Innehållsförteckning för January 2017 från 220 Triathlon

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPS MAUI, HAWAII • 23 OCTOBER 2016 The Czech Republic’s Helena Erbenova makes her mark in the sand on her way to a fifth-place finish over the 1.5km ocean swim, 32km mountain bike and 10.5km off-road run course. Bermuda’s Flora Duffy and Mexico’s Mauricio Mendez would take the top honours. SWIMRUN NORTH CAROLINA HANGING ROCK STATE PARK, USA • 30 OCT 2016 Swimrun made its debut in North America at the end of October with 14 miles of running through Hanging Rock State Park and 3km of swimming in the adjacent Dan River, broken up as 11 runs and nine swims. Daniel Lloyd and Daniel Kasberg from Ohio took the overall win in a time of 3:15:23. IRONMAN 70.3 MIAMI MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA • 23 OCT 2016 Miami’s…

The 2016 British Triathlon Awards took place in the city of Leeds in November and honoured 20 figures from the world of UK triathlon. After his feats at the Rio Games in August, Alistair Brownlee was a big winner of the night with two awards – Olympic Athlete and Male Elite Triathlete of the Year. Brownlee’s long-term coach, Malcolm Brown, was also honoured with the Gold Pin Award, while Brownlee’s fellow Rio medallist Vicky Holland took home the Female Elite Triathlete of the Year award. Paralympian Andy Lewis also took home two awards. The PT2 athlete garnered both the Male Paratriathlete of the Year and Inspirational Performance in International Competition awards having become the first Brit to win gold at paratri’s Paralympic debut in September. The ITU Paratriathlon world champion…

Following its debut showing in September 2016, Ironman have confirmed that the full-distance race will not be held at Weymouth in 2017. The 70.3 distance race will return to Dorset, however, and will take place on Sunday 17 September 2017. Following two months of speculation on the future of the full-distance race, councillor Peter Finney, cabinet member for environment, infrastructure and highways, said: “We asked Ironman to make it a more convenient event this time and they’ve done that by reducing it.” Kevin Stewart, managing director of Ironman UK, commented, “Weymouth was the first time we’d combined a full distance and 70.3 on the same day [in Europe]. We’ve undertaken a review of this format since the event with the authorities and consultation with the local communities affected by the…

Training in the pool is a staple throughout the winter, even for those who prefer swimming in open water – mainly because it’s far too cold outside! The pool does offer several benefits though, as it allows you to work on technical elements, train over exact distances and ensure that you can swim in a straight line. These things can be worked on in the lake or sea, but become more difficult to quantify, and it’s very difficult to get a coach to watch your swimming. For me, an additional benefit of pool swimming is pushing off the wall – you can use it to supercharge your training sessions and teach your body to maintain a slightly higher speed than you’re used to. I’d always encourage athletes to try and…

“Because the start of the race is usually the one thing many people fear, it’s a good idea to practise in the pool. Start by lying on your front, sculling with your hands” Just because you’re restricted to the pool for a few months over the winter, it doesn’t mean you’re limited to lengths and can completely forget about the skills needed for the open water and race season. Many triathletes’ biggest race-day fears revolve around the unique challenges an open-water triathlon presents – for example, swimming in close proximity to others, drafting, breathing to suit the conditions (e.g. waves at your ‘preferred’ side), turning around a buoy and sighting so as not to get lost. Fortuitously, however, all these skills can be practised in the pool as we demonstrate…

Inspired by our 2017 Race Special (p50) and now dreaming of crossing an IRONMAN finish line in 2017? Well, now’s your chance as we’ve got two entries up for grabs from the UK and Ireland IRONMAN team for any of their 70.3 or full IRONMAN events in 2017. From the raucous crowds of Bolton to the blue waters of Weymouth via Somerset, Staffordshire, Tenby and Dublin, the UK and Ireland IRONMAN calendar features a sextet of must-do races. And the choice is yours which one to pick! So, whether you’re looking to embark on your first 70.3, step up to a full, or just dreaming of crossing that finish line again, now’s your unique opportunity! What’s more, if you choose IRONMAN Wales or IRONMAN UK, the fantastic prizes, worth a…

CERVÉLO P5X £13,499.00 WWW.CERVELO.COM Over three years, 180 hours in the wind tunnel, an analysis of 14,500 photos, countless interviews, comparisons and deliberations... it took all this and much more for Canadian bike giants Cervélo to launch the P5X, dubbed ‘the ultimate triathlon bike’. Fascinated to see if it would live up to its billing (and that whopping £13.5k price tag), we jumped at the chance of a test ride at the European launch in southern Spain. Before test riding commenced, Cervélo marketing manager Antoine Ballon dissected the incredibly detailed development process behind the P5X in one morning. First, we were told the reasons behind the delayed release of the project, which was supposed to be 140.6 days (geddit?) after the 2015 Ironman World Champs: “We didn’t take…

JARGON BUSTER EPS Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is a version of polystyrene foam, which is used as a shock-absorbing liner in the majority of bike helmets. MIPS The Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) brain protection creation that reduces the transmission of rotational force in a crash. VENT Openings in the helmet’s main body to allow air to pass through it and on to your head for cooling. Something that’s vital for riding in hot conditions. RETAINING SYSTEM The ratchet and cradle that hangs below the helmet’s rear end. It usually uses a dial or ratchet system to tighten the helmet for a more secure fit. SHELL The helmet’s hard, smooth and shiny outer surface. It should bear the brunt of any impact, and act as a low-friction surface to slide over…

For both short- and long-course athletes, it’s time to conduct the first time-trial (TT) efforts in each discipline. These will give you benchmarks of speed/pace/time and work as a guide to the kind of targets that can be given to specific sessions. Conduct the TT as if it were a race and in conditions that you can repeat, i.e. on the same equipment or course. Work at your estimated race pace and really give it all you can. But also have either an easy day or rest day the day before you do them. Ensure that you keep the results from these tests so that you can compare down the line. For short-course athletes, other sessions have increased in duration and also intensity. Your fitness should now be at a…

Q What’s the difference between swimming with long and short fins? Are they useful for triathletes, and what are the best swim sets to do with them? CHLOE BURNS, EMAIL A A fin is a fin, right? Wrong! Today fins come in all different shapes, styles and lengths, with each fin model creating a different training experience. But broadly speaking, you could say the two main types are long and short fins. Long fins are great for beginners, as the long blade rewards the swimmer with easy forward propulsion and raises the hips to the surface. However, these long fins make it difficult to replicate the fast kicking technique you will apply when you’re racing. While some people like the longer ‘snorkelling’ fins that make it easier to swim, many…

“Once refreshed, it’s time to build the foundations for the year ahead – winter miles make summer smiles!” Q Any tips for periodising my training for the off-season? I tend to have a similar regime year round and want to peak for my races in the summer. JOHN PARKER, EMAIL THE COACH ANDY BULLOCK is head coach for the South West Regional Academy A In order to achieve your best from one season to the next you need to make sure you vary your training sufficiently year round. Breaking your training into a series of connected periods or phases is a great way of doing this. Done correctly this can create undulations in training volume and intensity, allowing your body and mind the rest it requires to balance and get…

MEET THE WINNER James Hodgson, 22, is a masters student at Birmingham University, and is quickly mastering the art of winning multisport races in his free time… This is my second full season in triathlon after racing a few aquathlons in 2013-14. Since 2015 I’ve represented the GB age-group sprint tri team at two World Champs and one European Champs. The Burntwood Aquathlon is local to me, and I first did it after being challenged to a race by my A-Level geography teacher a few years back… I beat him and haven’t looked back since! My swim went as expected, not super fast because I’ve been focusing purely on technique with my coach Jason Battle as of late, so it’s a work in progress. After getting used to the noticeably…

POOL SESSION MASTERCLASS “Winter is the perfect time to work on your technique. The key is actually in swimming slower in order to work on efficiency and to build strength. To start you off, I’ve provided the key sessions to focus on.” 2017 MUST-DO RACES “We spend months training and drooling over future bikes. But how long to pick the most life-affirming thing in tri? I.e. choosing a race. Not long enough we’d guess, so here’s our 2017 UK Race Special.” TIME MANAGEMENT “You’re just into your winter training routine and along comes the festive period to stick a cracker-shaped spanner in the works. But with a flexible approach you can maintain fitness and familial harmony.” BENCHMARK SETTING “Although a little clichéd, the New Year signifies that the slate is…

MALLORCA MYSTERY I’ve been competing in sprint- and standard-distance triathlons for three years, as an age-grouper competing only against myself. Each event is thoroughly satisfying, and I always get the feeling that the event is about the athletes rather than the organisers. However, this year I competed in my first long-distance triathlon, Ironman Mallorca, and am left feeling dissatisfied. During the event my supporters were tracking me using the live athlete tracker on the Ironman website, but near the end of the run all my times disappeared. I assumed this was a temporary glitch, but by the middle of the next day I thought it worthwhile chasing up via the Ironman Mallorca support email. A perfunctory reply came that evening – I’d been disqualified, and had I taken this up…

“Make sure you streamline and push off the wall well – and then make the most of the speed it gives!” Swimming... it’s a technical old sport but, as you might have noticed over the last few pages, there’s plenty you can do to improve your skills and get yourself moving through the water faster and smarter come 2017’s open-water races. But one thing remains to consider – putting it all together. Fail to think about this and you’ll soon fall into the trap of heading to the pool, counting a load of lengths and sitting firmly on the swim ability plateau again. So, over the next couple of pages, we’ve put together four swim set examples for you. Three are targeted towards one main skill: endurance, speed or open-water…

OAKLEY RADAR PACE £400.00 www.oakley.co.uk The Radar Pace is the result of a collaboration between Oakley and Intel, with the aim of healing a smart-eyewear sector scarred by disappointing efforts from Google and Sportiiii. Visually the Radar Pace are reminiscent of Oakley’s maiden effort in this visual-audio field, the Thump, from 12 years ago. Thankfully, substance has moved on thanks to the voice-activated coaching system. ‘Okay Radar, what’s today’s workout?’ stimulates a response like, ‘You’re running 10 miles.’ This training intelligence derives from the frames that are dressed with removable earphones, three microphones and internal sensors. We’re talking an accelerometer, gyroscope, pressure and humidity sensors, and even a barometer. You can also pair the eyewear with further sensors including power meters, heart rate monitors, and speed and cadence…

MAXIMISE TRAINING GAINS New research suggests athletes can benefit from the Holy Grail of training – strength and endurance in one session Strength work impedes endurance adaptations and vice versa – that’s the old training adage that triathletes of all abilities have adhered to for years. Why is down to molecular responses in the skeletal muscle and what’s termed ‘the interference effect’. However, those of you who are relatively new to triathlon are in for a performance treat as a recent symposium review by respected exercise physiologists Vernon Coffey and John Hawley shows that this endurance and strength dampening doesn’t apply to those with a limited training history. “Given the generic ‘molecular footprint’ generated in untrained individuals in response to different exercise modes, it seems reasonable to conclude that training…

“Accepting your current fitness level is all part of the patience game of reaching great form, at the right time” Even though it’s another month away, it’s worth thinking ahead to January, which, for me, was always a month of two halves. At the beginning of the month I tended to concentrate on getting back into a rhythm, returning to a more predictable schedule post-Christmas festivities. The latter part of the month was more about assessing my current fitness level by doing a simple little benchmark test (see session opposite). The test wasn’t about how hard I could go, but rather, and more importantly, the data I was able to extract from it so that the coming weeks could be planned with more precision and accuracy. I was always quite…

Soft, chewy, well-balanced with carbohydrate, protein and unsaturated fats, and packed with vitamins A and C, calcium and iron, this malt loaf is the ideal fuel for bike sessions. A big tip for this is to use really ripe bananas; in fact, it’s a great idea to keep a stash of overripe bananas in the freezer to defrost for use in cakes and banana bread. Malt extract can be found in most health food stores and larger supermarkets, but you can use molasses or honey as an alternative. You can also experiment with the dried fruit content to suit your taste and energy requirements – for example, use more dates for post-exercise bars as they provide faster releasing carbohydrate to help muscles recover quickly, or dried apricots, which are slower…

Q What are the best strength exercises to work on for triathletes? And should I be doing more gym work in winter? MIKE HALE, EMAIL A Winter is a time when triathletes look to increase their aerobic miles to build a strong fitness base that will see them through to the end of the following season. It’s the constant repetition of mile upon mile that leads to our fitness advancing. But not everyone’s bodies can absorb this increase in training volume. If we increase the volume too quickly we run the risk of overloading our bodies, which puts our muscles, joints and ligaments under a great amount of stress, which can inevitably lead to injuries. Strength exercises are imperative for any triathlete wanting to sustain consistency over the winter months,…

PENNINGTON FLASH DU Leigh, Manchester 6 Nov 2016 Today, I did something new… I took part in my first ever run/bike/run event at the Pennington Flash Off-Road Duathlon! The event consisted of a 5km run, 19km bike ride and another 5km run, and I was joined by 80 other competitors, including many other first-timers who calmed my nerves. I really didn’t know what to expect, I’m a runner and have never ridden my bike competitively, so in the run-up to the event there were a few butterflies! The registration process is very smooth and simple, and once sorted I set up my transition area, which is largely fuss-free. Following the briefing, which I’m in need of more than most, the race is underway and I’m off for my first run.…

“The trail is strewn with warriors scraping mud and foliage from clogged-up bikes” MEET MAT STEPHENSON AGE 48 LIVES Marple, Manchester PROFESSION Education facilitator WHY I RACED To complete a journey that started at Xterra England in 2015 Broken chains and rear mechs litter the course. The trail is strewn with warriors scraping mud and foliage from clogged-up bikes. The first 12km of the bike course is virtually unrideable. Welcome to Maui and the 2016 Xterra World Championships. And, yes, it’s carnage. How did I get here? PLAN OF ATTACK My 2016 season has mostly been devoted to Xterra triathlon, except for the half and full Outlaws in Nottingham. My interest in tri started years ago but I never got around to trying off-road until my brother, Philip, and…

AMPHIBIA The Amphibia backpack (220 Triathlon Best Buy) is ideal for racing, training and everyday use. It has seven pockets for organising your gear and a detachable waterproof pouch to separate wet and dry. It includes comfort padding on the back and the bag can be expanded/contracted as required for everyday use. Use voucher code ‘220triathlon’ for 22% off backpack or any other innovative accessories on our website! Email info@amphibia-sport.com Web www.amphibia-sport.com FRAMED. At Framed. we offer a unique and bespoke framing service, creating custom designed frames, tailored to each individual customer. We specialise in triathlon framing and other sporting memorabilia. We also offer a range of self assembly frames, helping you Display with Pride! Web www.displaywithpride.co.uk ACTIVBOD A must have for race day and training, activbod’s range of skin…

Twenty-sixteen was the year we saw triathletes competing for Olympic and Paralympic glory, new races sprung up across the country and more products were launched than you can wave a seat post at. But which were best? It’s time for you to let us know, as the second round of the 220 Triathlon Awards 2017 opens on 9 December. HOW TO VOTE We’re proud of the fact that the 220 Triathlon Awards are voted for by our readers. It’s a two-stage process, and in the first round we asked you to choose any athlete, race or product you like. A shortlist of five from each category has now been drawn up, based on the five companies, products or athletes that received the highest number of initial votes. From 9 December…

PARKRUN TO IRONMAN I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors but have never been particularly sporty. But in my 60s I took swim lessons and started swimming regularly. I spotted a poster for a tri club at my local pool and after completing the swim test I joined up. My first run was a short jog along a main road which left me gasping, then parkrun began in my home town and I completed my first 5K. Within six months I’d lost a stone in weight, was keeping a good pace and felt fitter than I had for years. That autumn I did my first triathlon and I was hooked. I then joined a running club and began entering longer running races and triathlons. I amazed myself each time I crossed any…

SWIM FINS Add speed and propulsion to drills, or work on kick. PADDLES Allow you to work on your stroke and build strength. PULL BUOY Goes between the legs to add buoyancy in drills. SNORKEL Use this so you can keep a stroke or drill symmetrical. KICKBOARD Held out in front of you while doing kick drills. SWIMSUIT/JAMMERS Necessary for modesty in the swimming pool! POOL GOGGLES Often clear, or choose a tint for an outdoor pool. SWIM CAP Makes you streamlined, plus often a pool requirement.…

1 WOMENONLY TRIATHLON 2 PORTISHEAD TRI 3 CRAGGY ISLAND TRI 4 EASTBOURNE TRIATHLON 5 BLACK COUNTRY TRIATHLON 6 LLANDUDNO SEA TRIATHLON 7 THE SLATEMAN 8 CROYDE OCEAN TRIATHLON 9 WINDSOR TRIATHLON 10 CASTLE HOWARD TRIATHLON 11 BALA STANDARD 12 BELFAST TRIATHLON 13 IRONMAN 70.3 WEYMOUTH 14 THE VITRUVIAN 15 TITAN WESTON 16 ELY MONSTER MIDDLE 17 THE OUTLAW 18 CELTMAN 19 THE LAKESMAN 20 THE BASTION 21 IRONMAN WALES SPRINT DISTANCE FROM TRI NEWCOMERS TO GRIZZLED SPEED MERCHANTS, SPRINT IS THE FORMAT THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERY LEVEL OF TRIATHLETE. BUT WHICH SHORT-COURSE RACE IS FOR YOU? WE PICK SIX UK-HOPPING EVENTS… 1 WOMENONLY TRIATHLON LOCATION DORNEY LAKE, ETON DATE 9 JULY 2017 DISTANCE 750M | 21.2KM | 5KM “This race is perfect for newbies to tri. The course is multi-lap which…

WAHOO FITNESS KICKR £999.99 www.wahoofitness.com Its weight of 21kg means moving the Kickr is a challenge, but once in place there’s no danger of movement. The direct drive design provides a consistent, smooth ride, even when hammering the pedals. Coming equipped with an 11-speed Shimano/SRAM cassette you just need to drop out the rear wheel, attach the cadence sensor, find a power source and download the Wahoo app. The app is intuitive and the Bluetooth (and ANT+) connectivity is quick and reliable. If the app’s various modes (level, erg, sim and resistance) don’t keep you stimulated, you can link-up with third-party software. Wahoo says that power is accurate to +\-2%, and although the unit provided slightly higher readings than our power meter, the readings were consistent. It’s easy…

Developing your catch or feel for the water is really important to improving your swim speed and economy. Without this, your hands and arms can slice through the water to not much effect. Improving this catch portion of your stroke is all about feeling the resistance of the water against your hands and forearms; engaging with the water to press it back past your body and accelerate your body forwards. If you get this right, the faster you can push your hands back and the faster you will go without having to rush your stroke. Your catch is the very first part of your stroke under the water and sets the tone for the rest of your pull. When thinking about the first thing your hand does under the water,…

BREAKFAST Try wholegrain toast and eggs or combine oats with fruit, nuts and Greek yoghurt, which has a higher protein content than other yoghurts. SNACKS Have a handful of nuts and piece of fruit, oatcakes with peanut butter or a latte with a slice of malt loaf. Dairy protein has a higher satiety value. LUNCH Split as: protein (chicken, fish, eggs, tofu), carbs (quinoa, potato, wholegrain rice) & essential fatty acids (avocado or toasted seeds). PRE-TRAINING If it’s an easy 5-mile run, opt for a banana or yoghurt. If high-intensity, toast or oatcakes with peanut butter will suffice. DINNER Split as: wholegrain carbs, lean protein & veg. E.g. chicken stir-fry with soba noodles; salmon with sweet potato & salad; frittata & pitta bread.…

Q There seems to have been a big ‘shift’ in braking tech in recent years. But what are the benefits and drawbacks of disc brakes for winter road biking? TOM DOUGLAS, EMAIL A Despite the procrastinations of the UCI, disc brakes on road bikes outside of the pro peloton are becoming more commonplace among recreational road riders and triathletes. With some early teething problems ironed out, brands embracing the concept and the availability of more affordable disc groupsets, they definitely offer some advantages, especially for a dedicated winter steed. The most significant of these advantages is that disc brakes take the braking surface further away from all the muck and grime that comes off the road. This undoubtedly improves braking performance and, as the rims are no longer a sacrificial…

Q Any tips for upping my cycling distance? At the moment I find it hard to motivate myself to ride more than 30 miles. EMMA JONES, EMAIL add variety into your training sets.Firstly, look at the events you’re planning to do, or the distances you want to work towards, and then be inventive with your training. Just turning the pedals is pointless if there’s no structure and you’re not working on correcting your weaknesses. You may struggle with climbing, so a good way to mix up training would be to add in some hill rep intervals. You can then increase the duration and the frequency of the efforts over time. With longer rides, it’s better to break them down into timed sections, using a heart rate monitor or power…

DUATHLON ROCKINGHAM Corby, Northants 6 November 2016 Having attended a few SBR events over the last 18 months, I know a well-organised race and friendly atmosphere is waiting for me at Duathlon Rockingham. On the chilly race morning I arrive at the car park, which is quite unique in that it’s situated in the pit garages, and line up to register. After a quick trip to fetch my bike and a bit of arbitrary faffing, it’s out into pit lane for the usual safety checks, racking and back into the garage to keep out of the cold winds! The race organiser Jason calls everyone to the start line for a race briefing, and after waiting briefly for the standard-distance wave to kick off, I’m up and running for the first…

MEET IVOR HEWITT AGE 45 LIVES Oxted, Surrey PROFESSION Computer programmer BEST DISCIPLINE Run WORST DISCIPLINE Bike WHY I RACED Chasing a PB I’ve been a triathlon addict since 2011, after being talked into trying the Windsor relay, progressing up through half and then full Ironman. But as a terrible swimmer, winter duathlons come as a welcome change. So five times up Box hill? Why not? After having ‘fun’ at the Ballbuster last year – winging it but still posting a decent time – the plan this year was to follow an autumn ultra-marathon with a solid block of training and nailing a PB. The reality, as ever, wasn’t even close, consisting of a failed ultra-marathon attempt and recovering from dehydration and muscle damage. Then flu. Then a throat infection.…