Innehållsförteckning för November 2019 från 220 Triathlon

VISIT 220TRIATHLON.COM KONA 2019 Head to 220tri.com for all the action from the 2019 Ironman World Champs. We’ll be in Hawaii for exclusive interviews, kit launches and the race itself as Charles-Barclay and Ryf, Lange and Frodeno, Brownlee and McNamee all vie for Kona glory. DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL EDITION ENJOY YOUR FAVOURITE MAGAZINE ON YOUR TABLET Get all the great advice and expert reviews from the print version of your favourite tri magazine on our digital edition. FOLLOW 220 @220Triathlon /220Triathlon @220triathlon…

UNDER £30 LIFEVENTURE ROBE £29.99 This gown comes in a ‘Compact’ or thicker ‘Warm’ version for when you’re at the lido or open-water swimming venue and your Dryrobe feels like overkill. Both allow enough space for changing, plus there’s a hood for extra warmth. lifeventure.com UNDER £45 NIKE SWIM BACKPACK £32.99 Nike isn’t the first brand we think of when buying swim kit, but this is a smartly crafted bag. It has a roll-up top for stashing oversized items, a fleece-lined pocket for goggles, a water-resistant coating and mesh panels. proswimwear.co.uk UNDER £60 THE MAGIC 5 BLUE MAGIC FROM£54.30 The Magic 5 creates the world’s first custom-fitted goggles, made specifically for an athlete’s facial structure. Customers scan their face using an app before Optimal Fitting Tech is applied at the…

UPPER Look for a breathable upper in your trail shoe, whether that’s for summer or winter running. This is key year-round across all terrains but even more so on trail-specific shoes, because lightweight material also aids drainage come the muddy and wet off season. OUTSOLE A distinct feature of a trail shoe’s rubber outsole are teeth-like lugs, vital for staying the right way up come field or fell. They come in varying sizes and depths, so select to suit your usual terrain types, from tow paths to rugged mountain peaks. LACES Consider the laces themselves when buying as conventional round ones can come undone while elastic versions, as seen on the Fujitrabuco here, stay put and offer transition benefits for off-road multisport. There’s also a tongue pocket that stows the…

01 Hydrate adequately. Water provides a first line of defence to fight infection. 02 Eat healthily. Keep it varied with plenty of colour and view weight gain as a positive. 03 Sleep. A free health prescription every 24hrs. Don’t underestimate its training value. 04 Prioritise vitamin D. Whether supplements or sunshine, most of us could do with a boost. 05 Consider a blood test. Make it part of a health MOT, but have it analysed by an expert 06 Measure resting HR. A good gauge for your body settling post-season. 07 Prepare your mind. Now is the time to evaluate and plan and develop better habits. 08 Get strong. Consider S&C as you start to build back up for the new season. 09 Try a change. Unstructured, unfamiliar activity can…

ROKA MAVERICK PRO THERMAL £675 Thermal tri-specific wetsuits are growing in number, with the key models so far coming from Blueseventy (the £600 Helix and £495 Reaction) and Huub, with their Aegis II (£299). The Maverick Pro is noticeably different as internally it looks like a conventional wetsuit, lacking the thermo liners made of fuzzy zirconium or polyester of those options. So where’s the warmth coming from? An increased neoprene thickness in the chest and arms. So why not just buy a cheaper, thicker wetsuit if you want added thickness? Because Roka have increased the neoprene wall thickness of the suit, yet while somehow retaining the upper-body flexibility. The U.S. brand pitch it for temp ranges around 5°C lower than a regular wetsuit, with anything under 18°C in that temp…

“A great recovery method is to work at higher cadences to clear the build-up of lactic acid” Every session we complete does not have to involve pushing the body. A great recovery method is to work at higher cadences to clear the build-up of lactic acid, which will aid your recovery but also help to increase your cadence range and work on your pedal efficiency, i.e. how you produce power on each stroke. I’d include this session in your recovery days if you feel you struggle working at higher cadences. Then try to work at a pace that’s higher than your normal race cadence by around 15-20rpm. Another great workout is to include some cadence drills in your longer endurance rides. But one session per week will be plenty. For…

What does alactic mean and what is the anaerobic alactic system? This describes anaerobic activity that doesn’t produce lactic acid and lasts for up to 10 seconds. Using this system can be crucial in key parts of a race, such as races starts, flying bike mounts, and accelerations or surges that are less than 10 seconds in duration. Which massages are best for athletes? There are many types of massage, but five are particularly good. These are: Swedish (long, flowing strokes with varying amounts of pressure to help alleviate muscle tension while promoting blood flow); deep tissue (works on the upper and deep tissues of the fascia and muscle to focus on specific problem areas); sports (helps promote blood circulation, lymphatic fluids drainage and stretches out sore muscles and aids…

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 BILATERAL BREATHING Breathing every 3 strokes when swimming BRICK SESSION When you ‘brick’ two disciplines together, e.g. bike & run DNS/DNF/DQ Did not start/Did not finish/ Disqualified…

Our authors for this guide, Caroline and Justin Hattee, have nearly 40 years of triathlon racing experience between them. They gained British Triathlon coaching certificates and set up Ketton Panthers Tri Club, which quickly expanded to over 150 members including a ‘Minis’ group (for 4-7 year olds), an ‘Academy’ (for older, developing triathletes) and sessions for kids with Downs Syndrome and on the autistic spectrum. They’ve both won Triathlon England’s East Midlands Children’s Coach of the Year awards. Caroline has also won the Triathlon England National Children’s Coach of the Year and Rutland Coach of the Year.…

Kids, just like their parents, love getting their hands on the latest branded kit. Unfortunately, not many parents get a kick out of spending their hard-earned salary on it – especially given that their kids will inevitably grow out of it within a year or two at most. Luckily, for their first race, kids don’t need any special kit. A swimming suit/trunks, goggles, a t-shirt, a bike, helmet and trainers will be enough! That said, there are bits of kit and pieces of advice that can save a lot of time – and will be appreciated by your kids if they get more serious about the sport or are really enjoying training and racing. On the next page we’ve listed the items (by discipline) that are worth considering in a…

BRUNTY’S SWIM GUIDE Time to hit the chlorine again? Let our back page columnist guide you through surviving winter swim training and how to get faster (promise!) p37. RECOVERY SPECIAL Go to p42 where we look at how to recover from a season of triathlon training and racing... From foam rolling to nutrition! TRAINING PLAN Did you bike leg let you down this year? On p90, our coach shows you how to get stronger on the bike in just 12 weeks, ready for that 2020 PB.…

“When it was finally my turn to cross the finish line, I choked” I was lying on a beach in France when the thought of doing an Ironman popped into my head. I immediately thought of doing it as a fundraiser in honour of my friend Jochem, who committed suicide three years ago. He was 20. I usually don’t believe in destiny, but that evening I saw on Facebook that it would have been Jochem’s birthday that day. Back at home I immediately enrolled in IMUK. When I told Jochem’s parents about my plan, they were very emotional. I asked them to pick a charity for my fundraiser. They chose Grip op je Dip, a Dutch non-profit institution that supports young people with depressive thoughts. I was at work when…

1 Take the first run within yourself, still hurting, but not quite flat out. 2 As you’re nearing the end of the bike leg, start to plan your journey into transition, take the last of your hydration and start to spin those legs in a nice low gear. Also check your shoes are ready for that swift exit. 3 Remember that the pain is the same for everyone, and that you have to somehow manage that pain and pull out a great performance, beating all the athletes you’d targeted. If you didn’t, don’t get disheartened, just train harder and practise even harder next time.…

CANNONDALE CAAD13 £4,799.99 With its predecessor winning our sister title Cycling Plus’ ‘Bike of the Year’ gong in 2016, the CAAD13 arrives with plenty of pressure on its champagne-coloured tubing. And while that frame looks like carbon from afar, Cannondale have updated the aluminium construction that served the CAAD12 so well. The overall weight is an impressive 8.79kg, with SRAM providing the shifting via their Force eTap AXS groupset.cannondale.com…

1 Approach the corner with your outside foot leading and try to get all of your braking done before you enter the corner and shift to the gear you’ll want to use to exit it. 2 Think of your upper body as a horseshoe and, as you turn into the corner, adapt your horseshoe to gain grip by straightening your inside arm and pointing your outside elbow high into the air. This tilts your bike while your upper body and head remain relatively upright. 3 Gain even more traction by pushing down through your outside pedal. This also prevents your inside pedal catching as you tilt your bike and, on tight turns, can allow you to use your inside foot as an outrigger.…

MOST WANTED GARMIN 945 FORERUNNER £519.99 Is the latest Forerunner the ultimate sports watch for triathletes? Just two years after Garmin launched the Forerunner 935 comes the 945, which now becomes their flagship ‘plastic’ multisport watch. Garmin’s slightly confusing range also includes the new Fenix 6, which essentially has the same features but comes in a classier, more expensive package with the option to spec a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal lens. If you already own a pre-existing Garmin multisport watch, does the new 945 warrant the upgrade? Some of the main improvements over the 935 include the impressive option to play music directly from the watch to your headphones via Bluetooth without your phone, improved battery life, a new optical heart rate sensor and a whole host of tracking…

MISSED AN ISSUE? ISSUE369 18 ways to reach your peak in 2019; Dirty Sanchez takes on a Deca Iron; Kona showdown preview; On test: run shoes, swim kit ISSUE368 Special Anniversary issue! We race Windsor in 80s kit; The ultimate 30 training tips; What will tri look like in 30 years’ time? ISSUE367 Smash your UK race; How to beat the heat; 8-week trails training plan; Discover the world’s toughest tri; Sub-£2.5k road bikes ISSUE366 Ultimate guide to race-day fuelling; 45 essential speed sessions; New races to try in 2019; 10 budget wetsuits on test ISSUE365 Conquer Ironman with Patrick Lange; 23 ways to smash your first race; Vicky Holland’s ultimate run tips ISSUE364 How to conquer open-water swimming; 25 ways to avoid injury; Wetsuit buyer’s guide; The best new…

“This session incorporates some S&C within your run to work on strength and add an extra challenge” This month’s session (almost) coincides with National Fitness Day, on 25 of September, so to support that your session this month is a total body workout. To be a strong, well-rounded athlete you need to avoid injury, be fit enough to maintain speed to the end of the race and complete tough training sessions day after day. This takes more than just swimming, biking and running. While it’s possible to work on strength and conditioning (S&C) during ‘normal’ training, it’s important to target this type of fitness specifically. This session incorporates some S&C within your run to work on your strength and to add an extra challenge! Try to keep the transition time…

TRAINING FOR AN IM Q How long does it roughly take to train for an Ironman? Do I need to follow the three stages – Base, Build and Peak? How do they work? Peter Mitchell A To do an Ironman safely, your body needs three years plus of endurance training, which may include marathons, long-distance cycle sportives and triathlons. This will also see you train through two winters. Missing the solid, consistent block and foundation of base training through winter and early spring means coping with your building stage could result in illness, injury or being mentally burnt out before your event. You must keep a close check on mental burn-out, as athletes don’t like to admit they’re losing motivation. In this instance, introduce another exercise to freshen your head…

1 Getting to Lofoten is not straightforward but there are several options. We flew Edinburgh to Olso, then to Bode and then Svolvaer, but look at the website for options. 2 Norway is undeniably expensive. We shopped at home before we left and ate plenty in our hotel room. Breakfast at the race hotel is fantastic so stock up well! 3 As with all extreme races, break it up. The aid stations are perfectly located for that but keep note of their locations and distances on your top tube. 4 It may sound glib, but there’s always energy around so use it. If this place doesn’t inspire you, have a word with yourself!…

WETSUITS Build quality, comfort, flexibility and insulation – the four key factors when choosing your neoprene. Spend more and the quality for each factor tends to increase. ZOOT Wave 1 £220 Solid construction, warm and buoyant. Love the chest panels, too. Issue 366 zootsports.co.uk ORCA Equip £239 Peerless comfort and flexibility for the price. Great for frugal swimmers. Issue 366 orca.com ROKA Maverick Comp III £325 Superior arm flexibility and reach, plus assured buouyancy. Issue 365 roka.com AQUA SPHERE Racer 2.0 £399.99 Striking graphics, a decent price and a superior build – winning! Issue 365 aquasphereswim.com/uk YONDA Ghost 2 £549 A highly comfortable and superb all-rounder wetsuit. Issue 364 yondasports.com AERO ROAD HELMETS Decent ventilation, low weight, comfort and how easy it is to adjust on the fly are all…

You might be used to setting and following a training plan ahead of your races, but it’s a bit different when it comes to kids. Initially, we don’t advocate training plans for children, especially the very young. It’s better to just have fun to start with and not put any pressure on them. If they enjoy racing they will naturally gravitate towards doing a spot of training. Maybe ask them to go for a run with the dog or ride to the park with friends. As they grow it’s really tricky to be formulaic about training, given that age, gender, technical ability and fitness (and injury) can all impact the amount of training kids can reasonably perform. For this reason we recommend that you contact your local tri club and…

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 appearsin 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 recovery tips “Ease back into training. I once ran 25km the day after a bad 70.3 and spent three months out with injury!” HELEN WEBSTER 220’s editor made the move from marathons to tri six years ago. Happiest when…

RaceSkin was the winner of 2018’s 220 award for ‘Best Tri-Suit Brand’ and is well known for its custom tri-suit collections, but the company also sells and creates individual garments for triathletes. Included in the British brand’s range are its first wetsuits – the top-end Summa (£460) and this, the Magna. Key features of this £215 suit, which straddles the entry/mid-level price points, include a Yamamoto construction and SCS coating that aims to reduce friction with the water and increase swim speed. The neoprene thicknesses stretch from the maximum 5mm on the legs for added buoyancy, to an impressive (for the price) 1.5mm on the arms and shoulders for flexibility. Taped seams aim to extend the longevity of the suit, while the flatlock internal seams reduce chafing on the skin.…

1 Trail-specific running shoes are essential for off-road duathlon, and the Hoka Speedgoat 3 (£125) shoes find that balance of race-day nimbleness, traction and support across multiple types of terrain. 2 The Odlo Active Spine (£75) short-sleeve top provides some added base layer snugness and wicking abilities, but also has the further benefit of posture stabilisation to aid running technique and respiratory functions when you’re flagging on that second duathlon run leg. 3 Finding warmth and wind protection are essential for many winter dus, and a pair of arm sleeves for both the bike and run legs that can stash in your tri-suit pockets are a wise move. Seen here are the DHB Blok Arm Warmers (£15). 4 The brand new Garmin Fenix 6 (from £529.99) has a wealth of…

From elastic laces to the inner sock liner and heel and tongue loops, it’s clear out of the box that Asics’ Fujitrabuco Pro have plenty of multisport-friendly touches. Located within the Japanese shoe giant’s long-standing Fujitrabuco range (the conventional Fujitrabuco trail shoes are on version seven already), the Pro grace the scales at a lean 270g thanks to the Flytefoam in the midsole, which Asics say is 55% lighter than the industry standard. That weight figure is especially impressive given the aggressive lugs on the outsole, a rock protection plate and a reinforced toe bumper. The booty/sock liner construction is a further welcomed addition for limiting the chances of debris and excess water entering the shoe, while also providing added comfort and warmth. There are two colours available for each…

1 Avoid leaning back excessively and jamming your heel in as this will invariably result in you slipping. Keep your feet under your centre of gravity and your cadence high. Angle your feet to contact as much as your sole as possible to maximise grip. 2 Keep your head up and look down the trail to seek out the best line. Use your arms for balance and don’t be embarrassed to really flail them about if that helps you. 3 Use your upper body as a brake and accelerator. Lean back slightly from your waist to slow down and forward to speed up.…

Many triathletes look forward to it with relish, others with fidgety dread. It’s part of the sport that divides opinion and its importance is often neglected. It is, of course, the off-season. While some will enjoy the prospect of extended downtime with feet-up time in compression socks, others will go stir crazy at the thought of no swim, bike or run racing and be hopping on long-haul flights to find their fix. But what should we be doing in the off-season to give us the best chance of recovery and return fresh and strong for the following year? We’ve set out to address the issue by talking to the sport’s leading physiologists, psychologists, dieticians and athletes to find out. Before we look at the best ways to recover, we need…

GASKETS Creating a tight seal around your eyes to prevent water ingress, the gasket should be soft and comfy. It’s usually made from silicon or rubber. CORE SUPPORT Made from sturdy polycarbonate to resist damage, choose from a range of tints based on how bright your pool is, preferably with an anti-fog coating. STRAPS Most goggles will have a single, double or split strap. Choose the one that feels the most secure, or fits around your bun if you have long hair. As temperatures drop in the waters of our lakes and seas, for most of us the autumn marks time to switch back from training in open water to hitting the training sets in the local pool. As you hang up your wetsuit for another year, though, there are…

ENERGY GELS These have been core to a triathlete’s race fuelling strategy since the late 1980s when the Lepping Squeezy gel was dished out at Ironman Hawaii. These sachets of energy usually come in isotonic and traditional versions. Isotonic comes premixed with water but are bulkier; pure energy gels are packed with carbs but can be tougher to consume without water. ENERGY BARS Energy bars are perfect for riding where the weight-bearing nature of your bike and, in general, lower intensity of exercise means they’re more easily digested. Homemade versions are often better than commercial as they contain more water. ENERGY CHEWS These are common across both the bike and run, and are akin to Wine Gums (only with higher levels of calories and added portability). They’re easy to digest,…

“Now is the perfect time to review your stroke, set new goals and strip things back to the key fundamentals” The season end is the perfect time to review your stroke, set new technical/ performance goals, ease training loads and strip things back to the key fundamentals that will really make a difference. Body position and streamlining are key to stroke efficiency. The mechanics of great swimming require you to move your body through the narrowest cylinder of water while creating minimum drag/resistance. Poor streamlining, being tense or fighting the water will increase resistance, meaning you swim with the ‘hand brake’ on! The ‘super hero’ kick and streamlining drills in this session help you take the brakes off and increase your efficiency. A good ‘catch’ is another crucial element to…

Want to train with power but don’t know where to start? Well hang on to your Lycra, as we give you a 3-month training plan that’s guaranteed to transform your performance It’s fair to say that triathletes love a bit of tech, especially cyclists! In recent years, without doubt, the biggest change in training and racing technology has been the emergence of power meters, which can fit on the pedal crank, the wheel hub, or on your pedals. But what is power and, more importantly, how do we use it? In its most basic form a power meter will measure your true rate of work and tell you how many watts you’re producing, with the beauty being that there’s no cheating. A power meter will increase your accountability in every…

MARK KLEANTHOUS Training for an IM Mark’s a tri coach who has completed more than 460 triathlons, including 39 Ironmans. DERMOTT HAYES Length of taper Dermott is head coach at RG Active in London, and organiser of the Storm the Castle duathlon. SCOTT FINDLAY Running kinetic chain Tri coach Scott has competed for Team GB at three Euro Champs and one Long Distance Worlds. JON HODGKINSON Protein needs Jon is a nutritionist, biomechanics coach, personal trainer and founder of Real Food Function.…

JOHN WOOD John is an award-winning triathlon coach of 10 years and a 2019 FINA World Masters Championships’ bronze medallist in 50m and 100m butterfly. QI’m a decent swimmer but always experience the same issue when wearing a wetsuit in training and racing – I always end up swimming breaststroke after 100m or so, as I feel really out of breath. If I swim in jammers in training I don’t have this problem. Is there any specific training or trick to help me? Alessandro Albisetti A Rest assured, Alessandro, your issue is not just something that you alone struggle with. And I believe that there may be three issues at play here, to a greater or lesser degree. Firstly, I think fit can be a real issue. Secondly it may…

FITNESS While it can be a challenge, the mix of training can assist kids’ overall development. It keeps training fresh and interesting and prevents overuse injuries. SKILLS Developing key skills such as the ‘catch’, cornering at speed and the importance of cadence, set a firm base for future training and racing. FRIENDSHIP Having fun and training with like-minded kids gives them the opportunity to expand their friendship groups, and build confidence and social skills. HEALTH Training together as a family is not only fun but instils the normality of leading a fit and healthy lifestyle into your kids’ mindset. This will help to set a trend for life.…

So, the training is done and the big day is here! Now, it’s very likely that you’ll be as nervous as your son/daughter but your job is to reduce the family stress levels and ensure a calm pre-race experience. Get to the event in good time (at least 1hr before the race start or sooner if there’s a chance to recce the course). Then, be your son/ daughter’s gofer… If they want to talk, talk. If they want to warm up, look after their kit. If they want a drink, pass it to them. Basically make their lives easy and avoid stressing them by asking them questions or giving advice. Do ask them how they want you to behave (shouting positive encouragement and clapping will probably be okay but screaming…

“PEOPLE ARE WATCHING ME” Most people are looking out for their own kids (not them) and if they are watching them, it’s likely that they will be giving encouragement (as you should). Triathlons tend to be very positive experiences for kids and adults alike. “I’M NOT KEEN ON WEARING A TRI-SUIT” Both boys and girls sometimes suffer from body image concerns or just discomfort. The simple solution is not to bother wearing one, i.e. wear trunks/swimsuit and a t-shirt over the top instead. “I MIGHT DNF (DID NOT FINISH)” Things might go wrong, but if you and they are well-prepared, between you, you’ll minimise the chances. Assuming they’re not ill, can swim the distance and ride a bike, there’s no reason they can’t finish (barring an accident/injury or mechanical fault).…

1 CASTLE TRIATHLON SERIES  What Well-established as the must-do UK race series for children, the Castle Triathlon Series pride themselves on junior racing split over each festival weekend. Hever Castle at the end of September is the world’s largest childrens’ tri and holds 8-10-year-old races on the Saturday and 11-15-year-olds on the Sunday, with adult races on both days as well. What’s more, all races are at beautiful (and educational!) castle venues. When Between May and October 2020 More info castletriathlonseries.co.uk 2 IRONKIDS  What If you’ve been training for months for your Ironman race, why not get the kids involved too? The Ironkids races are held the day before the main Ironman event and allow children from 3-14 years the chance to take part – with a tee…