RACING’S SLOW COMEBACK

Triathlon’s return to racing takes another tentative step forward this weekend in the Swiss resort town of Davos. Challenge Davos  has made significant modifications to keep athletes as safe as possible, including pre-race briefings on Facebook Live, mandatory masks when not racing, self-serve aid stations, no banquets or awards ceremonies and contact tracing.  Is this the new reality for multisport events?

Last weekend’s SLT Arena Games was one of this year’s few bright spots, proving that virtual racing doesn’t have to be boring.  Called the “perfect format” by IRONMAN champ Anne Haug, its punchy, intense Triple Mix competition is ideal for TV.  Whether held indoors or out, we think that Super League Triathlon is the most exciting elite racing in the sport.

IRONMAN’s VR Series continues to slog on, with its VR21 race taking place this weekend.  3 competitive divisions are offered, and top performers in the HOKA Championship Division can join 75 other virtual triathletes who have already qualified for the real-life IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships scheduled for St. George, UT next year.

ON THE DOWN LOW

Keto diets are impractical for most high performance endurance athletes, but Dr. John Hawley shares how triathletes can use carbohydrate periodization for optimal muscular adaptation, and especially for increasing mitochondrial density and efficiency.

For decades elite athletes have selectively trained with low glycogen levels at certain times during their buildups.

In this interview he explains why combining an afternoon HIIT workout with a fasted aerobic session the following morning works so well.  He also outlines how you can build this strategy into your personal training program (and what mistakes to avoid).

WHERE THERE’S A WILL…

Triathletes are known for their toughness and grit, and a case can be made that Willie Stewart is one of the greatest of all time.

In this gripping and poignant interview, One-Armed Willie describes (in graphic detail) how the loss of a limb led to his transformation into an extraordinary endurance athlete and the poster boy for what physically challenged athletes can accomplish.

This episode of the Beyond podcast will convince you that vulnerability is strength, and it will inspire you to keep getting up after the inevitable falls.

INVEST IN YOUR REST

You know that full, deep sleep is critical for athletic recovery.

The science is clear: cooler temperatures at night significantly improve the quality of your sleep and effectiveness of your recovery from workouts.

These days, as heat waves sweep the country, it’s even more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

Professional athletes, Olympians, and even “biohackers” like Tim Ferriss swear by Chili Technology’s sleep cooling products.

If you’re serious about your training, then optimize your recovery by investing in your rest. Our readers get an incredible 25% off by using CHILIPAD25 at checkout.

JUST 3 DAYS PER WEEK

At times controversial, Coach Brett Sutton has racked up impressive results.  His athletes have earned 4 Olympic medals, 24 World Championships and countless IRONMAN victories.

Here Sutton spells out how to organize your weekly swimming schedule if you can swim only 3 days per week (like now, when pool access is limited).  He also provides a rare glimpse into why he approaches swim training in this manner.

Each session focuses on just one primary objective.  His single-minded 1-hour workouts wring the most benefit from your time in the pool.

SUPPLEMENT SCIENCE

The science behind nutritional supplementation is rarely black and white, which makes choosing the right products difficult and confusing.

This concise summary describes the well-documented benefits of 4 types of supplements for endurance athletes. 

It also suggests what types of training sessions might be improved with these supplements, and how you might use them to obtain a 1-3% improvement in training adaptation and performance.

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