Innehållsförteckning för May 2022 från 220 Triathlon

Quintana Roo’s new HYDROfive2 wetsuit comes with many of the features you’d expect from a top-quality wetsuit. Premium Yamamoto neoprene? Check. An SCS nanocoating to help you pass through the water more easily? Yep. An easy-exit ankle design to help with swift transitions? Absolutely. And the brand’s Comfort Seal neck design to increase comfort? You bet. But what really caught our attention is the brand’s new approach to sizing. The HYDROfive2 (and the new HYDROsix2, $595) uses the brand’s new unisex fitting system, whereby sizes are determined not by gender, but by your body type, and which QR says is the most important metric for achieving an ideal fit. “Our engineers designed a cross-section of sizing that we’ve found works in a way that best matches triathletes to the suit…

Joe Skipper says he still can’t find a coach that’ll “put up with me”, but he’s flying the union flag when it comes to British men in long-course triathlon. The only male Brit ranked inside the Professional Triathletes Organisation top 40 – mixing with the big hitters at No. 7 at time of print – a unique approach to training includes “just for fun” escapades to make quads shudder. There’s a serious athlete here, too. Skipper has secured iron-distance victories in each of the past five years – no mean feat through a pandemic – and alongside his racing schedule for 2022, he has a special project planned for the month after Kona, and something even more special planned for the start of July – marriage to his long-term fiancée…

These spiced peanut balls are perfect for those who crave savoury foods rather than the standard sugary on-the-bike feeds. Plus, they’re particularly effective in hot weather to replace some of the electrolytes that are lost through sweat. INGREDIENTS 100g skinned unsalted peanuts 20g milled chia seed 160g crunchy peanut butter (Whole Earth works best) 40g porridge oats, plus 2tbsps extra to coat 1/2 tsp salt Pinch cayenne pepper Pinch chilli powder 1 Place the peanuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add the chia seed, peanut butter, porridge oats, salt and spices and give the mix a quick blast to combine. 2 Take small handfuls of mixture, about 12g each, and roll into balls in the palm of your hands. 3 Spoon 2tbsps porridge oats into a…

SEBASTIAN KIENLE 2014 Ironman world champ & 2 x 70.3 world champ I got into quite good shape leading up to Challenge Daytona 2020 and was ready to deliver something big. Two weeks out of the race, and I was running with my wife: 8 x 1km hard with 1km rest. My calf was a little sore thanks to some track running with racing flats, but I was in ‘Rocky’ mode. My wife noted that I was limping a little bit, but when she asked me if I should quit after five reps, I almost screamed at her: ‘THIS IS THE TIME TO HARDEN UP, NOT TO QUIT’. A week later, I couldn’t run anymore. I travelled to Daytona, quit the race, and it took me another six months to…

For all the talk of aerodynamics, of saving a precious watt or two on the bike, or cutting through the water with exclusive new technology, comfort is king when it comes to long-distance race suits. Anything that you will have to potentially wear for up to 17 hours (and perhaps even beyond) simply has to feel good. There’ll be plenty enough sore bits the morning after a race without the added trauma of a rubbed seam or the unmistakable pain of a chamois pad that didn’t do its job. As with any review, it’s always worth remembering that every person is different. So what may be the perfect combination of all-round comfort for one triathlete may be another’s worst nightmare. That’s why it’s a good idea to try something on…

With such a broad spectrum of prices, comparing like for like is slightly unfair. Decathlon’s suit may not have all the features of high-end suits, but it does what it needs to do well. The ultra-lightweight feel of both the 2XU and dhb suits make them great options for warmer weather, although the limited storage in the 2XU suit may make it more appealing for middle-distance racing. If money’s no object, the updated Trimtex suit is packed with technology. For faster athletes it could provide important marginal gains, but getting the right fit is key to take advantage of all the aero technology. However, ticking all the boxes of a premium suit, yet slightly kinder on the bank balance, Zone3’s Lava feels fast yet supportive, is flexible and stylish, and…

ENDURANCE BUSTER Coach Paul Jones Benefit This is an early-season Olympic-distance bike session that develops endurance at a sustainable pace, but also works at a higher intensity to develop power and lactate tolerance. This session should be done on the road to improve bike-handling skills but can be ticked off on the turbo in rubbish weather if need be. It lasts around 1:35rs. Warm-up 10min easy spin building up to 70% FTP (functional threshold power). Follow this with 5 x 30sec pick-ups to ‘speedwork’ pace. Ride at a high cadence and leave the gears alone – just up the cadence. Main set 4 x 7min efforts at 85-95% FTP with 5min easy spin (60-70% FTP) recovery. Then 5 x 90sec hard efforts (105-115% FTP) with 2min spin (60-70% FTP) recovery.…

CHEAT’S RAMEN Use ramen noodles instead and add 750ml chicken stock to the dressing ingredients (omit the vinegar). Top with a hard- boiled egg. NUTRIENT-RICH NOODLES Swap rice noodles for gluten-free (made from buckwheat flour) soba noodles for some slow-releasing carbs, protein, fibre, calcium and iron. TURN SALAD INTO CURRY Heat a ready-made Thai curry paste with a can of coconut milk to replace dressing. Add a splash of fish sauce and top with coriander & cashews.…

Q What’s the benefit of swimming with hand paddles? A Hand paddles have a surface area greater than your hand width, which allows you to hold to more water and produce more leverage to pull through it. Paddles can also assist with balance in the water, and allow you to spend more time on each specific pull, making sure that you can really work on finishing your stroke, which in turn should lower your stroke count. They’re also great for mastering the catch and for longer-distance sets, making for a tougher workout as they recruit more muscle groups. Q How can I get used to bilateral breathing? A If you’ve not come to tri from a swim background, you may have difficulties getting used to breathing naturally with your swim…

ZONE3 ACTIV LITE £25 As the name suggests this is a lightweight option. It also features flatlock stitching for added comfort and reflective detailing for visibility. Ventilation panels help with temperature regulation, but the fit is a little on the small side. zone3.com RAB SONIC ULTRA £50.99 Designed for challenging or hot runs, the Sonic Ultra is incredibly lightweight and comfortable. The fabric dries quickly, has ventilation holes and is finished with an odour-control treatment to keep you fresh. rab.equipment/uk THRUDARK VELOCITY £85 This T-shirt from ThruDark isn’t cheap but it does provide impressive ventilation and a premium feel. Range of movement and moisture wicking both excel, too. thrudark.com…

“I have a special snorkel, which attaches to the hole in my neck” SPECIFIC ADVICE REQUIRED I’m hoping you can help. I was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2018 and after radiotherapy failed I had a total laryngectomy and neck dissection in July 2019. Since then I’ve completed several ultra marathons, duathlons and run events. In November 2021 I was fitted for a special snorkel for swimming, which attaches to the hole in my neck. This year I have three tri’s planned and the Hever Castle Gauntlet in September. But I’ve struggled to find other people who have done this and would like some advice/feedback before the races. Can you help? Richard Benno 220 replies: Thanks for writing in, Richard. If anyone can help Richard with some advice please email…

• Accept reality. I recover quicker from an Ironman because of the amount of training I’m doing. If I train 25hrs a week and the race takes 8hrs it’s only 30% of the volume. An age-grouper could well be over 100% of their weekly volume during the event. • Get a good night’s sleep. I don’t go to bed too early as Laura works as a doctor and sometimes won’t finish work until after 9pm, so we’re generally not going to bed until 11:30pm. But I still need to get 9hrs. • Eat well after training. I’m not anal about it. I eat a well-balanced diet, just fruit and veg and normal food. If you have 4-5 beers and a load of fast food, you’ll feel like crap! • Eat…

BOARDMAN SLR £550 Half the price of the carbon version, this entry-level bike boasts great value with a triple-butted aluminium frame, full-carbon fork, and 8-speed Claris gears. boardmanbikes.com ENDURA FS260-PRO HELMET £89.99 Versatile and durable with 14 sizeable ventilation channels. endurasport.com GIRO JAG MITTS £19.99 Lightly padded, fingerless gloves, with four-way stretch Lycra and small velcro top closure. wiggle.co.uk HUUB COMMIT LC TRI SUIT £119.99 Stylish design, lightweight fabric, a silky tri-specific pad, and angled pockets for gels. huubdesign.com DHB AERON 2,0 WETSUIT £180 Quality, entry-level wetsuit . Yamamoto neoprene provides buoyancy and flexibility, with extra stretch nylon backing. wiggle.co.uk LOMO VISTA GOGGLES £10 Mirrored goggles with UV-protection and a split headband for comfort. For open water and pool. lomo.co.uk PINNACLE RADIUM ROAD CYCLING…

FIVE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR PERFORMANCE 1 It’s common to endure a mid-season rut as that’s often when your goal race will be. So pencil in a late-season effort or two to keep you motivated until autumn beckons. 2 It’s natural to ride and run the same routes, but while this is good for measuring progress it’s the green light to boredom. Mix it up and even head off-road to keep the synapses stimulated. 3 You can’t beat a warm-weather training camp to revive your flagging ambitions. If a week away in Lanzarote is beyond your budget, no worries: simply organise a UK-based DIY weekend with your mates. 4 Hitting the metaphorical wall’s often down to lack of rest, so take a recovery week every fourth week, focus on good-quality…

HYPERICE NORMATEC 2.0 £899.99 Dynamic pneumatic compression boots for maximising recovery The Normatec 2.0 Legs use ‘dynamic air compression’ in order to help reduce muscle soreness and lower blood lactate levels. The patented pulse massage pattern has three functions: pulse, distal release and a gradient system, which means that the compression works its way up the leg gradually in a hold and release pattern to mimic the natural mechanism of the muscles pumping blood towards the heart. This aims to help get rid of waste products and increase the oxygen flow to the recovering muscles and extremities. Set-up proved easy enough. Just zip yourself into the boots and connect the control unit to the hose attachment, which then slots into the hose socket on both legs. The boots have…

Chamois Also known as the ‘chammy’, it needs to be quick-drying post swim, while providing enough padding for long-distance cycling without being too bulky for the run. Sleeves Sleeved suits offer more sun protection than vested options and should also improve aerodynamics, especially if they’re ribbed, which has been shown to reduce drag. Leg grippers These keep the tri-suit in place around the thigh. In our experience, wider ones do the job best as they reduce the dreaded sausage-leg sitch. Zipper Admittedly more beneficial for men than women, a full-length zipper makes mid-race toilet stops easier and allows for added ventilation. A good zip garage (where the zip slides into at the top) needs to be comfortable and unobtrusive so you don’t suffer on race day. Pockets Having enough storage…

I’m a firm believer that eating healthily doesn’t have to cost more. In fact, putting a little extra effort into thinking about what you eat and where it comes from can actually pay back in more ways than just saving cash. Try these top tips: • Prepare foods from scratch at home; pre-prepared foods, such as grated cheese or pre-seasoned meats, cost more. • Stick to seasonal fruit and veg as the’re locally produced and generally cheaper. • Stock up on staples in the discount stores; cans of tomatoes, pasta, tuna, olive oil, nuts etc are all much cheaper than in the main supermarkets. • Choose plant-based sources of protein such as lentils, chickpeas and beans over expensive meat. Or, experiment with cheaper cuts such as lamb neck or shin…

Up to our mid-30s, ageing is generally associated with an improvement in athletic performance. But beyond that, there’s an inexorable decline associated with a range of physiological, psychological and sociological factors. “A targeted approach can go a long way to slowing the rate of performance decline” Sociological changes include family and vocational pressures, which tend to limit our available time for training and recovery. We also commonly find ourselves in a society that believes high-level performance is either impossible as we age, or is regarded as a frivolous, selfish pursuit when other commitments should take precedence (i.e. family, work, etc.). These time constraints to training and recovery are combined with physiological ageing, such as hormonal changes, which lead to a decrease in muscle mass, leading to a reduction in strength…

1 Find a part of the world you feel inspired to explore. Use an app like ViewRanger, Komoot or AllTrails to discover and plot routes. I based mine around Helvellyn and would suggest finding a focus to base everything else around. Decide if you want to do it over a weekend or one day. 2 Organise your kit ahead of the challenge to minimise any faff and time wasted. Be flexible and adapt to changes in your plan. 3 Take a friend or furry friend to share the adventure with and have fun. Life is for living, so go out there explore the world and see what you’re capable of achieving.…

‘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 AQUABIKE Race with just swim and bike elements, no run 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 energy CATCH The part of the swim stroke where you pull on the water CORE STRENGTH Development of the stomach and lower back area in…

I am a wife and mother to two boys. I love to paint, dance and keep fit. I was active as a child and cycled and skated, but I was terrible at running. I started running when my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer. I ran the Race For Life and slowly built up to a 10k, a half-marathon and finally with my first marathon in Brighton in 2010. I found a love for long distance and returned in 2011 and 2012, raising funds for cancer research and spina bifida. “The diagnosis changed my life. I lost the job I loved of 11 years and my fitness” I watched the London marathon religiously and swore I would take part one day. In 2013, I took a charity place but at…

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS 1 @celebsuett That was a mentally tough track session!! 10 minutes, 3 x 2 minutes, 10 minutes #liveyourlimit 2 @paddlepedalpace So good to be running in the sunshine today! I haven’t done this route along the Thames in 2 years, back when I was in the office every day 3 @shukertom 50 miles of sun & hills, that’s a happy Friday for me!!! 4 @thewannabeironman 12k is the key to peace for the rest of the day [me]. 5 @road_between_140.6 #workharddreambig 6 @bkr_bex Standard post-sunday dinner plank challenge with Darcy (this was after her squats and lunges challenge!) with the bike all packed 7 @davemurray_totaltri Camp day 1. Morning Swim Aerobic Focus. Kept it to pull so as to keep the legs fresh at the start…

Anyone who has ever packed a transition bag understands why triathlon is not – and never will be – the cheapest of sports. The typical triathlete has way more gear than they need, but even stripping it back to essentials there’s still a lengthy checklist to tick off. Then there’s race entry to consider, and by the time travel, food, accommodation and some nervous, late kit purchases are included, the cost starts to add up. However, there is choice. While £1,200 for a wetsuit, £10,000 for a bike and another five-figure sum entering enough Ironmans to qualify for a legacy place in Hawaii might be out of reach, you can compete in second-hand neoprene and on a bike one-10th of the price and still be competitive. And while a Pacific-island…

Compared to almost all other sports, long-distance tri is an expensive pursuit. However, unless you’re the rarest of breeds, you won’t be doing one every week. So, in the context of an annual goal, it’s easier to justify the price. At least, in theory. The big difference between racing Ironman and a different brand is in the cost of entry. Other expenses, such as accommodation, travel and kit purchase remain the same. But for Ironman you’re likely to find up to a 100% premium over the same distance if you want to race in the UK this summer. At time of print, Ironman had released additional race places for some of its most popular UK events, including the previously sold-out Ironman Wales, Ironman UK in Bolton, and the new Ironman…

SIMPLE, PROVEN WAYS TO ELEVATE YOUR PERFORMANCE… 1 Tap into the knowledge of experienced triathletes to leap off your plateau. They’ve been there, got the medal and managed their own multisport fluctuations. In person, over the phone or by Zoom – the interaction options are limitless. 2 Watch iconic races. There are myriad online options to view heroic efforts in Hawaii and memorable Olympic events. Seeing fellow humans dig deep and reach their goals – ideally with a heart-tugging soundtrack and narration – can only boost motivation. 3 Indoor training is a must, and we mean all-year round. Leaping onto a turbo trainer or a treadmill and following a structured workout is a time-efficient way to progress and is harder to miss than heading outdoors all the time.…

OUR RATINGS 90+ % BUY NOW A GENUINE CLASS LEADER 80-89 % IMPRESSIVE ONE OF THE BEST YOU CAN BUY 70-79 % GOOD A DECENT PERFORMER 50-69 % AVERAGE IT’LL DO THE JOB WELL ENOUGH 0-49 % POOR SIMPLY PUT, DON’T BOTHER! HELEN WEBSTER 220’seditor is also a qualified open-water swimming coach. ROB SLADE 220’s features editor and resident adventure seeker. KATE MILSOM 220’s staff writer and a keen endurance athlete. 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.…

Going back to the mantra of comfort is king, it’s very hard to look past two of the suits on test. If you like the feeling of compression in a race suit and are happy to be held in tightly then the Huub Anemoi is superb, offering two versions depending on how fast you expect to ride on race day. If you prefer the feeling of a little more freedom, then you can’t go wrong with the Tri-Fit Geo. The suit is excellent – the chamois pad is one of the best we’ve ever tested – and the price ain’t too bad, either. The other suits on test had their merits, whether it be value for money, look and length or quirky and well-considered little features, but they also had…

If you’re looking for pure iron-distance speed, the Abus, Oakley and Endura (in its full aero version) are the tri/TT contenders. The Oakley disappointed in the (lack of) ventilation and was outgunned by the Abus, which still felt a furiously fast helmet on the move. Using it was a thrill. The unique Endura offers both a TT-style lid and an aero road helmet. We’d pick the Abus and Giro for the former and latter, respectively, but as a two-in-one option it ticks both boxes efficiently. The Hexr and Kask are the two outliers, and neither would be our pick for summer tri racing. Meanwhile, the Limar has excelled in 220’s own aero testing and we can vouch for its race-day performance, while the Rudy is a solid and versatile pick…

PREP 5mins COOK 10mins SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS • 150- 200g pad Thai rice noodles • 2 chicken thighs or breasts, sliced thinly • 1 tbsp sesame oil • 2 carrots, grated • Handful cashew nuts, lightly toasted • 2 baby gem lettuces, shredded • 2 spring onions, finely sliced • 1 red chilli • Zest of 1 lime • Handful of coriander, finely chopped (optional) For the dressing: • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce • 1 tbsp rice wine or white wine vinegar • 1 tbsp lime juice • 1cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated • 1-2tsps sugar Place the noodles in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Set aside for 5mins until tender, or the time stated on the pack, then rinse…

KATE MILSOM Stability run shoes Kate is 220’s staff writer and a keen endurance triathlete with particular interests in cycling, nutrition and injury. HELEN O’LEARY How to strengthen feet Helen is a chartered physiotherapist and owner of Complete Pilates in London. ANDREW SHEAFF Reduce swim kick Andrew is a swim coach at the University of Virginia, the reigning NCAA champions. BRAD BEER Planks for tri Brad is a sports & exercise physiotherapist, founder of Pogo Physio, and is head physio for Super League Triathlon. STABILITY RUN SHOES Q What are stability run shoes exactly? Why are they useful, and how do you know if you need them? Jason Kileen A Stability run shoes have a little more support and cushioning than your average neutral shoe. They’re primarily for runners who…

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