The Hall Blenheim Triathlon 2022 Tips & Training

TIPS & TRAINING
The Hall Triathlon Team
Blenheim Triathlon
Saturday 28 May 2022

SEE YOUR BLENHEIM ROUTETable of Contents

3 Intro to Sprint Triathlon
4 Kit
5 Run
5 Strength training
6 Swim
7 Bike
8 Blenheim Triathlon
8 Kids Duathlon
8 Contact Us

2

Intro to Sprint Triathlon

Swim

750m open water
For many new triathletes this is the
hardest part but often the leg which is
most enjoyable. Our advice is to train
over the winter in a pool building up to
750m and then when it warms up late
April/May start swimming outdoors.

Bike

20 km

A 20km bike can be done on any
bike. This can be the most social part
of the training, around Regents Park,
Richmond Park and Holly Lodge estate
next to Swains Lane. Spin classes and
indoor cycling over the winter will get
you ‘bike fit’ and ready for Spring to
head out on the roads.

Run

5 km
Everyone can be running 5k in 8-10
weeks even with no prior running
experience at all - just build up slowly.
We have fantastic coached group
sessions which everyone is welcome
to attend and Couch to 5k supported
by a qualified triathlon coach.

3

Kit

For a triathlon, you can buy as much or as little kit as you like.
At a minimum, for race day, you will need:

A bike A full Trainers Bike Race
wetsuit helmet belt

And optional:

Cycle glasses Trisuit
To protect your eyes, So you can transition easily from
or otherwise sunglasses swim to bike without having to add

would do extra layers over a swimsuit

You can hire a bike and wetsuit via www.mytriathlon.co.uk or
www.onyourbike.com

If you prefer to buy, some local bike shops are usually happy to
measure you and offer a few options for you to try (for example,
around Regent’s Park) before you buy. You can sometimes also
try wetsuits before you buy which can be very helpful as the fits
do differ.

We particularly recommend:

• Giant (Kentish Town Road) for bikes

• Cyclefit (Covent Garden) - a shop for bespoke and high
end bikes with an excellent bike fitting service for anyone
wanting to splash out

• Ocean Leisure (Embankment) for trying wetsuits

• Other popular brands for tri gear include Huub, 2xu, Zone3

We will be producing a branded ‘Hall Blenheim Triathlon Team
2022’ piece of kit for members of the team.

4

Run

There are coached run sessions for the Hall
Ladies tri team and friends on Monday and
Saturday mornings at Parliament Hill. All
abilities are welcome. Please get in touch via
WhatsApp or email a committee member for
more information.
If you need to start out, Couch to 5k is an effective way of building
up to a 5k distance slowly and safely. Once you can run for a couple
of minutes, you can come along to any of the group sessions and
you’ll find you’ll quickly build stamina. This year we also have a
Couch to 5K programme starting in January.

"Runningshoeshavemagicinthem.Thepowertotransform abaddayinto agood
day; frustration into speed; self doubt into confidence; chocolate cake into muscle".

Other run options
• Hampstead Tri Club – friendly group run sessions run by
Daniel Bingham at Parliament Hill track
• Willesden Tri Club – friendly group sessions, contact
Kristin Duffy for details
• Mornington Chasers – friendly running club based in Kentish
Town (www.chaser.me.uk)

Strength training

Pilates takes place with our experienced instructor Nancy online
on a Wednesday morning for the ladies team. Try also www.
moorpilates.co.uk/classes for her other online mixed sessions at
other times which are great for building strength.
Various apps such as Peloton and Sweat offer great short sessions
for strengthening, Pilates and yoga that can be done easily at
home.

5

Swim

Getting Started

Anything goes at Blenheim: breaststroke or front crawl. Even if
you are struggling to swim more than a single length to start with,
after some regular practice, you’ll find you can quickly build up the
distance. We will hold some group open water swim sessions in
April and May to have you ready for Blenheim.

Swim coaching

• Jez 07912 418323: local swimming coach (recommended by
Tazim)

• Small group lessons in the City for beginner front crawl
www.strictly-swimming.com

• Hampstead Tri Club group swim sessions at Kentish Town
Pool – front crawl only. Interested team members should
contact Daniel Bingham

Local heated pools

• Swiss Cottage 25m pool (warm pool, hot showers)
• Kentish Town 30m pool (lovely building, coolish pool)
• Olympic Pool Stratford 50m pool (ozone treated)
• UCS 25m pool (www.ucsactive.org.uk/swimming-pool)
• Highgate School Pool
• Park Road Lido 50m (heated outdoor pool in Crouch End)
• London Fields Lido (outdoor heated) 50m pool

Outdoor swimming

• Parliament Hill Lido (outdoor unheated) 60m pool
• Hampstead Ladies Pond 100m (stick to the left for laps)
• Hampstead Mixed Pond
• West Reservoir, Stoke Newington (2 loops: 400m or 750m)
• Denham Lake
• Merchant Taylors Lake (2 loops: 400m or 750m)

6

Bike

Training indoors

• Some gyms and leisure centres, including Swiss Cottage are
offering indoor spin classes. Team members should check
with their local facilities

• On a ‘Peloton’ bike
• Or fix your own bike onto a Wahoo Kickr or other indoor

trainer and sign up to Zwift

Where to cycle outdoors

• Regent’s Park (inner circle is quiet and good to start off
building confidence on roads c.1km loop; outer circle busier,
c.5km loop)

• Richmond Park (similar profile to Blenheim) around 11km loop
• Hillway N6 (parallel to Swains Lane) – steep hill on a quiet

road, great for doing ‘hill repeats’ and building fitness

Brick Sessions

In Spring, there will be some coached cycles for beginners around
the inner circle of Regent’s Park and brick sessions hopefully at
Richmond Park and Regent’s Park. Brick sessions are bike, run, bike,
run and so on which practise quickly moving from one discipline to
another, also known as ‘transition’. For many new triathletes, this
is the first time out on the road on their bikes, and it is great to be
in a group for this. We will also offer an ‘immersion’ day prior to
Blenheim.

"Wow, I really regret
that workout".

- Nobody. Ever.

7

Blenheim Triathlon

https://in.reg-limelightsports.club/blenheim-palace-triathlon-2022
We are taking part on Saturday 28 May 2022 in the Sprint Triathlon.
Please email Louise or Nicola to let them know when you have
signed up so they can ensure you are on the team list. LimeLight
Sports Club will assign our wave time a couple of weeks before
the event and we will all set off together.

Kids Duathlon

There is usually a kids duathlon (run, bike, run) on the same day.
We will circulate details closer to the time for children who may
like to take part.

Contact Us

We are happy to offer advice and help so please do feel free to
contact us.
• Louise (Co-Captain): [email protected]
• Nicola AG (Co-Captain): [email protected]
• Rebecca (Saturday training): [email protected]
• Tazim: [email protected]
• Plum: [email protected]
• Amanda (Chair): [email protected]

• Kristin Duffy (Monday run coach): [email protected]
• Daniel Bingham (Hampstead Tri Club): [email protected]