Carefully Curated Triathlon News for June 29, 2023

IN THIS EDITION…

  • How to prep for a hot race
  • David McNamee’s 70.3 bike tips
  • Is sugar bad for triathletes?
  • 20 tips for faster triathlon swimming

STRAIGHT TALK 20

Triathletes don’t have time to waste, so you’ll appreciate some straight talk from coach Joe Filliol as he outlines his 20 rules for faster triathlon swimming.

Although swimming accounts for the smallest portion of your overall race time, Filliol makes a powerful case for why developing swim fitness is so crucial to overall performance.

His nuggets clarify the most important drivers of improvement, and call out numerous mistakes that most of us have made in our swim training.  Apply his advice and focus on what matters most… Only then will you experience substantive progress.

FEEL THE HEAT

The thought of racing in a hot, tropical environment can strike fear into even the most experienced triathlete.

The good news is that you can prepare for these extreme conditions by employing a straightforward heat acclimation protocol in the weeks leading up to your event.

This comprehensive and practical guide by MyRaceKit describes how to most efficiently acclimate to anticipated heat stress.  It provides options for using relatively accessible tools like hot tubs and saunas to achieve your desired adaptations… all without compromising your training.

RIDE TO WIN

2x Kona podium finisher David McNamee knows how to ride his TT bike.

In this article he offers 4 tips for improving your IRONMAN 70.3 bike split and shares a few of the secrets behind his medal-winning rides.

He also describes two of his favorite bike sessions that will develop your cadence, strength and pace.

REAL FIREWORKS

To help Americans celebrate Independence Day, Ekoi Helmets is launching some of its own fireworks… by offering a whopping 50% off everything on its website.

Experts in lightweight and aerodynamic protection, Ekoi meets the uncompromising standards of 4 teams in the pro cycling peloton.

Ekoi also produces the official helmet of IRONMAN, and is worn by champion triathletes like Patrick Lange, Annie Haug and Rudy von Berg.

These amazing 50% off discounts are good from now through July 5, so don’t miss out!

SUGAR TIME

Global health experts preach about the risks of eating too much sugar, but the fastest and fittest athletes fuel their best performances on high amounts of carbs.  How can we reconcile these two apparently contradictory positions?

Asker Jeukendrup cuts through the confusion in his examination of athletes’ consumption of sugars.

Research indicates that high sugar intake – when offset by elevated metabolism during exercise — creates no negative health effects.  The sugars ingested during exercise are used to satisfy your increased energy demands and help restore depleted glycogen.

QUICK HIITS:

  • Otherworldly
    Triathlon history was made last weekend in Roth, Germany where Daniela Ryf and Magnus Ditlev shattered the best-ever full-distance times with their utterly dominating races.  While there were other impressive performances on the day, these two champions reset the standards of our sport.
  • Freestyle Pyramid
    If you’re in need of a fresh swim workout, then look no further than India Lee’s long distance pyramid.  With options for every ability, this challenging session will teach you how to hold race pace.