Innehållsförteckning för October 2023 från 220 Triathlon

UNDER £19 ZONE3 WETSUIT CHANGING MAT £18 Featuring a waterproof construction and a drawstring closure that allows you to cinch it into a bag, this changing mat (75cm diameter) is a great-value addition to your kit. zone3.com UNDER £21 DRYROBE CHANGING MAT £20 This mat is made from 100% recycled fabrics, with a water-repellent outer and a synthetic lambswool lining for a softer feel underfoot. It's 60cm × 60cm and rolls away for storage. dryrobe.com UNDER £30 HUUB 3-IN-1 CHANGING BAG £29.99 This waterproof changing mat opens up fully to 100cm × 100cm, but can partially open to 42cm by 100cm for use in transition. You can also fold it up with kit inside and carry it with a shoulder strap. huubdesign.com…

STAR LETTER Got an opinion to share? Then email us at fao220@220triathlon.com YOUNG GUN Hi, my name is Jax. I'm 13 years old and a triathlon lover. This summer I was encouraged by Sean Conway to raise money for charity by doing something I love. His efforts to complete 105 iron-distance triathlons in 105 days were incredibly inspiring, demonstrating that anything is possible and that our endeavours can be used for a bigger purpose. As a result, I've decided to run 5km five times a week for the whole of the school summer holidays (nine weeks), which will total 225km by the end. So far I've completed 21 runs (nearly halfway!) and still loving it. Plus, it's clearly helping my fitness – I ran a PB at parkrun last week…

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's editor is also a qualified open-water swimming coach. ROB SLADE 220's content editor and resident adventure seeker. 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.…

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIT The fit of your sunglasses is key. While cycling on the roads, sunglasses are unlikely to contend with much movement, unless of course you hit a rogue pothole or climb a steep hill rather vigorously. Throw running into the mix, however, and they're faced with a lot more bouncing. As such, your sunglasses need to fit perfectly. Oakley refers to this as the ‘three-point fit'. Tamara Weinstein, Global Product Marketing Manager at Oakley explains more: “This means that the glasses fit on the nose and above the ears. They shouldn't be resting on your cheeks. We want to make sure that the products are comfy, that you can wear them for a long time, that they're not going to slip and that if something comes flying…

£183 Is it possible to run a group test of sport sunglasses without including Oakley? Probably not! On test here is the brand's Radar EV Path. They feature a smaller lens area than many others on test here, so could be a good option for anyone with a smaller face, or just someone that's not a fan of oversized lenses. The Radar EV Paths quickly felt comfy, with the nose piece fitting nicely and no obvious pressure spots. The fit proved secure throughout testing, too, both on the bike and run, with no noticeable movement. That's in part thanks to the arms, which use Oakley's Unobtanium earsocks and nose pads for optimum comfort and security. The rubberised-feeling texture grips the head well. If the nose piece doesn't quite work for…

Put simply, there are a lot of quality sunglasses on test here, with something to suit most budgets. At the lower end of the scale you've got options from Van Rysel, Madison and Endura. All three have their merits, as well as their faults. Fit was the main issue with the Madison, though they'd be a fine budget choice for cycling. Van Rysel's offering showed real value being a photochromatic option for less than £65 and felt well-suited to multisport, but the lens shape and coverage wasn't quite what we like to see. The Enduras have bagged the ‘best value' gong here, offering a decent fit and versatility, but they're best utilised in their half-frame guise. If it wasn't for issues with fit, the Koo Nova would score much higher…

NUTRITION TRAINING Snack time! What's your go-to? A sweet treat or something more savoury? As a triathlete, your choice of snack can make a world of difference, not only to your performance but also to your overall wellbeing. If you crave salty, it may be your body telling you to replace the electrolytes you've lost due from sweating. Unlike the rapid spikes and crashes associated with sugary snacks, savoury can often be a better option, providing a more reliable source of sustaining carbohydrate and often a better source of natural protein for muscle recovery and healthy fats. So this month I bring you four delicious savoury snacks, all of which can be made in advance. Enjoy them on-the-go or pre- or post-exercise. RECIPE OF THE MONTH ALMOND & APRICOT RICE BALLS…

Q Can you build muscle just by swimming? Absolutely! A The conditions required to build muscle are muscle tension, metabolic stress and muscle damage. All can be achieved in swimming with the right intensity and frequency of sessions. Swimming is a brilliant full-body workout that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Water adds resistance, while also supporting the body, making it an ideal exercise form for all ages and fitness levels. Q What's a good cycling pace? A Although many riders – especially novices – do mark their progress with an increase in average speed over the rides, I'd argue that, for cycling, speed/pace is a pretty meaningless metric for tracking progress. Why? Because there are just way too many variables that impact on cycling pace, e.g. temperature, wind speed/direction, tyre…

We've seen carbon plates being used in road-running shoes for a number of years now (see issue 419 for a full grouptest), with many top triathletes turning to them to help propel their run performances. Gradually, this new tech is entering the trail-running world, as demonstrated by Hoka's Tecton X range and Saucony's Endorphin Edge. Now, Asics has also joined the party with its new Fuji Speed 2. The brand says the shoe is ‘designed to allow maximum speed during your run', with a lightweight design, full-length carbon plate and FF Blast Plus foam, all said to contribute towards a fast ride. HOTTEST NEW GEAR Underfoot, the Fuji Speed 2 is equipped with the brand's Asicsgrip outsole rubber, plus multidirectional lugs designed to excel on both wet and dry trails.…

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• ANDORRA LA VELLA COUNTRY: ANDORRA | ALTITUDE: 1,013m WHY GOOD? Okay, the capital of Andorra's a hint over 1,000m but there are plenty of climbs that reach over 2,000m. This is a popular area for professional cyclists. • SIERRA NEVADA COUNTRY: SPAIN | ALTITUDE: 2,320M WHY GOOD? This is the height of a combined hotel and sport facilities that includes an Olympicsized pool, gymnasium and athletics track. The trail running's off the charts, too. • BOULDER COUNTRY: USA | ALTITUDE: 1,621M WHY GOOD? Colorado's an endurance athlete's Mecca with reservoirs, smooth roads and singletracks. There's also 70.3 Boulder (8 June 2024) if you want to satiate your racing appetite. • FONT ROMEU COUNTRY: FRANCE | ALTITUDE: 1,800M WHY GOOD? Core to Font Romeu's altitude appeal is the National Altitude…

Triathlon-specific running shoes have recently joined Softride bikes in the multisport history vaults, even if both stand as tech whose influence shines on today. The shoe, however, shows no signs of going full Betamax, as evidenced here in Fizik's latest techy carbon wonders. Sported by Brit short-course star Georgia Taylor-Brown, the Transiro tick plenty of tri-bike shoe boxes. There's a heel bumper for easier running through transition, which also protects the carbon sole, while the heel loop is appreciated for putting them on in, or just after, T1. The single Velcro strap continues the transition speed theme, its reverse nature meaning you can leave your shoe clipped into the pedal before you mount without the fear of the tongue getting stuck in the drivetrain. The downside, as evidenced here, is…

Q Should sunglasses be worn over or under helmet straps? A This may be a case of personal preference, but while there could be benefits to wearing your sunglasses under your helmet straps (such as them not hitting the floor if you take your helmet off without taking your sunnies off first), we'd always go with over the helmet straps for a couple of main reasons. For a start, your helmet straps are designed to lie flat to your temples. Secondly, popping a pair of shades under the straps may cause extra pressure, resulting in discomfort. Third, and most importantly, in the unfortunate event of a crash, you don't really want the sunglasses digging into your head as a result from pressure from the straps/helmet. Q Are polarised glasses better?…

SKRATCH LABS HYDRATION £27.95 for 20 We've long enjoyed the subtle flavours of Skratch Labs' products, and so it is again with this pleasant lemon and lime mix. So, taste good. But what about its nutrient profile? Well, again that ticks many sporting boxes. And we say ‘sporting' as unlike the likes of Phizz, which is packed with vitamins across the range, this really focuses on hydration, namely sodium content, which is 380mg per 500ml. That's important because sodium's essential for water to piggyback from the blood into working muscle cells. Lack of sodium means water intake just flushes through. It's also important for muscle and nerve function. By targeting sodium – albeit with a hint of calcium (43mg) and potassium (38mg) – the body can focus on absorbing and…

THE BRIGHT Answer The taper is when you get your body and mind into peak condition in the final period of race preparation. This phase of training can be stressful, confusing and difficult to get right. I once sat in a lecture where eight different approaches to the taper were presented by a renowned sports scientist! All we wanted to know was which one is best. The answer – it depends! Frustrating but true. Each athlete responds differently to training stimulus, including rest and recovery, and each individual preparation will be different. I can't tell you which approach works best but I can give some guidance when deciding what to do in the final phase of prep for a key race. There are three main phases when looking at a…

WHY I TRI I didn't really have a relationship with sport growing up. As a kid, I didn't have great hand-eye coordination, was kind of lanky and awkward. I got teased for being gay before I even knew I was gay myself. The first time I really stepped foot in a gym was in my mid-20s. I got involved in triathlon as part of something called exposure therapy, which was part of my OCD recovery programme. For me, the OCD was related to pandemics, germs, contamination, freak accidents and mortality. I've had it since I was a kid and it had a big impact on my life. When the pandemic hit, it was like all my worst fears coming true, because things that I'd been doing and was being told…

Nicknamed the Falcon due to his propensity to come from behind and pick off competitors, Hayden Wilde has seen an equally meteoric rise in his career. His breakout performance was arguably his bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, but since then he's been battling it out with a new wave of talent in short-course competitions, starring in his fair share of sprint finishes with the likes of Alex Yee and Léo Bergere. We caught up with the New Zealander several days after his third-place finish in Sunderland to take a peek into the future… 220: How did you find Sunderland? Hayden Wilde: All things considered, I was actually really stoked how everything went. I knew coming into the race I was pretty fatigued, so I was just crossing the fingers and…

A pair of good sport sunglasses can make all the difference to performance. Not only do they help you feel like a superhero, but eye protection against harmful UV rays and harsh glare will also help you squint less, which is proven to conserve precious energy. Shopping for sunglasses can be tough, as it's easy to be caught up in how they look. That's fair enough, of course. We all look odd enough when racing around the countryside dressed head-to-toe in skin-tight Lycra, so if we can avoid feeling stupid because of the large shiny item resting on our nose, that's an extra win. The truth is, though, there are more important aspects that need prioritising. For a start, it's protection from the sun, which we'll go into in more…

HIGH-TECH • ENGO 2 SUNGLASSES €329 Add some smartness to your sunglasses with this option from Engo, which pair with your sports watch to give you live performance data right in front of your eyes. This includes everything from pace to heart rate. We reviewed them in issue 419, giving them a score of 70%. engoeyewear.com PRO-APPROVED •OAKLEY ENCODER £210 Worn by Flora Duffy, the Encoder glasses from Oakley offer impressive clarity while the Prizm Trail Torch lenses on our test pair boosted colours and contrasts well. Fit was also impressive, though the nose piece was rather noticeable. See our review in issue 411, where they scored 82%. oakley.com…

220 TRIATHLON BEST VALUE £79.99 Versatility is very much the name of the game with this set of sunglasses from Scottish brand Endura, in more ways than one. That's because this set comes with the option of three different lenses, including a mirrored main lens, an additional amber lens for low-light conditions and a clear lens for darker situations. Switching between the lenses is straightforward enough once you've done it once. But how do these lenses perform? Well, the darker option does a fine job in bright conditions, but wasn't infallible, so we did end up squinting at times when riding toward the sun on a cloudless day, or when faced with severe glare bouncing off a car window. When the sun wasn't directly ahead of us, however, we were…

TRI BIKE TEST Admittedly, that title may be a bit of a reach. That said, it's no stretch of imagination to say that an out-and-out triathlon bike will save you time compared to a road bike set-up. The trouble is, many modern-day triathlon bikes now cost five-figure sums, which is fine if you can afford that, but is likely to be out of reach for many. So what can you find for a more modest (though not exactly ‘cheap') price point? On test here are two options you may want to consider, each with disc brakes and an electronic groupset from each of the industry's two big players. First up is the Vitus Auro Disc. Specced with SRAM's Rival AXS groupset and owned by powerhouse retailer Wiggle, it's been designed…

THIS MONTH'S COACHING PANEL HANNAH WRIGHT Feet warm-up Hannah is a registered musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a particular interest in sports injuries. PHILIP HATZIS Bike training with someone slower Philip is a BTF Level 3 and Ironman certified coach and the founder of Tri Training Harder. BRAD BEER Osteoarthritis in the knee Brad Beer is a sports and exercise physiotherapist, head physio at Super League Triathlon Series, author of ‘You CAN Run Pain Free!'. . ANDREW SHEAFF How to improve swim pacing US swim coach Andrew has over 20 years' experience, and specialises in helping triathletes improve their swim skills. FEET WARM-UP Q Is there any benefifeet to warming up my feet before a run? after all, they do a lot of the work! Mike Graham A With over 7,000 nerve…