Table of contents for October 2020 in 220 Triathlon

When Lance Armstrong returned to triathlon in 2012, there offered an intriguing prospect of breaking new ground. Aged 41, the raw speed was lacking, but with an endurance chassis honed on the European cols, an assault on long course was well within his wheelhouse. Ironman chief executive Andrew Messick spotted the commercial potential and the brand went all in, announcing a million-dollar partnership with the Livestrong Foundation. Lance was back. “By the next Ironman World Champs, Frodeno would have reached that milestone” It was risky, started well, then backfired dramatically. Armstrong had already won two 70.3 races and was preparing for Ironman France when the United States Anti-Doping Agency called out US Postal’s Tour de France shenanigans as “the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever…

“I organised duathlons aboard an empty cruise ship. The moral is that you can make the most out of adversity” EVOLVE AND ADAPT During the start of the pandemic I was working on a cruise ship in Australia. We were told that all our passengers and half our crew would be sent home. My position onboard meant I had to stay. The ship was told to leave Australia along with all other cruise ships; at the time we had no onward port. So we set sail aboard an empty ship – what to do as a keen triathlete? The ship’s main pools were emptied, leaving only the crew’s small plunge pool open, which is really too small for swimming. Or is it? Having seen someone online set up a bungee…

Two young men in shorts and bright blue t-shirts rush down a steep slope, kicking up black dust as they turn a sharp corner and continue to the bottom of the hill. One by one, a group of men in their late teens and early twenties follows suit, panting and gasping for air. A few minutes later, the lead runners start running back up, their faces contorted in agony as they reach for the top. Twenty-year-old Miguel Masaisai is only seconds after a gangly sprinter with a near-perfect stride. “Come on, all the way,” shouts a thin, elderly man as the two athletes reach the plateau halfway up the hill. The two guys grin as they sprint past the coach and come to a halt in the warm, volcanic sand.…

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 your go-to for women’s multisport kit. 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.…

Hopefully by the time you read this, some semblance of a 2020 season is in full flow. And with postponed races lengthening this truncated year, it brings in to sharp focus the issue of maintaining – and even refining – peak triathlon performance late into the calendar. Should, for instance, you stick to your current schedule? Should you taper? Getting it wrong can lead to poor race performances, and worse – injury. Cue our eight-week training plan. The plan is geared towards Olympic-distance racing and includes two races within the two-month period. The two main factors that need to be considered are training duration and training intensity, and variations in both need to happen when working your schedule around races. By this stage of your year, you should be less…

1 It’s easier than you think and, given Covid-19, you can’t have many people enter anyway, which helps. If you can, pick a course in an area that you know well. 2 At first, only have people that are going to do the whole course. Then nearer the time, add others if you need to who are looking to just do certain parts. 3 To ensure social distancing, have waves at the start, space people out at transitions, emphasise distance when passing and monitor the finish area. With small numbers that’s easy to do. 4 We started at 7am primarily to ensure we were clear of the water early on and not bothering nearby residents. On top of that, it also helped with quiet roads.…

Inov-8 has launched the Terra Ultra G270, an updated version of the G260 that’s aimed at triathletes and runners who go ultra-long. The loftiest change is found in the midsole with the new PowerFlow Max platform. It’s 12mm upfront and outback, meaning it’s still a zero drop like the 260s but is 3mm higher. Inov-8 claim this results in 20% greater energy return than the 260 and a more cushioned foundation. This was a criticism levelled at the 260 – that for very long efforts, they just lacked cushioning. Whether the 270 strike the sweetspot between long-course comfort without losing feel for rugged terrain, we’ll find out next issue. That extra stack comes with a nominal 10g weight penalty for a solid 270g offering. The ‘G’ refers to its grapheneinfused…

“I know I’ve been to those dark places before. I know I can cope” When I retired in March 2019, I didn’t exercise for two or three weeks and I just ate rubbish food. There was a local sprint triathlon on and it was about 10 days away. I said to Lauren, my wife, “Do you reckon I should enter it just for the craic?” I was pretty down and moping around the house all the time, and as soon as I started training and getting some structure back into my life, everything else just started falling back into place. I felt so much more productive, so much more proactive in doing stuff, and since then I’ve carried it on and enjoyed it. I remember driving out to the triathlon…

1 @notthebrownlees What a buzz to race an actual tri this morning. Few and far between at the moment, but hopefully a sign of things to come to finish the race season off! 2 @red_ running_man Early morning half to beat the sun; passed the 1,000 miles for 2020. 3 @ becksywecksy This morning’s lido sky. 5.45am wake-up isn’t such a chore in this weather! 4 @vogtri No throwing the towel in with smart121coaching behind me. Fitness is improving, power numbers are going up and I’m ready to race… 5 @jakub.tri 100km in this Windy Hell – also known as Fuerteventura. I’m overtired, dehydrated, ravenous and burnt. Average power of 178W was lower than last time. Average HR is also significantly higher than what I’d expect... 6 @louloubrook 1,051m of…

ZIPPER A swimskin’s zip is located on the back of the suit, and should be swift to unleash and free from chafing. SLEEVE CHOICES Swimskins are either vested or have elbow-length sleeves. The former should be freer of restriction, the latter more hydrodynamic. CROTCH Swimskins lack any form of bike pad like a tri-suit, but they can be worn over a tri-suit for short-course races on the bike and run. While a tri wetsuit will be appropriate for most UK races with an open-water start, a swimskin is for times when the water is too warm to be wetsuit-legal. Most likely this will affect those who race abroad, where there’s a much higher chance water temps will creep above the max legal limit for wetsuits (22°C for 1.5km swims and…

Weight 8.2kg Frame Orro Venturi Evo Fork Orro Venturi Evo Gears Shimano 105 Brakes Shimano 105 Disc 7000 Wheels Fulcrum R400 DB Finishing kit FSA Vero Compact handlebars, Prologo Tri saddle, Continental Grand Sport Race 28mm tyres HIGHS Fast and comfortable with a quality spec for the money LOWS There are cheaper options out there BUY IF You want road bike comfort with tri add-ons in one complete package Weight 9.5kg Frame Giant Advanced Grade Composite Fork Giant Advanced Grade Composite Gears Shimano 105/Shimano TT SL-BSR 1 Brakes Tektro Wheels Giant SR-2 Finishing kit Giant Contact base bar and extensions, Giant Gavia Course AC 1 25mm tyres, ISM PS1.0 saddle HIGHS Affordable, integrated storage, reliable spec LOWS Heavy and uninspiring training wheels BUY IF You want a proven frameset and…

Issue 383 (on sale Sept) Plan your Ironman schedule Issue 384 (on sale Oct) Ride and run off-road for tri Issue 385 (on sale Nov) Stay injury-free Issue 386 (on sale Dec) Improve your bike skills Issue 387 (on sale Jan 2021) Maximise virtual training Issue 388 (on sale Feb) Hone your swim technique Issue 389 (on sale March) Fuel an Ironman Issue 390 (on sale April) Prepare for the open water.…

RESPECT YOUR BODY Listen to your body for signs of fatigue. If you need extra rest to stay fresh, then take it. DO YOUR RESEARCH Research your races – see what kind of terrain is involved and train specifically for it. If it’s hilly, you’ve got to train to be ready for them. PUT THE EFFORT IN High-intensity sessions with quality hard work will maintain race speed between your events. GET ORGANISED Organisation is key in tri, so make sure you have all the correct kit ready to execute your sessions. No excuses for being unprepared!…

I have a stubborn blister that’s grown large and irritable. Can you help? It sounds like it might be time to pop it. Wash the area and sterilise a needle with alcohol and water. Pierce a small hole at the edge of the blister and gently squeeze out the fluid. Wash the blister once more and smooth down the flap of skin. Apply antibiotic ointment and, finally, cover the area loosely with a sterile bandage. Can you tell me what’s a dolphin dive, please? This is a common technique to propel yourself through shallow waters effectively, like you might at the start of a sea swim. Essentially, you reach forward after diving in, hold the seabed and pull your legs up under you (as if you were doing a squat…

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 SUB-£500 WETSUITS These hit a range of abilities. Newcomers will look for greater buoyancy, especially…

Please forgive any typing errors in this month’s column but, as I write this, I’m struggling to lift my arms up to my keyboard. There’s a pool of drool between the letters F, C and G, and my jaw has sagged so hard that it’s broken the space bar. The reason? My swimming club have restarted squad training and I’ve just›completed my third early morning swim in four days after a four-month break. Don’t get me wrong, I’m overjoyed to be back in the pool again, but Christ I’ve lost fitness. I’d gone 17 weeks without a swim because being a land-locked Midlander meant my watery options were limited. While many of you can strike out into lakes or the sea, apart from the pool my only other local option…

UNDER £75 DHB AERON HOT SUMMER £65 Multiple mesh panels increase ventilation and wicking rate for hot temps and indoor sets. Three rear pockets plus a zipped one are ideal for long training rides. It’s good and currently down to £39. wiggle.co.uk UNDER £100 HUUB CORE2 £84.99 The Core2’s bold red design takes the design award. Again, there are three rear pockets – and a zipped offering – and mesh panels under the arms. Huub’s Cam Lock zipper’s cute. It means you can pull the jersey open without reaching for the puller. huubdesign.com UNDER £125 MEGMEISTER HOUNDSTOOTH £119.99 A thick woven blend of nylon, polyester and elastane aims to improve moisture wicking and comfort. There are mesh inserts under the arms and three rear pockets. shop.megmeister.com…

You finish that high-intensity run session and feel great. The next day – more so the day after – you’re shuffling around like a zombie. Why? It’s down to exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). It’s inevitable, especially during descents where your muscles undergo eccentric contractions – lengthening of muscle under tension – to propel you forward. Or is it? Well, maybe not according to a recent meta-analysis by Dr Kenji Doma, who concluded that fruit has you feeling fresher for your next session. Doma showed that athletes who consumed fruit post-intense effort – be it cherries, blackcurrants or elderberries – reported lower EIMD, oxidative stress and inflammation, while recording subsequent improvement in a countermovement jump test. Why’s potentially down to the phytochemicals in the fruit that have a potent anti-inflammatory effect,…

WATTBIKE ATOM NEXT GEN £1,899 Will the next generation Atom supersede its celebrated sibling? Even with the general easing of lockdown, the popularity of indoor cycling is set to stay thanks to stimulating apps such as Sufferfest and Zwift, and incredibly smart trainers from Tacx, Wahoo and WattBike. And it’s Brit brand WattBike who are immediately looking to capitalise on this growing audience with the launch of its next-gen Atom – first released in 2017. It’s a refinement rather than overhaul of the original. “This isn’t an Atom 2.0 but it’s also not a stopgap. It was always the plan to launch in 2020 and wasn’t driven by lockdown,” WattBike tell us. “Following the 2017 launch, we identified some enhancements and improvements and integrated them into the new model.” Atom…

PHIL BURT Avoiding Chafing Phil was lead physiotherapist of the successful British Cycling team over three Olympics and now runs Phil Burt Innovation. JOEL ENOCH Strength and Speed Joel is a sports scientist and triathlon coach who’s helped athletes of all abilities reach their multisport goals. JOHN WOOD Speed Swimming An award-winning multisport coach of 10 years, John is also a former international swimmer. BRAD BEER Clawing Cadence Brad is the founder of POGO Physio, author of You Can Run Pain Free! and the physio for Super League Triathlon.…