Innehållsförteckning för May 2019 från 220 Triathlon

UNDER £100 DHB CLASSIC £84 If you’re looking for a budget-friendly two-piece suit, you could do far worse than the Classic from Dhb. The internal silicon hems and the drawstring waist keep both the top and shorts in place, while the material and design are both satisfying. Worth noting, however, is that there are only small pockets and a slender pad for longer races. wiggle.co.uk UNDER £150 ZOOT 83 LTD £145 The stylish 83 has a pure fleece pad for short-course and middle-distance comfort, and there are well-placed pockets on the shorts and top for race supplies. A drawstring waist saves any builder’s bum incidents, while the lack of sleeves helps with arm movement on the swim. And the seamless Italian fabric is top quality. zootsports.com UNDER £200 2XU TRI…

Are you ready to test yourself at Challenge Family’s showpiece event? On 2 June, you could be lining up to take on The Championship in the Slovakian town of Samorin. Pro athletes and age-group athletes can qualify for this Half-Distance triathlon at one of several Challenge Family Races. But The Championship is not just about one single race. There is a range of side events that make it a proper celebration for all the family. You can also compete in the Challenge Samorin Middle Distance (Open Category), the Tryathlon, as well as the Sprint Distance, Olympic Distance and the Olympic Relay – where you can take on the ultimate challenge as a team, plus kids’ running races for all ages. These middle-distance and fringe events all take place at Samorin’s…

Buying a wetsuit will be one of the most important tri purchases you’ll ever make. Here’s what to look for when picking your neoprene COMFORT Comfort and fit are imperative when picking your wetsuit, whether you’re a beginner or top-end athlete. Trying before you buy is essential advice, or ensure that there’s a decent returns policy if you buy online. Look for a close but unrestrictive fit throughout. EASE OF REMOVAL There are few more frustrating triathlon race-day experiences than struggling to remove your wetsuit while T1 is emptying of athletes. Suits can help with wetsuit removal on the arms and legs by offering speed cuffs, similar to those offered by the Aspire. ZIPPER A reverse zipper can offer superior wetsuit removal speed for time-conscious athletes, but we’d recommend the…

£190, full-length and aero fabrics and position pockets, gamut of short-sleeved ere. And the standard is regularly high and we’d have no qualms in recommending at least half a dozen of these for your next short-course tri (and some will perform at longer events). At the budget end, the Aptonia has the looks and try-before-you-buy appeal but falls short in the performance stakes when compared to the surprisingly decent Aropec. There’s little to separate the Orca, Zone3 and 2XU in the battle of the established brands at the £100-120 price point, with Zone3 taking the pool and aesthetic honours. But 2XU edges the ‘Best Buy’ gong due to the convenience of the zipper, pad performance and the sheer quality of the grippers. While we’re baffled by Endura’s QDC, the Airofin,…

Given Pinarello’s long and storied cycling heritage, it’s somewhat surprising that the new Bolide TR+ is the Italian bike giant’s debut tri-specific bike. And yet, once the TR+ launched onto the scene last October, it did so in the best possible way by making history at the 2018 Ironman World Champs in Kona, Hawaii, when the former professional road cyclist, Australia’s Cameron Wurf, smashed the 180km bike course record in a time of 4:09:06. The result was the end of an exhaustive design process involving Wurf and the Italian brand to create Pinarello’s debut triathlon-specific bike. Thankfully triathlon bikes don’t have to conform to the design constraints stipulated by the UCI (the Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body for cycling) for pro road time-trial machines, such as the profile…

MISSED AN ISSUE? ISSUE363 The ultimate guide to 80/20 training; Speed special, inc. Brownlee advice; 50 expert race-day tips; 14 vested tri-suits tested ISSUE362 Lucy Charles-Barclay on how to race faster; Swim advice for complete beginners; 3 sub-£1k road bikes; 10 long-course tri-suits ISSUE361 The best 2019 challenges to push your limits; How to build mental strength; 8-week base-build plan; Race run shoes tested ISSUE360 8-week beginners’ training plan; How to conquer Ironman in 2019; 15 ways to build tri strength; £2k race bikes on test ISSUE359 23 must-do tri’s for 2019; Brownlee interview exclusive; Wind-tunnel testing for less than £200!; 8-week indoor training plan ISSUE358 Guest edited by 6x world IM champ Dave Scott; 22 ways to race IM faster; 8-week strength training plan; 10 bike jackets on test…

WARM-UP 20secs rest after each set Throughout, practise quality grab starts and turn techniques. At the end of the session, practise your exit to T1 4 x 100m building 4 x 25m as: 15m side kick; 10m swim 4 x 25m as: 15m sculling; 10m swim 4 x 25m as: 15m single arm; 10m swim MAIN SET 2 x 100m as: 25m fast start; 25m race pace; 50m easy 2 x 100m as: 25m easy build; 50m race pace; 25m easy 2 x 100m as: 25m fast start; 50m race pace; 25m build and exit COOL-DOWN 200m easy RACE DAY 2-4 lengths easy warm-up 25m as: 10m fast; 5m easy; 10m fast 25m as: 5m scull; 5m swim; 5m scull; 10m fast Repeat and ready at start ADAPT FOR BEGINNERS…

WARM-UP 15mins easy @90-100rpm MAIN SET 30mins moderate Every 4:40mins do microburst intervals out of the saddle for 20secs max effort COOL-DOWN 15mins easy @90-100rpm ADAPT FOR BEGINNERS Change the 20secs fully out of the saddle to 10secs out/10secs in. Once the body gets stronger, try and complete the whole duration out of the saddle. ADAPT FOR IRONMAN Increase the 20secs to 30secs and build the blocks every week up to a 1hr maximum duration.…

WARM-UP 10mins building easy to moderate MAIN SET 15 x [30secs @10km race pace/ moderate; 30secs easy] 15 x [30secs @5km race pace/ vigorous; 30secs easy] COOL-DOWN 5mins easy 5mins stretching ADAPT FOR BEGINNERS This session amounts to between 2-4km of running at 5km race pace. To take it a bit easier, cut the reps down to 10 for each set. ADAPT FOR IRONMAN We don’t want to add much more running at 5km race pace, but you can top up the volume by adding on 15mins moderate before, in the middle of and after the main set.…

FRONT-CRAWL BODY POSITION Q What’s the perfect body position for front crawl? Lee Millard A The perfect body position for swimming any stroke is to be as horizontal and high as possible on the surface of the water – essentially aiming to swim over the water rather than through it. This is why people find it easier to swim when they have a pull buoy between their legs (lifts the legs up behind you to level you off) or wearing a wetsuit (lifts the whole body up in the water, reducing the resistance). Working on your body position should be the first thing that you improve as a bad position increases the stress on the rest of your body, so regardless of how good your pull and/or kick become, you’re…

1 Beautiful Slovenia will host the debut Ironman 70.3 Slovenia Istria on 22 Sep, with the city of Koper hosting the swim. 2 Based in an ancient fishing village on the eastern Emilia-Romagna coast, Ironman 70.3 Cervia (22 Sep) is Italy’s only 70.3 event. 3 Goa’s capital of Panaji on the western coast will play host to Ironman 70.3 Goa on 20 October 2019, and marks the brand’s first venture into India. 4 M-Dot makes its Moroccan debut on 27 October with Ironman 70.3 Marrakech in the bustling city at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. 5 Brazil’s biggest metropolis (pop. 21m) plays host to the debut Ironman 70.3 Sao Paulo on 10 November.…

NEVER GET INJURED Now the tri season is here, don’t let an injury put you on the bench. Turn to p47 for 25 expert ways to avoid injury and keep racing all year. “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” Ever wondered how the iconic phrase shouted at the Kona finish line came about? Go to p54 where commentator Mike Reilly shares his incredible tale. TIM DON’S SWIM TIPS Wondering how to draft effectively and save time in the swim? On p108 Ironman pro Tim shares his top tips to ensure free open-water speed.…

1 Hot showers can increase the ‘afterdrop’ effect, so pull on snuggly layers instead. The Selkie sweat pants (£45) and super-cosy fleece-lined Selkie Sherpa hoodie (£79) are what we reach for. 2 Helping you to get warm fast plus doubling as a handy changing robe, the classic Dryrobe Advance Long Sleeve (from £110) is a must for open-water swimmers. Wear it before and after your swim to retain body heat. There’s a range of colours, plus three zippy pockets are handy for stashing small items. 3 Feet often feel the cold, so pull on a good pair of socks to create warmth, like these 1000 Mile Heat Walk Socks (£17.99), made with special fabric which is designed to capture and retain heat. 4 Sip a warm drink after your swim…

1 Have your team practise transitions and make a race plan for the bike, letting them know when, where and how to hand over nutrition. 2 Acclimatise to cold water. At first, you may only manage 10mins but if you can build up to doing race-pace work such as 3 x [5mins hard, 5mins easy] it’ll have a real performance benefit. 3 Incorporate over-gear hill reps at ~6 % grade. This can vastly improve efficiency and comfort when done aero. 4 Practise time-trial sessions on undulating courses, where you have to work hard, both up and downhill, and get used to staying aero both at high speed and while climbing. 5 Gradually build up runs with steeper gradients like 15-25%. Also incorporate hills in your bricks.…

RONDO HVRT €6,399 From the Hunt wheels to the maroon colourscheme, the HVRT from Polish outfit Rondo certainly has buckets of style. Yet there’s more than meets the eye here. The bike is unique in that it can switch between the two wheel sizes of 700c and 650b with ‘road- plus’ tyres, making it suitable for slick road racing and harsh endurance riding. You can also mount the wheels in aggressive or more relaxed riding positions. rondo.cc…

THE ESSENTIALS 01 Strengthen your body Triathletes understand the concept of body ‘overuse’ leading to overuse injuries, however many ‘overuse’ injuries are actually due to ‘under preparation’. This is where the triathlete’s body was not prepared for a given training load and, as a result, injury develops. The best defence against this is to get your body strong through strength and conditioning exercises. This can take the form of mini home circuits or fully-fledged gym programmes. Not only will strength work reduce injury risk but it’s also been scientifically shown to have significant positive effects on performance. 02 Dial down the stretching Don’t overemphasise the importance of stretching or foam rolling. Flexibility is not as important for triathletes as might be assumed. Tight muscles (e.g. calves, hamstrings, glutes) are in…

BFIT is an experienced group of individuals who love putting on quality, memorable athletic events. is BFIT recognised by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) as the Triathlon Federation for Barbados As well as running the triathlon, BFIT will also be hosting group rides and swims to showcase everything Barbados has to offer to clubs that want to run a training camp here. After all, this small island has produced two ITU elite triathletes, including 2016 Olympian Jason Wilson and 2020 Olympic hopeful Matthew Wright.…

JARGON BUSTER COLDBLACK A patented technology that allows black fabrics to block out the sun’s rays and be breathable at the same time. HYDRODYNAMIC The aquatic equivalent of aerodynamic. Some suits will include fabric that beads water on the surface for swim gains. SHORT-COURSE TRI Includes both sprint (750m swim/20kmbike/5km run) and Olympic-distance (1.5km/40km/10km) tri. ZIPPER The zipper should be complemented by a housing to prevent neck chafing. CHAMOIS A tri-suit pad needs to keep you comfy on the bike, and not feel saggy on the run. LEG GRIPPERS A close fit with no irritation is the golden gripper standard. Short-sleeved tri-suits have only truly been around for half a decade but they’ve experienced huge growth across the tri board. The benefits are widespread, and include the added UV protection…

“The wetsuit is a unique garment because you’re dealing with many variables when building it” When the water was cold back in the early days of triathlon, athletes had a choice between just dealing with it or wearing something highly impractical like a surf wetsuit to stay warmer. That all changed when French brand Aquaman developed the first triathlon wetsuit built with thinner neoprene synthetic rubber. Because it was designed for flexibility and buoyancy, it also meant faster swimmer splits. The idea really took off when Dan Empfield founded Quintana Roo in America, and spent the summer of 1987 selling his new tri-specific wetsuit creation from the back of a van. Over the years the build quality of tri wetsuits has improved as demand has increased, with quick-releasing zippers appearing…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.3kg (54cm, without pedals) Frame Torayca T1100G carbon Gears SRAM Red 22 eTap Brakes SRAM S-900 Aero HRD Wheels Swiss Side 800 Hadron Finishing kit Pirelli P Zero Velo TT 25c tyres, Selle Italia Iron saddle HIGHS Impeccable all-round handling; impressive acceleration; outstanding comfort; cockpit adjustability LOWS Wheels in crosswinds; that price tag without a wheelset BUY IF You seek top performance and comfort without a restricted budget…

Whether you’re a complete newbie or an experienced triathlete, all levels will benefit from doing an early-season pool-based triathlon, putting into practice all the skills and strategy that you’ve worked on through the off-season. Complete this key race-prep session 1-2 days before race day, working through all your skills and some short, race-pace efforts. Approach your race-prep session in a relaxed but disciplined way, following a routine that will give you confidence on the day. Work systematically through your warm-up, while visualising your race start and plan. In the water, focus on feeling good in your stroke. Starts and turns are critical to a good swim, so be disciplined every length you swim. The biggest mistake made in the swim is going off too fast, so include some short, faster…

Three great ways to make some big bike gains are to work on your handling skills, press the power down uphill and accelerate out of corners. For the latter – acceleration and being able to get the power back up to speed – a great way to do this is to complete a set of microburst intervals. These efforts can be between 10-30secs but need to be full gas to maximise the effect. Try and do these outside when you can, so you can really maximise the power. On a triangle loop also works well, so you have three sets of corners to work on your skill set. ‘Why should I do bursts’, you ask, ‘I’m a triathlete?’ Well, they’re a great way to attack different muscle groups, work on…

At this time of year, you’ll likely have built up a reasonable base and spent some time working on technique, which means it’s the right time to add in some intervals! When you think of intervals you might naturally assume a hard, gut-busting session, but that’s not always the case… and it isn’t here. The aim of this session is to improve your ability to run at race pace with good form, and the idea behind this is to ingrain that great running technique we both know you have by practising it over some faster efforts. During the session, you’ll only be running moderate to vigorous, so it’s not the individual intervals that will tire you out, but rather the cumulative load of the entire session. So don’t go out…

So here we are again. Getting ready to dust off the wetsuit (or buy your very first) and dip your toe into the unchlorinated, murky and cooler waters of open-water swimming. In there, there’s no chance of stopping every 25m for a chat or to look at your watch. As a result, it’s also usually the time of year that many triathletes dread. But to prepare for a triathlon or swim events, it’s essential to build confidence now. And with this month’s eight-week plan, you can venture to your nearest lake with some structure and focus. The plan is aimed at an Olympic-distance triathlon with a 1.5km swim. If you want to do a sprint tri then reduce the volume by approximately 30%; if you’re tackling a 70.3 then increase…

BUTTER Contains butyric acid, which is beneficial for the gut.  Butter is the fatty component of milk, and is 80% fat, 20% water. It’s one of the most complex structures of all dietary fats as it contains more than 400 different fatty acids, including butyric acid, which recent studies have shown plays several beneficial roles in the gastrointestinal tract. OLIVE OIL Reduces inflammation in the outside tissue lining.  Olive oil is the oil extracted from the fruit of the olive tree. The predominant fatty acid is oleic acid, which constitutes 73% of total fat content. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid and has been closely linked to reducing inflammation in the peripheral tissue. VERDICT While both have a place in the diet, olive oil is the better choice in…

JOHN WOOD Front-crawl body position An award-winning triathlon coach of 10 years, John is also a former international swimmer and has raced all distances up to Ironman. JAMES WITTS Protein needs Former 220 editor and current freelance writer James specialises in sport science and endurance sport. NICK BEER Muscles used in cycling Nick’s a sports injury rehab specialist and development coach. A former elite triathlete, Nick now specialises in S&C work. SCOTT FINDLAY Bleep test for tri Sports-science graduate Scott is also a tri coach with the Hartree JETS and has competed for Team GB at the European Champs.…

Q I’m a few months away from my first ever Ironman. Training is going well, but I’m burning an awful amount of calories and feel like I’m lacking the energy come the evening! I’ve traditionally followed a Paleo diet, but that was to lose weight at first. Now I’m stuck as to how to fuel my days, without snacking on too many energy bars. Help! Tom Eastwood A The Paleo diet reflects the eating habits of our pre-agricultural ancestors. That means goodbye potatoes, legumes and grains, and hello meat, fish, eggs, fruit and veg. As a result, it’s rich in omega-3 and protein to beat heart disease and repair muscle, respectively. But the problem is a lack of carbs that, while arguably of more importance over shorter, faster triathlons, remain…

We take gear testing seriously – you need to know that the kit you buy will help you reach your goals in all three disciplines and work as hard as you on race day. Our test team is made up of experienced triathletes, cyclists and runners who test each product that appears in 220 to the max during training and racing, rating it honestly for performance and value. JACK SEXTY A triathlete since blowing his student loan on a bike, sub-2hr Olympic athlete Jack moved to Ironman at Lanzarote in 2016. Ultimate injury-prevention tip? “Don’t go crazy in training as you approach race season; instead build a base that fits in with your lifestyle.” HELEN WEBSTER 220’s editor made the move from marathons to tri five years ago. Happiest when…

With the triathlon season nearly upon us and the London Marathon set for the end of April, new running shoe releases are arriving on a weekly basis. Few, though, could be more ground-breaking than the new Metaride, which Asics tout as one of their most important innovations in their seven decades of design. The key tech advancement of the Metaride is the new Guidesole. Developed over two years by a team at the Asics Institute of Sport Science (ISS) in Kobe, Japan, the Guidesole is a “precision-shaped curved sole that works by shifting the body weight forward and propelling runners on to give the feeling of effortless motion.” The effect, say Asics, is proven to offer a 20% saving of energy loss at the ankle joint, giving long-distance runners both…

Back in 2002, I was talent spotted by somebody from British Triathlon in a gym, who asked me If I’d ever thought about triathlon. I entered one, borrowed a bike and won it! I didn’t even know until the following day when I saw the result. It was looking like I could go quite far in triathlon, but then I was diagnosed with MS two years later and told to stop competing. I stayed fit, but I was bored. So I entered a local tri and won. The bug was back! The first signs of MS were in my hands – I couldn’t put them in water because it made me feel sick. I couldn’t swim or wash my hair, then one day at work after being checked out for…

The secret to increased run speed? According to recent research from the University of Salford, it’s all about mimicking LeBron James. Senior research fellow Dr Steve Preece and his colleagues compared the technique of recreational runners with a 10km PB no better than 38mins for men, 42mins for women, against elite runners with PBs under 32mins (men) and 36mins (women), over a range of track speeds. “We found elite runners achieved an 11% longer ‘flight time’,” said Preece. So that’s down to stride length and rate, right? No, that increased air time – from a more powerful toe-off – stemmed from increased storage of elastic energy in the Achilles tendon during the early phase of the run gait, which paid off during the second half. Not only did this greater…

The Aspire from Zone3 has long been acclaimed on these pages and elsewhere for its fit, flexibility and race-day performance at a wallet-friendly price. After a two-year R&D process, the Brit brand have now released an updated Aspire for 2019. Key updates include a new integrated one-piece shoulder and chest panel design, which increases the total area of 1.5mm Yamamoto SCS material and reportedly the stretch across the torso and the flexibility and distance achieved with each stroke. Buoyancy has been increased with the addition of Aerodome materials (air bubbles built between fabric layers) in the leg’s side panels and hips. Additional changes and features include a new laser cut collar, a SCS Nano coating on the neoprene, and materials created from the more environmentally-friendly limestone as opposed to petroleum.…

HELEN WEBSTER 220’s editor is your go-to for women’s multisport kit. MATT BAIRD Has spent years testing tri kit and accessories for 220. JACK SEXTY A strong age-grouper focusing on top-end gains. JAMES WITTS He’s a published author writing about sports science. MOST WANTED HUUB ALPHA £99 Will the Alpha become the ultimate entry-level suit for tri? Celebrated for their leading Brownlee Agilis wetsuit and Anemoi tri-suit, Huub isn’t the first brand that comes to mind when budget wetsuits are discussed. And yet, alongside the Anemoi, the new Alpha wetsuit could become a major tri release of 2019. Because here’s a sub-£100 suit that promises both performance gains and value. But can the Alpha hit these lofty claims? In terms of existing entry-level wetsuits we’d recommend, the Zone3 Advance (£169)…

Tri-suits need to perform well in multiple disciplines. This takes continual innovation in regards to fabrics and the overall construction. The fit has to be just right, and it’s the key factor in choosing your own suit. If the fit isn’t spot-on you’ll get bagginess that’ll hinder your swim and impact your bike. You can also get chafing and rubbing on the run that’ll rapidly ruin your event. Depending on the race, athletes can spend 17hrs (more for an ultra) in a trisuit so fit is everything. To get this right our kit is tested rigorously by athletes for every stage. Yet a truly great tri-suit offers more than comfort alone. A suit can also give compression to support your muscles through each gruelling stage. An exceptional suit will also…

PRACTISE GRAB STARTS Pool triathlons usually start in the water, so practise grab starts in training with efficient streamlining off the wall and powerful accelerations to get away fast. TURN EFFICIENTLY Effective turns save seconds in a pool swim. Learning how to turn efficiently will improve your swim times with little effort. Tumble turns are most effective and also help improve swim fitness. PRACTISE POOL EXITS Accelerate into the wall, place both hands onto the wall and kick hard to push yourself out of the pool. Practise your swim exits into T1 doing some short swim/run repeats.…

UP YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE Caffeine is a great stimulus for this type of workout, increasing both stamina and concentration. Take the caffeine gel around 30mins before the main set for an energy kick. TRY A POWER METER Power meters are a great way to track your progress and add some real science into your cycling. They also allow you to maximise your training time when used correctly. WEAR TRACK MITTS Track mitts allow you to really hold the bars securely when you’re sprinting – and for this type of effort you’ll definitely want full control of the bars.…

REDUCE THE LOAD Although the intervals seem short you’re still running quite far and fast. Completing this on grass or a track reduces the load on muscles to help prevent injuries. ALWAYS WARM UP Make sure you have a good warm-up before the session. Also do a good stretch out after the session to prevent your muscles from being too tight the day after. TAKE IT EASY It’s still only April so this session is designed to nudge you a little bit closer to fast running. If you try and do really hard run sessions too soon you’ll risk injury and/or illness.…

BUDDY UP Never go OW swimming alone. 1. It’s dangerous, and 2. It’s more fun to share the experience and get used to swimming with others. PRACTISE BOTH WAYS It’s important that you’re comfortable breathing to both sides, as this will help with visibility and picking up on sighting points. FIND THE RIGHT WETSUIT Finding the right wetsuit for your shape and ability is key. Pick a suit that provides flexibility, buoyancy and warmth in equal measure. SWIM NEXT TO THE WALL In the pool, try to swim next to the wall so that you get some of the washback to give you a sense of swimming in open water.…

RESEARCH Saturated fats have been a pretty controversial topic in recent years, with many high profile medics now dismissing the previous work associating a high saturated fat diet with higher risks of cardiovascular disease. FOOD TYPES Foods such as red meat, butter, cream and cheese are known for their saturated fats; while oily fish, avocados (which are also virtually the only fruit to contain monounsaturated fat), nuts, seeds, olives and their oils are known for their unsaturated fats (poly and mono). BALANCE Nutritional guidelines still recommend that saturated fats are kept to a minimum and should be replaced with unsaturated fats, whole grains and pulses in order to reduce the risk of heart disease. HEART HEALTH The exception to the rule is dairy such as cheese, milk and yoghurt; while…

How fragile are carbon bikes compared to aluminium bikes? Carbon fibre is made up of a very hard but brittle material, the resin, and an incredibly strong but flexible material, the carbon fibres. Together, they support one another. The resin locks the fibres in place, giving the composite rigidity, while the fibres prevent the propagation of cracks in the resin, giving the material strength. When carbon breaks it does so with a tear, crush or puncture; it doesn’t develop small cracks which could fail later like a steel or alloy frame might. Unsurprisingly, the cheaper you go with carbon the lower the quality. While a top-end race frame from a big name brand will be built to a high standard the same can’t be said for bikes produced at the…

HELMET There will be helmets to hire but it’s better to wear your own. Any mountain bike peaks will have to go. GLASSES It can be hot and dry on a track, so glasses are a good idea but with clear or yellow lenses, not dark. SHOES Most tracks will let you use your own as long as your cleats are compatible – pedals can’t be swapped, though. Check before you go. TRACK MITTS Usually compulsory. JERSEY AND UNDER VEST Most tracks require you to wear two layers on top, usually a regular short-sleeved cycling jersey and a base t-shirt/vest underneath. No sleeveless tops!…

VESTED TRI-SUITS Comfort is key when buying a tri-suit. Ideally it needs to be supportive, lightweight and include pockets. Also check for any irritating seams. ZONE3 Aquaflo+ £95 Smartly designed and functional suit for a great price. Could even work for IM. Issue 363 zone3.com 2XU Perform £110 Exceptional breathability and high-performing suit for fast racing. Issue 363 2xu.com/uk ZOOT Ltd Ali’i £115 Extra comfy seams, breathable, good padding and roomy pockets. Issue 363 zootsports.co.uk HUUB Core £129.99 Huub’s most functional and accessible suit for the majority of triathletes. Issue 363 huubdesign.com ROKA Gen II Elite £250 Simply superb leg grippers and carbon knit front for up to middle distance. Issue 363 uk.roka.com AERO ROAD HELMETS Decent ventilation, low weight, comfort and how easy it is to adjust on the…

‘A’-RACE The most important race of your season AEROBARS Also known as tri-bars: the special aerodynamic handlebars used in racing AGE-GROUPER Non-pro triathlete (most of us!) AEROBIC Aerobic exercise involves or improves 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 BASE TRAINING Low-intensity training that stimulates your aerobic system and helps develop endurance BILATERAL BREATHING Breathing every 3 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 & run CADENCE Pedal rate on bike, in revolutions per minute (rpm) CARB-LOADING Eating a carb-heavy meal prior to a race to boost…