220 Triathlon August 2022

If there’s a theme that runs throughout this mag for me, it’s one of adapting and finding a way to enjoy triathlon, no matter what life throws at us. We start with Ali and Jonny Brownlee - names that need no introduction - but as their careers progress and change, we were keen to find out their next steps (spoiler alert: they still like beasting it around the Yorkshire Dales). Next, we met up with Claire Cashmore and Dave Ellis to spend a day training with the GB Paralympic team (p34), surely no better example of adapting and finding a way to tri. Finally, our ‘slacker’s guide to triathlon’ (p41) is a reminder that for us mere mortals, being realistic and finding time without giving up our regular lives is…

THE BIG PIC Over 200 triathletes flocked to the rolling East Yorkshire hills for the first Marauder race of the season at the Allerthorpe Triathlon on 19 June. Treated to unremittent sunshine and a closed-road course starting from the beautiful Lakeland Park, waves of triathletes dived in for the sprint and super-sprint events to the cheering of a supportive crowd. After a chaotic lake swim and intense battle on undulating roads,first-place accolades went to Charlie Swales and Neve Hattee in the sprint event. In a day of comebacks and records, the hilly southwestern region of Germany witnessed a doubleGerman win at Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau. Ripping past woodlands, vineyards and orchards, thousands of triathletes took on the land of 1,000 hills on 29 May. Making a return to racing post-pandemic, Laura…

START QUICK SCIENCE Looking to train stronger next session? It’s time to turn to cherries, according to recent research in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise undertaken by a team led by PhD student Jimmy Wangdi. Ten participants completed two sets of knee-exercise trials after either seven days of Montmorency cherry supplementation (MCC) or a placebo. The subjects completed a battery of tests including singleleg jumps and isokinetic contractions, and soreness measures were assessed before, immediately after, plus 24 and 48hrs post-test via blood tests and muscle biopsies. The team then analysed several' recovery markers’ including levels of creatine kinase, which is associated with muscle damage, and C-reactive protein, associated with muscle repair. The results? MCC ingestion conserved muscle strength better than the placebo, while, at a deeper level,…

UNDER £20 RONHILL SUN SPLIT CAP £18 This foldable cap is ideal for packing light. It’s made of durable nylon, offers UPF50 sun protection and is adjustable via the Velcro strap at the rear. ronhill.com UNDER £26 MONTANE CODA CAP £25 Lightweight, stylish and breathable, the Coda cap is suited to hard sessions. Ventilation holes help dump heat, while the Coolmax internal headband wicks sweat. montane.co.uk UNDER £40 GORE WEAR GORE-TEX CAP £39,98 When the wind picks up or the heavens open, you may want a little more protection from the elements. This cap is water- and wind-proof, but this maybe a trade-off against breathability. gorewear.com…

START Some of the UK’s swimrun events may have been cancelled this year with Breca not running, but there are still a few remaining on these shores - plus a whole host of events to tackle around Europe and the world. So if you’re signed up for one, then the new range of Orca swimrun wetsuits will be good news. The brand has been operating in the swimrun game for years and has now consolidated its range into the Aesir (£449) and Vanir (£199) suits. Orca tell us the Aesir, pictured here, is the most elastic wetsuit in its range, with a vest-like construction designed to provide optimal performance for both running and swimming. Improvements to the fit and hydrodynamics have also been made, which are said to help prevent…

MEET JANE Jane Holmes, 51, lives in West Wales with her husband, Steven, their three rescue dogs and two cats. A keen club runner, she was unexpectedly diagnosed with advanced lung cancer aged 43 and given a very poor prognosis, but eight years later she has dared to tri. I was quite sporty at school and liked swimming and tennis. I entered a couple of triathlons pre-diagnosis - I did an Olympicdistance triathlon and a relay with some work colleagues and my husband. When we moved to Wales in 2010 I did my first marathons, of which Snowdon Marathon and Trail Marathon Wales were both a bit hilly! I’ve now completed Snowdon Marathon eight times. I was diagnosed in 2014.1 was still running and had no anticipation of lung cancer…