Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i 220 Triathlon

The date is 10 June, the day after the UK World Triathlon Series race. The venue? A studio on the outskirts of Leeds, where the 220 team are waiting with a photographer, a table full of party props and a lot of cake. The reason? It’s 30 years since a small team of tri enthusiasts came up with the idea of launching this mag and to celebrate, we’ve hatched a plan with our friends at Huub Design to invite some of the world’s top triathletes to celebrate with us… HENRI SCHOEMAN South Africa’s Henri Schoeman chats about his plans for the year while we photograph him, which include a schedule full of WTS and Superleague races – and planning a wedding no less. “Me and Fran are getting married at…

UNDER £100 BROOKS CASCADIA 13 £100 For neutral runners who want more cushioning, these 308g numbers hold plenty of appeal. Yet there’s also enough feel for the trails via the responsive midsole. Grip is adequate in the muddy stuff, but less effective on slippery rocks. brooksrunning.com UNDER £125 HOKA ONE ONE TORRENT £105 With a lean 231g weight, responsive ride and plenty of forward propulsion, Hoka target these at trail racing but we’ve happily used them all year for training runs thanks to the 23mm stack height. The price and grip are decent, too. hokaoneone.eu UNDER £150 INOV-8 TERRAULTRA £140 The Terraultra G 260 sees Inov-8 using graphene to add a one atom thick sheet that aims to produce more elasticity and a durability for up to 1,000 miles. Elsewhere…

“I hope this will give people with serious illness hope that they can get stronger, as I’m now PBing in all my races” STRONGER THAN EVER A couple of years ago you did an article on me as a five-time cancer survivor [Why I Tri, issue 339, June 2017]. I’m just writing in to say I’ve been pretty much cancer-free for nearly three years now. In July I represented GB in my age-group at the European Standard Duathlon Champs in Romania and I won gold, meaning I’m now the European age-group 40-44 champion! I hope this will give people with serious illness hope that they can fully recover, if not get stronger, as I’m now getting PBs in all my races! David Fletcher 220 replies: Absolutely brilliant to hear from…

No two backsides are the same, and there are many different styles of saddle to choose from, depending on variables such as the width of your sit bones and the type of riding you do. A big, comfy saddle with plenty of gel padding might feel lovely for short commutes in the city, but on longer rides it’ll deform as you sink into it, which can cause chafing and saddle sores. A technical saddle will have minimal and strategically placed padding that works in conjunction with the chamois in your shorts to provide comfort in the areas that are planted to the seat, and pressure relief where there’s movement. For triathlon, where the rider can be perched on the end of the saddle for long periods in the aero position,…

Scan the Ironman and ITU circuits and it’s commonplace to see an elite athlete dressed in what some call ‘contraception socks’. It’s the same for age-group triathletes around the world. Yes, they might resemble football socks from lost property, but that tight fit is vital to enjoy the mooted benefits of compression wear. “Size is important to ensure a graduated level of compression at the optimum levels to assist circulation,” explains Mike Martin, UK director of compression specialists 2XU. “Many products are sold as ‘compression’ but aren’t graduated or provide an insufficient squeeze to promote bloodflow or reduce muscle movement.” Graduated? Squeeze? What’s Martin on about? Let us explain. Every time you move, your calf muscle squeezes the veins of the lower limb to send blood back up to the…

MISSED AN ISSUE? ISSUE 367 Smash your UK race; How to beat the heat; 8-week trails training plan; Discover the world’s toughest tri; Sub-£2.5k road bikes ISSUE 366 Ultimate guide to race-day fuelling; 45 essential speed sessions; New races to try in 2019; 10 budget wetsuits on test ISSUE 365 Conquer Ironman with Patrick Lange; 23 ways to smash your first race; Vicky Holland’s ultimate run tips ISSUE 364 How to conquer open-water swimming; 25 ways to avoid injury; Wetsuit buyer’s guide; The best new tri-suits ISSUE 363 The ultimate guide to 80/20 training; Speed special, inc. Brownlee advice; 50 expert race-day tips; 14 vested tri-suits tested ISSUE 362 Lucy Charles-Barclay on how to race faster; Swim advice for complete beginners; 3 sub-£1k road bikes; 10 long-course tri-suits Why not…

“Run the first set at your race pace, cover up your watch or timer and just run” One of the big challenges with triathlon is that, regardless of distance, it’s still a long event. If you go off too fast you’re going to suffer by the end of the day. That’s why it’s important to pace your run correctly so that you use the last remaining energy in your body efficiently. A watch or timer will be useful here to help keep track of your times. At first glance, the session might look incredibly simple but what I’d like you to do is run the first set at your race pace, cover up your watch or timer and just run. Then for the second set, use your timer to make…

What is meant by a ketogenic diet? It’s a low-carb, high-fat diet that lowers blood-sugar and insulin levels. It also shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones. How can yoga help my swim? When it’s done regularly, yoga can boost a swimmer’s performance in the pool, as well as decreasing their risk of injury. People who swim competitively or train rigorously are often tight in the shoulders, hamstrings and hip flexors. The front of their body tends to be relatively overdeveloped compared with the back, which can cause them to hunch forward. So gentle backbends, twists and poses that strengthen the core are all helpful. Also, increasing the range of motion in the ankles and feet can really improve a swimmer’s kick. Can you train…

1 Ironman 70.3 Pays d’Aix is set for 17 May. Nearly 2,500 athletes took on the 2019 event with a lake swim, hilly bike route and city-centre finish line.ironman.com 2 One of the toughest Irons is the Altriman in the French Pyrenees in July, consisting of over 5,000m of elevation gain on the bike alone. There are also middle-, Olympic-and short-course options on offer.altriman.com 3 A lake swim at 700m above sea level, a bike on the climbs of the Tour and a high-altitude run: July’s Alpe d’Huez is a tri like no other.alpetriathlon.com 4 Another of the world’s hardest irons is August’s Embrunman, held since 1984 in the Hautes-Alpes. Much of the acclaim – and pain – comes from the mountainous 186km bike route.embrunman.com…

RACE LIKE IT’S 1989 Over 30 years, tri kit has moved on massively – so how does it feel to race in kit from 1989? We sent one triathlete back in time to find out, on p40. 30 ULTIMATE TRI TIPS Go to p49 where the best athletes and coaches from 30 years of tri share the secrets that will help you train smarter and race faster. TIM DON COMPETITION! Want to spend a day training with one of the sport’s icons? On p64, enter our exclusive comp to win a day with Tim Don, plus Zone3 kit.…

Shortly after taking part in the first London Marathon in 1981, I watched Julie Moss crawl across the finish line at Ironman Hawaii on TV. I remember thinking ‘I’d love to do something more strenuous like that’ – although maybe not the crawling across the finish line part! At that time, I had a fear of swimming, but when I heard about the first UK triathlon, taking place in Reading in 1983, I signed up. Despite finishing the swim in fifth-from-last place, I clawed my way back on the bike and overtook about a hundred people on the run to take eighth place overall. I had planned to go back to long-distance running afterwards, but I ended up catching the tri bug. I loved meeting people and travelling the world.…

1 Practise turning around buoys. Try to avoid the inside line - going wider at the turn means swimming only slightly longer, but the water will be much clearer. 2 Select a low gear before the climb and build your effort until you reach the crest of the hill. Aim to keep your HR to low zone four, or under 100% of FTP. 3 Brake early before corners rather than during the corner. Road bikers, ride on the drops, and TT bike riders need to keep their weight low on the bike. Look towards the exit of the turn, where you want the bike to go, rather than at the road. 4 Keep good run form as you run uphill - look up the hill and slightly exaggerate your arm…

Tiananmen Square. The Berlin Wall. The Hacienda and the Stone Roses debut album. Del Boy falling through the bar. Politically and culturally, 1989 was a landmark year in contemporar y histor y. And it was also a seminal 12 months in the sport of triathlon. The year saw the formation of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the debut ITU World Champs landing in France, and the greatest Ironman race in the sport’s histor y – the Iron War between Dave Scott and Mark Allen – taking place in Kona, Hawaii. It was also the year a 32-page magazine by the name of Two Twent y was created by a team of tri enthusiasts in Swindon that soon played a fundamental role in the development of triathlon in the UK. “The…

We couldn’t celebrate our 30th birthday without adding a very special present to the mix – and so, thanks to the team at Zone3, one reader can win an amazing moneycan’t-buy prize! Yep, we’re giving away the chance to spend a day training with triathlon icon and 220 columnist Tim Don, plus a bundle of Zone3 kit, which, combined, will give you everything you need to hit your tri goals! THE DON Tim Don is one of the legends of our sport. After earning short-course kudos as a three-time Olympian and four-time ITU world champion (in triathlon and duathlon), the man known as ‘The Don’ turned his attention to half-Ironman distance, which resulted in a collection of Ironman 70.3 titles, as well as an Ironman victory in his first attempt…

Head to your local lake this summer and such is the popularity of the Swedish sport of swimrun now in the UK, you’ll possibly see at least a couple of people running in and out of the water wearing funny-looking wetsuits and all kinds of other paraphenalia. But if you’re thinking of trying swimrun for the first time, do you really need to splash out on a new suit? Well, in short, we would say yes. Okay, you can do a race in an old tri wetsuit cut down above the knees (and possibly arms too), but it’ll likely be uncomfortable to run in and lack many of the features that specialist swimrun suits do. These include a front zip for flexibility, extra buoyancy in the legs and torso, stretchy…

COMPRESSION SOCKS These knee-high garments, graduated to the compressive levels required, not only aim to improve venous return and reduce muscle oscillation, but also provide ankle, foot and arch support. That’s of particular benefit to triathletes who severely overpronate or who are recovering from Achilles issues. Use during and/or after both cycling and running sessions. CALF GUARDS Again, designed to speed up toxin clear-out and cut down on micro tears in the muscle, but lacks the foot portion of socks. Why? In all honesty, it’s really down to personal comfort. Duathletes might go for guards if they want to race without socks, while many might just prefer the feeling of regular socks. COMPRESSIVE BASE LAYER As the name suggests, a base layer featuring compression. The aim is to cut fatigue…

“Increasing your stroke rate in a sea swim is particularly advantageous, as it’s easy to lose momentum and even miss a stroke” Maintaining momentum is fundamental to successful open-water swimming. The world’s best male 1,500m pool swimmers have stroke rates of around 68-76spm, while the best male open-water swimmers tend to have a range of 75-90+spm. Female swimmers have even higher stroke rates, without fighting the water. Initiating the ‘catch’ fractionally earlier and slightly shortening the stroke length helps to maintain momentum, limb speed and takes advantage of the elastic properties of a swim wetsuit, all of which optimises open-water racing. While increasing your stroke rate in a sea swim is particularly advantageous, as it’s easy to lose momentum and even miss a stroke in high swell. This open-water session…

As the triathlon season draws to a close, many athletes will be looking to finish on a high. This could be for any number of reasons. Maybe their season went really well and they want to keep it going before finally taking a break. Or perhaps their season didn’t go quite as well as they’d have liked, so targeting a final multisport race will give them a chance to justify all their hard work. Either way, keeping the season going with a duathlon is a superb opportunity to get the most from the year. Plus, it can provide some useful benchmarks to carry forward into next year’s training and racing. A standard-distance duathlon (10km run, 40km bike, 5km run) is similar in total duration to a triathlon – though some…

QI’m an experienced age-grouper, currently training for the ITU Standard Worlds in August, but I tend to suffer muscle cramps in my calf towards the end of the bike and usually when taking my foot out of the shoe prior to dismounting. I’ve never DNF’d but I tend to back off a bit in an attempt to prevent the problem. I’ve tried upping my electrolyte and fluid intake, but to no avail. Could it be muscular fatigue? Gavin Munn A Muscles cramps are a common nuisance in sport. They can be unpredictable, happen without warning and be very unpleasant. Unfortunately, our calf muscles are the most susceptible. Once the cramping has stopped, it can leave the area sore and tender for several hours, and in race situations can lead to…

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. Your own favourite 220 feature “My Lanzarote report. It was my first Ironman and I went to the OTE Performance Centre for testing.” HELEN WEBSTER 220’s editor made the move from marathons to tri six years ago. Happiest when…

QSW (Quest Sports Wear) are a new British brand specialising in multisport wear, with jammers, wetsuits and tri-suits all present in their range. Seen here is the Alcatraz Speed Sleeved Tri Suit, inspired by one of the greatest races in all of triathlon, San Francisco’s Escape from Alcatraz. Plenty of tri-friendly features are present and correct, with flatlock seams, a full-length zip for racing convenience and sizeable open rear pockets for nutrition. Large venting panels on the sides aim to provide breathability, while the chamois is fairly narrow (just 13cm wide) and lean but spongy. Elsewhere in QSW’s debut collection is a Wildflower sleeveless tri-suit, entry-level wetsuits from £120 and a range of custom kit options for clubs. There are also plans afoot for sportswear made from 100% recycled materials.…

1 Arrive into transition warm and protected from the winds in the Millenium Linencool Pro (£70) from Odlo, which can also be worn on the run for chilly duathlon races. Two zipped pockets are also ideal for storing keys and cards. 2 The Tardis-like Transition Backpack (£79) from Orca has plenty of room for dry and soggy kit (including a designated wetsuit area) and boasts a protective helmet housing. Padded straps, a 50 litre capacity and the ability to stay upright complete a quality race-day package. 3 Legal and lightweight (53g), the Rak-It (£30) is designed to prevent your bike moving off the rail or swinging about in transition via the magnetised undercarriage. It’s especially useful for smaller or larger bikes, but isn’t compatible with saddlebags. 4 Unchain Lacing System…

DAVE LLOYD WITH SOFTRIDE Along with 220 Triathlon, Softride beam bikes began life in 1989. Yet they didn’t keep the tech all to themselves, and seen here is a steel Dave Lloyd bike custom designed to fit a Softride beam for long-distance comfort (Allsop is the name of a Softride designer). The Softride influence lives on in the triathlon superbike frames of today, and the Scott DH aerobars would also inspire many imitations over the years. Turn to p40 to see how we fared on the bike at 2019’s Windsor Triathlon.…

THE SWIM 01 STRATEGISE THE START Everyone uses a different strategy for the start but I usually pick the start point that’s the shortest distance to the first buoy. Also, I look where the swell and current are going because it can influence my position start. If you’re a GB age-grouper, you don’t want to start next to too many good swimmers! You don’t want a mid-water fight to slow you down. If you’re not as strong a swimmer, start next to the athletes who are slightly faster than you so you can use their feet to drag you to the front. Richard Varga, multiple aquathlon world champ 02 SPEED UP THE START Swim speed for me is individual to the demands of a particular race. The only…

MOST WANTED DEBOER FLOH 1.0 £1,249.99 Can the Floh justify that price tag in the open water? Deboer have burst onto the triathlon scene this year with the launch of their premium wetsuit range. The company was founded by Alex Deboer, who also runs the multisport brand Dare2Tri, and for this project he tells us he’s created the finest wetsuits in the world “by far.” These big claims have attracted plenty of big names, with multiple Ironman world champions Daniela Ryf and Jan Frodeno already on board. More headspinning is the price tag of £1,250, seeing it edge Tyr’s Freak of Nature as the most expensive production tri wetsuit around (you get a bag, cap and a t-shirt to sweeten the deal). Deboer tell us patent and fabric costs –…

Swimrun wetsuit Pick your suit according to your need and experience. Don’t choose a lightweight suit built for speed if you need warmth and buoyancy! You can wear extra layers under the suit, too, such as a neoprene vest, if your race will be cold. Run shoes Most swimruns are on trails, so choose a shoe that has good grip, drains water quickly and is comfortable. Vivobarefoot have designed an official swimrun shoe in collaboration with ÖtillÖ if barefoot-style running is your thing. Cap & goggles Wear a neoprene cap under your race cap if you feel the cold. Some of these races are long, so photochromic goggles will allow for changing light conditions. Belts & bungee cord Most swimruns are raced with a partner. The cord is mainly used…

“To maximise this type of effort you really need to focus and be fresh, so ideally in a mid-week session” With the season now in its final quarter, a great way to push a bit more aerobic power out is to complete some high-end threshold work. We want to work around 105% of our threshold, so at a vigorous pace. To maximise this type of effort you really need to focus and be fresh, so ideally in a mid-week session when the overall fatigue from the weekend has settled down and you’re raring to go again. I’d look at doing a four-week block of these efforts to build some top-end form and would complete these efforts in your race position. So either down on the tri-bars, or drops if on…

NEVER SKIP THE BRICK Brick sessions are like taking part in mini races, and really help to fine-tune your race pace. MIX UP YOUR ROUTES Try to run and ride on different outdoor routes, to make sure you’re ready for any terrain. BE SMART WITH YOUR DIET Stay on top of your energy needs by sticking to a sensible, well-balanced nutrition plan. PRACTISE TRANSITIONS Fast transitions = a better time, so practise, practise, practise during those brick sessions.…

BASE FITNESS VS BASE STRENGTH Q What’s the difference between base fitness and base strength? Lee Booker A Base training is the general term given to training that helps athletes improve their lower-to-moderate intensity efficiency. It’s most commonly undertaken at the beginning of a long block of training – for example, one that spans the winter months when an athlete might be starting again after an injury or illness. An example of a base fitness workout is one of those long, easy sessions that last 1hr+ but are done at a steady intensity. As for a base strength workout, that might include doing 2-3 sets of 15-20reps. Aside from the aforementioned benefit, effective base training can lead to lower levels of stress and fatigue, reducing the risk of further injury.…

‘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 BILATERAL BREATHING Breathing every 3 strokes when swimming BONKING Running out of energy mid-race or training session BRICK SESSION When you ‘brick’ two disciplines together, e.g. bike & run 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 DNS/DNF/DQ Did not start/Did not finish/ Disqualified DRAFTING Hitching a ride on someone else’s slipstream in the bike or swim DUATHLON Usually a run/bike/run format ELITE Another word for a ‘pro’ – e.g. the Brownlees HIT High-intensity training HRMAX Your…