We all know that triathlon swimming in open water is not the same as pool swimming. In fact, I like to say that no two strokes in open water are the same. While in the pool you can be metronomic with your stroke rate and distance per stroke, it's almost impossible to replicate in a lake/river/ocean with waves, buoys, currents, poor sighting and other people to deal with. It's why I believe we should swim in open water whenever possible - the pool is controlled and consistent, open water is not.
That said, not everyone can swim au natural through the spring/summer, so how can we manipulate our pool sessions to better prepare for the demands of racing?
One way I've found over the years that works well is to go through the gears within a set. This develops your ability to accelerate when you need to in a race and then settle back to a sustainable pace. This is useful at race start, pushing into a buoy or bridging up to a competitor you'd like to draft.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of 220 Triathlon.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of 220 Triathlon.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How to Carb Load - Packing your working cells with carbohydrates in the build-up to your big race is a proven strategy to race stronger and faster...
Whichever distance triathlon you're racing, the intensity and duration of your activity will see your body tap into its stores of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) to power your effort. While it's possible to top up your tank on the go, it's better to start your event with your stores full to the brim.
The Olympic Champion - On 31 July, Great Britain's Alex Yee put together arguably the greatest one-day performance we have ever seen at an Olympic Games to win gold. And we were there at the finish line to speak to tri's new poster boy...
The opening line of the race report read how 20 years on from New Zealand’s first and only Olympic triathlon gold medal, Hayden Wilde had put in a careerbest performance to regain the title for his nation. Then Alex Yee comes around the corner.Yee’s charge, seemingly from nowhere on the final lap of the 10km run in Paris, didn’t just help him become the most decorated Olympic male triathlete of all time, and didn’t just cap a rivalry that has been building for six years, it left seasoned watchers of swim, bike, run in awe. It will go down as one of the greatest triathlon races; Yee, still just 26, as one of the greatest triathletes. His medals from Paris added to the two from Tokyo, leaving his haul at two gold, a silver and a bronze, and counting.
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