Innehållsförteckning för December 2020 från 220 Triathlon

That jelly-legged feeling could be a thing of the past according to recent research coming out of Spain. Twelve triathletes followed an eight-week programme. Seven carried on with their usual plan, five substituted a number of sessions for plyometric training. Plyos is when you move from muscle extension to contraction in a rapid manner to build power. The plyometric group’s workout included a number of explosive exercises – squat jumps, box jumps, stride jumps, horizontal jumps, rope skipping and step-ups – and featured in three sessions each week. What happened? The plyometric group delivered a faster 1km at the start of the run than the traditional training group, the implication being that plyometrics helps to build greater resilience to neuromuscular fatigue. “It can also be assumed that a faster pace…

Open-road racing, cold-water immersion, maximum exertion. There have always been risks in tri, but with the C word never far from anyone’s thoughts in 2020, trying to organise swim, bike and run fun has never been a more serious proposition. As the triathlon season would usually be petering out, the UK scene is finally returning to racing, knowing that to instil any confidence for next year it can’t afford any missteps. Organisers have talked a good game but when the masks are off (or on, in this case) will it work? To find out and earn his volunteering stripes for the weekend, 220’s Tim Heming travelled to Nottinghamshire’s Thoresby Park where Outlaw X marks the spot. FRIDAY 3pm In late spring, as the world reeled and organisers wracked their brains…

1 POLAR BEAR CHALLENGES Entries open in early September and sell out fast. From 1st Nov to 31st March you must swim a set distance in cold water each month (from 200m upwards), choosing from various levels of difficulty. There’s even the option to wear neoprene and do the ‘penguin’ challenge, too, if you’re not keen on shedding your wetsuit! polarbearchallenges.com 2 SANTA SWIMS A fun way of setting a cold swimming challenge, these are often held in December at open-water swim venues, unheated lidos and among coastal swim clubs. Shuffle your way into the water wearing a wetsuit and Santa hat, splash about and then head for mulled wine (and still get cold-swimmer kudos!). Check your local venues for events 3 THE ICE KILOMETRE If you’re the kind of…

HUUB CORE2 £139.99 Tri brand Huub delving into the world of cycling continues with the Core2 All Elements. Of the five men’s jackets tested here, it sits in the middle in terms of price, weight (187g) and fit, sitting closer to the skin than Giant and Gore but less tight than Santini and Van Rysel’s packable shells. Where it shines brightest is in the comfort from the brand’s ‘Arms-neutral’ tech borrowed from their wetsuit designs, and the breathability for endurance riding in autumn and spring conditions. Four rear pockets (one of which is zipped) add to the all-day appeal, but the draw is dimmed if the heavens open as it’s the least water resistant here, the underarm panels particularly failing to deflect H20 ingress. It also won’t stash into a…

At this time of year, the bulk of the work in your training schedule will be focusing on the word ‘base’, and while it’s right to be building foundations for 2021 it shouldn’t mean that you only focus on low-intensity miles. This time of year is also great for developing the key to unlock greater speed and that key is power. In the same way that knowledge is power, for an athlete strength is power, which in turn provides speed. Strength for a triathlete encompasses many areas – the amount of force generated into every swim stroke, the amount of power produced through the pedal strokes or the ease in which you can run an uphill. Strength for an endurance athlete should not be confused with an explosive power athlete;…

Will super-dosing with vitamin C protect my body against illness? Vitamin C’s projected as a strong defence against colds and upper respiratory tract infections – both common ailments when training hard – but research is far from conclusive whether significant doses banish colds any faster than the RDA of 90mg. What’s more proven is that vitamin C keeps capillary walls and blood vessels firm for better bloodflow, which pays off when training at high intensity. Vitamin C also improves iron absorption and, as iron binds oxygen to blood, clearly there are oxygen-delivery benefits. Vitamin C-rich foods include red pepper, orange and kale. Is wet lube better for winter riding? That’s right, albeit at a cost. Wet lubes are used in all weather but come into their own in autumn and…

TRI-SUITS Comfort is key for all levels, so consider pads, grippers and material quality. Full-length zippers are also handy for mid-race toilet stops. 2XU Perform Full £130 Performs very well on both the bike and run thanks to top-quality fabrics. Issue 378 2xu.com TRI-FIT Evo £179 Comfort, aerodynamics and features… a standout suit for all distances. Issue 378 tri-fitathletic.com ZONE3 Lava Short Sleeve £190 Very comfortable woven fabrics and excellent temperature control. Issue 378 zone3.co.uk LOUIS GARNEAU Aero Tri Suit £287.90 Aero and comfort benefits combine in a fantastic iron suit. Issue 376 garneau.com ENDURA QDC D2Z £349.99 The fastest suit on test in the wind tunnel, yet with comfort and style. Issue 376 endurasport.com TRIATHLON WETSUITS These hit a range of abilities. Newcomers will look for greater buoyancy, especially…

Apple, Coros, Garmin, Huawei… the sports watch market is an increasingly congested one, and that’s before we throw in Suunto and Timex. And returning centre stage this month are the brand who started the wearable tech ball rolling over 40 years ago, Finnish outfit Polar. The Vantage V2 is an updated version of the Vantage V (labelled as “Polar’s best multisport watch to date,” by our testers back in January), and it matches that watch’s battery life of 40 hours in training mode – and lasts up to 100 hours in power saving mode. The big changes are the bike and running Performance Tests, which allow the user to track their progress and personalise heart rate, speed and power zones. When swimming, the 52g Vantage V2 automatically detects your HR,…

There were plenty of talking points in September’s lone ITU World Series showdown in Hamburg, not least whether the event should have been given ‘world championship’ status. Covid-induced vagaries aside, the race also foreshadowed a looming selection dilemma ahead of next summer’s delayed Tokyo Olympics. Not on the women’s side, where newly-crowned world champion Georgia Taylor-Brown working with perennial swim leader Jessica Learmonth looks a good bet to add to Vicky Holland’s Rio bronze. “As for the Brownlees, can they still outrun an emerging list of ITU contenders?” It’s on the men’s team where the conundrum lies, and the prickly notion, that having Alistair Brownlee racing hard from the front could be detrimental to GB’s medal chances. Granted, the race in Hamburg was over sprint distance, but after Alistair led…

“I’m still hopeful that I’ll be able to return to the level I previously trained and raced at, but who knows” BATTLING LONG COVID I’m a professional long-distance triathlete who represented Wales in the mixed relay at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, and have been struggling with Long Covid since mid-March. During this time, I’ve suffered with severe fatigue, nausea, headaches, brain fog, memory problems, sore throat, swollen glands and dizziness. My body hasn’t tolerated any form of exercise for over six months with any attempts at even light exercise resulting in a relapse. Thankfully, I’m finally starting to feel better and am now up to 45mins of walking a day. Still, a far cry from the 25-plus hours a week of swim, bike, run that my training used to…

XTRI was born in the Norwegian fjords in 2003 with the original Norseman, a point-to-point race that stripped out the unnecessary baggage and immersed the athletes into the landscape. No frills, just pure triathlon. The XTRI World Tour has matured into a series of tough yet wonderful experiences (15 in 2021) with course distances based on topographic features, water conditions, terrain and local infrastructure. It’s the combination of triathlon with adventure travel; athletes with supporters; landscape with culture; and personal challenges with great reward. Quite simply, it’s a journey like no other. xtriworldtour.com…

FORM SMART SWIM GOGGLES £156 The updated Form goggles return with open-water capabilities Plenty has happened at Form Swim since we gave their smart goggles a glowing review last year. Aimed squarely at pool swimmers at launch, a major firmware update has essentially revamped them with an open-water mode, leading pro triathletes such as Lionel Sanders to convert. (Form users can follow the Canadian’s progress on the Form app.) To summarise our thoughts about the Form Smart goggles in the pool, the basic but reasonably clear display gives you everything you need to know during your session and plenty more post-swim. They’re robustly built with premium anti-fog lenses, seven nose-bridge options and adjustable straps. Having your speed and lap count in front of you is useful for pacing and simply…

NIKE SOLID £34.95 Nike say their Solid jammers are ‘built for speed lap after lap’ and, after plenty of test swims, we think their performance makes far more of a statement than the plain black fabric suggests. The Hydrastrong main body fabric is made from a mix of polyester and PBT polyester, with the latter specced to make the material slide more smoothly through the water, while keeping its shape over a long period of time. The front gusset is very soft, and the sizeable waistband with flatlocked seams is our favourite on test, ensuring our swims were chafe-free swimming lap after lap. Nike recommend hand washing, but we found machine washing on a low setting was fine. nikeswim.com VERDICT DURABLE FABRIC WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL STRETCH HUUB BROWNLEE £39.99 As…

DON’T AVOID HILLS They need to be conquered and will make you a powerful athlete. Even adding small ones to your training can add up to big spring gains. CHECK YOUR PROTEIN LEVELS Take a quick inventory of your diet to ensure you have sufficient amount of protein to assist the recovery process after training. EMBRACE THE GYM Avoid the S&C workouts at your peril! Not only can they help to prevent injury, but they can be the key to unlocking more power. THINK FORM AND POSITION Adapt and improve both your bike and run posture with body awareness when climbing to remain efficient.…

UNDER £40 PROVIZ REFLECT360 LS £34 The execution of the Reflect360 is decent enough, but where it shines is with its reflective trim and logos, which genuinely illuminate when faced with car headlights on night runs. provizsports.com UNDER £50 HUUB DS TRAINING LS £49 A big sell here (apart from the signature of tri legend Dave Scott) are the mesh panels under the arms and down the spine, which neatly add venting to the already breathable fabric. huubdesign.com UNDER £90 GORE R7 LONG SLEEVE £89.99 There’s no escaping the price but we can’t deny that this is a quality garment (and now £55 online). The lean fabric has multi-season appeal, and it’s also designed for backpack use with chevrons on the shoulders. gorewear.com…

“There were no role models with autism or from a BAME background” I want to become the first age-group athlete with autism to complete a full Ironman. To show the world that people with autism can successfully participate in sport and that it can be a superpower. I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when I was four years old. It affects my ability to communicate and how I view the world, and also motor skills, like riding a bike or tying my shoelaces. Elastic shoelaces are one of the greatest inventions ever! Autism does have its advantages, though. I’m focused, motivated and love completing structured, repetitive tasks. It’s probably why I love training so much. I was non-verbal until I was five and started swimming before I could…

01 @sarahashcroft8 Ready for my first race (at the Sywell Multisport Festival) post-baby and first triathlon since Ironman Wales over two years ago 02 @celebsuett Going to be a wet ride to CrossFit but need the miles for Ironman. Five weeks to go. 03 @jennifersophiee Throwback Thursday. This time last year I was heading out to Kona to support my husband at the Ironman World Champs. I’m determined to get back to Kona under my own steam someday. 04 fitbelvoir Today’s outfit: swim ready! 05 @vogtri I’d almost forgotten how fun racing was. Well done Castle Triathlon Series. In your face 2020! 06 @triathlon_mumontherun Little dude is ready! 07 @trigirlc Can’t wait to toe the start line tomorrow! 08 @pseymour75 Autumn is here. I know this because I was ‘violently’…

Greek Hero Corfu, 17 April 2021 Himalayan Nepal, 8 May 2021 Amazigh Morocco, 29 May 2021 Celtman Scotland, 12 June 2021 Swissman Switzerland, 26 June 2021 Canadaman Canada, 4 July 2021 Norseman Norway, 7 August 2021 Swedeman Sweden, 14 August 2021 Icon Italy, 3 September 2021 Janosik Slovakia, 4 Sept 2021 Hispaman Spain, 25 Sept 2021 Blacklake Montenegro, 11 Sept 2021 Starvation Utah, USA, 11 Sept 2021 Formosa Taiwan, TBC Nov 2021 Patagonman Chile, 5 Dec 2021 Fodaxman Brazil, 11 Dec 2021 xtriworldtour.com…

“It’s important you never swim alone in cold open water,” says Greg. “Have someone on the bank and swim close to shore, checking in regularly and talking to them so they can spot the following warning signs: 1 Slurring of the speech. As soon as this happens, it’s time to get out and get warm immediately. 2 Look out for ‘cyanosis’, which is a bluing of the nose and lips. This is indicative of what’s going on at the core of the body. 3 Loss of cognition. The ability to make judgements is impaired – the brain goes a bit cloudy. At this point you’re in serious trouble and may be starting to get confused about where you are, or which way up you are in the water. 4 Splaying…

MEN’S SCOTT KINABALU ULTRA RC 2.0 £140 The Kinabalu Ultras tip the scales at a lean 270g (for trail shoes) and, for a shoe with an ‘ultra’ tag, they instantly feel nimble. The responsiveness is due to a combo of Scott’s Kinetic midsole foam and an aggressive outsole traction. The rock plate in the midsole heightens the versatility, yet they lack meaningful toe protection for jagged fell runs. And ultra comfort? The high heel collar that is a potential area for rubbing, yet the breathable upper and lightly padded tongue aid the comfort stakes. Overall, then, a do-it-all shoe that’ll adapt to racing, short and long training sets. Pricey, though. scott-sports.com VERDICTAN ULTRA BILLING, BUT ADEPT AT FASTER SETS TOO ADIDAS TERREX TWO ULTRA PARLEY £159 Many shoe brands claim…

One glance at Sebastian Kienle’s bike position or cadence is enough to justify why the German will never be short of sponsorship offers. When it comes to two wheels, the 36-year-old from Mühlacker may rest on his tri-bars, but never on his laurels. So, when it comes to being loyal to the same brand for more than a decade, there must be a bond tighter than the AeroSkin weave of his Orca RS1 Dream Kona trisuit. “I remember three years ago in Kona, the guys from Ironman pulled us over and said: ‘We have this GPS tracker. You all need to wear it on the bike’,” Kienle recalls. “We were freaking out because the trisuit is designed without pockets for good reasons. Well, Tomás del Olmo, who’s in charge of…

This plan includes twice-weekly conditioning sessions. You can do these at home or at the gym. We know you’re short of time but these take only 20-30mins and are absolutely essential. But why? Well, strength and conditioning (S&C) for age-groupers is about keeping you strong, healthy and improving your range of motion. It’s also about improving your stability so you can train more consistently, happier and waste less energy. There are numerous examples over the three disciplines S&C work pays off. Take running. Visually, it’s such a simple movement. In practice, poor form can lead to injury and it’s because it’s a more complex skill than you’d think. You have far less than a second to land, control and push off, all in clean alignment. But if your lower-limb’s structure…

DERMOTT HAYES Slipstreaming Strength Dermott has been coaching for 15 years, is head coach at Be Endurance and the organiser of the Storm the Castle duathlon. JAMES WITTS Train to the Rhythm Freelance writer and former 220 editor James specialises in sports science and endurance. JOHN WOOD Outdoors Indoors An award-winning multisport coach of 10 years, John is also a former international swimmer. KATE PERCY A High-Fat Winter? Kate’s written three best-selling Go Faster Food books, and is the in-house chef for us here at 220 Triathlon.…

“To help me stay fuelled, I like to plan weekly meals that include protein, carbs and plenty of veg. I always cook and freeze the extra.” Lyra,Birmingham “I always carry a protein shake with me, plus a banana, to have either before or after training. I’m always in a rush so the convenience really works for me, especially since I’m vegan and I do sometimes struggle with protein intake.” Sarah, Brighton “I had a vitamin-D test at the GP and was found to be deficient despite it being summer. I now take a supplement all-year-round and my joints and mood have both improved significantly.” Charlie, Brighton…

1 Presca’s Endurance Tri Suit is constructed with 100% recycled fabrics from a brand with sustainability at their heart. 2 The Zone3 Aspire wetsuit is made with recycled tyres and limestone, the latter used to replace petrochemicals. Some 45 plastic bottles are recycled and used for every wetsuit lining. 3 Waterhaul’s Zennor eyewear are made with 100% recycled polypropylene trawl fishing nets and paired with polarised polycarbonate lenses, offering a secure fit, lightweight performance and UVA/UVB 400 protection. 4 The Merrell Bare Access XTR Eco are constructed from recycled and repurposed composites or greener substitutes, and are grippy and comfortable for running.…

‘A’-RACE The most important race of your season 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 BONKING Running out of energy mid-race or training session BRICK SESSION When you ‘brick’ two disciplines together, e.g. bike & run CARB-LOADING Eating a carb-heavy meal prior to a race to boost energy CATCH The part of the swim stroke where you pull on the water DNS/DNF/DQ Did not start/Did not finish/ Disqualified DRAFTING Hitching a ride on someone else’s slipstream in the bike or swim DUATHLON Usually a run/bike/run format ELITE Another word for a ‘pro’ – e.g. the Brownlees HIT High-intensity training HRMAX Your…