Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i 220 Triathlon

This time of year always feels a bit like the golden period to me. Christmas is over, the new year celebrations are done and you’ve likely got some race goals in mind for the year ahead. Motivation can be high when your finger is hovering over the ‘enter now’ button and that’s a good thing – if your races excite you when you enter them, you’ve got a good chance of getting through the tough training sessions! Where many athletes fall down though is in the planning after that, so this issue we talk you through how to build your season (p24), from preparing to getting through setbacks. We’re also looking at how to avoid injury, why you should consider a bike fit and the benefits of indoor training. Can…

Come winter, it can be tempting to move your bike training to the turbo trainer. You’d be right to as well – for many reasons. Training indoors is warmer and safer. You’ll avoid wet and icy roads, potholes and low light. Training indoors is easier and much less faff as well. There’s less clothing involved, you can crack on with a session with little to no planning and you don’t need to clean your bike (or yourself!) afterwards. However ditch the outdoors cycling completely and you’ll be missing out on some valuable benefits, which is why many triathletes will use the turbo for targeted mid-week sessions but then still head out for an adventure come the weekend. Yes, the long bike ride is a staple of many triathletes’ training programmes,…

Getting your five a day (or more!) can sound like a tall order, especially in the winter months when we’re all just craving carbs. But with a little thought when choosing meals and snacks, it’s really quite achievable. An adult portion of approximately 80g can include not only cooked, raw, frozen and tinned fruit and veg, but also pulses and beans (max. 1 portion/ day), juiced fruit and vegetables (150ml/day), and those found in ready-meals. Potatoes don’t count at all, however. Classed as ‘starchy foods’, these are counted with bread, rice and pasta. So this month I’ve created four 7-a-day-loaded meals to help you get back onto a nutritionally- sound path pre-race season, which also pack in a rainbow of different colours to give you the best variety of nutrients…

It is a sunny December day in Mallorca, 2023. I am sitting at home with my throbbing ankle on the sofa in front of me, following online as the Patagonman extreme triathlon unfolds on the other side of the world. Today I have been for a 40 min walk, the longest I have done since ankle ligament reconstruction surgery 4 weeks ago, and I am worried I may have overdone it. As I watch clips of the incredible scenery from Chile, I wonder if I will ever be able to return to race there. In fact, I am unsure if I will ever be able to run freely again. My ankle injury has been long and complex; it has already been 8 months since I ran a step. Despite all…

New year, new me! If that sounds suspiciously new age for an old triathlete, let me clarify – new year, new coach, which means the old me can’t get away with the things that I have been getting away with, and would still like to. I know it may come as a surprise that I have a coach when you look at my results, but over the years I have had a few brave souls who have taken on the unenviable task of trying to make me go a bit faster, very much against my body’s wishes. The most notable ones were coach Dave, who was a British champion cyclist and former national runner who worked hard to make me a bit less ponderous when it came to the bike…

Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee’s decision to run this year’s London marathon might have caught the multisport world by surprise, but not only does it make perfect sense, it gives a number of reasons to be intrigued — not just for Yee’s own performance, but for our own efforts at this hallowed and fiendishly difficult distance. Firstly, Yee’s decision comes from the heart. Born and bred in south-east London, a member of Kent Athletics Club and having run the mini marathon as a junior, it’s a race that captures his imagination. I recall his disappointment at a Super League Triathlon (now Supertri) in the Docklands shortly after his Tokyo Olympic medal success, when he spoke about the importance of racing in his home city. He felt he’d let down home…

Flemish bike brand Van Rysel will introduce the all new XCR TRI triathlon range globally this year. Co-designed with Swiss Side, the aerodynamic specialists with a background of over 50 years in Formula 1, the XCR is said to embody the expertise of the Van Rysel product development teams and showcase what is possible in terms of aerodynamic performance on two wheels. The XCR TRI Ultegra Di2 frame is made of high-modulus carbon fibre, with a weight of 1490g for the frame and 490g for the fork (size M). The brand tell us the attention to detail to not only how the bike cuts through the wind, but how the bike reacts and feels, makes it the ideal tool for going fast over almost any distance and terrain. The new…

Turn to our race calendar pages and you’ll find several hundred multisport events all ready to fire you up for the season ahead. From supersprints to Ironmans, local fun races to huge overseas missions we’ve got it all. In these cold months at the start of the year it can be easy to get carried away, though. After all, it’s months away, right?! Or on the flipside, it can be hard to motivate yourself at all when the sofa is so comfy and the outdoors still oh-so cold and wet. The main factor to success? “Choose a goal race that really motivates you,” says pro David McNamee. “The desire to perform at your goal race is what will keep you going in those training sessions where you struggle for motivation.”…

Layering is king when it comes to riding through autumn, winter and spring. That way you can adapt to whatever conditions you find yourself riding in without overheating or becoming a cold, shivering mess. And a key part of that layering system is a lightweight bike jacket. So what to think about when choosing one? A level of wind- and water-resistance is a must-have, while the jacket must also remain lightweight and packable. That last part is vital, as the best bike jackets have to be easy to stash away when not in use, preferably packing down small enough to tuck into a jersey pocket. Aside from their stashability, weather protection is clearly an important metric here. Ideally, a jacket will keep the wind and rain out during prolonged rides…

SUPPORTED BY TRAININGPEAKS Come the latter months of winter here in the UK, you may be starting to feel like you’ve been indoors forever. The reality is though, that despite all our best intentions, the short days, poor weather and freezing cold open water can make training outdoors challenging – especially if you are juggling a time-crunched schedule. Indoor training really is the best solution in these circumstances. Not only is it safer (no slippy roads or dark nights!) but it allows you to really focus on quality training. Led by one of the training platforms available – including TrainingPeaks who are supporting this month’s feature – you can find a training plan, bespoke or group workouts and all the data you need to make sure you stay on track and…

‘A’-Race The most important race of your season Age-grouper Non-pro triathlete Aerobic Aerobic exercise involves 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 three strokes when swimming 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 and run Cadence Pedal rate on bike, in revolutions per minute (rpm) Carb-loading Eating a carbheavy 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 strength DNS/DNF Did…

Back in 2010, a study showed that overuse injuries in cycling, caused by repeated, biomechanically imperfect movements, are rife with 45% of riders suffering lower-back problems and another 23% restrained by sore knees. A 2022 study into longdistance triathlon injuries revealed similar: that overuse injuries are much more common than acute injuries, like crashing. Of these overuse problems, again lower back and knee pain were most prevalent. And one of the causes of persistent spells on the sidelines? A bike set-up that works against the body rather than with. All of this is why I’m heading to The Bike Tailor in Stanmer near Brighton for a bike fit with master bikefitting craftsman Stephen Roche. Roche has been analysing and manipulating triathletes and road cyclists for years, helping them to race…

CHAMOIS CREAM Paste it onto the pad of your cycle shorts to reduce chafing and keep your bum happy on a long ride. They often contain antibacterial agents to prolong the life of your pricey shorts. SPARE INNER TUBES AND TOOLS You need to be able to fix basic issues by the roadside to get you home should things go wrong. Punctures and snapped chains are the most common faults. FOOD AND DRINK As we only generally store enough glycogen for about an hour of exertion, bars/ gels or a sports drink are essential for fuelling longer rides and stop you from hitting the wall. MOBILE PHONE, CASH A waterproofed phone is essential for calling in assistance in the event of an accident or mechanical. And carry a few quid…

There’s an ongoing battle in my house. Me versus mud. Sometimes it feels like there’s an endless stream of wet wetsuits, swim gloves and boots, muddy trail shoes and sodden bike kit coming and going. Needless to say, a ‘normal’ backpack isn’t going to cut it in my world but thankfully, brands seem to be cottoning onto this with various designs of bags becoming more and more heavy-duty with features such as waterproofing, sturdy construction and separate compartments making it easier to throw in wet/mucky gear. Overall the next few pages I’ve included some of the ones I’ve either been using for a while or which have arrived for testing recently. I’ve roughly grouped them into three pairs: tote/bucket bags, full dry bags and rucksack/outdoor bag hybrids. To choose the…

01 Get the kit you need. You really don’t need much. Most of your indoor training will be on a static bike, so a turbo trainer is likely your main investment. Make sure you have a mat to protect floors from sweat, as well as a fan for when things get hot. Some basic stretch cords and/or weights can be helpful too, as well as a mat to roll out for stretching. 02 Find your time. When you’re busy, it can be easy to bump training sessions. Make your time as efficient as possible though and schedule your time. Can you get up half an hour earlier? Or make meal prep easier to train before dinner? Write it down and make it happen. That saying ‘winter miles equal summer smiles’…

“Using a snorkel is effective because it gives you a sensory goal to achieve – that of an effortless breath” Q: ARE THERE ANY BENEFITS TO USING A SNORKEL WHEN SWIM TRAINING? Jack Leven A One of the most important skills for fast swimming is effective breathing. Breathing keeps you alive, it fuels your efforts, and it helps you maintain your position in the water. Unfortunately, the breathing action can really slow you down when performed poorly. Poor breathing skills can disrupt your alignment by pulling your head up and out of position. It’s like putting on the brakes while you swim. Slow breathing can also slow down your arm speed, which can slow down your swimming. If you’re having trouble understanding how to breathe effectively, and struggling to do…

MARCH 2025 2 FROSTY AQUATHLON (various dists) Littlehampton, West Sussex. tuff-fitty.co.uk 16 THE DRAFT-LEGAL ‘CHILLY’ DUATHLON ( SPRINT) (5km R/20.5km B/ 3km R) Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, Wiltshire. dbmax.co.uk 23 ELY 115 SQADRON DUATHLON (various dists) Ely, Cambridgeshire. elytriclub.co.uk LINGWOOD DUATHLON (various distances and events) Lingwood Village Hall, Norwich.tri-anglia.club TRIWORKS EAST FORTUNE DUATHLON ( SPRINT) (various distances and events) East Fortune race track, Edinburgh, Scotland. tri-works.co.uk 30 OULTON PARK DUATHLON ( STANDARD) (various dists) Oulton Park Race Track, Little Budworth, Tarporley, Cheshire. opevents.co.uk APRIL 6 NORTHUMBERLAND DUATHLON ( STANDARD) (various dists) Druridge, Northumberland. vo2maxracingevents.co.uk 13 DYFI DASH TRIATHLON (400m S/20km B/ 5km R) Bro Dyfi Leisure Centre, Machynlleth. ceristtriathlon.org.uk WEST LANCASHIRE SPRING TRIATHLON & DUATHLON (various distances and events) Edge Hill University, Ormskirk. epicevents.co.uk STRATFORD TRIATHLON (various distances) Stratford University, Stratford. uktriathlon.co.uk 19…