Despite doing races since 2000 BC (Before Cleats) when triathletes in Speedos roamed the earth, the number of cancelled events I’ve experienced has been mercifully few.
In all the years I’ve been toiling away in the bottom half of my various age-groups, I can genuinely only think of a handful of occasions where I experienced that bittersweet moment of learning that a race isn’t going ahead. ‘Bittersweet’ because your disappointment at not being able to race is mixed with secret feelings of relief that you have a guilt-free escape from going through the agony of leaping into a cold lake and then shivering your way off on your bike.
I think that triathlon, being three sports suffers fewer cancellations than single-discipline sports because if you can’t do one part of the race, you might still be able to do the others. As such I’ve seen creative race organisers manage to cope with foggy lakes, rough seas, flooded run courses and gale-force winds by pulling a last-minute switch to aquathlons, aquabikes and duathlons out of the bag.
This story is from the January 2024 edition of 220 Triathlon.
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This story is from the January 2024 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...
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