2021-02-01 220 Triathlon

how
was it
for you?

Our man Nick on his FINISHERPIX GERTRUD ALATARE
way to a sub-10hr
finish in Tallinn

condominium that is erected behind GERTRUD ALATARE TALLINN sports nutrition and swiftly swap to
the swim start – and that I’m now STATS water and Coke.
pointing at before the last turn to An extra sense of enthusiasm
the left – looks like an untouchable enveloped the athletes at the First event Reassuringly, I follow my plan to
mirage. But every struggle must first full Ironman since Covid 2018 perfection: from 22-32km, I put in
finish and, praise be, I eventually coach, Joseph Spindler, told me: 2020 starters enough effort to maintain the same
exit the lake. I look at my watch: “Do not start too fast and increase 667 (full Ironman) pace. But at 32km, the struggle
1:08hrs for 3.8km. “Yes, a little bit the pace in the end.” 2021 date begins. I know I have my goal in
slower than normal, but it’s still a Initially, it’s a little bit tricky to 7 August sight — but I know that blowing up
long way,” I think. find the right pace. My watch isn’t 2021 entry fee at the end is an option, too. I slow a
cooperating and the first part of the From £462 bit to recover and enjoy the atmos,
The first transition takes me just marathon is slightly downhill, Nearest airport and then increase a little towards
four minutes, though on the first followed by some uphill and Tallinn the end. When I see the 41km mark,
kilometre of the bike, I feel tired. cobblestoned sections into the Website I know I’m going to make it. I’m
That swim portion – and the final medieval gem that is Tallinn’s Old ironman.com going to run this Ironman in less
part chasing buoys – took more of Town. I tell myself not to overdo it. than 10 hours. Despite a global
my energy than expected. Luckily, I Meanwhile, the more I run, the pandemic, I’ve crossed the line at
know the two-lap bike course by more I struggle to get my targeted 5:20pm. I’ve smashed my Ironman
heart, so can effortlessly switch 70g of carbs per run hour. I have gels goal and dream.
on the autopilot. in my hands and pockets, and even
some more liquid carbs, but my
Heading west from the Estonian stomach has had enough of that
capital, the scenery isn’t exactly already. I decide to stop with the
remarkable with the course mostly
unfolding on wide and rolling
highways to the Baltic coast. I enjoy
it, though, mostly because the
tarmac quality is sublime.

With 660m of elevation gain, the
180km bike course is flat and fast,
with few sections that allow
coasting and even fewer that point
uphill. And when you don’t have to
battle some front-wind sections,
you can reach very high speeds. But
I stick to my 210-220 watts plan for
the three-seconds average and, to
my surprise, at the end of the race I
find a 215 NP (normalised power) on
my bike computer. Surely courtesy
of the 90g of carbs per hour I
managed to consume for the five
hours of my bike split.

PLANNED TO PERFECTION

When I start the four-lap 42.2km
run, I can feel that my legs are
thankfully still strong. It’s 1:48pm
and I do the maths in my head. To
finish in under 10 hours, I have to
cross the finish line before 5:32pm.
That gives me exactly 3:44hrs for my
marathon. I remember what my

98 / / February 2021

Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited BECOME
Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST PART OF THE
GROWING
Tel 0117 927 9009 COMMUNITY BY
Email [email protected] BECOMING A
SUBSCRIBER
Web www.220triathlon.com
twitter.com/220Triathlon p

facebook.com/220Triathlon NEXT MONTH
On sale – 21st January
EDITORIAL
JOSE LUIS HOURCADE
Editor Helen Webster
Deputy Editor Liz Barrett CHALLENGE DAYTONA
Features Editor Matt Baird
All the action from Florida as the
Art Editor William Linn Brownlees battle for $1-million
Senior Digital Editor Debbie Graham

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Group Advertising Manager Gino de Antonis
Advertisement Manager Tomos Whitmarsh-Knight

Brand Sales Executive Oli Pascoe
Classified Sales Exec Elle Butcher
Ad Services Manager Paul Thornton
Ad Coordinator Charles Thurlow

Ad Designer Julia Young
Direct Marketing Manager Aimee Rhymer

PRODUCTION

Production Director Sarah Powell
Production Manager Emma McGuinness

Production Coordinator Ian Wardle
Reprographics Tony Hunt & Chris Sutch

IMMEDIATE MEDIA COMPANY

Publisher Andrew Davies
Publishing Assistant Lara Von Weber
Press & Public Relations Ridhi Radia

Managing Director Andy Marshall
CEO Tom Bureau

ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Phillip Hatzis, Helen Jenkins, Emily
Paul Adams, Nikki Bartlett, Mel Kier, Adam Leitch, Andrea Mason,
Berry, Hannah Brooks, Martyn Kat Matthews, James Mitchell, Kate
Brunt, Fran Bungay, Nick Busca, Percy, Will Poole, Nick Pritchard,
James Croft, Tom Davis, Andy Steve Sayers, Daniel Seex, Jack
Dickson, Tim Don, Joe Friel, Getty Sexty, Claire Smith, Spencer Smith,
Images, George Goodwin, Adam Kelly Stokes, Korupt Vision, Danny
Hansen, Dermott Hayes, Tim Weiss, James Witts, John Wood.
Heming, Jesse Lambert Harden,

LICENSING & SYNDICATION Printed in the UK by William Gibbons STEP UP IN 2021
220 Triathlon is available for Distributed by Frontline, Park Road,
international licensing and Peterborough – 01753 555161 Smash a spring duathlon, maximise
syndication. For more information, virtual tech and first tri advice
please email Tim Hudson: © Immediate Media Company
[email protected] Bristol Limited 2020 THE BEST TRI TECH

220 Triathlon is published 13 times ISSN: 14791500 Multisport watches tested and aero
a year by Immediate Media road helmets rated in the wind tunnel
Company Limited We abide by IPSO’s rules and
regulations. To give feedback about
Cover image: Jethro Snyders our magazines, please visit immediate.
co.uk, email editorialcomplaints@
Every care is taken when compiling immediate.co.uk or write to Katherine
this magazine, but we accept no Conlon, Immediate Media Co.,
liability for mistakes and no Vineyard House, 44 Brook
responsibility can be taken for the Green, London W6 7BT.
contents of these pages.

February 2021 / / 99

race calendar

Pick your races and plan your season with the 220 Knowhow event guide

KAI OTTO MELAU

CELTMAN

12JUNE 2021 The Celtman Extreme Scottish
Triathlon is centred around the
stunning Torridon Mountains and
includes a punishing 42km run

PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO COVID-19
RESTRICTIONS, THE SITUATION WITH
RACES IS CHANGING DAILY, SO PLEASE
REFER TO INDIVIDUAL RACE WEBSITES
FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.

TRI SPEAK 2021 1.5km R). Centre, Lancashire. (various distances).
Mallory Park Race ulverstontriclub.com Bucklers Hard,
Wondering what the JANUARY Circuit, Kirkby. New Forest.
‘washing machine’ is, racerapid.co.uk MARCH entry.challenging.events
or where to find your 6 GO TRI LOCAL
M-dot?! Make things MALLORY PARK 6 DUATHLON 12 – 20 ASHBRIDGE APRIL
easy with our guide (1.5km R/7.5km B/ TEAM CHALLENGE DUATHLON
to common tri terms… 1.5km R). (2km R/15km B). (10km R/44km B/5km R). 18 GREAT NOTLEY
Mallory Park Race Geraint Thomas Ashbridge House Estate, SPRING DUATHLON
‘A’-Race The most Circuit, Kirkby. Velodrome, Newport, Hertfordshire. (4km R/20km B/4km R).
important race of racerapid.co.uk South Wales. activetrainingworld.co.uk Great Notley,
your season cyclone24.co.uk Essex.
17 GO TRI HIGH LODGE 28 EAST LEAKE born2tri.com
Age-grouper Non-pro WINTER SERIES 4 7 DORNEY DUATHLON TRIATHLON
triathlete (most of us!) (2.25km R/7.25km B/ (various distances). (400m S/22km B/5km R). 25 TORBAY
2.25km R). Dorney Lake, Eton. East Leake near TRIATHLON SPRING
Aerobic Aerobic High Lodge, Thetford. dorneytriathlon.com Loughborough. (various dists).
exercise involves or canbuttri.co.uk endorphinsport.com Paignton,
improves oxygen NOVEMBER DUATHLON 14 ESSEX DUATHLON HALESOWEN TRIATHLON South Devon.
consumption by the (various distances). (various distances). (400m S/23km B/5km R). sportivaevents.co.uk
body Little Budworth, Debden Airfield, Essex. Halesowen Leisure
Tarporley. activetrainingworld.co.uk Centre, West Midlands. MAY
Anaerobic How much stuweb.co.uk OULTON PARK halesowentri.org
energy your body VALENTINE’S DUATHLON OULTON SPRING 9 STRATFORD
can produce without FEBRUARY (various distances). PARK DUATHLON TRIATHLON
using oxygen Oulton Park, (various distances). (various distances).
3 GO TRI LOCAL Cheshire. Oulton Park, Stratford Leisure Centre,
Bilateral breathing MALLORY PARK opevents.co.uk Cheshire. Warwickshire.
Breathing every (1.5km R/7.5km B/ VALENTINE’S DUATHLON opevents.co.uk uktriathlon.co.uk
3 strokes when (4.5km R/29km B/4.5km BUCCANEER DUATHLON
swimming R). Ulverstone Leisure

bonking Running out of EUROPEAN CHAMPS QUALIFIER WORLD CHAMPS QUALIFIER BRITISH AG CHAMPS TRI ENGLAND NATIONAL CHAMPS
energy mid-race or
training session

100 / / February 2021

1 6 OUTLAW HALF East Sussex. SLATEMAN
NOTTINGHAM eastbournetriathlon.co.uk
(1.2mile S/56-mile B/ ULTIMATE TRIATHLON 12-13JUNE 2021 After its 2020
13.1-mile R). (3.8km S/180km B/
National Watersports 42.2km R). Alderford postponement, the Slateman
Centre, Holme Lake, Whitchurch,
Pierrepont, Shropshire. celebrates its delayed 10th
Nottinghamshire. uktriathlon.co.uk
outlawtriathlon.com birthday in 2021
EXMOUTH TRIATHLON 1 2THE WALES
(various dists). TRIATHLON TRIATHLON TRIATHLON (5km S/ SPORT PICTURES CYMRU
Exmouth, (1.2mile S/56mile B/ (various distances). 1,000km B/50km R).
South Devon. 13.1mile R). Fishguard, Cholmondeley Castle. Loch Ness to London. Brick session When you
sportivaevents.co.uk Pembrokeshire. castletriathlonseries.co.uk monstertriathlon.org ‘brick’ two disciplines
walestriathlon.com together, e.g. bike & run
2 3 CHESHIRE FISHGUARD 2 0 LAKESMAN 26ST MARY’S
TRIATHLON SPRINT TRIATHLON TRIATHLON TRIATHLON Carb-loading Eating a
(various distances). (0.5-mile S/13-mile B/ (various dists). (various distances). carb-heavy meal prior to
Barony Park and 3-mile R). Fishguard, Keswick, Cumbria. St Mary’s Loch, a race to boost energy
Nantwich Swimming Pembrokeshire. thelakesman.com Scottish Borders.
Pool, Nantwich, fishguardtriathlon.com THE BUDE SHORELINE durtyevents.com Catch The part of the
Cheshire. DARTMOUTH TRIATHLON TRIATHLON swim stroke where you
uktriathlon.co.uk (various dists). (500m S/11-mile B/ 2 7BIRMINGHAM pull on the water
SWYD TRIATHLON Dartmouth, Devon. 3-mile R). TRIATHLON
(various dists). sportivaevents.co.uk Bude, Cornwall. (various distances). Sutton DNS/dnf/DQ Did not
Barry, Wales. CELTMAN shorelineactivities.co.uk Park, Birmingham. start/Did not finish/
allornothingevents.com (3.4km S/202km B/ uktriathlon.co.uk Disqualified
42km R). Wester Ross, 20-26 THE CARDIFF TRIATHLON
3 1 ARCTIC ONE TRI & Scotland. cxtri.com MONSTER AND DUATHLON Drafting Hitching a
PARA-TRI FESTIVAL ride on someone
(various dists). 1 2 -1 3 SLATEMAN else’s slipstream in the
Dorney Lake, TRIATHLON bike or swim
Eton, Berkshire. (various distances).
arctic1.co.uk Llanberis, Wales.
alwaysaimhigh
JUNE events.com

5 BRECA GOWER 1 3 IRONMAN 70.3
(swim-run of STAFFORDSHIRE
various distances). (1.9km S/90km B/
Gower Peninsula, 21.1km R).
Wales. Chasewater
brecaswimrun.com/ Country Park,
breca-gower-swimrun Staffordshire.
ironman.com
6 EASTBOURNE
TRIATHLON 19-20
(various dists).
Eastbourne College, CHOLMONDELEY

IRONMAN 70.3
STAFFORDSHIRE

13JUNE 2021 A reservoir swim, hilly bike and

rolling run awaits in Staffordshire

CHARLIE CROWHURST/GETTY Duathlon Usually a
run/bike/run format

Elite Another word for a
‘pro’ – e.g. the Brownlees

HIT High-intensity
training

HRmax Your maximum
heart rate

Hyponatremia A
deficiency of sodium
in the blood

Intervals Intensive
training using repeated
on/off efforts

February 2021 / / 101

TRI SPEAK (CONT) IRONMAN UK

Lactic acid Produced in 4July 2021 Bolton and its stunning
high-intensity workouts,
it can inhibit oxygen surrounding countryside once
movement around the
body and slow you down again plays host to the country’s

Main set A block lasting only official 226km Ironman
40-50% of a session
where the heart rate
is elevated

M-dot Abbreviation for
the Ironman logo – often
seen as a tattoo!

overpronation Foot CHARLIE CROWHURST/GETTY
rolls inwards on impact
rather than outwards (various dists). Cardiff, Paignton, Devon. 1 1 HENLEY TRIATHLON TORBAY TRIATHLON
Wales. alwaysaim sportivaevents.co.uk (various dists). (various dists).
overtraining Common highevents.co.uk HEVER CASTLE FESTIVAL Henley Leisure, Paignton, Devon.
symptoms of training DARTFORD BRIDGE Oxfordshire. sportivaevents.co.uk
too much with TRIATHLON OF ENDURANCE uktriathlon.co.uk
inefficient recovery (various distances). 2 7BIRMINGHAM
include insomnia, Dartford, Kent. (various dists). 2 4 CASTLE TO COAST TRIATHLON
headaches, moodiness, bridgetriathlon.co.uk Hever Castle, near (1.9kmS/108kmB/ (various distances).
loss of enthusiasm and Edenbridge, Kent. 21.2kmR).Windsor-Brighton. Sutton Park,
increased illness due JULY castletriathlonseries.co.uk castletocoasttri.com Birmingham.
to a suppressed ZONE 3 SWYD SWIM RUN uktriathlon.co.uk
immune system 4IRONMAN UK 24-25
(3.8km S/180km (various distances). AUGUST
PB Personal best B/ 42.2km R). Bolton, Barry Island, Wales. CASTLE HOWARD
Greater Manchester. allornothingevents.com TRIATHLON 1 YORK TRIATHLON
Pull The mid part of ironman.com (various dists). (various dists).
the swim stroke where OUTLAW HALF HOLKHAM 1 0 PEMBROKESHIRE Castle Howard, York. York Sports Village,
the hands and arms (1.2-mile S/56-mile B/ COAST TRIATHLON castletriathlonseries.co.uk North Yorkshire.
accelerate using the 13.1-mile R). uktriathlon.co.uk
purchase from the catch Holkham Hall, (1.5km S/43km B/ 2 5 OUTLAW
Norfolk. 10.6km R). Broadhaven, NOTTINGHAM 7-8 BRECA LOCH
reps Pre-fixed distances outlawtriathlon.com Pembrokeshire. (2.4mile S/112mile B/ LOMOND
covered and pre-fixed ENGLISH RIVIERA pembstri.org.uk 26.2mile R). (various distances).
recoveries maintained TRIATHLON BRECA CONISTON National Watersports Loch Lomond,
(various dists). Centre, Notts. Scotland.
Rest interval (RI) Period (swim-run of outlawtriathlon.com
of rest between reps various distances).
Coniston, Lake District.
Sighting Looking brecaswimrun.com/
ahead/at an object breca-coniston
while swimming to
keep on course

T1/T2 ‘Transition 1’ (swim
to bike) and ‘Transition
2’ (bike to run)

Taper Reducing your
training in the days just
before your big race

102 / / February 2021

brecaswimrun.com/ 4 BRECA JERSEY 18-19 SANDMAN Threshold run A run at
breca-loch-lomond (swim-run of TRIATHLON about 80% of your max
various distances). (various dists). heart rate for no more
14-15 MIDNIGHT The Mumbles, Gower Newborough Forest, than 20mins
MAN TRI Peninsula, Wales. Anglesey, North Wales.
(various dists). brecaswimrun.com/ alwaysaimhighevents.com time trials A set-
Dartford, Kent. breca-jersey distance session, where
bridgetriathlon.co.uk 1 9AVIEMORE the aim is to swim as
11 THE BRUTAL TRIATHLON fast as you can over the
ABERFELDY MULTISPORT EXTREME (various distances). allotted distance
FESTIVAL TRIATHLON Loch Morlich,
(various dists). TRIATHLONS Cairngorms. Transition area The
Aberfeldy, durtyevents.co.uk place where you rack
Scotland. (various dists). your bike and swap kit
aberfeldytriathlon.com Llanberis, Gwynedd, 25-26 between discipline
North Wales.
1 5 JURASSICMAN brutalevents.co.uk HEVER CASTLE TRIATHLON Tri-bars Also known as
(3.8km S/ (various dists). aerobars, they help you
180km B/42.2km R). 11-12WOBURN Hever Castle, race aerodynamically
Budleigh Salterton, ABBEY near Edenbridge,
Devon. Kent. Tumble turn Fast way
brutalevents.co.uk TRIATHLON castletriathlonseries.co.uk of turning at the pool
wall by performing a
21 SOUTH COAST (various dists). 26OUTLAW X forward roll, push off
TRIATHLON Woburn Abbey, (1.2-mile S/56-mile and a twist to return to
(various dists). Bedfordshire. B/13.1-mile R). the initial stroke position
Seaford, woburnabbey Thoresby Park,
East Sussex. triathlon.co.uk Thoresby, Turbo trainer A frame
uktriathlon.co.uk Nottinghamshire. that attaches to your
1 2 OUTLAW HALF outlawtriathlon.com bike, turning it into a
SEPTEMBER BOWOOD static trainer
OCTOBER
2-5 UMUK (1.2mile S/56mile B/ V02 max A measure of
(various dists). 13.1mile R). 2- 3 CRAGGY ISLAND the body’s maximal
Swallow Falls Hotel, Bowood House, TRIATHLON ability to use oxygen to
Betws-y-Coed, Wiltshire. (various dists). produce energy
North Wales. outlawtriathlon.com Isle of Kerrera near
racingquest.co.uk IRONMAN WALES Oban. durtyevents.co.uk Waves The groups which
triathletes are put in to
(3.8km S/180km start a race, usually
B/42.2km R). split by age.
Tenby,
Pembrokeshire,
South Wales.
eu.ironman.com

HEVER CASTLE

25-26 SEPTEMBER 2021 This Kent classic

has a festival feel with a multitude

of events including the world’s

largest children’s triathlon

PAUL MITCHELL

February 2021 / / 103



the makers of .... Train, Adapt, Evolve

Elagen Sport is our recovery, Bespoke online coaching to
protection and performance elevate your performance
supplement - scienti cally
www.hypertriathlon.com
formulated for athletes.
Lifestyles which push our bodies

to extremes can leave us
vulnerable to seasonal infections
and illnesses; a strong immune

system is vital.
This is where Eladon Ltd may

help.

@EladonLtd

www.eladon.com

PoThse sibilities
Endlearess

Recycle your magazine and seven days www.recyclenow.com
later it could come back as your newspaper

DANIEL SEEX kit feel like a betrayal of my past
achievements. While perusing
A PIECE OF BRUNTY Twitter looking for troll accounts
to sledge, I came across ReRun
Our intrepid age-grouper discovers a brilliantly innovative clothing, which is a community-
recycling scheme that’ll happily accept his back catalogue of interest company aimed at
race t-shirts. Many thanks to ReRun clothing… prolonging the life of running
clothes by refreshing, repairing
Recently, my ego took something of Nicky is like doing the Crystal and reselling unwanted or used kit,
with any clothes not suitable for
of a blow when, thanks to a house Maze in front of Craig Revel resale going to homeless and
refugee projects.
move, I cleared out my loft and Horwood, but she did at least kill
CUTTING YOUR FOOTPRINT
discovered several old race any lingering thoughts I had
It was founded by former Team GB
t-shirts that have been about keeping some of these ultra-runner Dan Lawson in a bid to
tackle the 300,000 tonnes of
MARTYN languishing up there since weekend old T-shirts. But what to do clothing that goes to landfill in the
BRUNT the Mesolithic era. warrior with them, especially as UK every year, and their website has
Naturally, my first reaction they’re a little worn…? some amazing stats about how
Martyn is tri’s much our carbon footprint could be
foremost average was to try several of them reduced by extending the life of kit.
athlete and is
living proof that on to see if they still fitted NORMAL LIFESPAN Did you know, for example, that
hours of training the average life of a running shoe on
and endless despite them bearing slogans Like all triathletes, my race our feet is four to six months, but if
new kit are no sent to landfill they hang about for
substitute like ‘Milton Keynes Tri 2002’. T-shirts follow a set trajectory… another 12,000 months before
for ability. starting to decompose – although
I’m pleased to say that they did on my feet I’m always surprised they
don’t start decomposing while I’m
still fit, which was a surprise 1 | Put yourself through hell to get wearing them.

considering my average plate of food them, as though they’re more Anyway, my kit is now with
ReRun’s cheerful local collector,
this year looks like I’ve sought precious than the statue at the Andy, where it has a chance of a new
life adorning somebody without
advice on portion sizes from a black start of Raiders of the Lost Ark. oatmeal arms. And what’s more,
through ReRun I’ve also become
hole. Buoyed by still having the 2 | Wear them to death over the next aware of the marvellous ‘Trees not
Tees’ initiative that works with
body of the mid-30s me, I donned two to three months, including at race organisers to give athletes the
option to have a tree planted
one of the more skin-tight tops and all social occasions. instead of having a t-shirt, thus
helping me avoid filling my new loft
revealed my svelte self to the long- 3 | Shove them in your kit drawer with kit I won’t wear – and with the
number of races I do I could reforest
suffering Mrs B, who took one look to wear during training for the an area the size of Nuneaton, which
would be no bad thing.
at my puny arms and declared that next nine months.
Plenty more info on ReRun
she’d seen bigger lumps in oatmeal. 4 | Empty bursting drawer, pick out Clothing and Trees Not Tees can be
found on their websites, and it’s now
I should have known better, of the cotton ones for bike-cleaning got me thinking about whether
there’s anything in my yet-to-be
course, because showing off in front rags and fling the rest in the loft. cleared garage that they might
want. I wonder if they’d be
5 | Repeat steps 1 to 4 each season. interested in 4000 Allen keys?

“I found old race t-shirts Despite that riches to rags story, I’m
that have been in my loft happy to say that I’ve discovered
since the Mesolithic era” another home for my unwanted
clobber, and one that doesn’t make
my ruthless disposal of once-prized

106 / / February 2021

All your
cycling
needs
covered

Make sure you’ve got the latest kit

For thousands of dedicated road cycling products available online,
visit Freewheel. Freewheel is a cycling website representing a
nationwide network of independent bike shops, giving you access
to all the latest kit from the biggest brands in cycling. Simply
choose to reserve & collect or get it delivered straight to your door.
(LWKHU ZD\ HYHU\ SXUFKDVH EHQH WV D ORFDO ELNH VKRS ΖW UHDOO\ LV
your local bike shop online. Freewheel.co.uk