Innehållsförteckning för 09-2015 från 220 Triathlon

There’s a possibility I’m showing my age here, but when I was at school PE meant spending most of the time fretting about itchy green gym kit, freezing showers and how many minutes of the dreaded ‘circuit’ class I could get through before a short, angry lady in a tracksuit yelled at me. I don’t remember much fun being involved – and I definitely didn’t hear triathlon mentioned once – maybe if I had, I’d have enjoyed those two hours a week a lot more! How times have changed. Increasingly, we’re hearing inspiring stories of youngsters getting involved in the sport of tri, whether through their schools, local clubs, or events such as Ironkids, Tata Kids of Steel or one of countless others out there – and what’s more, they’re…

Flatters to receive Jasmine Flatters honoured with MBE for services to tri Pro power Elite athletes form new Professional Triathlon Union The kids are all right Record numbers for Kids of Steel tour in 2015 Tri to Ireland Team Credit Suisse complete epic 1,000km journey from London Hup Holland Hup Vicky Holland pushes Gwen Jorgensen all the way in Hamburg Equal ops Ironman create elite men- and women-only races Time fades away Muscle Milk research says 17% of Brits training at wrong hours Michelle shocked Danish star Vesterby takes wrong turn at IMUK Webb of intrigue USA run star Alan Webb’s tri career reported to be over Brazilian blackout Crucial Rio Olympics qualifier not being shown on TV…

BRUNT RULES! I doubt that I’m alone when it comes to receiving my copy of 220– a quick perusal of the cover’s super human before flicking to the penultimate page to read the musings of Martyn Brunt to put a smile on my face. In Issue 314, the smile was even broader as it emerged that Martyn would be competing in the inaugural Isoman event that I’d already signed up for. I was thrilled to know that 220 royalty would be gracing Arrow Valley Park with me. As well as completing the race, I wanted to meet him! The problem with this latter aim though, was that I only had his caricature picture to go off. Because of this – and despite the size of his nose – I thought…

Two days at home in the past month. A brand-new £6,000 bike courtesy of tyre giants Bridgestone. A lifetime sponsorship with Huub. Ben Dijkstra – AKA the fastest schoolboy in the nation – is a man in demand. We’re with the teen-tipped-to-be-king at a photoshoot at Markeaton Park in Derby, where Dijkstra is ably performing sponsor duties for Huub having signed an unprecedented lifetime partnership with the tri brand in 2014. Although modest and down-to-earth, Dijkstra has the air – and looks – of a champion. He’s charismatic, lean and leggy, with a muscly 182cm/63kg frame belying his (depressingly young) 16 years of age. “With Ben, we see an athlete with the ability and approach to get to the top and stay there,” says Huub founder Dean Jackson, a man…

THE SWIM This set is aimed at developing skills. Our kids swim their tri distance every session so there are no surprises on race day and they gain pacing skills. SET 1 Warm-up 500m swim 100m FC (front crawl) swim 100m O/C (own choice) 100m FC Kick 100m O/C 100m FC swim 20secs rest between 100s MAIN SET Fins on, front crawl drills. 6 x 50m (repeat all six drills three times) as: 50m Shark’s fin (change arms at 25m) 50m Zip up and finger drag both arms 50m Superman style side kick drill (count10 kicks, then 3 arm strokes) 50m Single arm (change each 25m) 50m Catch-up (hand in front, slap it) 50m Slow, perfect arms (breathe every 3)Rest 1min between each 6, repeat twice SWIM DOWN 200m FC…

1 Focus Cayo road bike. I’ve just had a brand new Rotor Q-Ring fitted – a very cost-effective way of concealing shoddy cycling. 2 Aquasphere wetsuit. It’s like a second skin to me – dirty and wrinkled. 3 Hastily assembled selection of energy drinks and gels compiled from various free promotional boxes, after-race giveaways, and theft. 4 Ironman Canada 2006 finisher’s cap, worn in a bid to convey my vast experience and hardness, yet also apparent that I’ve been doing this shtick for 10 years so I must be yonking on a bit. 5 Free lurid orange t-shirt from my local running shop, worn to make me easy to spot for the adoring crowds of supporters on the run. 6 Two pairs of socks – one for cycling, which I…

Nowadays Halfords stock bike brands ridden by triathlon world champions and Tour de France winners, as well as the budget options they’re renowned for. Their own-brand 13 range is an attempt to remove any snobbery that might still exist among club cyclists about Halford’s commitment to quality and performance. On first impressions, the Intuition Alpha is as aesthetically pleasing as any similarly priced ride available. The bike has a racey geometry thanks to full internal cable routing, a narrow head tube and a lightweight carbon frame. The front brakes are also positioned behind the fork to improve airflow. Interestingly, the spoke opposite the valve is a different colour, presumably to speed up the process of inflation and puncture repairs – we didn’t know whether to feel insulted or grateful, but…

SPEEDO BIOFUSE POWER PADDLE £15.00 www.speedostore.co.uk These paddles from Speedo have a noticeably larger surface area than most, and you certainly feel it. Using them is more reminiscent of a weights session in the gym than a leisurely swim – when you pull through they force you to make a huge effort to complete the stroke. They won’t do you any favours if you have poor hand-entry technique, though, as the paddles are so large you can’t help but slap your hand flat on the surface. As long as you have the intuition to revert back to an angled entry when not in use (and don’t use them too much) then they’re a good strength-builder. VERDICT 81% Unavoidable hand-slappage on the water, but a useful gym/swim time saver…

1 EXPERIENCE MATTERS Researchers have investigated whether the number of previously completed shorter races, or the PB times achieved in those races, is more predictive for performance in longer triathlons. Although they studied very long-distance triathlons (double and triple Irons and upwards), they concluded that fast race times in previous shorter tri races were much better predictors of performance in longer races than a large number of finished races at a shorter distance – even if the triathletes had no prior experience of the longer distance. 2 TRAIN LIGHT, SLEEP WELL Researchers have long known that the quality and amount of sleep you get can significantly impact your exercise performance. But new research indicates that this can be a two-way process. Forty-two trained athletes underwent six days of either twice…

MONDAY SWIM 45min easy drills focusing on your technique RUN 20mins easy, including 2 x 5min efforts at 75% with good form; Finish with 15mins light stretching TUESDAY BIKE 75mins on road or turbo trainer, including 3 x 8min effort at 75% in the aero position if you plan to use tri-bars WEDNESDAY SWIM 30mins including 4 x 200m with 30sec rest at the pace you hope to hold in the race RUN 35mins moderate with middle 15min at what you perceive to be race-pace; 15mins light stretching THURSDAY Rest day FRIDAY RUN 45mins easy, including 4 x 6min efforts at 80% with 2min walk or easy jog breaks between; 15mins light stretching SATURDAY SWIM 60mins (as per sub-1hr session overleaf) BIKE 2hrs (preferably on a hilly course), on climbs…

AGE 38 LIVES OTTERY ST MARY, DEVON PROFESSION MET OFFICE SCIENTIST SPORTING BACKGROUND MAINLY RUNNING, INCLUDING 10KS, HALF-MARATHONS AND ONE MARATHON. ALSO ROWS IN A DOUBLE–SCULL FOR EXETER ROWING CLUB TRIATHLON HISTORY BRISTOL OLYMPIC TRI (11TH FEMALE OUT OF 46); COTSWOLD SUPER SPRINT (34TH FEMALE OUT OF 80); BRISTOL SPRINT TRI (23RD FEMALE OUT OF 95); GATORADE ETON DORNEY TRIATHLON OLYMPIC DISTANCE (27TH FEMALE OUT OF 58) TRAINING HRS/WEEK DOES SOME FORM OF TRAINING SIX DAYS A WEEK GOAL ALPE D’HUEZ LONG-COURSE TRIATHLON, JULY 2015; TO RAISE MONEY FOR ST PETER’S HOSPICE…

ALCOHOL Excessive alcohol actually reduces recovery as it can slow down the recovery of micro-injuries caused by the muscle oscillation in the run phase. So if you want to speed up the recovery, keep off of the beer. CHIPS AND MAYO While this certainly provides plenty of carbs, it’s also high in fat, which will slow down gastric emptying and delivery of nutrients to the body. Plus, it’s unlikely you’ll fancy so much grease after racing! GREEN SALAD & TOMATOES This may look really healthy, but you need protein and carbohydrate to help aid recovery. So add some chicken and new potatoes to make sure your healthy option salad packs a recovery punch.…

MEET OUR EXPERTS JOE BEER is a triathlete and award-winning coach who has been writing for 220 for 20 years JOHN WOOD is an award-winning tri coach of 10 years and a former international swimmer NICK DUNN is a two-time ITU AG world champ, and founder and head coach at Tri Camp ANDREW HAMILTON is a sports science expert, freelance writer and triathlete CONQUERING CRAMP Q How do I stop the lactic acid from building up in my legs during transitions? I find myself cramping up on the bike sometimes and I always get very heavy-legged on the run. Will this just reduce over time and with practice? JASON HORNBY, EMAIL A For purposes of simplicity, we won’t over-analyse the effect of lactic acid or worry about what your body…

The month of July saw 2,000 athletes take to the demanding Ironman UK course, Bolton (19th). David Mcnamee picked up a surprise victory over Fraser Cartmell and favourite Joe Skipper, completing the course in 8:46:37. Lucy Gossage won the women’s race convincingly in 9:31:58, while the fastest age-groupers were Dan Cobby in 9:30:44 and Kate Comber in 10:15:32. Taking place the same day was the City of Birmingham Triathlon, which witnessed Kevin Sleegers complete the Olympic course in 2:02:55, winning by almost 15mins. Fiona Campbell was the fastest woman in 2:41:32. At the ever-popular Outlaw at the National Watersports Centre, Notts, Craig Twigg won the men’s race for the second year running, bettering his 2014 time by over 10mins to win in 8:50:56. Jenny Latham was the standout female performer,…

MEET MATT HUGHES AGE 36 PROFESSION Journalist BEST DISCIPLINE Running WORST DISCIPLINE Cycling WHY I RACED Desperation to scratch the iron-distance itch after years of fascination You idiot!” shouts my wife, as I turn on the lights after what feels like just a few minutes sleep. She’s not a morning person at the best of times, but it’s 3am on Sunday morning in a hotel near Swindon, which unfortunately is also a wedding venue. The disco finally stopped at 1am. I wouldn’t have got much sleep anyway, as I’ve been wracked with nerves about attempting my first long-distance race, an apprehension compounded by the fact that after a two-month drought the heavens have opened in spectacular style. As I fix my bike to the car in the pouring rain I…

The Oulton Park Autumn Duathlon returns to the famous Oulton Park race track in Cheshire this October. A firm favourite among homegrown athletes there’s plenty on offer, including transition in the pits, the infamous Knickerbrook corner and a super fast course simply begging to give you a PB. Event organisers are expecting 450 competitors to take to the starting grid for the standard-distance run/bike/run event (8.6km/38.8km/4.3km) this autumn, but a shorter sprint distance (4.3km/21.6/km/4.3km) is also on offer for those who feel the need for some serious speed. The standard distance will this year host the Triathlon England National Championships, while the sprint-distance race will be draft-legal in response to the ITU’s new racing rules. Here to provide his foolproof tips for avoiding an afternoon stuck in the pits is…

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 off-season miles. TRI SADDLES Concentrate on comfort when shopping for your next seat. Also, make sure to check flexibility, weight and your inner-thigh clearance 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. BIKE SHOES Fit is the most important element of a bike shoe. If you’re going to ride in a pair of shoes for hours, they have to be comfortable. Also think about closure system and, subjectively, looks. TRI BIKES The key here is fit and comfort. Remember: the least aerodynamic thing on the bike…

Occasionally I’m contacted by deluded purveyors of triathlon gadgetry asking me to test (endorse) their latest products and share my findings with you, the long-suffering reader. I say deluded because even a cursory knowledge of my athletic achievements reveals me as Britain’s number one Tesco Value triathlete. I should also add that I’m not really a gadget man. While friends buy sleek training wear and download apps that effortlessly synch their Strava knobbery onto shiny phones, I cling doggedly to my indestructible Nokia 6021. It’s possibly a reaction to my childhood because my dad was a gadgetophile, easily dazzled by the latest 1970s tat from K-Tel or Ronco, all of which ended up in the bin. I recall one particular Christmas when he acquired a vacuum-food-fresh contraption that saw him…

BRIT CHAMPS 2015 The 2015 edition of the British Triathlon Champs again took place in Liverpool in July, with sprint and standard titles plus ITU Worlds slots up-for-grabs. Swift performances included Matthew Davison (M16-19) and Sonia Spearing (F40-44), who were the fastest sprint athletes of the day in 1:02:30 and 1:14:05, respectively. The fastest standard athletes were Alex Lawton (M25-29, 1:56:20) and Alice Jenkins (F20-24, 2:09:29). POWERMAN UK RETURNS After a short-lived revival in Sherborne in 2013 and ’14, the major duathlon series Powerman will return to UK shoes in 2016. Short-, medium- and long-course duathlons will be available on 20 June at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham, with entries opening soon at www.trimaxevents.com. KIELDER IRON Two countries straddled and a one-loop 42km trail run were two unique…

We tear ourselves and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch, because we know, when we add up those inches it’s going to make the difference between winning and losing, between winning and dying.” Ever since Oliver Stone’s portrayal of American football, Any Given Sunday, was released in 1999, Al Pacino’s rallying call has echoed across the globe, from dressing rooms to iPods on the warm-up track, with the purpose of inspiring individuals to produce their best when it most counts. American sports commentators refer to those that excel under pressure as ‘clutch performers.’ For tri, think Alistair Brownlee. The Yorkshireman’s talent for the big occasion is proven with Olympic and Commonwealth gold and four ITU Grand Final successes in six…

RACING IS A GIFT This is to encourage any readers who are struggling through a bad patch, cause I’ve been there. Running was a big part of my life, then seven years ago my wife Denise and I were in a horrible motorcycle accident while touring in the USA. We both lost our left legs. With much support and modern prosthetics, we’re both mobile again and I’m back doing endurance sports. In 2012 I completed my 10th marathon (my first in the ‘new configuration’) and my first-ever triathlon, which I would never have thought possible. Finished it; didn’t fall over; didn’t come last! My career has taken us from Houston, to Doha and now Qatar where we’ve found an enthusiastic racing scene. This year I managed my second Olympic-distance triathlon…

Anyone watching the ITU WTS races in Hyde Park and Hamburg in 2015 couldn’t have failed to notice Sophie Coldwell leading the field on both the swim and bike. While the 20-year-old from Kent faded on the run, the performances typified the grit and drive that have propelled Coldwell to national junior titles and European victories. We spoke to Sophie, who’s studying human biology at Loughborough, to talk baggy tees, Tokyo and the importance of mum… At what age did you start tri? I started when I was eight. My mum saw a local tri advertised and I thought it’d be a fun thing for me to do. It was proper back-to-basics racing; I went down with my £50 bike and mum gave me one of her big old t-shirts…

The advent of power meters in sport may seem like a recent phenomenon, but the story actually begins in Germany in 1986 when Ulrich Schoberer of SRM designed, manufactured and submitted his patent application for the first ever spider-based cycling power meter. Ulrich’s brother Rudolf explains. “Up until the 80s, no adequate method had been found to measure performance on a bike in training or racing; athletes had to rely on lab testing instead, an intermittent check-up at best that didn’t tell athletes anything about how they were performing day-to-day. And the most important performance – during competition – couldn’t be tested.” Those first power meters cost $10,000 and it’s taken a lot of time for prices to start dropping. The component parts aren’t expensive, what ramps up the cost…

SHELL The hard, smooth and shiny outer surface of the helmet. Not only does it bear the brunt of the impact, it’s also a low-friction surface so that it slides over and off whatever it collides with. CHINSTRAP The strap that makes sure the helmet stays on your head. This needs to be carefully adjusted to ensure it can do its job without choking you or getting tangled up around your earlobes. VENT Openings in the helmet’s main body to allow air to pass through it and on to your head for cooling. Vital for riding in hot conditions and also helpful for storing your sunglasses. RETAINING SYSTEM The ‘cradle’ or ratchet that hangs below the helmet’s rear end. It usually uses a dial or ratchet system to tighten the…

MEET THE EXPERT A keen cyclist and triathlete, Andrew Hamilton BSc Hons MRSC is a writer, researcher and scientific consultant specialising in cutting-edge sport performance, training and nutrition. LACTATE DURING RECOVERY…

GO TRI STOWE When 6 September Location Stowe, Buckinghamshire Distances 300m swim/4km bike/2km run onyourmarksevents.org CHELTENHAM TRI When 13 September Location Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Distances 500m swim/13km bike/2.7km run sandfordparkslido.org SOUTH MANCHESTER TRI When 20 September Location Wilmslow, Cheshire Distances 400m swim/24.2km bike/6.3km www.xtramileevents.com BROWNLEE TRI When 26 September Location Harewood House, Leeds Distances 400m swim/13km bike/3km run brownleetri.com HEVER CASTLE TRI When 26-27 September Location Hever Castle, Kent Distances 200m swim/12km cycle/2km run castletriathlonseries.co.uk…

BIKE 2hr pacing/feeding workout as: 15min warm-up; then hold upper Z1 for 90mins; consume 50g, 60g or 70g carbs per hour to assess tolerance and find optimum level; easy 15mins; jog 20mins to test leg energy. 1.5hr strength workout on rolling course, zone 1, as: 20min easy gear warm-up; then use set gear (e.g. 53 x 18) despite cadence varying significantly. You may go into zone 2 briefly on hills, but exertion is moderate (e.g. cadence = 60rpm on climbs); 10min relaxed cool-down. RUN Double run as: AM 40-50min fasted morning run on soft surfaces; PM 40-50mins on treadmill, with shoes that aren’t bottomed-out, warming up then holding feasible race pace for core 30mins of run. 45-50min duress run as: 8-13mins warm-up, easy, in Z1; 5 x 100m @5km pace;…

SUB 1HR SESSION LEVEL: ADVANCED DISCIPLINE: BIKE WARM-UP 12mins as: 8mins, gradually increasing effort to a comfortable aerobic level – around zones 1 or 2 – followed by 5 x 20sec hard spin, 40secs easy, 2mins comfortable, aerobic (zones 1-2) MAIN SESSION 39mins as: 3 x (8mins hard, aerobic effort – around zone 4 – followed by 2mins where you push a bit harder – zones 4 and 5 – and 3min easy recovery spin) COOL-DOWN 5mins as: easy spinning, letting heart rate gradually lower to around zones 1 to 2 EQUIPMENT NEEDED Tri or road bike, bike apparel, helmet, shoes and performance eyewear PERFORMANCE BENEFITS This session will give you the option to change gear as and when required. This might be to catch an opponent, beat a headwind…

MEET THE EXPERT Emma Deakin qualified as a physio in 2002 and has been head physiotherapist and medical lead for the British Triathlon Federation since 2009. She specialises in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and sport. We’re in the middle of race season, the long hard miles to build endurance are completed and training’s focusing on higher-intensity, faster, quality sessions to get you race ready. This specificity of training means you may be at risk of different injuries to those prevalent in the winter months. Hamstring strains/tears, or posterior-thigh pain is one such injury and is a frequent issue for many runners. Within this article we’ll look at the hamstring itself and why its role in the leg contributes to running injuries, how you can identify a hamstring injury and, most importantly, what…

Every issue of 220 is also available on subscription in digital format for iPad, GooglePlay, Kindle Fire and Zinio. As well as the superb content you would receive in the print version, the digital edition (iPad only) also includes exclusive videos, extended image galleries and bonus audio interviews with the great and the good of the multisporting world. To subscribe, head to www.buysubscriptions.com and search for ‘220 Triathlon’. Click on the iPad App option which will take you through to purchase your subscription (£17.95 every 6 issues, saving 19% on the standard price); set up your username and password during the checkout; download the free 220 Triathlon Magazine iPad App from the App Store; and log in to the App under ‘Subscribed elsewhere?’ using your subscription details. Bingo! MORE… 220…

You’re targeting a top-10 finish at Kona this year, how do you prepare for racing in such hot and hostile conditions? JASON HOLMES, VIA EMAIL I’m hoping to go out to Texas prior to Kona; the conditions are very similar and the training was pretty good out there. There’s going to be a couple of other pros that I know out there, too. I’m doing my first tri in September so it’s all very new to me. If you could’ve been given just one bit of advice when you first started what would that have been and why? MARIA CRESPO-GIBB, VIA FACEBOOK I’m not too sure what advice I wish I’d been given, but from my experience over the past few years I’d say that having mental strength is one…

Had a great day photographing @ Bruntyonabike today. Bloody nice guy and what determination to finish the course. Well done @ICSportstog VIA TWITTER (Check out Brunty’s Isoman report and pics from p48) @mariomola – we can confirm – fastest ever best before was 13.59 in Stockholm 2012 @worldtriathlon VIA TWITTER (Mario Mola clocks a 13:55min 5k run split in Hamburg) Never fail to yelp out a giggle reading @ Bruntyonabike. Makes you appreciate the lighter side to tri! @The_PT_Way VIA TWITTER WOAH... I haven’t had a stomach flu like that for 30yrs. Fast weight loss program. Nothing left inside, haven’t eaten in days! @GregBennett1 VIA TWITTER @ronschildknecht you the absolute man! Well done legend #IronmanSwitzerland @MaccaNow VIA TWITTER (Chris McCormack tweeting his respect for Ron Schildknecht’s eighth IM Switzerland win)…

Gordon Benson, 21 Hailing from the tri stronghold of Leeds, 21-year-old Benson recently gained mainstream exposure for winning the debut European Games in Baku, having picked up plenty of European Cup success since the start of the decade. Bronwen Owen, 18 The Welsh starlet, now based in Scarborough, has scored plenty of duathlon success, winning the Sprint Du Champs in 2014. In June she won the Blenheim Tri junior race, clocking a 1:09:57 winning sprint time. James Teagle, 19 Like Ben Dijkstra, James Teagle hails from Leicestershire and has scored plenty of junior tri success, winning the Brit Junior Elite Super Series and Junior Elite Champs in 2014.…

6:59 Enter water, windmill my arms in the air to ensure my wetsuit doesn’t rub neck, have a surreptitious wee, line up at the front. 7:01 Wetsuit starts rubbing neck. 9:10 After mentally composing a letter to my local councillor about wheelie bins I notice I’m about swim into a bank. 10:04 Exit water in 3:04:07 for fourth fastest T1 on legs of liquorice and eat an energy bar which tastes like a urinal cake. 10:15 Charge off on the bike and almost forget that I’ve just swum seven miles. The faint smell of mouldy towels coming from my tri-suit reminds me. 11:15 Flying on the bike! Catch and overtake cyclist to move into third place. Nothing can stop me now! Ha ha ha! 12:00 Arrive in Pershore. I’m approximately…

AERO PERFORMANCE IS all very well but any helmet’s priority is to protect your head in the event of a fall. It does this by absorbing the energy of the impact into its structure. The energy of the impact is spread through the helmet’s body to prevent the full force of it reaching your head. In the process, the structure tends to break, which is why you should always thoroughly inspect a helmet after a fall and replace it if there’s any damage whatsoever. Any cracks or dents will affect its ability to absorb impacts, meaning more of the energy being transferred to your head. WHAT COMPLICATES MATTERS is that it’s not always flat, regular surfaces that you collide with. And the rotational forces from angled impacts can cause just…

For endurance athletes such as triathletes, interval training is an extremely time-efficient method of improving aerobic fitness. By manipulating the number, length and intensity of the work intervals, and the duration of the recovery periods, the training permutations are endless. Some researchers, though, have argued that the nature of the recovery period can be manipulated too. Instead of simple passive recovery, a period where the athlete remains active albeit at a reduced intensity (active recovery) could be beneficial – especially after hard intervals where fatiguing lactate has accumulated in the muscles and has to be cleared before the next hard effort. And now a new study on rowers provides strong evidence for the benefits of active recovery. Thirty elite male rowers were divided into three groups of 10, which were…

SUB 1HR SESSION LEVEL: BEGINNER DISCIPLINE: SWIM WARM-UP 10mins as: 50m easy front crawl, 50m pullbuoy, 50m fins (if your pool allows), 50m pullbuoy, 50m easy front crawl. 15secs rest between each and focus on easy exhalation under the water MAIN SESSION 30mins as: 1 x 200m, 2 x 100m, 4 x 50m, 6 x 25m. 15secs rest between intervals. Start steadily, finish strongly. Try breathing bilaterally on the odd lengths and to your weakest side on the even lengths. Time how long the set takes you then subtract 3mins to give you a rough idea of your 750m pace COOL-DOWN 5mins as: 100m easy, choice of stroke EQUIPMENT NEEDED Swimsuit or shorts, swim cap, goggles, pullbuoy, fins PERFORMANCE BENEFITS This session is a great one for developing astute pace…

SUB 1HR SESSION LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE DISCIPLINE: RUN WARM-UP 10min easy run, rising to 80% HRmax MAIN SESSION 45mins as: 5min run, building to standard-distance race pace for last 2mins; 4 x 9mins, with easy 60sec jog between, quick foot tempo. Build pace per set: 1. Average 70.3 race pace; 2. 10-15sec/mile faster than (1); 3. Half-marathon race pace; 4. Above-threshold effort COOL-DOWN 5mins relaxed effort run EQUIPMENT NEEDED High-carb snack 2hrs prior; run shoes; calf/quad guards if used PERFORMANCE BENEFITS The day before, bike hard and long enough to take low glycogen and fatigue into the run, e.g. 2hrs with 3 x 15mins at your middle-distance tempo on hilly terrain. You’ll get a feel for racing against adversity and for moving though different speeds. It gets you revving your metabolism…

Many age-group triathetes will be training just as much and as hard as the elites – but with the additional pressures of work and running a busy life on top. Therefore, both after training and racing, effective recovery is essential. When we consider recovery we need to think about what we’re trying to achieve. Most triathletes think about ‘metabolic recovery’ – energy and carbs – which is to restore glycogen levels. However, I’m more interested in the functional recovery of an athlete, in getting them back to a physiological state that means they can race or train again. Metabolic recovery is pretty easy and often triathletes associate fatigue and inadequate recovery with not having enough energy or not having eaten enough. But in fact, it’s more likely that the muscle…

NAME NICK UNDERWOOD AGE 30 HEIGHT 5FT 10IN WEIGHT 73KG A designer within an investment company, Nick is now into his second season of regular competition as a triathlete. RACING GOAL “To quality for the ETU Standard Distance Championships in Lisbon 2016. My A-race this season is the qualifier in Bala, this September.” NUTRITIONAL GOAL “I train hard, but often struggle to find the balance between eating enough to recover and overeating. Due to a lack of ideas and time, I end up having the same boring meals a lot. And sometimes after an evening session I’ll eat a big meal just before bed and will often want a blowout and a pint (or six!) after a hard training session.” NIGEL SAYS “At 73kg and 5ft 10in it looks like…

Sorry, but did two Brits take it to Gwen in Hamburg? Oh yes they did! Talk about an epic race. Having watched Vicky Holland train and race for a fair few years it was so good to see her take on Gwen Jorgensen, who people were saying was unbeatable. Racing with confidence and having the skill to execute it in a big race – pure class! And Non Stanford in third as well and still on her comeback. I think the Brits are looking bloody good. Who needs domestiques, hey girls?! So it’s official. I got the email today… I am going to Kona 2015. As I said to my manager, this s**t just got real – ha! Flight booked, accommodation booked – damn, they didn’t half put the prices…

A1 MULTISPORT COUNTY DURHAM, UK Here at A1 Multisport we like to make sure we ‘Go the Distance’ to ensure that you’re best equipped for the race in mind. As specialists in long-distance tri we’re able to advise on what will make the event easier. As an official retailer at Ironman UK we’re experienced in advising the new and the well-experienced. We stock the best products to back up the advice. We’re one of the largest stockists of Xlab, the race-winning choice of many a long-distance athlete. We also stock Salt Sticks, again a staple supplement that can be a race game changer. A1 Multisport is a triathlon store run for triathletes by triathletes. Give us a try. Email info@a1multisport.co.uk Web www.a1multisport.co.uk COACH JENKS TRIATHLON COACHING LONDON, UK London-based endurance…