BUYER’S GUIDE
RACE WHEELS
Deep-section rims can reduce drag and are proven to give you aero gains.
But which are the best to invest in? Jack Sexty tests six sub-£2K pairs
ant to go faster on the bike? Then rim
some carbon wheels with deeper Comprising of the upper
rims to slice through wind are one of and outer edge, race
W the most proven investments you wheel rims will have more
can make. While your legs are the most important depth (50mm and more)
piece of the puzzle in the quest for speed, when than training wheels for
we’re talking about time you can save using deep wind-cheating benefits.
rims compared to standard training wheels over an hub
hour, we’re often dealing in minutes rather than The central part of
seconds. And, if you’re competing in Ironman, you the wheel, consisting
can multiply that a few times over. of the axle, bearings
Modern carbon race wheels are relatively more and a hub shell to
affordable and better quality than ever, with which spokes are
numerous brands now offering imports designed to attached.
their own specifications. These are considerably
cheaper than rims fully designed and built in
Europe or the USA, and the quality is often
close to wheels you’ll see from big names
such as Enve, Mavic and Zipp.
With the shift towards disc brakes
and wider tyres, many brands now
offer rims that are wider internally
with options to run standard
clinchers with inner tubes, or
tubeless tyres with sealant to
bolster puncture protection.
There are three sets of rim
brake wheels and three for disc
brakes in this test, in varying
rim depths. On windy days,
very deep wheels can make
things difficult to control.
It’s a case of purchasing
based on your preferred race
distances and locations, and
if you have even more budget
then that could mean investing
in different depth wheels for
varying conditions.
JARGON
BUSTER
TOROIDAL
Arimshape that
getsfatter below
thebraking
surfacetokeep
airflowsmoothin
crosswinds.
YAWANGLE spokes
The angle of A number of rods
a crosswind in threaded from the hub
relation to to the rim that give the STEVE!SAYERS
the wheel.
wheel tensile strength.
March 2020 / / 51
KIT ZONE
BESTON CUTTING
TEST EDGE
PARCOURS CESSPORT PROGRESS
STRADE RC88 APRIME DISK
£999 This new full carbon wheelset was £750 Cardiff-based triathletes CES Sport £1,595 These special edition disc brake
subjected to countless hours of R&D, are new to us here and their aim is to bring wheels in a 50mm depth front and rear
starting with Computational Fluid aero gains to the masses with their have graphene infused to bring the weight
Dynamics (CFD) analysis to design a disc basement prices. And this is just about the down further and increase strength, while
brake, tubeless-ready wheel optimised for most affordable deep dish set you’ll find a wide 21mm internal rim measurement
28mm tyres and refined in the wind without buying direct from the Far East. means you can fit wider tyres for increased
tunnel. Parcours claim it’s faster than their The 24 rear and 20 front aero spokes laced comfort. They weigh in at 1,450g – seriously
Passista wheelset even with 25mm tyres, in a radial pattern provide a decent impressive for disc brake wheels – although
and can save up to 19 watts over 40km amount of strength, and crosswind battles we noticed they didn’t feel quite so tough
compared to a baseline shallow wheelset. are about what we’d expect from wheels on rough road surfaces and in inclement
The 56mm depth was no problem in with an 88mm depth, while feeling weather compared to more robust pairs on
crosswinds, and they roll incredibly suitably fast on the flats with low winds. test, despite the graphene infusion. And
smoothly with a pleasant hum from the The basalt-infused brake track performed yet, for race day, they’ll make a fast
rear hub. Bladed spokes further improve well in the wet without squealing or addition to your road or tri bike with no
aerodynamics and, although fairly light at feeling too grabby, and the sounds weight penalty. They still cost much more
1,520g, they felt tough enough to take on produced by the freehub are just the right than similar wheelsets from Parcours and
battered British roads. We found the rim amount of intimidating. They don’t feel Scribe with no discernibly better
bed was stubborn with some tyres when it quite so alive as the more luxurious performance evident. Yet they’re still at the
came to popping the bead off the edge of wheelsets out there and, at 1,825g a pair, lower end of the price scale for what you get
the rim, so try some tyre combinations to aren’t the lightest even for deep rims, but compared to Zipp et al, which is a largely
ensure you can replace rapidly should you at this price we can accept a couple of reliable, swift wheelset with interesting
puncture in a race. parcours.cc compromises. ces-sport.co.uk tech innovations. badgercycles.co.uk
91 VERDICT THELONGDEVELOPMENT 79 VERDICT ALITTLELESSREFINEDTHAN 84 VERDICT IMPRESSIVEPERFORMANCE
SOMEOFTHECOMPETITION,BUT A
COMBINEDWITHCUTTING!EDGE
PERIODHASPRODUCEDGREAT
% PERFORMING WHEELS AT A DECENT PRICE % BARGAIN DEEP!RIM BUY % TECHNOLOGY
52 / / March 2020
RACE WHEELS
BEST
VALUE
VISION SCRIBEAERO REVOLVER
METRON 55 SL 50/65 DISC KRONOSTOK 6/9
£1,839.95Vision’s USA-designed Metron £870 New UK brand Scribe offer you more £799 The 90mm rear and 60mm front
carbon rims weigh in at 1,580g for the pair, than a nondescript imported wheelset version of Revolver’s 1,780g Kronostock
not the lightest for a rim brake set of with a badge on for your £870, with the 6/9 wheels are ideal for your tri-specific
wheels but not the worst considering their 65mm rear coming with their exclusive bike, with the price brought down lower
55mm depth. They’ll suit fans of a quieter Five4 hubs with 6.6 degrees of for 2020 to make them a real bargain.
hub as the sound is more discreet from the engagement for a responsive ride. The Revolver’s new 321 hubs are specifically
back when you’re freewheeling, with six freehub is extremely screechy and won’t designed for the 2:1 spoke ratio (two
sealed cartridge bearings inside the hubs be for everyone, but if you want to spokes on the driveside for each one on
that engage quickly and provide a fast and announce your arrival when you pass a the non-driveside), which they say results
responsive ride. The micro-dot brake rival triathlete then these are the wheels in less flex and equal tensioning. In
surface is predictable and reliable even in to do that with. This is another wheelset combination with the aerodynamic
the wet on British winter roads, and in high that uses the Sapim CX-Ray aero spokes, spokes, we found the Kronostoks
winds we didn’t feel any noticeable with 21 at the front and 24 at the rear in a incredibly stable in crosswinds
instability. At more than double the cost of radial pattern, and, at 1,498g, the weight considering their depth, and they have a
some of the wheelsets in this test, though, is impressively low. But they also feel vibrant ride feel with a pleasant hum from
they lose marks for comparitive value as tough and more than capable of taking on the freehub when you’re off the pedals.
we didn’t gauge clear extra performance British roads year-round. A 19mm The unusual skewers have very minimal
benefits on the roads (admittedly we internal width will easily accommodate levers and it took us a couple of tries to be
haven’t tested in a wind tunnel), but the 28mm tyres, and they arrive taped up with confident we’d secured them properly,
graphics look great, the rims roll well and tubeless-ready valves to make the 50/65s but this is a small gripe over what’s a
come ready to set up tubeless if you prefer a truly modern and very affordable carbon watt-saving bargain of a wheelset.
that option.windwave.co.uk race wheelset. scribecycling.co.uk revolverwheels.co.uk
77 VERDICT SOLIDANDSTYLISH 85 VERDICT FASTANDSTABLEWHEELS 87 VERDICT OUTSTANDINGVALUE,STABLE
PERFORMERS,BUTPRICIERTHAN THE
THATCOMEATAVERYAFFORDABLE
INWINDSANDHARDTOFAULT FOR
% COMPETITION ON TEST HERE % PRICE; ALTHOUGH INCREDIBLY LOUD % TRIATHLON RACE DAY
March 2020 / / 53
KIT ZONE
54 / / March 2020
THE BRAND VISITS: HOKA
THE MAKING OF
CARBON X
From derided to dominant, Hoka One One has been the triathlon
running shoe success story of the decade. But have they taken on
more than they can chew with the Carbon X? We !ind out
WORDS!MATT!BAIRD!!IMAGES!STEVE!SAYERS"!JAMES!MITCHELL
he blue of the Pacific Ocean. The noir of the lava
fields. The lack of leg hair and pot bellies. Some
things are instantly apparent when landing in
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, for the annual Ironman
World Championships. What also became
clearly evident on arrival for our visit in October
2019 was that everyone was seemingly wearing
Hoka shoes; an Ironman badge of honour to file alongside the almost smell the next big thing,” in regards to the oversized
M-Dot tattoo and faded Ironman Lanzarote race tee. shoe formula that maximised cushioning but somehow kept
Hoka One One (pronounced O-Nay O-Nay) were founded in weight to a minimum. Soon the Spice Girls and tweenie
2009 by two former Salomon employees (Nicolas Mermoud remarks were being drowned out by praise and ever-
and Jean-Luc Diard) in Annecy, France, wanting to create a increasing popularity as triathletes – always early adopters of
shoe that allowed them to run downhill faster. The brand new tech – embraced the maximal ethos.
stood in contrast to the era’s minimalist ‘barefoot’ Ever a pioneer of multisport, six-time Ironman world
movement spearheaded by Born to Run author Chris champion Dave Scott became a Hoka athlete in 2015.
McDougall and exemplified by the Vibram Fivefingers, which “My first impression was ‘Wow, it looks like you’re on a
themselves were a response to the heavily-cushioned pillow,” says Scott to 220. “I was mocking my athletes for
trainers that dominated the run market in the 2000s. Both using them, but I just had to try them as I heard it may
Hoka and minimalist shoes, though, offered low heel-to-toe alleviate some of my knee and hip pain. A lot of shoes look
drops and encouraged athletes onto their mid and forefoots for style first but functionality is key and Hoka is top of the
to improve running economy. very best in that regard. And the misnomer with cushioned
Derided as clown shoes upon their arrival in multisport shoes is that, if you’re on a pillow you think you’re going to
circles, Hoka started gaining traction in trail and then tri sink, but Hoka’s design of a meta-rocker allows a natural
circles a couple of years after their launch. 220’s first review rotation of your foot. These shoes deliver what can only be
in 2011 labelled their Bondi B as “one for the fitness market described as a ‘snap’ on push-off, which is perfect for
and not the performance runner,” but admitted that “we can runners and triathletes.”
March 2020 / / 55
KIT ZONE
By 2017, Hoka had ousted Asics as the most
popular brand in Dave Jewell’s influential ‘Kona
Shoe Count’ at the Ironman World Championships.
They grew on that success in 2018 due to the
popularity of their Clifton shoe, with Ironman
champions Mirinda Carfrae, Heather Jackson and
Joe Skipper all converts to the Hoka cause.
Cut to 2019, however, and the carbon shoe arms
race had arrived in Hawaii, with Nike’s VaporFly
Next% worn by the three fastest female athletes
(Anne Haug, Lucy Charles-Barclay and Sarah
Crowley), an Asics carbon prototype worn by the
men’s champion Jan Frodeno, and Hoka’s carbon
offerings worn by silver medallist Tim O’Donnell
and Britain’s fastest man, Skipper.
As our columnist Tim Heming highlights on p13,
this influx of carbon-plated shoes throws up plenty
of questions about prototypes for competition and
unfair advantages, as well as questions of injury
prevention and where, just where, running shoe
tech will dare to venture in the 2020s.
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Released to the public in the summer of 2019 after
being worn by Jim Walmsley to break the 50-mile
World Record in a time of 4:50:08, the Hoka Carbon “WHENRUNNINGWITHCARBON Images, clockwise from above:
X followed in the tetravalent footsteps of the Joe Skipper training in the
Hoka Carbon X; Skipper has
carbon fibre insoles from Italian brand Ares and MIDSOLES,THEEFFECTISTOENHANCE since said he should’ve gone
Nike’s Vaporfly 4% (not forgetting the Zoot Ultra for the Carbon X over Hoka’s
Rincons at Kona 2019; A
TT’s short-lived CarbonSpan+ midsole from 2012), HOWOURFEETACTASLEVERS” glimpse of the Carbon X’s
and included a carbon fibre plate in the midsole. carbon fibre midsole; The
Carbon X retail at £160;
“We’ve been implementing carbon fibre Skipper racing IM Wales 2019
technology in our footwear gradually over the last Onto our test runs and this efficiency (a mix of
five years,” says Hoka director of design, Dr the sole delivering energy return and a reduction
Michael Head, to 220. “The carbon plate is in toe flex) was immediately evident; our times
designed to help the amplified Meta-Rocker dropped, ground contact time diminished and
present in the Carbon X retain its shape over long excitement grew on each asphalt run. The 4%
miles and many uses, ensuring the geometry increase in efficiency touted by Nike’s army of
remains efficient and that there’s minimal marketeers felt about right in our timed tests.
breakdown in that efficient gait cycle. It doesn’t act Here, more so even than Hoka’s Clifton or Rincon,
as a spring, but rather as a lever, keeping the shoe is a maximal shoe designed for speed.
and the athlete using it as efficient as possible.” “With the Carbon X, we were trying to figure
out how to accelerate the rocker,”
says Hoka’s Product Line
Manager, Zack Paris, over iced
coffees at Hoka’s Hawaii
headquarters on Palani Road
days before the 2019 edition of
Kona. “And that rocker profile is
one of the things that gives Hoka
it’s really unique feel, that roll off
the foot, that snap to it. And one
of the first concepts we came up
with was having that carbon fibre
plate, so that you have that extra
roll and that extra responsiveness
to it. We had a couple of test
pairs with athletes for years in
development, and we played with
the exact shape of the plate itself
– how it curves and how it forks –
and how much cushioning there
was under foot.”
The design process of the
Carbon X took over three years,
56 / / March 2020
THE BRAND VISITS: HOKA
2:39:01
Joe Skipper’s marathon
time at Ironman Florida in
the Carbon X
3 YEARS
Development time of the
Carbon X before their with Hoka’s own biomechanic labs testing
2019 launch
deceleration and acceleration forces, as well as
recording exactly how the foot is moving through
the running process. The result was one of Hoka’s
most-tested shoes.
One athlete testing Hoka’s prototypes was
British Ironman star Joe Skipper. “The Cliftons
were my first experience of Hoka in 2014 and they
felt light but still had cushioning. I originally only
used Hoka for training but I now race in the Carbon
X, which I used when winning Ironman Florida in
November. All of my sessions and interval sets in
18.1%
Hoka’s share of race the Carbon X are consistently faster and I wasn’t
shoes in Kona in 2018, the expecting to run quite that fast in Florida [Skipper
highest of all brands clocked a 2:39:01 marathon].”
ALL IN THE TOES
Given the five fastest eligible marathons in history
have all been run in versions of Nike’s Vaporfly
shoes over the last 13 months (as well as Eliud
Kipchoge’s historic sub-2hr marathon in Vienna),
there’s little doubt that shoes with carbon fibre
plates produce an advantage for the runner. How,
says leading physio Brad Beer, is all in the toes.
“When running in shoes with an embedded
4% carbon fibre plate in the midsole, the effect is to
The reported energy enhance how our feet act as levers by increasing
return benefit of running the longitudinal bending stiffness of our feet. Our
in carbon soles
feet act as levers by transmitting forces developed
by the leg muscles (e.g. the calf) to the ground in
order to generate the required propulsion for
running. These plates thereby can reduce the
energetic cost of running by upwards of 4%
through increasing the leverage of the ankle joint
and foot: namely toe joints.”
Despite those 30mm high soles, we personally
credit Hoka for reducing our chronic ankle and
knee injuries due to their stability. Yet, thrilling as
it is, there’s something Hoka meta-rocker turned
6 OUT OF 6
The top 3 men and up to 11 about running in the Carbon X and,
women in Kona all ran anecdotally, our recovery times seem slower.
with carbon soles We’ve also latterly been asked by a number of
triathletes about the increased chances of plantar
fasciitis when wearing carbon midsoles,
March 2020 / / 57
KIT ZONE
something, ironically, that Hoka have long been
celebrated for reducing.
“The effect that this increase in stiffness of the
midsole has on our running body isn’t yet entirely
known,” says Beer on carbon soles and injury risks.
“One school of thought is that with the stiffer shoe
the foot/toes don’t function in their biological
‘typical’ way, and that this may contribute to
heightened muscle fatigue of the kinetic chain,
starting with the plantar flexors (calf muscles).
The effect of such muscle fatigue may be
heightened injury risk, but this is unfounded
and unresearched at present.”
Beer suggests strength and conditioning for
triathletes using carbon shoes. “I’d recommend
calf muscle strengthening ahead of stepping into
the shoes. This can be achieved through body-
weighted calfraises,butmoreeffectively with “THEEFFECTTHATTHISINCREASEIN Images,clockwisefrom
above:Runcoursesponsor
loaded standing and seated calf raises being Hoka’sHQonPalaniRoadat
completed in a gym setting. Of course, building up STIFFNESSOFTHEMIDSOLEHASON the2019IronmanWorlds;Brit
IronmanJoeSkippertraining
muscle strength further up the kinetic chain – intheCarbonXahead of
hamstrings, quadriceps – is also a good idea.” OUR RUNNING BODY ISN’T KNOWN” Kona in 2019
When repeatedly put to Hoka about injuries and
adaptation periods, they were unusually
uncooperative in engaging on the topic and the addition of a carbon fibre plate to a shoe’s
declined to comment until more research has been midsole. A 2:08hr marathoner recently told me
conducted in the next six months, suggesting that without carbon fibre midsoles you simply
further developments in this area in 2020. Beer, cannot compete.”
however, is positive that the current carbon trend
won’t go the way of the Zoot Ultra shoe in the 2020s. THE CARBON FUTURE
“I don’t see the release of the Carbon X as being With carbon shoes in development at Asics,
a deviation from Hoka’s reputation for ‘injury Saucony and Brooks, New Balance just releasing
minimisation’, rather a response to the science their debut offering, and further models to come
that supports improved running economy through from Hoka and Nike, the battle over the insoles
of running is only going to intensify
as we enter the new decade. And yet
Nike and Hoka, similar to Vibrams
with the barefoot movement, will
always be synonymous with carbon
midsole design for having the foresight
– and marketing budgets – to release
their shoes first.
“Too many shoe brands are using old
school designers and are stuck using the
same tech,” states Skipper. “Hoka have
always led the way in innovation and
now them and Nike have left the other
brands behind when it comes to carbon.”
And with more carbon midsoles
comes more questions about where
the lines of unfair advantages sit and
the power (or lack of) that triathlon’s
race organisers and World Athletics
(the IAAF) possess when facing multi-
billion dollar shoe brands (“Nike are
too big in athletics to ban,”
believes Skipper).
For better or worse, what does feel
certain, however, is if you’re at the
pointy end of endurance racing and
want to secure that age-group podium
or Kona qualifying slot in 2020, going
carbon could make the difference.
58 / / March 2020
THE TRIATHLON AERO
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BI K E T ES T
TRIATHLON ON A BUDGET SPECIAL
TRIATHLON ON A BUDGET SPECIAL
PO UN D
STRETCHERS
Spend £750 on a bike and things are starting to get serious, with
carbon, decent shifting and leaner weights all on show. But which of
our sub-£1K contenders can cut it for tri training and racing?
WORDS!SIMON!WITHERS!!!IMAGES!ROBERT!SMITH
60 / / March 2020
£750 RACERS
t’s not unusual for test wheels, even
those at an entry-level price point
(see p51), to cost much more than the
bikes featured on test, which are priced
at around the £750 mark. And yet, with
a carbon frame, improved aesthetics
and celebrated groupsets in the mix,
buying cheap isn’t always a false
economy, and the three bikes here all
have training and racing appeal to
triathlon beginners as well as more
experienced athletes on a budget.
The least expensive bike on test is the
Merlin PR7, a racy entry-level road bike
of £650 that features Mavic CXP 22 rims
and one of the most wallet-friendly
routes into the Shimano Sora groupset.
Up next is GT, which has a celebrated
mountain biking history, but have long
produced high-end road bikes and even
a revolutionary track bike for the 1996
Olympics. Its 2020 GTR Sport (£750) is
an all-rounder, with thru-axles,
mechanical disc brakes and GT’s
distinctive triple triangle.
Our final entry is an £800 road bike
with, if you can believe it, a carbon
frame and fork and Shimano Sora. The
Virago is from Halfords’ Carrera brand,
but can a carbon bike at that price really
be any good? We put all three bikes to
the test to see how much bang you
can get for your buck with these
entry-level bikes.
March 2020 / / 61
BI K E T ES T
MERLIN PR7 DISC !"#$ MERLINCYCLES.COM
e’ve listed the Merlin PR7 at £650, while keeping strength at the ends where it’s needed.
but it presently has 27% off and could The glossy black paint with bold Merlin logo belies its
be yours for £475. Perhaps, even modest price and the Mavic CXP 22 rims are a rare sight
more impressively, Merlin – on a £650 bike, let alone one at £475.
!W Preston’s long-standing online Elsewhere, there’s the usual cost-cutting on a couple
outfit – is also offering the PR7 ‘Road Bike Starter Kit’ of the PR7’s components, notably the non-cartridge
with Shimano Claris for £439 – down from £699. That brake blocks and the Kenda tyres, but even these are in a
also gives you Shimano shoes, pedals – Look Keo or 25mm width and both are very easily upgradable; you
Shimano – helmet and even a saddlebag with tools. might want to think about going for the maximum
If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of road 28mm tyre width when the tyres are worn. We also think
triathlon for the first time, what Merlin describes as a a wider cassette than the very aggressive 11-25 fitted
‘simple, reliable road bike’ looks like it could be a great would probably have greater appeal to tri newcomers.
place to start, regardless of its spec. After all, you can never have a low gear that’s too low,
The PR7 features a triple-butted 6061 aluminium not where we live anyway.
frame and a carbon-bladed fork with an alloy steerer. But if you’re looking for a racy introduction to the
The triple butting reduces tube thickness in the middle world of multisport, Merlin has put its century-plus
62 / / March 2020
£750 RACERS
SPECS
Weight
!"."#kg
Frame
Triplebutted $"$!
aluminium
Fork
Carbon blades
Gears
Shimano Sora
Brakes
Tektro
Wheels
Mavic CXP %% rims
Finishing kit
Uno alloy stem, bar
and seatpost, Merlin
Black saddle, 25mm
Kenda tyres
HIGHS
A fast-riding road
bike with a good
groupset.
LOWS
Modest tyres and the
cassette could be too
aggressive for some.
85 BUY IF
You want a fast and
% racy road bike at an
attractive price.
“It’ll be overgeared for some, but there’s little
to fault about the performance and the
Shimano Sora groupset is great at the price”
MORE experience to good use. The 10kg roads, but it actually surprised us.
weight is perceptible when
While no magic carpet ride, the days
OR LESS: sprinting or climbing, but once of rough-riding, backside-beating
MERLIN you’re up to speed this romps along budget aluminium are thankfully
The Merlin Cordite and it handles well, cornering and behind us. We also got on with the
!"# LTD ED (£!,$&&) descending surefootedly, although Merlin Black saddle, although that’s
has a carbon frame, better brake blocks would help with subjective and easily swapped if it
full-carbon fork and
Fulcrum Racing 3 the latter. The current ones stop you doesn’t suit you.
clincher wheels on the safely enough but without the Shifting from the nine-speed
grey and yellow modulation of the best rim brakes. Shimano Sora groupset is slick and
model. The frame has efficient, although our preference
a 990g claimed RACE WORTHY would always be for a lower bottom
weight, and the full
105 groupset has a Throw the RP7 around, aim at the gear and a wider range overall. It did
50/34 chainset and apex and lean into the corner and make for very small jumps between
11-28 cassette. The it’ll repay your efforts in spades, a gears, better for competitive riders.
Merlin PR$ Claris result of its racy geometry. Our Merlin may not be the most
(£##") has the same
triple-butted medium size model has a 540mm glamorous name, but its RP7 is a
aluminium frame, top tube and a moderate 145mm tall fast-riding, entry-level two-
carbon-bladed fork head tube, although 2cm of spacers wheeled treat. It’ll be overgeared for
and Mavic wheels, and allows you to adjust this. The 74° some, but there’s little to fault
Shimano’s Claris eight-
speed groupset with seat angle and 72.5° head tube are about the performance and the
an 11-28 cassette. also at the racy end of things. Shimano Sora groupset is great at
We thought that the larger the price, even if the Tektro brakes
diameter 31.6mm seatpost and the don’t quite match it. If you’re
Merlin’s budget 25mm tyres (rather looking for a bike that can handle tri
than 28mm rubber) would make the racing or exist as a budget training
PR7 overly firm on poorly surfaced workhorse, this Merlin’s a wizard.
March 2020 / / 63
BI K E T ES T
GT GTR SPORT !"#$.$$ GTBICYCLES.COM
t the tail-end of the Shimano Claris gears, thru-axles, MORE OR
millennium, this 28mm Zaffiro tyres – but the Alex LESS: GT
tester competed in ATD470 rims are tubeless-ready.
The Grade Elite
the British National Road tubeless dates back to 2006 (£(#).))) is GT’s
A Duathlon when Hutchinson and Shimano popular big-tyred all-
Championships on a GT Blade brought it to market. It’s been a rounder. The triple
Edge Aero. Although it was with slow take-up since, partly due to its triangle alu frame and
no distinction, that lack of success lack of use by pro teams. For those tapered all-carbon
fork both come with
wasn’t down to the bike. Apart of us riding without support cars – thru-axles. Wide-
from having a decent cyclist in the so nearly all of us – the reduction ranging Shimano
saddle, that late 1990s Aero Edge in punctures, including the absolute Claris gearing, Tektro
mechanical disc
was also missing GT’s ‘iconic’ absence of pinch punctures, makes
brakes and WTB rims
(GT’s word) triple triangle. But tubeless a practical proposition. complete the line-up.
it’s present on its 2020 entry-level Lower tyres pressures, greater A little more is the GT
GTR Sport, a budget-friendly bike comfort and grip are also GTR Comp (£()).))),
which has the same
that combines a dropped handlebar, potential advantages. frame and full-carbon
full-carbon tapered fork and The GTR Sport’s budget Promax fork as the test bike
cable disc brakes. disc brakes aren’t noticeably more here. A nine-speed
The claim about the triple powerful than caliper rim brakes on Shimano Sora
triangle’s ‘notoriety’ (GT, again) is bikes at this price, but modulation is groupset is
accompanied by
that by shrinking the rear triangle, good, they’re quiet and the 160mm Tektro Spyre-C cable
and welding reinforced seatstays to rotors work consistently in all disc brakes.
the seat tube on their way to the top weathers. The other big benefit is
tube, it would ‘help reduce that the wheels stay working even
unwanted lateral frame flex and when the rims are knocked out of
improve acceleration’. true. The brakes certainly worked a
The 2020 GTR Sport is similar to treat when a suicide squirrel made a
2019’s model – wide-range darting appearance, skittering just
SPECS
Weight
!".#$kg
Frame
GTR Alloy
Fork
Carbon
Gears
Shimano Claris
Brakes
Promax Render R
cable-actuated disc,
160mm rotors
Wheels
Alex ATD#%"
tubeless-ready
Finishing kit
GT alloy stem, bar
and &"&! seatpost,
GT Road saddle,
'(mm Zaffiro
Pro tyres
HIGHS
Comfortable disc-
braked all-rounder.
LOWS
Not as good value
as some and it lacks
rear rack mounts.
BUY IF
You want a plush- 82
riding, tubeless- %
ready bike.
64 / / March 2020
£750 RACERS
in front of us across the hardpacked grit of Sustrans’ – but the 34 x 32 pairing gives a much lower bottom gear
Two Tunnels route. A sharp pull on the levers and a than the racier Merlin, which helps to haul the slightly
quick, quiet, controlled halt – rider and rodent survive... weighty GTR Sport up hills. There are neat mudguard
fittings on the inside of the carbon fork and at the rear,
NO UNWANTED FLEX but no rack mounts, which we would’ve appreciated on
The Zaffiro tyres aren’t designed for full-on gravel this adventure- and commuter-friendly bike.
but cope with towpath and light gravel easily, as did If you look at the figures, the weight and the
the bike. We wonder whether some of the comfort components, the GTR Sport looks slightly outshone by
over rougher surfaces is down to the ‘decoupled’ – the opposition. But we like this apparently modestly
rather than welded – rear triangle; there’s clear equipped bike a lot. Yes, the 28mm tyres and wheels are
daylight visible between seatstays and seat tube. basic (though the latter are tubeless ready) but it’s
There’s no obvious unwanted flex when riding, comfortable over a variety of surfaces and copes with
although there’s an excellent smoothness to the rolling terrain well, aided by a low bottom gear and
GTR generally. The dramatically kinked chainstays decently performing disc brakes. We also think the
also add a little vertical give. silver and blue looks better than last year’s white-with-
The groupset is below that of the Merlin and Carrera black-logo look on a bike that, to use a tried-and-
here – eight-speed Claris, rather than nine-speed Sora trusted cliché, is more than the sum of its parts.
March 2020 / / 65
BI K E T ES T
CARRERA VIRAGO !"## HALFORDS.COM
or years now, Boardman’s 8.9C has been big in all the right areas – the trapezium down tube is
the least expensive carbon bike you can chunky, the bottom bracket shell likewise, even if the
buy on the British high street. Not so fast. bottom bracket is a skinny FSA cartridge that looks a
For 2019, Halfords’ Carrera brand launched little lost in the bulked-up setting. It’s pretty skinny
! F its Virago carbon bike that’s £200 cheaper elsewhere, however, with that flattened top tube and
than the £1k Boardman. 27.2mm seatpost.
It doesn’t look that elegant in the website photos, The frame geometry is surprisingly aggressive for
but it’s better in the flesh – the lines clean and the a budget bike, most of which tends to have more of an
finish attractive while not trying to do too much. endurance bias. The Virago has steepish frame angles
Weight is a claimed 1.1kg for the Taiwanese-made and a shortish head tube, though this is balanced by a
frame, which would be a decent achievement even handlebar with a very short reach, which means you’re
on a bike twice the price. not too stretched out. If you want to go really racy, a
The frame also has a lot of the features familiar longer-reach bar or stem will allow you to stretch your
from more expensive road machines – the head tube body and put your legs to the test.
and fork steerer tube are tapered, the top tube flattens
along its length, the chainstays narrow in diameter. TWO-WHEELED TREAT
Impressively for the price, the cables are neatly One advantage that the Virago has over the Boardman is
routed through the top and down tube. The bike’s its hill-friendly bottom gear. The Boardman’s 11-28 is
66 / / March 2020
£750 RACERS
MORE outdone by the Virago’s 11-32, a stiff, too. You could induce a little
OR LESS: considerable improvement if you brake rub, but you don’t need
CARRERA ride the Mendips and Cotswolds, enough for it to be an issue.
The Carrera and those are just our close-to- The oversized steerer and head
Vanquish Disc (£!"#) home hills. The downside on the tube are solid and resolute, and it
has a triple-butted Virago is that the shifting wasn’t as climbs as well as any 10kg bike is
aluminium frame, sharp as we’d have expected, and we going to. Overall, we were staggered
eight-speed Shimano struggled to make it change gears at the quality of ride the Virago
Claris with a double
chainset and Tektro perfectly at times. offered. The 27.2mm seatpost and
C!$$ mechanical The brakes have the non- Velo saddle gave no cause for
disc brakes. The cartridge blocks – common at this complaint, and the rest of the
rim-braked Vanquish price – and we’d have appreciated finishing kit is standard stuff on a
has the same Claris
kit with Tektro dual- 28mm tyres to make the most of £500-£1,000 bike.
pivot calliper brakes. the clearance and add a little more Okay, you may have to overcome
The £"#$ Carrera comfort. Not that the Virago is prejudice about buying a bike from
Zelos is one of the uncomfortable – far from it. On Halfords, but you’ll nab yourself a
least expensive
‘genuine’ road bikes good road surfaces it’s smooth, bargain if you do – and it comes with
you can buy. measured and controlled, and on a lifetime of safety checks and the
Available in men’s fine grit and gravel – such as canal frame and fork are guaranteed for
and women’s towpaths – it performs equally life. Carrera’s Virago is no dodgy
versions, it has an
alloy frame, hi-tensile well. The only thing that seemed internet knock-off.
steel forks, Shimano to shake it was when hitting a big There’s little to distinguish this
Tourney shifting and bump – you’d feel it through the from entry-level carbon bikes from
Tektro R%&" calliper bar and the chain skips on the the big names, though it might be
brakes. Weight is a cassette. But generally, road worth investing in Shimano outer
claimed &&kg.
chatter is handled very well. gear cables to sharpen up the
Our out-of-the-saddle efforts shifting. But overall, this is a real
reveal that the frame is sufficiently two-wheeled treat from Carrera.
“On good road surfaces it’s smooth,
measured and controlled, and on fine
grit and gravel it performs equally well”
SPECS
Weight
'.(&kg
Frame
Carbon
Fork
Carbon tapered
Gears
Shimano Sora, FSA
Tempo chainset
Brakes
Tektro R315
Wheels
Alloy rim
Finishing kit
Alloy stem and bar,
Carrera alloy
seatpost, Carrera
Road by Velo saddle,
25mm Vittoria Zaffiro
tyres
HIGHS
Carbon frameset and
a great all-round ride.
LOWS
Gears not as slick
as we’d have liked.
BUY IF
91 You have to go for
carbon and you’re on
% a sub-£1,000 budget.
You won’t regret it.
March 2020 / / 67
BI K E T ES T
BESTON
TEST
OV E R A L L V E R D I C T
Trickle-down economics may not have benefited the wider groupset. GT’s GTR Sport, which also has Claris gears along
world generally, but when it comes to budget road bikes it does with cable disc brakes, doesn’t offer quite the same value. But
seem to have worked in our favour. All of these have inherited the new incarnation of GT’s triple triangle adds excellent
qualities from more expensive bikes, which means three bikes comfort to a fine all-round road bike.
that we’d happily recommend, although they will suit different The star of the show is impressively specced – to say the least.
types of riders. Budget carbon bikes are few and far between, but the Virago not
Merlin’s RP7 is a racy little number and some of us would only has a 1.1kg frame and full-carbon fork, but it comes with a
appreciate – or need – lower gears, but it’s a fine, fleet-of-foot, Shimano Sora groupset. It’s the real thing too, Halfords offering
fast-handling bike with a near-complete Shimano Sora a lifetime guarantee and safety checks.
68 / / March 2020
BACK ISSUES
& BINDERS
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Issue 373
20 ways to winterproof
your training; Top Ironman
tips from the man who
coached both 2019 world
champs; How to fuel on a
budget; Tim Don on pool
tools; 12-week sprint-
distance plan; 18 must-do
races; Tested: turbos,
gels, titanium bikes…
Issue 372
Issue371 Issue370
Issue369 Issue368
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TRAINING
BOOST YOUR PERFORMANCE - TODAY!
P72 IMPROVE
POSITION…
JOHN WOOD
is an award-winning triathlon
coach of 10 years and a former
international swimmer. As well
as coaching, he’s also raced all
distances up to Ironman.
BUILDSTRONG ONTHEBIKE
RUNFORMIN STRENGTH
THEGYMP76 BOOSTP74
JOEL ENOCH NIK COOK
is an award-winning coach with is an experienced multisporter
the Edinburgh Triathletes who has won the Marathon
Squad and has competed for des Sables, the 2010
the GB age-group team at 6633 Arctic Ultra and raced
world and European champs. for Team GB in duathlon.
TRAINING MAX EFFORT (RPE 9–10) P78 MASTER
THE IRONMAN
Redlining. Things are getting very difficult
at this level. You can barely breathe and are
LEVELS struggling to speak. At the top end, it feels BUILD PHASE
almost impossible to keep going.
Follow our 12-week plan for
GUIDE VIGOROUS (RPE 7–8) Ironman race-day success
The pain cave. Your activity is starting to
become uncomfortable. You’re short of P85 FOUR POST-
breath, but can speak a sentence. In short,
In all 220’s coaching advice, it’s getting tough: but you can carry on. TRAINING SUPPERS
our experts refer to four MODERATE (RPE 4–6) Four ‘fast food’ alternatives to fill that
levels of effort to tell you Adding some load. Things are starting to post-work-training-sesh hunger gap
become more challenging. You’re having to
how hard you should be breathe harder, but not so much you can’t P88 ASK THE
working. Based on the hold a conversation. DON & Q&A
standard ‘rate of perceived EASY (RPE 1–3) Tim Don on how to build new-
exertion’ scale (RPE) the A ‘go all day’ effort. Light activity, which at season fitness. Plus, expert advice
the lower end takes hardly any exertion and on brick sessions; Cycle to Work
levels are as follows… towards number 3 is still easy enough that you Scheme; loss of appetite in
feel like you could maintain it indefinitely.
training; male menopause
March 2020 / / 71
TRAINING
SWIM BASE SESSION
DURATION !"MINS COACH JOHN#WOOD WITHTHANKS TOCLUBLA SANTA!LANZAROTE
FOCUS ON BODY THE SESSION
POSITION FOR A WARM-UP
FASTER SWIM #$x [%&m front crawl;
!""m as:
'%m any other stroke]
•
% x &"m with 10secs rest, side kick
How to set a strong foundation to make Keep your lead hand level with your
shoulder, below the surface
the rest of your stroke feel easier •
# x &"m with 15secs rest as: 25m
streamlined kick (arms in front ears/
o many people have breathing will be harder, you’ll be cheeks between your biceps, when
S swimming. Whether water (meaning you’ll have to work forward, then go back to looking
you need to breathe lift your head
issues with their
creating more resistance against the
down; 25m swim
harder), and you won’t be in a
it’s learning to swim
or trying to get position to pull and kick as
quicker, there are many facets and efficiently as possible. MAIN SET
focus points that you can work on. Good body position relies on
The good thing is that if you can keeping your spine as long as # x %&m with (&secs rest as:
give yourself a solid foundation, a possible, keeping your neck neutral ' lengths pull; ' lengths swim
stable base, everything else (i.e. chin tucked in a little, looking •
becomes a little bit easier. down at least to a degree), and &"m easy backstroke
That foundation for your swim engaging your core. By doing this, •
# x &"m with 15secs rest as: %&m pull
stroke is a good body position. your hips will come closer towards
buoy; %&m swim
Other efforts in your swim almost the surface, like a see saw, and •
become worthless if you don’t get make it easier for you to roll your #$x '""m with '&ssecs rest as:
your position correct – because body to breathe. (&&m pull buoy; (&&m swim
•
&"m easy backstroke
•
#$x$%""m$with )&secs rest as:
'&&m pull buoy; '&&m swim
•
&"m easy backstroke
COACH’S TIPS CORE EXERCISES
COOL-DOWN
%""m easy swim, with at least 50m
not front crawl
MLADEN!MITRINOVIC/ALAMY!!"CENTRE#$!GETTY!IMAGES
Swimshorter andfewerrepsthroughout
the mainset. Go4x25m/4x50m/4x
SIDE PLANK Dead bug Hollow body hold Adaptforbeginners
Keep your body long Press your back flat into Press your back flat into 75m/4x100m.
and straight, elbow the floor, stretch your the floor and stretch
underneath your arms up vertically, and your arms out behind Adapt for ADVANCED
shoulder and draw your knees above hips. Lower your head, arms and legs Lengthenthereps,descendtheefforts
belly button towards one arm back and the off the floor. To make it (i.e.getquicker),orputthepullbuoy
your spine. Place your opposite leg down to the harder, keep the gap JAMES!MITCHELL
feet one in front of the floor – then bring back up. between your hands and betweenyourkneesorankles.
other if needed. Alternate sides. feet as small as possible.
72 / / March 2020
SWIM
FORM
Try and swim the
same way when you
take the pull buoy out
– mimic how you
swam with the
pull buoy.
PACE
Try to maintain
a consistent pace
throughout the set.
Take your time,
don’t force it.
POSITION
Use the streamline on
each length to reset
your body position
and speed.
“If you can give yourself a
solid foundation, a stable
base, everything else
becomes a little bit easier”
March 2020 / / 73
TRAINING
BIKE STRENGTH SESSION
DURATION !"MINS COACH NIK#COOK
THE SESSION
ON THE BIKE
WARM-UP
STRENGTH Keep gearing low and focus
on the cadence targets
3mins easy @90rpm
TRAINING 1min moderate @95rpm
•
•
1min moderate @100rpm
•
1min moderate @105rpm
How to build cycling-specific strength •
without having to head to the gym 1min vigorous @110rpm
•
30secs vigorous @120-130rpm
•
ig-gear work should the gym, for cycling-specific 2:30mins easy @80-90rpm
B staple for all low cadence grinding is hard to
be a winter-training
strengthening, a dose of big gear/
triathletes, especially
beat. It forces you to engage all of
if you come from a your key cycling muscle groups to MAIN SET
running or swimming background keep your pedals turning, it 3-5 x
and find that your strength on the necessitates a balanced, all-round 1min vigorous @60rpm seated
bike is a limiter. Specificity – pedal stroke and it demands a •
meaning that if you want to strong, stable platform from your 1min vigorous @55rpm stand
•
improve a particular activity you core to deal with the high torque.
need to spend more training time You’ll also find that during the 1min vigorous @60rpm seated
•
doing it – is one of the golden rules intervals you’ll be working around
1min vigorous @55rpm stand
of conditioning. Although there’s and above threshold level, which •
no doubt that there are proven gives bonus FTP-boosting benefits. 50secs vigorous @60rpm seated
performance, injury prevention and Come race day, you’ll be able to •
health benefits to strength work in convert this new power into speed. 10secs max effort @max rpm stand
•
5mins easy spinning recovery
COOL-DOWN
2mins easy @100+rpm
COACH’S TIPS BE STRONG IN AND OUT OF THE SADDLE •
10mins easy @80rpm
Adapt for beginners
Dial down the length of the efforts to
three minutes. Stay seated for the first
minute, stand for the second and then
go seated into the final sprint for the
third minute.
Stable in the saddle strong out the saddle 100% on the sprints
Really focus on bracing Don’t allow your stable Don’t sandbag the Adapt for Ironman
your trunk, keeping your platform to collapse finishing sprints. Brace, Five reps with sprints is about as
back flat and your head when you stand up. drive hard out of the advanced as this session needs to be.
up. Think strong, and Transition smoothly from saddle, and imagine Increase the difficulty by dialling up
avoid excessive hip sitting to standing, avoid you’re deadlifting. Watch
rocking. Your upper stalling your pedal a top track cyclist doing the resistance. REMY!WHITING
body should be still stroke, and don’t a gate start and copy
and relaxed. wrestle your bike. the technique.
74 / / March 2020
BIKE
Benefits
These sessions will
lay the strength
foundations upon
which to build the
rest of your cycling
fitness.
Technique
Focus on achieving
a smooth and even
pedal stroke –
try not to stomp!
Balance
Leg speed work on
rollers is the
perfect session for
the following day.
March 2020 / / 75
TRAINING
RUN STRENGTH SESSION
DURATION !"MINS COACH JOEL#ENOCH
BUILD STRONG
RUN FORM THE SESSION
IN THE GYM WARM-UP
!-"#mins easy on cross-trainer
or rowing machine
Condition yourself to run faster and stay
MAIN SET
injury free with this 60min gym session
All reps should be performed
in a controlled manner
2018 study reported improve balance, core control and "$x$
A Australian triathletes principles are important: " pelvic tilts , 10secs each
that among
reduce injury risk. However, some
20 squats
50% took part in
strength training, • Heavy lifting and aerobic running 10 straight arm push-ups
10 hip rock-back
but only 40% of those athletes stimulate opposing adaptive 10 high knee to lunge
completed ‘heavy’ strength systems, so separate strength and 10 Yoga push-ups
training, with females representing aerobic work as much as possible. Single leg destabilise, #"secs
the minority of those. • If you train more than once in a 4 plyometric jumps
On the flip side, I know of a day, consider doing leg and core •
%$x$
female British elite athlete who work on swim days and upper and Plank w/leg lift, #"secs
can squat nearly two times her core work on a running day. Arabesque, $%secs each side
bodyweight and run a sub-16min • Place heavy lifting in the first part Plank hand lift to shoulder
5km! Strength then, is no barrier to of your training cycle, switching (slow), #"secs
running quickly and could increase to more dynamic movements Single-leg squat, #"secs
power and stride length, as well as towards the season. Plank rotation, &%secs
4 plyometric jumps
For a full video of this routine, see:
youtu.be/b3Em7mcYaHk
And find more strength training
inspiration at swimswam.com/
COACH’S TIPS OPTIMISE YOUR SESSION 4-exercises-to-strengthen-the-
shoulders
COOL-DOWN
10mins easy on cross-trainer
or rowing machine
Don’t train starved Work with an expert Breathe right Adapt for beginners
Eat carbs and protein This session is a good It’s all too easy to hold Focus on achieving good form before
two hours before your start, but you ideally your breath while adding weight.
session and ideally need to develop a performing reps, but
recover with both again programme with a PT or don’t. Exhale against the Adapt for Ironman
afterwards. Berries and coach who understands resistance and inhale on With good form, add higher weights
cherries are good for running, and you. This is recovery. This will stop GETTY!IMAGES
reducing inflammation a good investment of you fainting and help for greater robustness.
from strength work. your time and money. engage core muscles.
76 / / March 2020
RUN
“Strength is no barrier to running
quickly and could increase power and
stride length, and improve balance”
Hydrate
You lose more
sweat than you think.
Consider adding
protein to fluid.
REST
Take 60-90secs
between sets to
maintain movement
quality.
Technique
Stabilise any standing
exercise with glutes
not quads. Weight
through heel.
March 2020 / / 77
TRAINING
12-WEEK PLAN
MASTER THE
IRONMAN
BUILD PHASE
Make that all-important leap from base to
build phase and get set for Ironman race-day
success. Dermott Hayes has the plan…
ironman inspo
Needsomereal-life
inspirationtotake
upthelong-distance
mantle?Then
headtop32…
78 / / March 2020
IM BUILD PHASE PLAN
aerobic system up and so your
TRAINING PLAN ‘sweet spot’ for racing an
COACH DERMOTT HAYES Ironman will improve, allowing
you to achieve greater pace.
here’s no avoiding the fact Key to this phase is the
that big sessions for an promotion of power, so there’s a
T Ironman are done in the focus on this in all disciplines. In
final peak phase, but before you the swim we introduce pull buoy
get there the real hard grind must and paddles as tools to help
be completed in the build phase. develop greater upper body
Having executed a solid base power. On the bike we include
phase [issue 371; bit.ly/ hill-specific workouts, spending
IMbaseplan], you should have time both in and out of the saddle,
improved aerobic efficiency, be as well as ‘overgearing’ – a drill
comfortable with the increasing where you cycle at a resistance
training volume and have spent one or two gears bigger than
time looking at your technique. usual. The run sessions also
Now the real work starts. include hill sessions, and, where
The build phase is the bridging possible, I encourage you to
section of IM training and is include rolling hills in the longer
crucial to race-day success. There endurance runs.
needs to be a noticeable increase Having not dedicated much
in distances, a greater focus on time to this intensity of training
strength/power development and in the base phase, it probably will
brick sessions need to be started feel stressful, so accept that it will
to help find your race pace. take a couple of weeks to adapt
You can expect to develop long physiologically before you see
runs up to 28km, long rides up to any improvements.
160km, plus a long 4km swim. Spend time looking at the
However, the real benefits are course profile and terrain for your
found in the interval and tempo Ironman race, and where possible
sessions, where the focus is on try to simulate the course into
improving power and strength – some of your longer sessions.
through stressing the anaerobic Also note: this plan does not
system – so that you can better include prescribed open-water
cope with the physical demands swimming, but if you are able to
of racing over 226km. Once your include open-water time, (which
anaerobic system begins to work I advise) it could take the place of
more efficiently, it will drag your the long endurance sets.
COACH’S TIPS TRI HARD, REST UP
HIT THE HILLS GO AERO
Make inclines yourfriend. Practise timeinthe aeroposition
Strength work will pay onthebike.Playaroundwithset-
dividendson raceday. ups to find the most comfortable.
RECOVER RIGHT KNOW YOUR NUMBERS
Recoverybetweensessions is vital: Be very clearas to whatpace/
preparemealsinadvance,use foam power/heartrateyou’reaiming
rollers, sleepasmuch asyou can. forineachstage.
THESECRETSTUDIO!NET
March 2020 / / 79
TRAINING
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 1 TO 4
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 1 – OUR WEEKLY PLAN BEGINS ON A MONDAY, BUT YOU CAN START ON ANY DAY OF THE WEEK
SWIM INT RUN TEMPO BIKE TEMPO RUN INT REST DAY SWIM END BIKE END
12 x 200m 4 x 2 x [2mins 6 x [1.5km @ 5 x 600m; 120km on an
@IM RP [1.5km @ easy; 10mins 30sec/km 45secs RI undulating
• IM RP; @ IM RP; faster than route
Odd sets 500m @ 4mins hard IM RP] •
include PB; 20secs/km SC OG] • Include 2 x
even sets as faster than • 1min RI 25km @ 1-2kph
normal IM RP; 6mins @ between sets faster than
• 500m @ recovery pace target IM RP,
30secs RI recovery pace] • with 15km
between sets 2 x [2mins moderate in
easy; 10mins @ between
IM RP; 4mins efforts
hard SC OG]
WEEK 2 – REMEMBER, IM RP = IRONMANRACEPACE;PB=PULL BUOY; RI = REST INTERVAL; SC = SEATED CLIMB; OG = OVERGEARING
RUN END BIKE HILLS SWIM INT BIKE RP REST DAY SWIM END BRICK
2 x 5km @ 4 x [6mins 3 x [300m @ 3 x [5mins 4 x 750m; 100km bike
15-20secs/km moderate SC; IM RP; easy; 15mins @ 1min RI 12km run
faster than 4mins recovery; 3 x 100m PD; IM RP aero] •
target IM RP 3mins hard 6 x 50m sprint, RUN REC Complete both
• STC; 2mins 15secs RI] @ IM RP
Take 3mins recovery] • 4-5km @ •
recovery 45secs RI 15secs/km Include run/
between between sets slower than RP walk strategy
efforts
WEEK 3 – DON’T FORGET, AERO = AERO POSITION; IRPM = INCREASED REVS PER MIN; STC = STANDING CLIMB; PD = PADDLES
SWIM INT BIKE TEMPO RUN TEMPO BIKE INT REST DAY SWIM END RUN END
12 x 200m @ 4 x [4mins 3 x [2km @ 3 x [4mins @ 3.2km @ 20km at
IM RP easy; 12mins @ IM RP; 1km @ IM RP; 2mins IM RP moderate
• IM RP aero; 20secs/km hard STC]; intensity,
Odd sets 4mins hard faster than IM 3 x [3mins @ BIKE REC aiming to fine-
include PB; IRPM] RP; 500m @ IM RP; 3mins tune your RP
even sets as recovery pace] hard IRPM]; 25km •
•
normal 3 x [4mins @ Include run/
• IM RP; 2mins Gentle spin at walk strategy
30secs RI hard sprint] low intensity
between sets •
8mins
moderate
between sets
WEEK 4 – ALWAYS INCLUDE A WARM-UP WITH EACH SESSION, 5-8MINS GRADUALLY BUILDING INTENSITY
BIKE HILLS SWIM INT RUN INT BIKE RP REST DAY BIKE END RUN END
4 x [6mins 3 x [300m @ 6 x [1.5km @ 3 x [5mins 90km on an 2 x 8km @
moderate SC; IM RP; 3 x 30secs/km easy; 15mins undulating 15-20secs/km
4mins recovery; 100m PD; 6 x faster than @ IM RP aero] route faster than
3mins hard 50m sprint, IM RP] • target IM RP
STC; 2mins 15secs RI] • Focus on •
recovery] • 1min RI fuelling Take 4mins
45secs RI between sets strategy recovery
between sets between
efforts
80 / / March 2020
IM BUILD PHASE PLAN
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 5 TO 8
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 5 – DON’T FORGET, END = ENDURANCE; INT = INTERVALS; REC = RECOVERY
SWIM INT RUN TEMPO BIKE TEMPO RUN END REST DAY SWIM END BIKE END
2 x 250m @ 4 x [1.5km @ 2 x [2mins 14km at 4 x 750m; 140km on an
IM RP IM RP; 500m easy; 10mins moderate 1min RI undulating
• @ 20secs/km IM RP; 4mins intensity, route
15 x 100m faster than IM hard SC OG] aiming to fine- RUN REC •
hard – 10secs RP; 500m @ • tune your RP Include 2 x
RI recovery pace] 6mins • 4-5km @ 25km @ 1-2kph
• recovery pace Include run/ 15sec/km faster than
2 x 250m @ • walk strategy slower than RP target IM RP
IM RP 2 x [2mins with 15km
• easy; 10mins @ moderate in
30secs RI IM RP; 4mins between
between sets hard SC OG] efforts
WEEK 6 – ALWAYS INCLUDE A COOL-DOWN FOLLOWING EACH SESSION, 3-5MINS OF EASY CARDIO FOLLOWED BY STRETCHES
RUN END BIKE HILLS SWIM INT BIKE RP REST DAY SWIM END BRICK
2 x 6km @ 4 x [6mins 3 x [400m @ 3 x [5mins 4 x 800m; 100km bike
15-20sec/km moderate SC; IM RP; 4 x easy; 15mins 1min RI •
faster than 4mins 100m PD; 4 x @ IM RP aero] 14km run
target IM RP recovery; 50m sprint, RUN REC •
• 3mins hard 15secs RI; Complete both
Take 3mins STC; 2mins 45secs RI 4km @ 15secs/ @ IM RP
recovery recovery] between sets] km slower •
between than RP Include run/
efforts walk strategy
WEEK 7 – RUN/WALK STRATEGY = INCLUDE STRUCTURED AND REGULAR PERIODS OF WALKING INTO LONG RUNS
SWIM INT BIKE TEMPO RUN HILLS BIKE INT REST DAY SWIM END RUN END
2 x 250m @ 4 x [4mins 6 x [3-5min 3 x [4mins @ 3.6km 24km at
IM RP easy; 12mins uphill efforts IM RP; 2mins @ IM RP moderate
• @ IM RP aero; hard; 5min hard STC]; intensity,
15 x 100m hard 4mins hard recovery] 3 x [3mins @ BIKE REC aiming to fine-
– 10secs RI IRPM] IM RP; 3mins tune your RP
• hard IRPM]; 25km •
2 x 250m @ 3 x [4mins @ Gentle spin at Include run/
IM RP IM RP; 2mins low intensity walk strategy
• hard sprint]
30secs RI •
between sets 8mins
moderate
between sets
WEEK 8 – PROPER RECOVERY BETWEEN SESSIONS THROUGH REST AND NUTRITION IS VITAL
BIKE HILLS SWIM INT RUN INT BIKE RP REST DAY BIKE END RUN END
5 x [6mins 3 x [400m @ 10 x [1km @ 3 x [5mins 90km on an 2 x 8km @
moderate SC; IM RP; 4 x 30secs/km easy; 15mins undulating 15-20secs/km
4mins 100m PD; 4 x faster than IM @ IM RP route faster than
recovery; 50m sprint, RP] aero] • target IM RP
3mins hard 15secs RI] • Focus on •
STC; 2mins • 40secs RI fuelling Take 4mins
recovery] 45secs RI between sets strategy recovery
between sets between
efforts
March 2020 / / 81
TRAINING
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 9 TO 12
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 9 – SWAP YOUR POOL ENDURANCE SESSIONS FOR OPEN WATER IF YOU CAN
SWIM INT RUN TEMPO BIKE TEMPO RUN END REST DAY SWIM END BIKE END
2 x [2 x 150m 4 x [2km @ IM 2 x [2mins 16km at 3 x 1km; 160km
PB; 5 x 100m RP; 1km @ easy; 10mins @ moderate 1min RI •
hard, 10secs 20secs/km IM RP; 4mins intensity, Try to simulate
RI] faster than IM hard SC OG] aiming to fine- RUN REC IM race profile
• RP; 500m @ • tune your RP •
2 x 150m PD recovery pace] 6mins @ • 4km @ 15sec/ Include 4 x
• recovery pace Include run/ km slower 15km @ 2kph
5 x [100m • walk strategy than RP faster than
hard, 10secs 2 x [2mins target IM RP,
RI] easy; 10mins @ with 10km
• IM RP; 4mins moderate in
30secs RI hard SC OG] between
between sets efforts
WEEK 10 – YOU’RE WORKING TOWARDS A LONGER-THAN-RACE SWIM DISTANCE OF 4KM TO ACE TECHNICAL ENDURANCE
RUN END BIKE HILLS SWIM INT BIKE RP REST DAY SWIM END BRICK
2 x 6km @ 5 x [6mins 4 x [200m PB; 3 x [5 mins 4 x 800m; 120km bike
15-20secs/km moderate SC; 200m Hypoxic easy; 15mins @ 1min RI •
faster than 4mins Breathing; IM RP aero] 12km run
target IM RP recovery; 200m PD; RUN REC •
• 3mins hard 200m IM RP] Complete both
Take 3mins STC; 2mins 4km @ @ IM RP
recovery recovery] 15secs/km •
between slower than Include run/
efforts RP walk strategy
WEEK 11 – AFTER COMPLETING THE PLAN, SCHEDULE IN A REST PERIOD AND ALLOW YOUR BODY TO REAP THE REWARDS
SWIM INT BIKE TEMPO RUN HILLS BIKE INT REST DAY SWIM END RUN END
2 x [2 x 150m 4 x [4mins 6 x 3-5mins 3 x [4mins @ 4km 28km at
PB; 5 x 100m easy; 12mins @ uphill efforts IM RP; 2mins @ IM RP moderate
hard, 10secs IM RP aero; hard hard STC]; intensity,
RI; 2 x 150m 4mins hard • 3 x [3mins @ BIKE REC aiming to fine-
PD; 5 x 100m IRPM] 5mins recovery IM RP; 3mins tune your RP
hard, 10secs hard IRPM]; 25km •
RI; 30secs RI 3 x [4mins @ Gentle spin at Include run/
between sets] IM RP; 2mins low intensity walk strategy
hard sprint]
•
8mins
moderate
between sets
WEEK 12 – YOU’VE COMPLETED THE 3-MONTH PLAN AND GIVEN YOURSELF THE VERY BEST BASE FITNESS FOR YOUR IRONMAN!
BIKE HILLS SWIM INT RUN INT BIKE RP REST DAY BIKE END RUN END
5 x [6mins 4 x [200m PB; 10 x [1km @ 3 x [5mins 90km on an 2 x 8km @
moderate SC; 200m Hypoxic 30secs/km easy; 15mins undulating 15-20sec/km
4mins Breathing; faster than IM @ IM RP route faster than
recovery; 200m PD; RP] aero] • target IM RP
3mins hard 200m IM RP] • Focus on •
STC; 2mins 40secs RI fuelling Take 4mins
recovery] between sets strategy recovery
between
efforts
82 / / March 2020
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TRAINING
NUTRITION
POST-TRAINING SUPPERS
Four nutritious, ‘fast food’ alternatives that can be whipped up in less than
20mins and help satiate those tricky, post-work-training-session munchies
ooking nourishing meals mushrooms. No matter how quick
C doesn’t have to take the recipes (the target is sub-20mins if you’re
from scratch every night
you cook this month’s ‘real fast food’
whole evening. With a
feeling competitive), take a moment to
well-stocked store ‘eat slow’; sit down, relax and really
cupboard you can rustle up some pretty savour your food. It will help your
impressive training suppers without too digestion and put a smile on your face.
PHIL!SOWELS much forethought, using ‘longer life’ Thai – not exactly authentic, but utterly
First, try this speedy version of a Pad
ingredients such as frozen peas, red
cabbage, beetroot, polenta and dried
delicious and a doddle to throw together
March 2020 / / 85
TRAINING
on a weekday evening. Packed with
good quality protein for healthy
muscle growth and repair, as well as
slow-releasing carbohydrate for
sustained energy and heart-healthy
unsaturated fats, it’s rich in nutrients
to keep you on top form for training.
Next up, a go-to, post-swim
speedy meal in our house: Flatbreads BEETROOT ORZOTTO WITH SMOKED SALMON
with halloumi and crunchy slaw.
Cabbage is loaded with fibre,
vitamin C and minerals such as
calcium and potassium. Red Prep 5-10mins Cook 10-15mins Serves 4 onion for 5mins until soft. Stir in the
cabbage contains antioxidants beetroot, beetroot juice and the orzo.
called anthocyanins, which can INGREDIENTS Add the hot stock to the pan.
help boost circulation, protect your • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 1 tbsp olive 2 Bubble for about 15mins, until the
cardiovascular system, and offset oil • Knob of unsalted butter • 250g pack stock has been absorbed and the orzo
damage to your body’s cells. cooked beetroot plus its juice • 300g is cooked through, stirring frequently.
Soft polenta with wild mushroom orzo pasta • 800ml hot vegetable stock Add the parsley or dill, saving a
ragu is an incredibly quick-to- • 25g pack parsley or dill, roughly chopped 3 little to serve. Remove from the
prepare source of carbs. Delicious • 100g smoked salmon, torn into pieces heat, add the smoked salmon and
and comforting this is an excellent • Squeeze of lemon juice • Toasted pine lemon juice, and taste for seasoning.
recovery meal if you need to replace nuts • 50g feta or goats cheese, crumbled Serve in bowls with plenty of
depleted glycogen fast. Real fast 4 black pepper, cheese, pine nuts
food at its best! METHOD and reserved herbs.
Studies show that consuming Heat the oil and butter in a non-
beetroot juice can improve athletic 1 stick frying pan. Gently sauté the
performance. If you don’t like
drinking the juice, you could try
getting your beetroot fix in this
strikingly purple Beetroot orzotto
with smoked salmon. Although it
looks like rice, orzo is
in fact pasta – it’s delicious,
nourishing and sustaining and,
although high in carbs, surprisingly
light on the stomach.
Nutritionist and keen amateur
athlete Kate Percy set up the
#GoFaster campaign in 2009,
and now has a
website (gofasterfood.com),
several books and a new
range of Go Bites - all-
natural energy balls.
86 / / March 2020
NUTRITION
HALLOUMI FLATBREADS
WITH CRUNCHY SLAW
Prep 10mins Cook 5mins Serves 2
INGREDIENTS • 2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar • 2 tbsps extra
virgin olive oil • 1 small red cabbage, finely
shredded • 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced • 1
large carrot, grated • 20g pecan nuts • 4 large
flatbreads • 2 x 250g blocks halloumi, cut into
1cm slices • Two handfuls rocket leaves • Small
tub hummus • Sweet chilli sauce
METHOD
In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, 1
1 tbsp oil and caraway seeds with a fork.
Season. Combine with the cabbage,
pepper, carrot and pecans. Set aside.
Heat oven to 130°C and warm the
2 flatbreads. Brush the halloumi with the
remaining oil. Heat a non-stick frying pan
or griddle and, when really hot, fry in
batches for 1-2 mins each side until golden.
Don’t overcook or they’ll turn to rubber!
Arrange wraps as desired – hummus,
3 halloumi, crunchy slaw, rocket leaves
and sweet chilli sauce. Tuck in!
PAD THAI
Prep 5mins Cook 15mins Serves 4
INGREDIENTS • 200g linguini-shaped rice
noodles • 1 tbsp coconut oil • 2 large eggs,
lightly beaten • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 1 red
chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped • 1 tbsp
lime juice • 2 tbsps fish sauce • 1 tbsp chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar • 2 boneless, skinless
chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced • 200g
beansprouts • 3 spring onions, finely sliced • 3
tbsps unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped • 50g
dried coconut flakes or desiccated coconut
SOFT POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM RAGU
• 25g fresh coriander, chopped • 1 lime
METHOD
Heat a drop of oil in a large wok and
1 add eggs. As soon as they begin to set, Prep 5-10mins Cook 10-15mins Serves 2 METHOD
gently stir until they form an omelette. In a pan, gently fry shallots and
Transfer to plate and cut into strips. INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 shallot, 1 garlic in oil until soft. Turn up the
Cook noodles according to pack, peeled and finely sliced • 1 clove of garlic, heat. Add mushrooms and fry for
2 drain and rinse. Set aside. In a bowl, peeled and crushed • 125g mixed 5mins. Stir in herbs, wine, tomatoes
combine garlic, chilli, lime juice, fish mushrooms, sliced • Handful dried rosemary, and gently simmer for a further
sauce, chilli sauce and sugar. Set aside. or thyme • Splash of dry white wine or 5mins. Add balsamic vinegar.
Pour remaining oil into wok, and fry sherry (optional) • 10-15 cherry tomatoes, Cook the polenta according to pack
3 chicken for a few mins until just halved • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar • 200g 2 for soft polenta. Stir in a good glug
cooked. Add beansprouts and onions, fry instant polenta • 1-2 tbsps extra virgin olive of oil, season and dish up. Top with
for 1min. Add noodles, fry for 2mins. Add oil • 50g grated parmesan mushrooms, more oil and parmesan.
peanuts, coconut, coriander, egg and sauce.
March 2020 / / 87
TRAINING
KORUPT!VISION
HOWTOBUILDNEW
SEASON FITNESS
I’ve just completed my first season of tri, doing one sprint and
one Olympic. I want to move up to 70.3 next year, but how do I
build new-season fitness for even more distance? John Avant
ey, welcome to the triathlon WORK ON ALL THREE SPORTS
club! Once you get hooked on It’s great you’re really planning ahead, even
triathlon it can really take over, pre-winter, so you have loads of time to
TIM DON Hbut in a good way… most of the step up your training. Maybe even get a few
is amultiple ITU time. No, really, it’s brilliant, and you shorter races in early season, to help get you
world champion and
a3x Olympian.Now won’t look back! ready for the 70.3. I find the best way is to
oneof the fastest keep working on all three sports, maybe
Ironmansintheworld, BE WARY OF YOUR RAMP RATE with a slight emphasis on one every one
he’s heretoanswer all Being new to triathlon and multisport is or two weeks, but don’t drop off one
yourracing questions
and concerns. just awesome, and improvements can discipline too much.
come pretty quickly – the more training
you do the better, stronger and faster ENTER A RACE SERIES
you become. That said, I’m not saying Using indoor training, such as a
go out and massively increase what Wahoo Kickr and Zwift is great in the
you’ve already been doing as you have winter. I’d also consider entering a race
to be careful of your ramp rate, especially series or following a few group workouts
if you’re stepping up in distance to on Zwift. If the weather is kind to you a
70.3 – consistency is key here, not longer session on the weekend outside
injury or overtraining. would be great, especially to help with bike
But you will find that in 2020 you’ll handling and holding the aero position.
be stronger thanks to having the last Getting a bike fit might not be a bad idea
12 months under your belt, and building as well, so you can work on holding the
from there is key. new position come the race season.
88 / / March 2020
COACHING Q&A
THIS MONTH’S COACHING PANEL
DERMOTTHAYES MATT BAIRD STEPHEN SMITH DR NICKY KEAY
Brick session benefits Cycle to Work Scheme Loss of appetite in training Male menopause
Cycling writer Nik is a 220 features editor Matt has Stephen is a sports nutritionist, Nicky is honorary research fellow
competitive multisporter been with the brand for over 10 sports science researcher, and is in the Department of Sport and
who’s competed years and is our go-to man for completing a PhD in GI Exercise Sciences at the
for Team GB in duathlon. all things kit-related. health and exercise. University of Durham.
QUICK-FIRE
TRACK IMPROVEMENTS Small gains still
I also love doing a parkrun every three weeks or so as mean seconds ASK
they’re a good benchmark, even under fatigue they’re off your PB...
great to do. Add in one or two other runs – a longer,
easier one and maybe a swing set of 10km, 21km and Can exercise help
hot flushes?
marathon pace – but not going off your best ever times, While there’s no 220
rather focus on your current level of fitness. Using a medical evidence
sports watch in these might also help track your that exercise can
sessions and improvements. reduce the BRICK SESSION BENEFITS
frequency of hot
flushes, it can Should I do brick sessions in the off-
JOIN A CLUB certainly help ease Qseason, and if so why? David Bowman
Consider joining a run club or, even better, a triathlon stress, which is a
club – shared pain is less pain right?! This will really trigger. Regular Triathlon training can follow quite a
exercise will also
help give you some more structure to your week. help keep your body Atraditional pattern of base, build, peak,
in tip-top condition, taper, race, followed by the off-season. And
TRY SWIM SMOOTH and maintaining a this does work as it follows a progressive
Swimming is the one that’s hardest to improve, healthy weight and building structure, but what you do in those
staying fit and strong
especially if you came to swimming late. But I is also recommended phases doesn’t need to include the same old
always recommend [the coaching outfit] Swim to relieve symptoms. tried-and-trusted sessions
Smooth (swimsmooth.com), their app can help While the off-season is a time for a
you with your stroke and body position which are What is plantar bit of evaluation, recovery and focus on
both so specific to triathlon. fibroma and how is technique, it doesn’t mean that you can’t
it treated?
Plantar fibroma is a do brick sessions, as they can be included
SWIM OFTEN benign lump that at any stage of a tri season. The key to
I think swimming often is vital, but only short(ish) forms on the plantar using them correctly is that their intensity
distances – 1.5-2km – are best to start off with as when fascia – the fibrous or duration should be appropriate for the
band of tissue that
you start to fatigue you’ll lose your stroke and it gets connects your heel stage of training.
messy very quickly! Again, swimming with others or bone to your toes. I’d suggest including a brick session every
even doing a one-on-one swim analysis with a coach Cause is not well 2-3 weeks in order to keep reminding
would be great and help give you a few pointers to work understood, although yourself what it’s like to train one discipline
trauma could be one.
with and focus on on your own. Treatments for after the other. But these sessions can take
If you have time I’d also add in some strength and painful cases include different structure and should be done with
conditioning sessions, as they really work on your core physical therapy – a focus on low-to-moderate intensity, after
activation, mobility around your shoulders, flexibility, strength and all this is the off-season. So maybe a 50min
stretching exercises –
and lower body, calf, lower back and glute strength, or using orthotic fat-burn bike followed by a 10min run
which are all key for triathlon. This would really help devices to support focusing on posture and technique, or a
maintain consistency over the winter, and again it’s a your arch. Steroid steady 5km run followed by a 20km bike
great way to break up training and add in some fun injections can with some high cadence intervals.
over the darker, colder months. reduce pain and One very worthwhile brick session to
inflammation.
Surgery is a last include is a run off the bike to nail down
KEEP IT LIGHT AT FIRST resort, and only your run pace. Very often in triathlons, the
Finally, try some mountain biking or jump into a recommended for first 20-30% of the run stage is too fast and
local cross-country race. Just putting on a number severe cases as then the athlete fades, but with practice you
regrowth of the
can help get that extra few percent out and help lump is common. can develop discipline to hold back the run
bring you on. Remember, you still have to want to pace and then build as the run progresses.
race come next summer, so keep it light at first and Dermott Hayes
build into a nice routine – you don’t want to burn out
and fall out of love/like with triathlon before you’ve CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME
really started. How does the Cycle to Work Scheme
And always remember there are no medals in Qwork? And what’s the max amount
training – train hard, race easy and enjoy it! you can spend on a bike? Nicky Bennie
Need some advice from The Don? Send an email to The Cycle to Work Scheme is a
[email protected] A government-funded initiative
March 2020 / / 89
TRAINING
introduced in 1999 with the aim of QUICK-FIRE
encouraging a healthier and more (CONT)
environmentally-friendly UK population.
The scheme allows consumers to purchase Imposter syndrome:
bikes and cycling equipment tax-free. what is it and
how can you
Purchasers pay off the value of the bike overcome it?
over a year (extension periods are Do you worry that
available) and the claimed savings on a your successes have
bike are up to 42% of the overall value been achieved
depending on the tax bracket you sit in. through luck rather
than talent and
Your employer will need to be signed-up ability? This
to the system (from our own past overriding feeling of
experience, don’t let them drag their feet anxiety and self-
on this – 40,000 business are signed up in doubt is a
physiological
the UK after all) and you’ll need to request condition called
a certificate from them (usually the HR or Imposter Syndrome
accounts departments) and take it to the and prevents people
relevant bike retailer. from achieving their
full potential. Talking
The maximum value of the bike is therapies can firstly BMC/JAMESMITCHELL
£1,000 but this has recently risen to over help you identify the
a grand for e-bike purchases. There are condition and
similar initiatives to the Cycle to Work symptoms, and then
Scheme out there as well and many offer strategies to
help overcome
retailers have their own, including Ride negative thought while exercising; adding the stress of Greater exercise
intensity can cause a
to Work from Evans Cycles and Wiggle’s patterns. digesting food is unlikely to be a priority. greater reduction in
Cycle to Work. Matt Baird Stephen Smith appetite, as more blood
What should I flow is distributed away
wear for my first from the gut and
LO OF APPETITE IN TRAINING aquathlon? MA E MENOPAUSE towards the muscles,
heart and lungs.
y can you experience loss of
Q petite during training? Fergus Lyons Initially you won’t Q hat is the ‘male menopause’ and
need more than the
w can it affect my performance?
basic kit you use for Wh can I do about it? Luke Briars
the individual
When I ask athletes why they don’t eat disciplines, swimming
Aanything during training, the most and running. Wear Men do not have an abrupt finish to the
common reply is simply, ‘I just don’t feel your costume or Aproduction of sex steroid hormones, as
like eating.’ But with evidence showing shorts under your found in women reaching the menopause.
that consuming calories during training running gear for the Nevertheless, there is a gradual decline in
first leg, then after
can improve performance, why do we the swim, pull back testosterone with increasing age, from
experience a loss of appetite? on your running gear middle age onwards.
Appetite is regulated by circulating over your wet swim Testosterone is an important hormone,
stuff for the final leg.
hormones, some released by the stomach Women might want driving adaptations to exercise such as
and fat cells. Certain hormones stimulate to wear a sports bra maintaining haemoglobin levels and
appetite, while others increase our sense of under their costume. optimal body composition. So decreasing
satiety, or fullness. Eating and fasting can You could also invest levels can potentially impact athletic
affect these appetite-regulating hormones, in a tri-suit with little performance in age-group male triathletes.
or no padding, which
but exercise has also shown to have an you can swim and However, seeking out testosterone
effect. A multitude of physiological run in, and a race medication is a big no no, as it’s a banned
responses are seen during exercise, belt so you can put substance under WADA jurisdiction.
including blood being redistributed away your number on Instead, being proactive in terms of athlete
quickly.
from the gut as well as sympathetic behaviours is the best approach. This
nervous-system activity. These processes might include ensuring adequate fuelling,
result in the release of hormones into the especially around training sessions to
blood stream, some of which contribute to maintain consistent levels of energy to
the regulation of appetite, leading to a support healthy hormones.
reduction in hunger signals along with an Strength and conditioning, in
increase in satiety signals. particular resistance training, is also
Greater exercise intensity also causes a important to maintain optimal body
greater reduction in appetite. This makes composition as we get older. And not to
sense as greater intensities cause more be overlooked is adequate rest and recovery
blood flow redistribution away from the between training sessions, with sleep
gut. So essentially your body is trying to being the key time for the release of
fuel the muscles, heart and lungs while growth hormones to back up adaptive
dissipating the heat you’re generating responses to training. Dr Nicky Keay
90 / / March 2020
READER
RESCUE JOHN WOOD
John is a triathlon coach and a 2019 FINA
World Masters Championships’ bronze
medallist in 50m and 100m butterfly.
Reader Douglas Cowie wants to know how to train for a 3.8km swim
I’m 66 and currently enjoying improvements in your swimming Other than the technical focus,
Q life as an age-grouper, but I and make your training, and your training for distance swimming is
was a marathon runner by trade. race, easier. When you know what no different really to training for
I’ve decided to try and qualify for you need to work on to make your longer bikes or runs. Of course, the
the ITU Long Distance World stroke easier and more effective distances and times spent in the
Champs in September, but I’m not you’ll have drills in your locker that water will change, but the principles
sure how to train for a 3.8km swim. you can refer back to and help keep are exactly the same. The main
I have the time and there are a your swimming on track. thing I suggest to anyone going
couple of suitable lochs close by. All your training swims should long, whether swimming or across
Douglas R Cowie have some sort of technical triathlon as a whole, is to make
emphasis to them. That’s not to say sure that you vary your efforts. This
The most important thing that you need to do lots of technical will become even more important
Aabout getting swim fit for a long swim sessions. Rather, during your when you come to swim and train in
distance race is to spend time in the warm-ups think about what you’re open water. If you stick to one pace,
water regularly and consistently. going to focus on that day. In you’ll only have one pace, and it’ll
Twice a week is ideal if you can do it steadier, aerobic sessions you could make getting fitter or swimming
on a regular basis. combine drills into the session, e.g. further in one go a far more
Get your swim stroke looked in a set of 20 x 100m, do the first laborious process.
at – it’s the best way to make 25m of each 100m as a drill. If you train, however, the same
way as you would train for your
When it comes to increasing marathon runs – alternating longer
swim distance, it’s important steadier swims with shorter faster
to vary your training efforts
advises coach, John Wood sprint intervals, and adding tempo/
threshold/CSS efforts in between
– you’ll get more enjoyment from
your training and a faster
physiological response.
On the basis that you might swim
twice a week, you could do a longer,
more aerobic swim once a week, and
alternate the other session between
shorter, faster sprint efforts and a
session predominantly using tempo
efforts. When the spring comes
around, you might want to do fewer
of the sprint sessions and
concentrate on the threshold swims,
as well as doing more of these
training sessions in the open water.
Finally, as you near race day you
could take the threshold efforts out
and focus on the sprint speed again,
to keep your body and form feeling
sharp. Good luck!
“All your training
swims should
have a technical
emphasis to them”
ALESSANDRO!ANNUNZIATA
March 2020 / / 91
92 / / March 2020
CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN
A MOUNTAIN
TO CLIMB
With only four years of triathlon experience under her belt, Katrin Meyer
ventured to the inaugural Challenge Cape Town with an ambitious plan
to qualify for the Challenge Championships. Here’s her tale of
racing 113km in the Rainbow Nation…
WORDSKATRIN MEYER IMAGESCHRIS HITCHCOCK
March 2020 / / 93
how
was it
for you?
he buoys out in the Atlantic
Ocean are barely visible. I watch
the male and female triathletes
starting in front of me. They
swim out and instantly become
swallowed up by the grey fog.
At this moment of the 1.9km swim,
I’m not sure if I can make it around
the course and back to the Big Bay
Beach again.
With every metre I get closer to
the start, I become more nervous.
I’m a weak swimmer. Am I strong
enough to do this? Can I stand the
cold water? Finally, it’s me who has
to toe the start line. I close my eyes,
take a deep breath, and then the gun
for the debut Challenge Cape Town
in South Africa goes off.
It was a whole year ago that I
planned my holiday to Cape Town to
visit one of my best friends who’s
studying here. And then, in April, Langebaan Lagoon north of Cape in deeper. After wave number four
the Challenge Family announced a Town, but I don’t get used to the the set seems to be done, so I dive in
new race in Cape Town that Atlantic Ocean – the waves are high and start swimming. The water
coincided with my holiday. and an inquisitive seal scared me a doesn’t feel as cold as I’d expected,
As a previous finisher at little during one of my swims. and the waves aren’t as high as they
Challenge’s flagship Challenge Roth The day before the race, I miss out look from the beach. But the
event in my native Germany, I on the swim familiarisation event as visibility is terrible so I try to keep up
didn’t think twice about entering. I need to complete registration and with the feet in front of me.
For me, this would be a once-in-a- drop my run bags at T2. So I decide The first few metres feel good and
lifetime experience. And it would be to try the swim on my own. Then I establish a rhythm. But then my
the grand finale of my 2019 season there’s time for one final picture in goggles start to fog up. I try to ignore
that included Ironman Barcelona front of Table Mountain before I it. After a while the waves get
just six weeks before. When I signed rack my bike in its place. higher. I pass buoy number one,
up, I knew there was a cold-water I make sure I check out the which marks the halfway point of
swim, a relatively-flat bike course quickest way to leave transition and our distance out. But I can’t see the
and a hilly run. But I never imagined head down to the beach. My swim next buoy. After a few more
a start like this. isn’t as bad as I expect it to be. Out
to the first buoy and back to the
SEALS AND SHIFTERS beach – 700m will surely be enough.
The holiday doesn’t begin Finally, I get some last-minute
brilliantly. When I unpack my bike advice on how to handle swimming
after the 10,000km journey from in the waves as I enjoy sundown at
Germany to Cape Town, I’m shocked this epic location on South Africa’s
to find the left shifter of my western coast.
aerobars is completely broken.
MEET KATRIN Luckily I found a local bike shop, RACE-DAY NERVES
but the mechanics can’t tell me
The fog is touching the waves
Katrin, 32, lives in
Cologne, how long it will take to fix. I have to when we arrive in the suburb of
Germany, and be patient. The next few days test Bloubergstrand on race morning,
started triathlon my nerves as I wait for the spare but luckily the waves aren’t as
four years ago parts to arrive. Finally, on the strong as the day before. It’s a cold
following a bet
having never Friday, they show up. morning and the water temperature
done any sports The bike mechanics do a great job is a bracing 15.5°C.
before, apart and I’m so happy to have my bike I walk to my bike to lay down my
from dressage. back in perfect condition, and also nutrition and pump up my tyres.
So far she’s to have the chance for a short ride My bike is ready. I’m possibly not.
completed
Challenge Roth on the Saturday before registration. It’s almost time to put on my
in 2018 and the Going 10 days without biking isn’t wetsuit and get in the line for the
2019 Ironman the best preparation! rolling start. The pro athletes are
Barcelona, three While waiting for my bike to be already underway.
middle-distances
and a few short- fixed, I spend my time running and I run into the water, watch the
course triathlons. swimming in the beautiful waves, and then count them as I run
94 / / March 2020
CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN
how
was it
for you?
minutes of swimming, it seems that male riders. I try to remember the AFRICAN
the swim group I’m positioned in undulations of the road – the slight RACES 2020
has lost direction and veered away ups and downs. I know I have to ride The Ultra Tri
from the course. The volunteers the course three times, so it’s good 1 Series is set for
on the stand-up paddleboards to know where to push hard and Durban on South
scream that we have to stay left. where to take care. Africa’s east coast
We change direction slightly, but The coastal road is picturesque on 1 March, with
both sprint- and
for me it’s hard to hold the line as and my legs are feeling strong. After middle-distance
I can’t see anything due to my my first lap I pass some of the races on offer.
goggles. I have to stop several times female riders, too. Honestly, I start ultratri.co.za
to clear them and try not to lose counting them. I really want to end A classic on
orientation again. It feels like hours this season with a good result – I 2 the M-Dot
before I pass the turning point and have a dream to qualify for the calendar is
the next buoy, which marks the Challenge Championship in Ironman South
way back to the beach. Samorin, Slovakia, in late May. I Africa, and the
226km event
The way back feels long. I’m know already that I have to hope for returns to Port
freezing and it’s hard to keep the roll-down, but to keep the Elizabeth on the
swimming in the right direction. dream alive I have to finish 12th Rainbow Nation’s
Luckily, the fog clears a little and I woman in my age-group. At the southern coast
on 29 March.
see the red arch that marks the end moment, I feel way off that target. ironman.com
of the swim. I’ve made it. I can’t
describe the feeling when my hands CURVES AND KERBS The off-road
touch the ground. Hell yes! I glance Above me the clouds disappear and 3 ATU Cross
Triathlon African
at my watch and it reads 51:49mins the sky turns blue. I feel perfect on Championships
for the 1.9km, which confirms my my bike. It’s like I’m flying on the will arrive in
terrible pacing during the swim. flat course. I really want to push the Cradle of
I run up the beach, open my harder; I really want to increase the Humankind, South
wetsuit and grab my transition speed. My legs feel strong enough. Africa, on 26 April.
triathlon.org
bag. I put on my bike kit, hand my But my pulse is unusually high and I
bag to a volunteer and run straight don’t know why. It’s hard to keep The Amazigh
to my bike. I jump on it, knowing calm and not push for more watts. 4 Triathlon is
that from this point on the race There’s only 15km to go when I the Xtri series’ first
venture into Africa,
can only get better. finish my last lap in Bloubergstrand and will be held
and make my way down to Cape in Ouarzazate,
THE CHASE IS ON Town. If nothing goes wrong, I’ll be South Morocco,
I try to calm my pulse, which is very able to finish the 90km bike in on 31 October.
amazighxtri.com
high. On the first few kilometres to under 2:40hrs. The rise into the city
turning-point one I pass the first is good, but the last 5km aren’t
“To keep my Challenge Championship
dream alive I have to finish 12th
woman in my age-group”
96 / / March 2020
CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN
“I really want to push harder, my legs
feel strong enough, but my pulse is
unusually high and I don’t know why”
how
was it
for you? Katrinsecuresherspotat
the 2020 Championships
easy. I rush through an industrial
area – the scenery is noticeably less
beautiful here.
The road conditions are now very
bad, and we have to change from
one street to another. There are a lot
of curves and kerbs – it’s all very
frustrating. I lose speed and miss
my goal of finishing sub-2:40hrs.
The clock stops at 2:47hrs when I
arrive into transition two.
INCLINES AWAIT
I rack my bike and run towards the
transition bags. It’s good to see that
there are a lot more untouched than
there were in T1. I put on my
running stuff and hit the half-
marathon course. Three loops are
waiting for me. The first length is
straight and I relax into the run. But
when I take the first curve to the
right, I can see the first incline, and I
can’t see it ending anytime soon!
I establish a good running
rhythm, but this incline is very long.
When I take the next curve, I’m
shocked: there are two steep climbs
waiting for me. Most of the runners
in front of me are already walking. I
decide to run for as long as I can,
although I know I have to approach
this run strategically and not to
destroy my legs in the first section. with the same tactics as before, a CAPE TOWN hard to put this feeling of elation and
I plan points where I’ll start strategy that works. I didn’t train achievement into words. I also
walking, and then where I’ll start for running at altitude like this, but I INFO secure my starting slot at the
First event
running again. After the first climb I manage it. The time flies and I’m 2019 Challenge Championships in May.
see where I can get in a short run nearly done. There’s only one last 2019 starters And not because of the roll-down,
and let my legs turnover. I pick up climb to the tape. 307 but because I’ve finished sixth in my
speed and close down on one of the 2019 finishers age-group – a result I never dreamed
professional women who passed me SET FOR SAMORIN 294 I could achieve.
Next date
on the climb just a couple of I enter the finish area and now there 8 November Overall, the debut Challenge Cape
minutes before. What a great are only 100m to go. Table Mountain 2020 Town was a great race with a friendly
feeling. But the next incline is is on my right, the finish line in Entry fee atmosphere, and it’s run by a proven
£151
already waiting, and the elite athlete front. I can’t stop smiling. One last Nearest airport race organisation. The scenic course
passes again at speed. high-five with the two race Cape Town around a city that’s regularly voted
I have to stop running and walk comperes and then I’m done. I’ve Website the world’s best also deserves its
for a few metres. Mercifully, this made it in 5:48:46. challenge-cape- Challenge moniker. But of the
climb isn’t as long as the one before I’ve finished my third middle- town.com 113,000 metres that athletes faced
and the final 3km aren’t that hard. I distance race, but this one has been here in Cape Town, every single one
decide to run the remaining laps the most challenging by far. It’s has been worth it.
98 / / March 2020
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ISSUE "#$ CONTRIBUTORS
Wagner Araujo, Ruth Astle, Marcos Knight, Niamh Lewis, Charlotte
Chris Borgman, Martyn Brunt, Lyon, Katrin Meyer, James Mitchell, CYRILLE!QUINTARD
Nik Cook, Douglas Cowie, Mia Nielsen, Kate Percy, Steve Sayers,
James Croft, Tim Don, Joel Enoch, Daniel Seex, Jack Sexty, Elliot Smales,
Finisherpix, Getty Images, Robert Smith, Stephen Smith,
Nicky Gotobed, Dermott Hayes, Nigel Tassell, Els Visser, Vikki Voysey,
Tim Heming, Chris Hitchcock, Remy Whiting, Simon Withers, James HIT NEW HEIGHTS IN 2O20
Harry Holdaway, Dr Nicky Keay, Witts, John Wood, Jeff Yingling
The benefits of altitude training,
including the best places to train
SUPERCHARGE YOUR TRI
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March 2020 / / 99
faq advice kit races
KNOWHOW
THE HOW, WHAT AND WHERE OF RACING
HOWCAN
IRIDE
SAFELYIN
THE RAIN?
According to the Met
Office it rains for 107
faq days each year,
meaning there’s
around a 30% chance
you’ll be riding in the rain. That’s
why it’s essential to learn the gear
tweaks and skills to ride fast and
far through bad weather…
TYRES
When pumping up tyres, use
around six atmospheres rather
than the usual seven or eight to
increase the surface area of tyre
touching the road. Tread amount
seems to make little difference, but
GETTY!IMAGES
don’t race on brand new tyres in
the wet. New rubber can have a surface
layer containing slippery elements, such CLOTHING OUT OF THE SADDLE
as silicone, that’ll reduce grip. Wear enough kit to keep you as dry as Be careful when accelerating out of the
possible and warm, including windproof- saddle. Avoid wheel spin by keeping your
BRAKES fronted, breathable jerseys and good- weight back, particularly on steep hills.
Adjust your brakes so that they’re close to quality tights. Use overboots, gloves and When accelerating out of a corner, apply
the rim – you’ll need to pull harder on the hats as required. A racing cape stuffed in the power smoothly and keep an even
brake levers when braking in wet your back pocket is always a good idea. weight distribution between front and
conditions. Your brake blocks will wear back wheels.
down quicker in the wet, so you might CORNERING
have to replace them more often. Ensure your centre of gravity is low by DESCENDING AND BRAKING
keeping your hands on the drops, lowering When descending, brake early and
DRIVECHAIN your shoulders, keeping your inside knee gradually. Mainly use the front brake
Keep your drivechain – that’s your front low and pushing down on the outer pedal. and be careful about the amount of back
chainrings, chain, rear sprockets – clean Keep your body, head and bike in line as brake you apply to avoid skidding. Don’t
and apply a coating of water-repelling you lean into the corner. You won’t be able pump the brakes. Good-condition brake
lubricant before you ride. Ensure that you to lean as much as you can in the dry. Keep blocks disperse the water on the rim
avoid spraying or dripping lubricant onto the balance of weight equal between your quickly and prevent the film of water
your tyres or wheel rims while you’re front and back wheels. Brake before you building up between the rim and block,
doing maintenance. enter the corner, and not in it. which can impair efficiency.
100 / / March 2020
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220 Triathlon Magazine is your indispensible triathlon training partner. Each month we feature technique and
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athletes; and hear from our exclusive columnist, Chrissie Wellington. Whether you are a beginner or Ironman, you will race better with 220 Triathlon.
Inside every issue:
• Essential advice from our experts to improve your multisport performance
• We test the latest swim, bike and run equipment
• Tri Talk – stay up to date with all the latest triathlon news
• Exclusive interviews with world-class triathletes
• Training advice – providing you with all the information you need to maximise your potential
· Race round-ups –reports and results from UK and abroad
In This Issue
• Tri on a budget special – how to train and race for less in 2020
• Time-crunched Ironman training tips
• How to smash the 3.8km swim
• Become a faster runner in the gym
• 12-week Ironman build phase plan
• Build new-season fitness with Tim Don
• 10 of the best run shoes on test
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