Table of contents for Spring 2016 in 220 Triathlon

This month I was chatting to a tri contact out in California about what worries triathletes most about racing. His feedback was that it was the run section that concerned the athletes he spoke to the most – whereas here in the UK, our feedback from 220 readers tells us that it’s the swim that holds the most apprehension. Now I understand that there’s a pretty obvious reason for this – after all, if we had balmy temperatures all year round and clear blue oceans on our doorstep, then we too might be much more confident when it comes to taking to the surf. But when our swim time is restricted to the often limited opening times of local swimming pools (don’t get me started on that one) – and…

Every issue of 220 is also available on subscription in digital format for iPad, GooglePlay, Kindle Fire and Zinio. As well as the superb content you would receive in the print version of 220 Triathlon, some of our digital editions (iPad only) will also include exclusive video content, the ability to watch the tri world come alive with extended image galleries from races and our exclusive photo shoots, plus bonus audio interviews with the great and the good of the multisporting world. And all with navigational shortcuts. To subscribe, head to our subscription website at www.buysubscriptions.com and search for ‘220 Triathlon’. Click on the ‘Digital Magazine’ tab, which will take you through to purchase your subscription (£31.99 for 13 issues, saving 38% on the standard price); set up your username…

The venue may have changed, but the cream of UK triathlon were still present and correct at the 12th annual 220 Triathlon Awards on Saturday 9 April. Stratford Town Hall was the setting as a wealth of athletes, brands and industry greats gathered to find out who had won top honours in each of the ceremony’s 21 categories – as voted for by you, the readers of 220 Triathlon and 220triathlon.com. The evening was hosted by 220’s editor Helen Webster alongside guest speaker and track legend Derek Redmond, who delivered the memorable pre-awards speech on his Olympic history. The award winners had more of a foreign flavour this year, with the cream of international triathletes beating our Brits in the major elite honours. In a change from the Brownlee norm,…

We’ve been to Amsterdam, and once caught our parents watching Last Tango in Paris , so we’re not especially prudish here in 220 Towers. But we still don’t know where to start with this month’s ‘In the Office…’ Is this a stress reliever for a misandrist? Did we take our Easter holiday at Chernobyl? Or has ET been posting nude pics on Instagram again? As the imaginative name suggests, the Bike Balls Bicycle Lights are in fact (a pair of) bike lights that strap to your seat rails to give you a swinging set of pink LEDs beneath your bottom. The claim – a valid one, we think – is that they make you more visible to other road users than your average bike lights. ‘It takes…

Jodie Stimpson West Midlands athlete storms to victory at ITU race in Mooloolaba, Australia Rachel Joyce British Ironman star announces pregnancy Ironman New Zealand Joe Skipper and Lucy Gossage both come second in Taupo New Plymouth World Cup Gwen Jorgensen and Richard Murray take titles in NZ Ironkids Bolton 2,500 race spots sell out in record time Brownlees’ yoghurt Brothers launch apple and blackberry yoghurt for charity Rio Velodrome Cycling test event cancelled due to lack of wooden floor Lois Rosindale Injury forces former youth star to retire from world class tri Ironman Texas Question marks over bike course due to road construction works Doping in sport Sunday Times’ scoop suggests doping is rife in British elite sport…

SKIPPER SUPPORT With my season starting shortly, the usual doubts are starting to enter my mind about my winter training and the preparations I’ve made ahead of it. With a personal goal to enter the GB age-group squad for the first time, this season has the potential to be huge. A recent Thursday morning saw a usual tough turbo and easy run brick session around Victoria Park, East London, as part of my commute to work. Just as I was mulling over my winter preparations, I noticed a strong runner coming the other way. It was none other than British Ironman pro Joe Skipper. Fresh from his Ironman New Zealand second place and the third-fastest British time ever, I couldn’t believe the fact that he was here, running around the…

The triathlon swim may be the shortest in both distance and time compared to the bike and run, but it’s the one that’s contributed most to sleepness nights, Did Not Starts and signing up for that duathlon instead. The mental energy consumed alone can scupper a good race’s plans, with many bike and run legs ruined by a disrupted pre-race morning and poorly-executed swim. Yet as daunting as they can be, the swim is often the most memorable, thrilling and rewarding part of any tri race. How often do you find yourself in a beautiful lake or ocean with like-minded souls – and flanked by buoyant spectators – before the rest of the nation is awake, after all? So to help you conquer triathlon’s most worrisome discipline we’ve rounded up…

Evans Cycles’ house brand, Pinnacle, has earned a reputation for sensible, smartly specced bikes offering considerable value for money. Last year, testers on our sister magazine Cycling Plus were impressed with the cheerful versatility and solid Shimano 105 build of the Dolomite 6 2015 (then just £950). Their one real criticism was of substandard Tektro rim brakes, so the move to hydraulic discs is promising. The braking upgrade is, though, offset by a few concessions. The full carbon fork is no more – the steerer is alloy – while the slick 105 chainset has lost out to a less posh, but perfectly serviceable, FSA unit. The weight’s gone up a little, too (by around 0.6kg), but otherwise the recipe is largely unchanged: the frame is a tidily executed 6061 aluminium…

JARGON BUSTER TOP-DOWN ZIPPER An inverted wetsuit zip that closes from the top down (neck to waist) to prevent any swimmers behind or beside you ‘accidentally’ pulling it open to ruin your swim. BREAKAWAY ZIPPER Zips that split apart fully at once rather than having to be undone, in order to allow faster wetsuit removal. YAMAMOTO The Japanese brand who supply much of the neoprene for the wetsuits on test, with their S.C.S (Super Composite Skin) coating also applied to many suits. T1 The first transition on triathlon race day, from swim to bike. CUFFS OR PANELS A number of the suits here have forearm cuffs or catch panels, which either aim to increase feel for the water or improve the catch. NEOPRENE DEPTH Wetsuits are constructed with different thicknesses…

RESEARCH 220’s former editor James Witts is now a freelance writer for a plethora of cycling titles. His first book, The Science of the Tour de France, is published by Bloomsbury in June. SWIM John Wood is an award-winning tri coach of 10 years, and a former international swimmer. He’s also competed in triathlon in all distances up to Ironman. BIKE Freelance writer Nik Cook is an experienced multisporter who has run the Marathon des Sables, won the 2010 6633 Arctic Ultra and competed for Team GB in duathlon. RUN Spencer Smith is a three-time world triathlon champion who won half of all the races in which he competed. He now heads up S2 Coaching in Tampa, Florida. PLAN Dermott Hayes is the head coach of the London-based multisport-specialist coaching…

KIT CHECKLIST SWIMSUIT HAT GOGGLES DRINK WARM-UP 400m as: 75m swim, 25m kick 4 x 50m as: 25m choice of drill, 25m swim; 15secs rest 4 x 50m descending (ie speed up from from 1 to 4), 15secs rest MAIN SESSION 2 x 50m off 1:30min 2 x 50m off 1:25min 2 x 50m off 1:15min 2 x 50m off 1:10min 2 x 50m off 1:05min 2 x 50m off 1min 2 x 50m off 55secs 2 x 50m off 50secs And so on… until you don’t make the turnaround time. RECOVERY SESSION 6 x 100m as: 25m high arm recovery, 25m swim – all steady PE4-6 (see p114); 15secs rest COOL-DOWN 200m easy swim, with at least 50m non-FC Adapt for beginners Start at a slower turnaround time –…

MEET OUR EXPERTS HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS SPORTS MEDICINE LIAM CREANEY is a consultant physician in sport and exercise medicine and a specialist in musculoskeletal and orthopaedic medicine. His training included stints at the Olympic Medical Institute. TRAINING BY HR JOE BEER is a triathlete and award-winning coach who has been writing for 220for over 20 years. He has participated in over 200 triathlons, duathlons and extreme events worldwide. SWIM ANDY BULLOCK is a two-time 220 Coach of the Year, a former BTF Coach of the Year, head coach to the South West Regional Academy and lead talent and development coach with the GB paratri talent squad. RUN ANDY BLOW is a sports scientist, tri coach and top age-group triathlete. He’s competed at Kona and ÖtillÖ and has completed…

EUROPEAN CHAMPS QUALIFIER WORLD CHAMPS QUALIFIER BRITISH AGE-GROUP CHAMPS RACE TRIATHLON ENGLAND NATIONAL CHAMPS RACE WEYMOUTH CLASSIC TRIATHLON When 21 August 2016 Where Weymouth, Dorset Distances Various distances Course Sea swim, undulating bike and multi-terrain run Race highlights Stunning views of the Dorset countryside, challenging swim in the English Channel Contact www.bustinskin.com RUBICON TRIATHLON When 4 September 2016 Where Newby Hall, North Yorkshire Distances 1.9km swim/90km bike/21.1km run Course River swim, multi-lap run/bike courses Race highlights Fast course, starting and finishing in the iconic surroundings of Newby Hall and the River Ure Contact www.functionalfitnessevents.co.uk MAY 1 David Lloyd Lincoln Triathlon (400m swim/22km bike/5km run). Burton Waters, Lincoln.www.onestepbeyond.org.uk Forca Lymington Lido Triathlon (500m swim/20km bike/4.8km run). Lymington, Hampshire.www.racenewforest.co.uk Horwich Pool Triathlon (500m swim/40km bike/8.6km run). Horwich, Bolton.www.epicevents.co.uk Hillingdon GrassMan…

101 COACHING TIPS, P45 “Do you need to train 40hrs a week and live like a monk? Not a bit of it. As I discovered when interviewing the world’s finest coaches, their advice is applicable to athletes of all abilities.” ANTHONY GERUNDINI, P58 “This intensely proud man compellingly talked us through his extraordinary achievements in triathlon. Where he goes from here is just about how many events are available for him to race!” OPEN-WATER SWIM SOS, P65 “Mastering the open-water swim is key for tri success. Follow the tips in our feature to exit the swim feeling as fresh as possible, giving you the confidence to complete the full triathlon.” FEEL YOUR THESHOLD, P110 “Criss-cross efforts are an in-season staple for me. Hovering above and below your threshold is great…

220 WEBSITE Head to our website at www.220triathlon.com to catch up on all the latest multisport news, fresh training advice, athlete profiles and expanded gear reviews. While there, you can search our archives, chat on the forum, enter monthly myTri challenges, find a race near you, download training plans, enter competitions, sign up for the e-newsletter… and plenty more. 220 PODCAST Download the latest podcast from www.220triathlon.com/ podcast. Featuring interviews with coaches, athletes and sports writers, it’s free to download. All of our past episodes are also available to download, featuring the likes of Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Craig Alexander, the Brownlees and Mirinda Carfrae. 220 YOUTUBE Subscribe to our YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/220triathlonvideos – for exclusive interviews, racing tips, tutorials and event footage. You will also find all of…

MEN’S ELITE TRIATHLETE 1. Javier Gomez 2. Jan Frodeno 3. Alistair Brownlee WOMEN’S ELITE TRIATHLETE 1. Gwen Jorgensen 2. Vicky Holland 3. Lucy Gossage DUATHLETE 1. Emma Pooley 2. Emma Pallant 3. Mark Buckingham MEN’S AGE GROUPER 1. Charles Pennington 2. Tom Ward 3. Phil Wilson WOMEN’S AGE GROUPER 1. Lucy Charles 2. Susan Pugh 3. Suzie Richards MEN’S PARATRIATHLETE 1. Phil Hogg 2. Joe Townsend 3. George Peasgood WOMEN’S PARATRIATHLETE 1. Lauren Steadman 2. Claire Cunningham 3. Melissa Reid YOUTH TRIATHLETE 1. Ben Dijkstra 2. Bailey Matthews 3. Sam Dickinson INTERNATIONAL TRIATHLETE 1. Gwen Jorgensen 2. Javier Gomez 3. Jan Frodeno COACH OF THE YEAR 1. Simon Ward 2. Dan Bullock 3. Adam Gibson CLUB OF THE YEAR 1. Leeds & Bradford Tri Club 2. Wakefield Tri 3. Lincoln…

CARDIFF TRI DATE CHANGES The sprint- and super sprint-distance races of the Cardiff Triathlon 2016 have been moved to the Sunday of race weekend (26 June 2016), Always Aim High Events has announced. Registration will still take place on Saturday. To find out more about the 2016 Cardiff Triathlon, visit the website: cardiff-tri.com STIRLING DU The first Triathlon Scotland Championships of 2016 were raced on Easter Sunday at the Stirling Duathlon. Taking the 2016 Scottish Duathlon Champ titles were Fergus Roberts and Nikki Bartlett, who stormed to victory in the 10km run/42kmbike/5km run event. MULTI WORLDS DATE SET The debut ITU Multisport World Championship Festival is set for 18-27 August 2017 in Penticton, Canada. Some 5,000 athletes are expected to compete at the 10-day event in four separate world champs…

“We have the luxury of choosing how to measure success, so perhaps we should be more mindful of that” What is your measure of success? For the GB Olympic team it’s simple: medals. That mindset has been crystallised since 1996 after 303 athletes travelled to Atlanta and returned with one solitary gold. Twelve years on from the embarrassment in the USA, Team GB flew to Beijing with just 10 more athletes and the gold tally rose to 18. London provided 29 golds and third place in the medal table. Funding has poured into British sport and at the elite end it’s hard to argue it hasn’t worked. The cash injection is directly linked to podium places and this business of winning means governing bodies are beholden to results that don’t…

Joel Filliol Canadian coach Filliol guided Simon Whitfield to 2008 Olympic silver, and currently coaches some of the world’s top ITU athletes, including Richard Murray and Mario Mola. Sergio Santos The Portuguese coach guided Vanessa Fernandes to 2008 Beijing Olympic silver and now coaches the Brazillian Olympic-distance triathlon team. Jamie Turner is the national coach for Canada but is best known for his ‘freelancing disciples’, who include two-time world champion Gwen Jorgensen. Siri Lindley coaches a band of the world’s finest athletes including triple Ironman world champ Mirinda Carfrae. Siri also won the ITU World Championships in 2001. Darren Smith became famous for delivering six athletes from his noted D-Squad to the 2012 Olympic Games in London including eventual silver medallist Lisa Norden. Kevin Currell is head of performance nutrition…

OAKLEY RADAR EV PATH £155 uk.oakley.com At what point does good ventilation become a chilly draft? That’s the question you’re left pondering with Oakley’s Radar EV Paths. They have four slots in the top of the lens which, on hot summer days, will prove refreshing. But, in the chilly British spring, they bring on a mild headache. That’s the worst criticism you can level at these glasses, though, apart from the translucent frame and typically stratospheric price, that is. But given the number of faces graced by Oakley specs, their cost doesn’t put many off. And here you’re getting a fine set of specs that stay securely in place whether you’re riding or running, offer superb coverage and – thanks to their raised brow – a totally unobstructed…

DESPITE STARTING AT £109, there are no stinkers here. Construction is universally good and much multisport nous has gone into the creation of this mostly magnificent seven. WE TESTED THE Lomo first and it was impressively flexible around the shoulders while offering huge body lift to those completely new to tri. It’s only when we tested the other suits that its mass of neoprene felt unrefined. Yet, given it costs about £100 to hire a suit for a season, we’d have no qualms recommending this to triathletes, even if Lomo’s direct-selling ethos falls short of our ‘try before you buy’ mantra. WE’LL COME ONTO the Zone3 and Blueseventy suits later, but the Zoggs is a decent, uncomplicated entry for a brand not famous for their tri-specificity. The FX3 upped the…

“You’ll need to find a stretch of road that gives you 10 minutes of uninterrupted riding” At this stage of the early race season, you should either be looking to fine-tune your form or, if you haven’t been as diligent in the off-season as you could have been, looking for ‘more bang for your buck’ sessions as you scramble for fitness. Happily, this threshold criss-cross workout is excellent for both camps. If you’ve had a solid winter, this session is ideal for improving your feel for your threshold and giving it a boost. At 75mins and with four 10mins efforts, there’s enough of an endurance component to this session to develop that gaping hole in your fitness if winter was more of a hibernation for you. It’s also a decent…

KIT CHECKLIST LIGHT TO MODERATE TRAINING SHOES (NOT RACE SHOES) LIGHT TIGHTS OR SHORTS RUN SINGLET/RUN TOP WARM-UP 10-15mins @ PE* 2-5 (60-75% of max HR). Slowly increase intensity as the 10-15mins progresses but don’t overly concern yourself with pace in the warm-up. Include effective dynamic drills, such as sidestepping, high-knees and butt-kickers before the main session. MAIN SESSION 12 x 400m laps (approx 5km) as: Run the straights as a strider and increase the pace and intensity to @ PE 8-9 by the end of the 100m. Then slowly jog the bends. The bends are recovery, so use them wisely. Continue this cycle until the 5km has been covered. COOL-DOWN Walk or shuffle (slower than a jog) until heart rate is under control. Stretch out. *PE = Perceived Exertion.…

NAME GRANT REES AGE 35 HEIGHT 5ft 10in WEIGHT 75.5KG PROFESSION PROJECT MANAGER ABOUT I’ve already completed Ironman UK 70.3, the Cotswold 113 and Ironman UK, and this year I’ll be taking on Ironman Barcelona, where my goal is to finish in under 12hrs. Critically, I’d like to know if I’m eating the right food at the right times. Luckily I like all food, so variety isn’t an issue! With the addition of baby number two to the family in April, I’d like to make sure I’m planning nutrition as importantly as training. I know sleep will be in short supply, so I need to do everything I can to make sure the tank is operating efficiently. 6:10am Two slices wholemeal toast, butter and jam, tea with 1 sugar 6:40am…

Can I use Vaseline and baby oil instead of wetsuit glide? ROGER WALKER, EMAIL For your own personal comfort it doesn’t really matter, but while Vaseline may protect you from neck sores it may damage your wetsuit. There are plenty of affordable wetsuit-specific lubricants available, so try a variety of options to see what works for you. What cadence should I be averaging on the bike? NEIL PEACOCK, FORUM Everyone is different, but studies have shown that 90rpm is roughly a good figure to aim for. Having said this, your cadence can be affected by your physiology and bike set-up, among other things. Check you have the correct crank length – if it’s too short this could lower your rpm. Heavier athletes are usually more efficient at lower pedal speeds,…

BEDFORD DUATHLON Bedford Autodrome 13 March 2016 I travelled to the Bedford Autodrome Duathlon without the usual support crew of my wife Anne and daughter Emma – this time they’d be following the live results feed online, as they were both unable to make it. I’m up at 6:50am and try to eat some breakfast, which isn’t made easy by some pre-race nerves. I arrive to find there’s heavy fog that’s just not clearing – definitely a bit of a spanner in the works! Being an ITU world duathlon qualifier there’s a large and highly competitive turnout. Having already pre-qualified in the 55-59 age group, I’m racing to get some extra experience of draft-legal cycling, a big rule change for age-groupers this year. Bike racked, shoes clipped on the pedals…

MEET MATTHEW BOTTRILL AGE 38 LIVES Leicestershire PROFESSION Cycling professional BEST DISCIPLINE Bike WHY I RACED To test myself and practise for summer 70.3s BEST RESULTS TO DATE None… this was my first triathlon! The night before the race at East Leake, I’m feeling a mixture of nerves but quiet determination. Although this will be my first ever triathlon, I’m not going to lie – I still have my eyes on winning! In my cycling career I’ve taken victories at some of the biggest road races in the UK, trained with British Cycling’s world-class performance programme, with riders such as Bradley Wiggins, and won national time trials at distances from 10 to 100 miles. I’ve now got a family and have a coaching business, so I keep myself very busy.…

For a complete list of races for the coming months, head to the Races tab at www.220triathlon.com, where you’ll find arguably the most comprehensive listing of multisport events in the UK. You can view races by date, distance and region; find out if your race has goody bags, a chip-timing system or onsite camping; and enter directly using our online entry links. If you organise a race and it’s missing, either in this listing or on our website, please email the event details to us at events@220triathlon.com.…

EMBRACE SPORTS Embrace Sports training camps offer guests the best possible training environment while combining a fun-filled holiday experience. The weeks are specifically targeted to improve you as an athlete but also to showcase a stunning location with like-minded people. Our locations are in Portugal, the French Pyrenees and the French Alps. contact@embracesports.co.uk www.embracesports.co.uk TOTAL TRI TRAINING Total Tri Training offers bespoke triathlon coaching services from novice to elite ability levels. Based in the north west, but working closely with athletes from all around the UK, our expert coaches provide training plans tailored to individual needs and ambitions. 07800 562 222 chris@totaltritraining.com www.totaltritraining.com BEST SWIM CENTRE Best Swim Centre at Colonia Sant Jordi, Mallorca offers 1 to 1 swim sessions all year round. Our swim coaches offer a complete stroke…

“Discovering you’ve been a flange-width away from a gravelly doom is about as much fun as finding out you’re sharing a tent with someone who thinks farting is hilarious” Uh-oh! is isn’t the column I’d intended to write this month. I was going to tell you how, after months of cycling in the cold wearing Max Wall tights, a jacket the colour of lemon toilet cleaner and an expression akin to an eerie, apocalyptic dormouse, my racing year was finally under way. The start of the triathlon season should be joyous as I emerge into the daylight after a winter spent in my garage perched on the turbo trainer, looking as comfortable as a man who’s caught his scrotum on the business end of a coat hanger and sweating like…

“Blowing away the cobwebs in my first triathlon of the year at East Leake – great fun despite the strong winds!” “Move over the Brownlees, Non Stanford and Vicky Holland are gearing up for greatness! Read all in next issue” Deputy Editor Liz Barrett elizabeth.barrett@immediate.co.uk Staff Writer Jack Sexty jack.sexty@immediate.co.uk Art Editor Neil Donnelly neil.donnelly@immediate.co.uk Deputy Art Editor Nathaniel Brain nathaniel.brain@immediate.co.uk Features Editor Matt Baird matthew.baird@immediate.co.uk Digital Editor Debbie Graham debbie.graham@immediate.co.uk…

Julian Jenkinson passed away on Saturday 19 March 2016 while on a training ride in the New Forest. He was just 49 years old. I grew up reading 220 in the 1990s, when ‘Jules’ had rock-star status. He frequently featured in race reports as a captain of the British team or winner of notable events, and the numerous articles he contributed were witty and insightful. As an athlete, Julian accomplished much over his career. Setting the British Ironman record was a huge highlight: his time of 8:15:21 at the 1995 European Champs smashed 22 minutes off the previous best and stood as a UK record for 13 years. When injuries eventually forced him to stop running, he channelled his energies into time-trialling. He soon won the British Best All-Rounder (BBAR)…

“Post-tri I’m looking to teach science and PE at secondary school… it’d be good to impart some of my knowledge”  Do you have some tips for me on tackling my first Ironman? I’m a runner making the transition. MIKE KORFHAGE, VIA TWITTER Spend some quality time training your swim and bike to the point that you over emphasise them compared to your run. You don’t want to get to the run too exhausted to access your run background. For any first timer, I also say to practise your nutrition in training to train your gut to take on a lot of calories while racing. Living in Boulder during the Australian winter, do you train with other pros? Or is there an element of secrecy between the elites? DAMIAN CAMERON, VIA…

Some days it’s a tough life, other days it’s 20 degrees and u find yourself in a banana hammock with a beer #goodtimes @DavidMcNameetri VIA TWITTER Not everyday you get called up for kangaroo guide duties, there’s always a time for firsts... @lisanorden VIA TWITTER [The London Olympic silver medallist makes post-tri career plans] First bear sighting of the year on the trails today! Watts went up a little on the mtb. Post hibernation hanger?!? @KirstenSweets VIA TWITTER [The perils of training at home for Canada’s Commonwealth silver medallist] Always thankful to be in a sport where there is never an issue [with equal pay] @VixHolland VIA TWITTER 4min lead off the bike...say whaaaaat?! Well done @ Jess_Learmonth & @Lucy_Tri 1st&2nd @ETUtriathlon Quateria #leedsleeds #thisishowwedoit @NonStanford VIA TWITTER Not often…

2XU PROJECT X TRI-SUIT £250.00 www.2xu.com 2XU has pulled out all the stops for 2016 with its flagship Project X tri-suit. Packed with technology, it costs 250 notes – definitely not for the thrifty. Financial worries aside, though, the suit has an abundance of nifty features for serious multisporters. The striking orange arm panels and leg grippers are a departure from 2XU’s all-black 2015 sleeved suit, and we noticed improvements in the flexibility of the material (last year’s effort was a little tight across the chest for us). The chamois is also very luxurious, engineered with memory foam for maximum comfort in the aero position – something we appreciated on sticky rides in the Canary Islands – and caused no irritation on the run. The ‘Muscle Containment Stamping’…

When Genesis decided to go road racing in 2012, the first bike it built for its UK-based team was the fascinating but marginalised stainless steel Volare. Everyone – riders, fans, even rivals – loved the idea of the Volare but if you’d offered to swap it for a light and efficient carbon bike they’d have bitten your arm off. Eventually, Genesis relented and designed the Zero, the first carbon-fibre frame the company has made. It’s an all-rounder that – because the team didn’t have the luxury of separate bikes for mountains, flat races and cobbles – is said to incorporate both aero and comfort features. The 2016 version is 210g lighter, too – handy for tri? COMPONENT COMPROMISES The Zero isn’t a full-on aero road bike like, say, a Felt…

FROM THE EDITOR There’s a suit out there for you, here’s how to find it... La ooking relatively at the simple selection purchase on this . After page all , it , it might ’s only seem a scrap like of tri Lycra -suits with are a padded bum, right? Well, not really. Your tri-suit will be with you for the whole race, so when buying one consider your needs. Do you want it to help you swim faster? Do you need a lot of padding for the bike? Are you worried about how quickly it wicks sweat and dries? Also, will you need pockets for gels? As for female-specific features, look for a good integral bra with enough support for the run. Also, keep an eye out for anything…

OUR MID- TO high-end test featured suits that were all either top-of-the-range or a step down. Top-end wetsuits typically have a thinner grade of neoprene in the torso, shoulders and arms, which allow for a more unrestricted swim. Although recently it’s become more common for triathletes without a swim background to seek every advantage. This gap in the market has been exploited by brands such as Huub and Orca, who offer premium suits with maximum buoyancy in the hips and legs to correct body position. OF THE HUUB Aerious 2 and Orca 3.8 the Aerious wins, providing great buoyancy and no restriction in the upper body to make it suitable for a wide range of swimmers. We liked Orca’s offering, but its market may be smaller due to the huge…

KIT CHECKLIST RACE BIKE GILET FOR RECOVERIES, WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN POWER METER OR HRM BIKE COMPUTER WATER BOTTLE AND GEL WARM-UP Take 10mins to ride to the stretch of road you’ll be using for the efforts. 0-3mins easy spinning in Zone 1 (Z1), 90rpm 3-4mins Z2, 95rpm 4-5mins easy spinning Z1, 90rpm 5-7mins Z3, 90-100rpm 7-9mins as 5secs maximal sprint/55secs Z1, 90rpm 9-10mins Z1, 90rpm MAIN SESSION 10mins alternating 1min at 90% FTP/FTHR with 1min at 110% FTP/FTHR 5mins easy spinning recovery Repeat main set for 4 x 10min efforts. COOL-DOWN 10mins easy spinning or just a steady ride home Adapt for beginners Novices may struggle with the precise pacing and the length of the efforts required. Switch to alternating between 1min in Z3 with 1min in Z4 to give…

GO WHOLEMEAL Grant should stick with wholemeal bread as it’s a good source of B vitamins such as thiamins. UP ENERGY Alongside the smaller protein shake, Grant could add a banana to help boost energy further. ADD OMEGAS Eating more oily fish such as sardines, pilchards and mackerel will increase omega 3s. CUT PROTEIN Grant’s protein levels are high, so he could reduce the Maxi shake to a 20g protein serving. CHECK IRON Low iron can be an issue for triathletes. Although Grant eats red meat three times a week, he could have his blood checked.…

An early Easter break meant that many traditional early-season pool triathlons at the end of March were taking place over Easter weekend – leaving countless triathletes (or the sensible ones at least) holding back on the chocolate until their races were done and dusted. At the Radley Triathlon on Good Friday, David Chesterman was the male winner, breaking the tape a minute ahead of the next finisher with a time of 1:03:28. Hannah Lord was in a league of her own in the women’s race, finishing in an impressive third place overall in a time of 1:04:51. On Bank Holiday Monday, strong winds meant the Thames Turbo Sprint Series Tri’s bike course was deemed unsafe, so an aquathlon event was held instead. Edward Walker and Stephanie Upton were the winners…

With a home in Bolton since 2009 (its first four years of life were spent in Sherborne, Dorset), Ironman UK has become one of the sport’s biggest dates on the domestic calendar, boasting a relatively flat course, numerous stellar spectator spots and 40 precious Kona qualifying places. The great and the good of UK tri have also tamed its course (both in Lancashire and Dorset) over the years, including Stephen and Bella Bayliss, Lucy Gossage, Scott Neyedli, Fraser Cartmell and David McNamee. And here to provide Bolton-beating bites of wisdom is Dan Cobby, 2015’s fastest age-grouper with a time of 9:30:44, finishing eighth overall. 1 KIT Try a couple of training sessions or races with the kit you will wear on race day, and test your nutrition set-up on your…

TIME-TRIAL HELMETS Fit, comfort, ventilation and ease of use – especially how quickly you can get it on and off again – are all things to consider before purchasing an aero helmet. RUN WATCHES Prices and features vary hugely, from humble basic devices to models with GPS and heart rate. Don’t pay for features that you won’t use. TRI-SUITS The priority with a tri-suit is comfort. Ideally it needs to be supportive, lightweight and include pockets for storage. Also check for any irritating seams. Here we’ve included both sleeved and vested options. RACE-DAY RUN SHOES For shorter distances you’ll want to consider a lighter shoe for racing, while long-distance tri may require more cushioning. Seek expert advice to find out which racing shoe is right for you. TRI BIKES The…