Carefully Curated Triathlon News for August 10, 2023

WELCOME TO OUR 150TH EDITION!

Today we Explore…

  • The 5 vital components of aerobic training
  • 3 rules for a better freestyle pull
  • How to pace a hilly IRONMAN bike course
  • What to look for in a sports drink

TO HILL WITH PATIENCE

Overexuberance on the bike has ruined many a triathlon.

Whether dealing with the punchy efforts in Wisconsin, the long rollers of Kona or the true mountain climbs of Nice, successful triathletes know how to master a hilly bike course. 

Avoid squandering too much effort early in the ride, when you’re fresh and well-fueled.  It will come back to haunt you during the run.

Coach Russell Cox shares his straightforward approach for managing your effort in hilly races.  Employ his advice for a fantastic overall performance.

FRAMEWORK FOR FAST

Training your aerobic threshold is the most important thing you can do to improve as a triathlete.

Coach Zach Nehr simplifies the often-confusing science and clarifies the 5 vital components of an effective aerobic training plan.  It balances progressive overload and structured recovery, with just the right amount of higher intensity work.

Follow these principles and you’re guaranteed to clear lactate more effectively, and go faster for longer.

LOOKING AHEAD

While some of you are putting the finishing touches on preparations for late-season championship events, many of us are starting to dream about what’s possible for next year.

Have you begun to formulate your 2024 training objectives or identified your key races?

If so, then we want to hear about it!   Please take 1 minute to complete our 5-question survey.

We’ll use your responses to help shape the content we curate and deliver in the coming months.

As always, thanks for being a TriathlonWire reader!

RULES FOR PULLS

Improving your freestyle stroke does not need to be complicated.  Just follow Andrew Sheaff’s 3 rules for a great pull.

To swim more quickly, we have one major goal: move more water backwards.

That requires a big paddle, which is achieved by following Sheaff’s 3 rules, and reinforced by practicing his 3 drills for building more stroke power.

Forget about arm angles and hand depths.  Just follow these 3 golden rules and you’ll discover effective pull mechanics that you can sustain for the entire race.

POUR ME ANOTHER

The market for sports drinks is flooded with options, making it easy to get confused by the nearly limitless choices.

We’re all looking for formulations that will keep us fueled and hydrated, without causing GI distress.

Coach Jim Rutberg lays out the 4 attributes of sports drinks critical for endurance athletes.  He explains why it’s not a good idea to dilute a sports drink, and makes the case for why simplest drinks are often best (and, sometimes, that means water).

QUICK HIITS:

  • Deal Me In
    Add variety to your swim sessions with free training cards by The Magic 5.  Each week they release a new, well-designed workout that will keep you engaged and progressing.
  • Pace Dreams
    Whether you’re strategizing – or dreaming – about your next performance, this free Triathlon Race Pace Calculator will show what’s needed to achieve your goal result.  Use its built-in sliders to adjust each split time to fine-tune your targets… or reflect reality.  Works for all distances.