STOP SWEAT GUESSWORK
Finally, you can stop guessing about your body’s hydration and electrolyte needs. Learn more about the new breakthrough tool engineered to provide you with a personalized sweat profile.
A BETTER LONG RIDE
As most IRONMAN athletes have painfully discovered, lots of 5-hour mostly easy rides are not enough for a good performance.
The problem is that the human body is too efficient. These long aerobic rides only recruit what is needed, which turns out to be about 30% of your slow twitch muscle fiber. After cycling 75 mi (120 km), these fibers often fatigue. If we haven’t trained to engage more available muscle, then we’ll find ourselves in deep trouble during the late stages of the race.
Coach Woody Woodward offers 2 killer workouts that will help you switch on more muscle and make your long endurance rides more purposeful.
One option embeds intervals of low gear, high power into the long ride. The other calls for a double bike day scheduled into your training week. Learn how to implement both strategies in this informative article.
5 STRENGTH TRAINING MISTAKES
One thing we love about Triathlon Taren’s content is that it tends to be straightforward, practical and relevant. This video on how to avoid 5 strength training mistakes is a great example.
As triathletes, we know that we should be strength training. But what should we focus on to benefit our endurance performance? And when should we be doing it?
Taren’s video is one of the best triathlon-specific explanations for strength training that we’ve seen. If resistance training is new to you, then this will certainly help get you started. If you’re already experienced, we’re confident that you’ll pick up a few new tricks.
CARBS YOUR WAY
Carbs are proven to improve endurance performance. But what’s the best source of carbohydrates during a race? With so many products on the market, should you choose gels, drinks or energy bars?
According to research summarized by sports nutrition scientist Asker Jeukendrup, it doesn’t really matter.
It turns out that you can mix and match carb sources based on personal preference. Just be sure to design a race nutrition plan that works for you… and be sure to practice it in training!
KNOW YOUR SWEAT
Trying to determine your exact hydration and electrolyte replenishment needs has always involved an uncomfortable amount of guesswork and trial and error. That is, until now.
This week Gatorade launched its first ever wearable device, the Gx Sweat Patch. Worn on your forearm during key workouts, then scanned by a companion mobile app afterwards, it will calculate your personal sweat profile. With this precise data you can dial-in your hydration strategy to avoid cramping and dehydration.
Finally you can stop guessing, and quickly determine what you need for your next race. Check it out here…
The key to getting the most benefit from your training is to perform your workouts at the proper intensity. Easier said than done.
In this guide by prolific author and coach Matt Fitzgerald, he outlines the 4 ways to measure intensity: pace, heart rate, power, and perceived effort.
He then goes deep explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each, and which metric is most reliable and preferred for each discipline of triathlon.
Fitzgerald continues by describing how intensity and your training zones relate to lactate threshold, and offers a variety of concise methods of determining your LT for swim, bike and run.
This is a comprehensive, value-packed guide written by one of the experts in endurance sports. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it.
3 PROVEN RUN SETS
If you want to spice up your run training – and build some speed in the process – then look no further than these 3 run sessions prescribed by Canadian Olympian Kirsten Sweetland.
The key to these sessions is speed management. You’ll need a fairly good understanding of your threshold pace (see above article), and then be able to calculate the speed of various segments within each session as a percentage of your threshold.
Kristen details the specifics of each workout, two of which are outdoors and one that’s designed for a treadmill. We especially appreciate that the editors modified these training sessions for us mere mortals!
QUICK HIITS:
- Gellin’ Like Jan
In our latest survey TriathlonWire readers told us that they want to train with the on-course nutrition that’s served at the aid stations. So you’ll want to know that Maurten was just named the exclusive gel at all IRONMAN triathlons. You can learn more and pick up a box to train with here. - Stacked in Bahrain
Team CEO Chris McCormack announced that his Bahrain Endurance team roster is expanding to include 13 of some of the most dominant triathletes in our sport. This somewhat curious practice of “sponsorship by state” has undoubtedly benefited its member athletes and inspired the communities they serve. - Mix It Up
The made-for-TV mixed relay triathlon will debut at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics. Each team consists of 2 men and 2 women, and each athlete on the team swims 300m, cycles 5km and runs 2 km. Learn more about this exciting format and the tactics involved here…
