 boardmanbikes.com

90 %

bmc Teammachine SLR03 £1,049.99 Absorbs road vibrations very well, comfy and great price. Puts a smile on your face every ride.

Issue 343 evanscycles.com

82 %

planet x 365 Atmoshield £59.99 Offers decent protection and is built to last.

Issue 343 planetx.co.uk

95 %

giant TCR Advanced 1 £1,775 Light, comfy, full Ultegra groupset, carbon seatpost, pinsharp handling, snappy acceleration….

Issue 342 giant-bicycles.com

78 %

rapha Brevit Insulated £150 Not the most packable but comfy in the cold.

Issue 343 rapha.cc

92 %

cannondale Supersix Evo Ultegra £2,099.00 A topquality racing ride with classic frame lines. Allows you to stretch out long.

Issue 338 cannondale.com

93 %

castelli Idro Jacket £260 Immense jacket!

Durable, light and water-resistant.

Issue 343 saddleback.co.uk

90 %

canyon Aeroad CF SLX £4,499 Searingly fast, accurate and responsive; ready to race out of the box.

Issue 340 canyon.com

85 %

gore Active Shakedry £279 (Women’s jacket) Great styling and waterproofing.

Issue 343 goreapparel.co.uk

91 %

ridley Noah SL £6,308.92 Frameset performance is fantastic and custom build really lets it shine.

Issue 340 ridley-bikes.com

on a budget

SUB-£100 BIKE LIGHTS KRYPTONITE STREET F-450

£44.99 A budget and basic option, but it’s also pretty damn good – USB rechargeable, six modes, decent beam. madison.co.uk

LEZYNE LITE DRIVE 700XL

£56.99 Slick design, quick, easy and sturdy to mount, and eight modes to cover all light levels. lezyne.com

MOON METEOR STORM

£84.99 A whopping 1,100-lumen beam, bike mount, helmet mount, remote switch and recharging cable included. moon-sport.com

January 2018 /

/ 111

related reasons. Recently a lady called Jess has been inflicting agony on my arm by pulling it in a direction it doesn’t want to go and then rubbing it with something which feels like it was originally developed as a defoliant.

2 ‘ALTERNATIVE’ THERAPY DANIEL SEEX

WHEN INJURY STRIKES The usually fighting fit Brunty has a swim injury. Good job he’s not competing at the World Masters Swimming Champs soon…

MARTYN BRUNT

Martyn is tri’s foremost average athlete and is living proof that hours of training and endless new kit are no substitute for ability.

Injured! I’m sorry to bring you down with the ‘I’ word right at the end of the magazine when you’re at your most enthusiastic, but I’m injured. And in the proper tradition of age-group triathlon, it’s my duty to obsessively go on about it.

In the 15 years I’ve been doing tri, I’ve been lucky to have had very few injuries, save for a bit of hamstring gyp and the obligatory bout of plantar fasciitis that all triathletes must endure. I’ve had one or two ‘impact’ injuries, such as a fractured elbow, broken arm, three broken toes, two broken fingers, 15 stitches in my hand and a patch of skin near my chuff that was rubbed off when I went commando under a wetsuit, but we’ll call them ‘mishaps’.

The fact that I’ve had so few injuries is a feat made even more remarkable when you consider that I’ve observed an almost religious adherence to not stretching. Upon taking up tri I quickly realised that there was plenty enough pain

weekend warrior

“My stiff chickens have come home to rigidly roost” 130 /

associated with training without having to prolong the agony by stretching the bits that I’ve just used when I could be in the shower/ the pub/my bed. And since then I’ve stuck tenaciously to this policy, even if it has left me with the range of movement of a garden fence, scar tissue that’s lasted longer than most celebrity marriages, and a walk so inflexible that my family make me feel like a Tour de France cyclist by clapping as I struggle up the stairs to bed.

Now though, my stiff chickens have come home to rigidly roost and I’ve finally acquired a painful and undoubtedly preventable injury.

The injury in question is in my rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons around the shoulder joint which are uncommonly useful when it comes to swimming, something I’ve been doing a lot of thanks to an imminent appearance at the World Masters Swimming Champs in Hungary in the 3km open-water race and 800m pool race. So to get me through my forthcoming ordeal, I have the following options:

/ October 2017

1 PHYSIO

Over the years I’ve paid various people to massage my limbs, a few of whom even did it for sports-

One of the worst things about being injured is that my friend Neill Morgan, a triathlon Minion, gives me endless homeopathy advice on how to cure my ailments. Neill is a staunch devotee of many alternative therapies but, personally, if I’m in a crash I want to hear sirens rather than wind chimes, so I’m currently hiding from him in case he gives me some kind of herbal tincture.

3 DEEP HEAT

I’m sure the effectiveness of rubbing affected areas with Deep Heat is not that the warmth which radiates into your muscles has repairing qualities, but instead that the burning skin where you’ve just slathered yourself with medicinal napalm immediately takes your mind off any other pain you may be experiencing. Add to that it smells like it can be used to remove graffiti, and is enjoyed by people who actively enjoy nausea.

IT AND 4 IGNORE TAKE IBUPROFEN I’ve largely focussed on this option. I could try some stretching I suppose but I’m in quite enough pain already.

PS. Thank you to everyone who voted in the great ‘What Race Should Brunty Do Next Year’ referendum. Your choices were a solo channel swim, the Marathon des Sables, and Lands’ End to John O’Groats on a Brompton dressed in a tweed suit, and the winner was…

LEJOG on a Brompton! I look forward to acquiring some mighty rashes on my sensitive areas from my woollen plus-fours – cheers! Second was MdS, third the Channel, so I’ll do them as well, in that order.