IN THIS EDITION…

  • 9 hip exercises for faster running
  • Probiotics for endurance athletes
  • How to train in super shoes
  • 3 stroke tweaks when wearing a wetsuit
  • Improve your bike cadence

JUST SUPER

If you’ve invested in super shoes but are saving them just for racing, then you’re making a big mistake.

It turns out that the thick-soled, springy running shoes that have rewritten marathon record books also offer numerous benefits when worn while training.  Among them are improved long interval performance, ability to tolerate greater training volume and quicker recovery. 

The net result: faster race times.

However, wearing super shoes all the time is not productive.  Doing so can suppress training adaptations in key muscles and tendons.

POLARIZED CADENCE

The precise management of your cycling cadence is a critical variable in executing a successful race.  Our goal is to produce maximum power on the bike while conserving energy for the run.

While there’s no universally ideal cadence, there is a sweet spot for optimal force production and pedaling economy.  For most triathletes, this falls between 70 and 90 RPM.

Coach Sergio Borges reviews the pros and cons of high and low bike cadence.  He explains the factors that influence your choice of cadence, and suggests an effective polarized cadence training session that will help you develop a more efficient pedal stroke.  Give it a spin!

SUIT YOURSELF

Originally adopted to prevent hypothermia, triathletes know that wetsuits provide multiple advantages to swimming performance.

It’s not uncommon for athletes to experience an improvement of 20 seconds per 400m, swimming 5 to 10% faster in their wetsuits.

However, to maximize the potential gains in speed and efficiency, wearing a wetsuit necessitates 3 critical changes to your freestyle technique.

Coach Michael Collins walks you through these vital stroke adjustments and provides sample workout sets to ensure you make the most of your neoprene.

PICK UP YOUR TEMPO

Many triathletes overthink their freestyle stroke.  By trying to focus on too many cues for improving technique, their stroke rate drops and they develop deadspots that kill speed.

One way to avoid this is to increase your stroke rate by training with the FINIS Tempo Trainer Pro.  Using this unobtrusive underwater metronome, you can raise your turnover to 35 strokes per minute (or higher). Doing so will smooth out your power curve and increase your efficiency.

Additionally a higher turnover is better in the open water where other swimmers, waves and chop frequently disrupt your forward momentum.

As always, TriathlonWire readers get a 20% discount by using the coupon code TRIWIRE at checkout. Get on it!

STRONGER LATER

A stronger triathlete is a faster triathlete, especially when it comes to running.

If you’re not sure where to start, then try these 9 hip-strengthening drills for runners by coach Andrew Simmons and Dr. Jesse Riley.

Stronger hips result in better stability throughout your stride, improved biomechanics and increased neuromuscular control even when fatigued late in a race.

GO PRO

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that colonize and support your gut’s microbiome.    Perhaps best known for their ability to enhance immune cell function, probiotics provide numerous other health benefits that can be particularly relevant for athletes.

Most interesting for long-distance triathletes is how probiotics improve gut function during exercise in the heat.

Check out this article on MySportsScience that provides more details and prescribes what to look for when choosing a daily probiotic.

QUICK HIITS:

  • Merci, Jan
    This weekend marks the final pro race of Jan Frodeno.  The 3x IRONMAN World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist has been one of triathlon’s greatest ambassadors, on and off the racecourse.  Enjoy Bob Babbitt’s interview with the GOAT… Then stay tuned to see if 42-year-old Jan has one more ace up his sleeve at this Sunday’s championship.