Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i 220 Triathlon

Given most readers of this mag are a similar age to me – late forties – chances are most of you are facing a similar list of injury niggles. I like to think of a niggle as something that's not going to stop me, but probably needs attention to stop it becoming a real injury. Last time I visited the physio he had to look at a troubling achilles (running), a sore back (cycling) and a clicky shoulder (swimming). Yep, I'm starting to show the signs of a lifetime in sport. That said, there are things we can do. Turn to page 30 this issue to read how to address the most common mid-life bike niggles. Plus on page 24, pro Emma Pallant-Browne discusses her high-energy racing style as well…

Two hours into the club ride and, yep, there that niggle is again… It's not painful enough to stop the ride, but is distracting you from the views, the sunshine and the chat. Yes, most of us will have our fair share of niggles, but treating a potential injury early on can keep you off the sofa and on the road, where you belong. We're not talking about broken collar bones here, but those annoying wear-andtear issues caused by the repetitive nature of cycling. First off, it's tempting to ignore these sorts of niggles and hope they'll go away, but the mantra from the experts is to get it seen soon as the solution is probably quick and simple. “Often niggles can be fixed with a tweak to your bike…

For many swimmers, a new suit is chosen mainly on visual appeal and price point. As athletes training to compete, we're a little different though. We need a suit that won't impede our front crawl stroke, which can hold up to the rigours of training and which fits perfectly. My own training is mainly around long distance – my main swim events this year were all over 10km – so I do a lot of long swims in both pool and open water. With that in mind, I can't have a swimsuit that chafes, is poorly-fitting or which doesn't last the rigours of endless wash-and-swim cycles. It needs to look good too, though. Nothing makes early more sessions more bearable than a funky suit to pull on! Luckily most brands…

Everyone tells you what to do before and during a race, but what about in the hours that follow a big outing in your favourite tri-suit? Because, and especially if you have another race on the horizon, what you do in the immediate aftermath of a race can have a big impact on how well you recover and therefore perform in the days and weeks that follow. Once you cross that finish line, it's really easy to throw all your usual discipline out of the window, and to immediately reach for the recovery beers. But by applying some simple strategies, you can still have a celebratory beverage and also feel tip top and ready to go again in just a few days. Similar to your pre-race routine, getting your nutrition…

SEAN MACFARLANE Sean McFarlane was runner-up in the inaugural Celtman, City to Summit and Brutal extreme triathlons. He runs This Way Up Media, a film production company, and Athletico Management with Dougie Vipond and Andy McCandlish. A strange but not unpleasant mixture of Atlantic air and the scent of washing up powder fills my nostrils. Up ahead, I can see many of the houses dotted around seemingly at random have hung out their washing. Their bed sheets flap horizontally and remind me, if ever I need it, that I'm running into a headwind. The tarmac on the back road gradually rises and the combination of incline and wind slows my pace. The kilometre markers are slightly out of sync with my watch and like I do when checking the weather…

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. Tommy Fury clattered down the blue carpet and proudly announced to his 5.2million followers: “Go ahead and roast my form… but could you sprint finish after a 100km triathlon?” Some achievement, particularly for undefeated professional boxer Fury, half-brother of former world champion Tyson, who looks in shape to be a threat in the cruiserweight division more than the tri course. Within a couple of days Tommy's sprint finish wasn't the main focus as it came to light he'd only completed part of the course. Internet sleuth Derek Murphy, who runs the website Marathon Investigation, outed the reality TV star for completing…

The day after we filed this feature, British long-distance pro Emma Pallant-Browne and her husband Jaryd Browne welcomed their first child to the world, Lochlan Jonty Browne, the sport's power couple having announced the pregnancy back in March. The happy news followed a particularly rough patch in Pallant-Browne's otherwise supremely consistent career, when gut and heat issues derailed her run of good form and saw her benchlined at the end of the 2024 season – the worst place possible for someone who finds it difficult to sit still (“at school, I guess they called it hyperactive!”). Yet, every cloud… “I thought I had a healthy body, but I was pushing through a lot last year and we were never getting pregnant, even though we weren't specifically trying. And then with…

MEET THE TEST TEAM HELEN WEBSTER 220's editor is also a qualified open-water swimming coach. ROB SLADE 220's resident adventure seeker and former staffer. EDWARD PICKERING Cycling author, also races run distances from mile to marathon. JACK SEXTY Former 220 staffer and currently editor of road.cc. JOHN WOOD Has competed internationally and runs Tri-Coaching. OUR RATINGS 0-49 % POOR SIMPLY PUT, DON'T BOTHER! 50-69 % AVERAGE IT'LL DO THE JOB WELL ENOUGH 70-79 % GOOD A DECENT PERFORMER 80-89 % IMPRESSIVE ONE OF THE BEST YOU CAN BUY 90+ % BUY NOW A GENUINE CLASS LEADER “The bracket and pads offer multiple options for resting your forearms” PRO MISSILE ALLOY S-BEND EXTENSIONS £139.99 PRO's Missile Alloy S-Bend Extensions are at the premium end of aluminium clip-on aerobars, both in terms…

The warmer months may be on the way out, but a decent pair of running shorts will always be a useful part of your kit bag – whether for gym sessions or for fast-paced sessions in the colder months when warmth isn't such a concern. Over the page I've tested four new pairs of men's run shorts (see the October issue and 220triathlon.com online for women's run shorts). With prices ranging from £40 upwards there's something for all budgets but think about the features you are looking for before you buy. Range of movement and comfort have to be top of the list. You don't want your shorts to pinch or bunch uncomfortably as you run and you definitely don't want to experience any chafing. There's also that sweet spot…

01 USE THE 20MIN WINDOW After a tough race there's a magic 20min recovery window where your metabolic rate is elevated. If you get your nutrition right you can capitalise on this and speed up muscle repair. You should be aiming for 200-300 calories in a mix of carbs and protein (roughy a 3:1 ratio). A recovery shake along with a banana is a great option as you can easily stash a sachet in your bag. Carbohydrates are the priority at this point as you're aiming to replenish your muscle glycogen stores; and while a little bit of protein is needed to begin the muscle-repair process, too much can hinder the body's ability to absorb carbs. 02 DON'T NEGLECT A COOL-DOWN We all know that a post-session cool-down is a must, but…

Exercise-induced inflammation and increased oxygen consumption during a workout can contribute to the formation of free radicals – unstable molecules that can cause oxidative stress and contribute to diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Luckily, the body is a wonderful thing, and has mechanisms to counteract the harmful effects of free radicals. Regular exercise helps this even more by increasing the production of antioxidants and enzymes that neutralise these bad boys. Adequate rest and recovery, along with a diet rich in antioxidants, is also crucial for endurance athletes. So this month I've created four recipes which are packed with antioxidants. I couldn't talk about antioxidants without a recipe using good quality dark chocolate. Try it in this Chocolate bark; it's an excellent source of flavonoids, including catechins, epicatechins, and…

It's an age-old debate in the swimming world: the classic ‘budgie smuggler’ versus the more modern jammer. For some, the brief is the only way to go, a testament to tradition and a minimalist approach to cutting through the water. But for a growing number of triathletes and swimmers, the jammer has become the go-to for its winning blend of comfort, coverage, and performance. The jammer isn't just a fashion statement, it's a functional piece of kit. With its longer cut, it offers a subtle level of compression through the thighs, providing a streamlined silhouette that can help you feel faster and more efficient in the water. This isn't a psychological trick—the added material can genuinely help reduce muscle vibration and improve your hydrodynamics, particularly over longer training sessions. What's…

If transition is oft-cited as triathlon's fourth discipline, then nutrition is most definitely the fifth (and it's surely more crucial than transition, too, but that's a story for another time). That importance is heightened as races become longer, with fuelling now recognised as paramount for Ironman success at every level. Ironman history is littered with examples of unusual fuelling techniques and famous bonks, including six-time Ironman Hawaii champ Dave Scott's rinsing of cottage cheese in the late seventies and Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham's famous crawl in Kona, Hawaii, during the nineties (Youtube it!). And if bonking can happen to those at the elite end of the field, it can most definitely hit the age-group fraternity as well. Gut training wasn't something on my radar back in 2018 when I…

SARAH BROADLEY Sarah has been in the triathlon world since 2013, introduced by her son who needed someone to take him swimming in a lake in preparation for his first open water triathlon at the age of eight! In 2018 she did her first triathlon – a 70.3 – and she has stayed with this distance ever since. Racing is her perfect excuse to travel and see new places. It's 7pm. There is just 5km left between me and the cod drying rack that marks the finish of this race. I've got a cramp in my left thigh. I'm soaked through and just about to set foot into the forest to commence the 300m climb up Tjeldbergtinden. As I slip, slide and grab onto trees in an attempt to stay…

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. As a proud West Midlander I'm often reluctant to acknowledge any regional shortcomings we might have, but even I have to admit defeat when it comes to one – sea swimming. While God's metropolitan region may be awash with lakes and reservoirs for all your open water swimming needs, the nearest coastline to us is bloody miles away which means if you want to swim in anything rougher than a ripple you're faced with a minimum three hour drive (NB we do have a lot of canals of course, but they are better places for finding old bike parts than for swimming). WEEKEND WARRIOR I'm…