IN THIS EDITION…
- The bikes & gear used at IMWC in Nice, France
- 8 potent hill sessions to transform your running
- Maximize recovery with scheduled down weeks
- 3 proven workouts for faster bike splits
- Why NSAIDs do more harm than good
FAST FORMULA
Are you frustrated because you’re not getting faster on the bike? One all-too-common reason for this stagnation is a lack of structured workouts. Day after day of steady-state rides just won’t cut it.
Jumpstart your training with Mike Fielder’s 3 critical bike workouts for triathletes.
He explains the unique benefits of endurance, VO2 max and strength cycling sessions. He also provides examples of each type of workout, and prescribes when to do them.
WHO RODE WHAT
The bikes and components used by triathletes in the IRONMAN World Championships always offer a fascinating glimpse into the cutting-edge trends in our sport.
Here are the latest tabulations from last weekend’s event in Nice, France compiled by our friends at Slowtwitch. Will they motivate you to make any gear upgrades for next season?
ELEVATED RESULTS
As coach Katelyn Tocci says, hill running will make you an endurance monster!
Check out her definitive guide to hill running to ensure you’re getting maximal benefit from these essential sessions.
Then experiment with her 8 favorite hill workouts. Performed regularly, you’ll quickly see improvements in your cardiovascular fitness, strength and mental toughness.
LAST CALL FOR KONA
Everyone knows that accommodations in Kailua-Kona are painfully expensive during IRONMAN Race Week. If you’ve waited until the last minute, then we have you covered thanks to our special relationship with the Pacific 19 Hotel, where you can still score a prime room for up to 30% off.
This property is located on-course on famous Palani Hill within easy walking distance to the pier, expo and restaurants.
It offers secure parking, an on-site bike mechanic, laundry services and pool. Pacific 19 is the perfect base for triathletes and their guests.
Use this link to go straight to the booking page and secure your discount with promo code TRIWIRE. There are still a few rooms left, so act now!
DOWN WEEK
Finding the right balance between stress and recovery is one of the fundamental challenges of effective training.
Here are 3 reasons why scheduled weeks of reduced training are crucial for continued improvement. You’ll also learn how much to decrease training during a down week.
HARM, NOT GOOD
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include ubiquitous painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve) and many others. Despite warnings and outright bans, NSAIDs remain popular among endurance athletes.
Dr. Nick Tiller explains the 3 real risks of taking NSAIDs during exercise and why these drugs should be avoided when running.
Endurance exercise strains the body in multiple ways. NSAIDs increase the risks tenfold.
QUICK HIITS:
- Nice Strategy
GTN’s Mark Threfall sits down with newly-crowned IRONMAN World Champion Casper Stornes, and gets to know this humble Viking. His candid reflections on Sunday’s race strategy are refreshing and enlightening.
- Frodeno Returns
IRONMAN launched its 6-part Beyond Finish Lines docuseries hosted by 3x world champion Jan Frodeno. Episode 1 features multi-IM finisher Gordon Ramsay and can be viewed on the IRONMAN YouTube channel.
- Final Toast
Running lost one of its greats with the recent passing of coach Jack Daniels. Over his 6-decade career, Daniels guided many champions but might be best known for developing the VDOT system for optimizing training intensity.
