Ben learned that getting your shoe right is key to preventing injury.

After thousands of miles of running I finally had a gait analysis for the first time today with Liam Dixon at Run Swindon. It was probably the most useful and constructive 30 minutes I have ever spent running. I came away with tons of tips on how to improve my technique and become a more efficient runner, as well as a better understanding of how to prevent injury.

Liam used the Templo Lite system in order to analyse my gait, which uses real time video analysis that can be played back frame-by-frame to give instant feedback of the foot’s position and movement. The images then need to be interpreted by the trained eye of an expert like Liam, who can then recommend the correct type of running shoe to fit your individual running style.

The set up was simple but highly effective. Video stills were taken of my gait in neutral shoes (on the left) and supportive shoes (on the right). Liam drew the red lines shown onto the stills to highlight the angle between the natural ‘on-strike’ angle of the foot and the knee. The key is to get that angle down to zero (if you’re really lucky) or at least to an acceptable limit. You can’t change your anatomy but with the right shoes you can change the angle of your foot during strike. This is the key.

Liam explained that runners that over-pronate will find that their foot is forced to roll laterally (ie across the body) into position. This forces subsequent rotation in the ankle and the knee which encourages unwanted strain and therefore injury. The trick therefore is to find shoes that support the foot, preventing the undue ‘roll’ on impact and which therefore have the effect of reducing that all-important angle between the knee and the foot.

The video still allowed us to identify the extent to which each shoe type supported the natural position of the feet between first contact and mid-strike. We settled on the Saucony’s Omni 12 (which provide moderate support for pronating feet like mine). I cant wait to go to try them in practice!

The competition is on – Ben tries to run away from the topless Saucony model!

With that sorted we looked at the forward position of the foot on impact.

Like most runners I ‘heel strike’ with my foot forward of my hip. Conventional wisdom suggests you should strike nearer mid-sole, and when your foot is due south of your hip. You can’t just stretch out your toes and lean forward (you really can’t – I tried that for 2 miles and couldn’t run for another 2 weeks with calf strain!!) Liam gave two simple remedies:
1.       to run as tall as possible in order to better utilise the core for more efficient transfer of overall effort to useful ground speed
2.       to run with my arms held back, so my hands only just come into my peripheral vision when they are at the forward limit. This naturally tilted my body forward, creating the lean that tucked my foot under my hips.

I really think that these two tips are easy to put in place and will transform my running and help to keep me injury free for years to come. I’ve learned today that it’s pointless spending hundreds of pounds on running trainers if you haven’t first had you gait analysed. You need to know exactly how you run and how your foot lands before you can even think about style of trainer.

Thanks Liam for putting me on the right track – I’m now hoping for a PB in London!

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Upsolut’s Robert Püstow showed off the course for the 2013 ITU Grand Final with pride

TriRadar were recently invited Upsolut Sport UK for an insider’s look at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final London. Based just opposite the site of the grand stand at the Serpentine Lido, we were joined by local athletes, competition winners, RG Active coaches and none other than triathlon legend Chrissie Wellington.

The day began with a presentation from Robert Püstow, Upsolut Sport UK’s Managing Director, on what is sure to be one of the stand-out grand finals in the history of the ITU.

Püstow enthusiastically relayed the company’s ambitions for the five-day event, which with 8,500 competitors from 50 nations, are enormous.

Following the incredible turn out for the Olympic triathlons in Hyde Park last year, spectators are expected to number 200,000, with prime locations around the course sure to fill up well in advance of the elite races on 14 and 15 September. “All areas around the course are free to view including the Grandstand, which is only ticketed for the men’s elite final,” said Püstow, with tickets going online at the start of July. The event will also feature an athletes’ village area, which will spread further through Hyde Park than at the Olympic triathlon.

Püstow also took us through the courses for the age-group and elite races, which will take athletes past some of the most famous landmarks in London. The Standard-distance course is particularly spectacular, heading all the way from Hyde Park out to the Tower of London and back, with competitors getting up close to Wellington Arch, Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament as well as cruising along Victoria Embankment, directly opposite the London Eye. “I think we’ve got everything in there apart from St Pauls Cathederal!” joked Püstow.

Chrissie Wellington was inspirational as ever in her talk about freeing oneself from limits

Following this introduction to the event, Püstow handed proceedings over to four-time Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington.

Wellington said of the event: “It’s an absolute pleasure and privilege to be here. This is where – at the world champs – it really all started for me in Lausanne in 2006, so to be part of something this big and this life-changing is an honour.”

Wellington then passed on some of the most valuable lessons she learnt during her illustrious multi-sport career.

“I just want to express some of the lessons I’ve learnt,” she said. “The first one is not to let fear – fear of chance, the unknown, the unexpected, failure – don’t let those fears stop you. If I’d let my fears stop me, I would have never started triathlon, never would’ve done my first marathon, never would have gone to Nepal and I certainly wouldn’t have become a professional athlete or done my first Ironman. Sometimes we don’t know the outcome, you just have to be prepared to try and be unwilling to look back and think ‘what if’.

The swimmers donned Blueseventy suits before getting into the Serpentine Lido

“The second one is that mistakes are essential. You won’t have perfect preparation and you won’t have a perfect race. I’ve made mistakes: I’ve been injured; I’ve sunk in the swim; I had GI issues in about six Ironmans I’ve done. I’ve made mistakes and nothing’s gone perfectly. Sometimes you think the world has come to an end when you’ve had a bad race. You look back and those are the races and the occasions that make you stronger.

“I remember reading something J. K. Rowling said, which was something like, ‘Rock bottom is the foundation from which I rebuilt my life.’ I always remember that. Sometimes the mistakes and problems and disasters make us really, really strong because they’re the times you recall when adversity strikes during a race.

“I truly believe that the perfect race is the one where you overcome imperfections perfectly. My perfect race was in Kona in 2011. Not because it was the fastest time I’d ever done and not because I felt the best I’d ever felt – I went into that race absolutely annihilated because I’d had a bike crash a few weeks before. I didn’t even think I could start the race, but it was perfect in that I overcame all the imperfections perfectly. It was the race that I’d always dreamt of, the race where I fought tooth and nail within myself and fought tooth and nail with my competitors. It’s the race I’m so incredibly proud of.

“You go into a race and not everything will go according to plan. But if you overcome those problems the best possible way that you can, then that’s your measure of success – knowing that on that day and in training, you’ve been the best athlete and the best person you can be and you can’t ask for any more. You have to liberate yourself from being wedded to that time on the clock as your sole measure of success.

“Every step of the way, I’ve placed limits on what I thought I could achieve. I’m so guilty of that. I couldn’t run 20 minutes let alone a marathon, I could never win the age-group world championships, I’d never do an Ironman, I’d never win Kona and I’d certainly never win Kona in 2011. Every single step of the way I’ve defied what I thought was possible and defied those preconceived limits I’ve put on myself and that’s so empowering. You have to try not to place those limits on yourself because you’re capable of so much more than you think you are. I’m learning that and that’s the biggest lesson I’ve taken from my life and triathlon journey. It’s empowered me no end.”

Wellington then highlighted what she considers to be the best things about triathlon.

We swam directly opposite this September’s swim start and grandstand area

“Triathlon is absolutely unique in that the support networks that we have as triathletes are phenomenal. In this small island that we all live on there are 600 triathlon clubs. America doesn’t have that number of triathlon clubs – it’s phenomenal – so use it! Get involved, make friends, be part of your club, volunteer. We’ve got an amazing support network and that should all help us improve and grow, whether you’re a novice or an aspiring elite. I think part of the reason why Britain is so successful is because we do have that grassroots support network in place.

“[The London Grand Final] is an absolute once in a lifetime opportunity. Just being able to swim, bike and run around some of the most iconic buildings in London is the most phenomenal opportunity and if you can’t race, volunteer or come down to spectate!

“It doesn’t get better than triathlon. Sometimes people say to me, ‘I’ve only done a sprint,’ and I say, ‘Don’t précis that with only.’ A sprint is as much of a challenge to people as an Ironman. A sprint is actually more of a challenge to me because you’re racing in a very different manner. Embrace the challenge but don’t set those limits on yourself.

“Lastly, I think the best thing about triathlon is that it forces you to grow – not only in body but also in mind. I think the best triathlete is the one who’s not only physically strong but mentally prepared. I think that that’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve taken away. It’s not always the most physically prepared athlete that will win the day.”

Coaches from RG Active took everyone through the basics of a good transition

Finally, Wellington turned her attention to some practical tips for first-time triathletes.

“Don’t warm up too early. You’ll be in the water and being held for a certain period of time and your body temperature drops. Secondly, pee in your wetsuit! In all seriousness, it’s very warming and will provide a layer of warmth before your body temperature warms up. Do it in the water rather than on land though!

“Silicone earplugs can stop water going in your ears, which stops the perception of it being so cold and double hats or a neoprene hat underneath work too. Goggles go between the first and second hat. If you are planning to do that on race day, I’d strongly advise practising it to work out where your goggles should sit.

“Get your face in the water slowly; the risk is that if it’s cold water, people hold their breath and that can be to the detriment of your swim. You never want to hold your breath when you’re swimming. Get your face in slowly and start blowing bubbles and do a few turns to the side. You might feel a bit stupid, bit it will stop you panicking or hyperventilating and get you used to the water.”

Following Wellington’s talk, we were treated to an open-water swim in the Serpentine Lido, with top coaching from RG Active and wetsuits supplied by Blueseventy, official swim partner of ITU World Triathlon Grand Final London. Here the coaches took the athletes though the fundamentals of open-water swimming, from underwater arm technique to perfecting the kick and sighting.

Following this, there was a transition masterclass (see below), highlighting good order and technique to get you out onto the bike and then onto the run in the fastest possible time. The day’s activities then wound down, leaving us full of excitement for the Grand Final. Competitors who are lucky enough to get the chance to race this September are certainly in for a memorable event. Many thanks to all at Upsolut Sports, Chrissie Wellington, Blueseventy and RG Active.

Transition Gallery

Tom’s still got a few bits to do before race day

As winter finally receded in Britain, it came as a sudden shock that Ironman 70.3 UK was just around the corner. The calendar pages had been flipping over stealthily as the cold weather drew on until with undue haste, it’s appeared out of nowhere.

With three months to go there was plenty of time to work out the training kinks, get some serious bike miles in and allow the toenail stolen from me by the Taunton Half Marathon to grow anew.

Two months would surely give me ample opportunity to up the intensity, volume and make myself hurt in preparation for the world’s toughest 70.3.

A month still gave me precious time to double up my sessions and tackle some big hills before Wimbleball’s savage climbs and if I continued to work hard, I’d be on my way to a new PB. Definitely. Maybe. Hopefully.

It’s now just four days until I return to Wimbleball Lake and as the sessions have flown by, the hunger for improvement has been replaced with a nauseous, excited energy that I know will only grow until the air horn releases it – and 1,000 other athletes – at the swim start.

Almost immediately after the end of last year’s race, the pain had been ousted by the jubilation of completing the event and while I usually don’t want to look at a bike or pair of trainers again for a good while post-finish, I found myself deciding to take another crack at it, go a little faster and break six hours.

As I pondered this at the time, I assumed that come 2013 I’d be pitching my tent in Exmoor a more confident athlete than my first appearance there. I would have increased my endurance base, upped my power and be ready to pulverise my existing time. The opposite seems to be true however; I am, if anything, more nervous and cautious of the race than last year.

I’ve probably done more training going into it, but I don’t feel stronger. I’ve definitely put more muscle on, but all I can think is that I’m carrying an extra kilo up those horrible hills. My run times are consistent but I’ve not run as much this year thanks to the toenail fiasco and a last minute quad strain. I’ve raced more too, having been lucky enough to compete in Abu Dhabi as well as Bradford on Avon, but not even this seems to have calmed me.

Then there are the little things that get inside your head: differences in kit selection; refining nutrition strategies; and working out when is the most efficient time to pee during the race in a bid to knock those illusive three minutes off.

The other thing that’s occupying me is trying to replicate the same aspects of the race that went well for me last time. For some reason, it seems that success this year doesn’t just hang on my performance, but all the seemingly inconsequential details that I’ve convinced myself are crucial to having a good race, such as camping for two nights before the event; visualising each discipline in advance; and eating a 50g bowl of Ricicles at precisely 5:08am on race morning, things like that.

I’m sure all of this is a familiar story to those repeat offenders who go back to events year after year to go one better – or just because they love the courses – but for me, it’s like the sequel to a great movie; get it right and both stand stronger, get it wrong and you can’t watch the first one in the same way again.

While the swim in Wimbleball Lake is admittedly spectacular, I can’t truthfully say that I fell in love with the 70.3 UK bike course despite its beauty. In fact I distinctly remember growling insults at some of the hills, especially on the second lap, where for whatever dubious reason, the organisers had seen fit to make all the climbs higher and gradients steeper – at least that’s how my legs told it. The run, which is thankfully now just a blur of sweat, coke and sun, was also ridiculously difficult, but then if it were easy, everyone would be at it I suppose.

The upshot of all this introspection is that a year on from crossing the finish line elated and exhausted, I feel less confident about the event than going into it as a first-timer. But maybe that’s a good thing; I’m not taking the race for granted, not taking any chances and not thinking about what’s coming later in the year. Whether I set a new PB or not, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got – and for me, that’s what triathlon is all about.

]]> http://www.triradar.com/blog/toms-triathlon-blog-ironman-70-3-uk-again/feed/ 0 http://www.triradar.com/blog/team-triathlon-plus-take-on-the-blenheim-triathlon/ http://www.triradar.com/blog/team-triathlon-plus-take-on-the-blenheim-triathlon/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:36:57 +0000 Triathlon Plus http://www.triradar.com/?p=9975 The male half of Team Triathlon Plus hone their tri skills ready for London.

New team member Ben, just couldn’t wait to get started

Set in the grounds of one of Britain’s most picturesque stately homes – a World Heritage Site – the course is spectacular and attracts all sorts of triathletes from first-timers through to GB athletes. In terms of grandeur the race just can’t be beaten – it’s not everyday that you have transition in a palace courtyard – and is definitely one of those events you should tick off your list before you pop your race clogs.

Here’s what the team had to say about the day:

Ben on his race experience:

“Its fair to say that when Blenheim and its grounds were designed in the 1700’s that the architects and landscapers were not specifically trying to cater for 7000 triathletes racing around the grounds – but as it happened they pretty much nailed it.

It was obvious that tons of thought had gone into the organisation of this event. From the car parking, through to registration, there were people to help and guide the competitors – helping to dispel pre-race nerves.

Transition, which was at the front of the Palace, was really impressive if you had time to take it all in. It is also a natural bottleneck so this was managed well by having waves starting regularly throughout the 2 days of the event. Transition entry and exit were clearly marked and I never once felt unsure about where to go.”

From the sidelines:

Jek: “From a spectator point of view, the event had everything – clean toilets, a wide selection of food, and a well-designed course with multiple laps, making it easy to cheer on friends and loved ones whizzing by. The icing on the cake was the glorious sunshine all weekend – a real novelty in the UK!”

Aimee: “This was my first experience of Blenheim and was there as a spectator (saving myself for the big one, London Tri…!). The event is in a spectacular location, with plenty of decent spots to watch friends and family take on the sprint distance. There was a really friendly atmosphere and people from all walks of life taking part – there really is something for everyone.”

Rich on his performance:

“I arrived at Blenheim Palace with plenty of time to spare on Saturday morning as I’d heard it was a big event.  I hadn’t quite been prepared for the scale of it though; it must take a lot of co-ordination to organize.  I spent quite a bit of time racking my bike and sorting out my gears so that I felt fully prepared.  

In the past I’ve found it disorientating when you run into transition for the first time, and even once memorably spent some time searching for my bike only to realise I was in the wrong row.  I familiarised myself with the routes in and out of transition to make sure I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. 

We had a bit of fun with the announcer on the edge of the lake to get us going before the swim and were then allowed to jump in.  I got myself in a good position near the front aiming to try and keep out the way as much as possible since there were 238 in my wave. The hooter went off and I swam as fast as I could for 200m before settling into a rhythm.  I was really pleased to exit in the top 10.  It was a pretty long run to get into transition but my wetsuit came off easily and I managed a quick turn around.  

We had to do three laps on the bike of an undulating course.  It was quite busy as previous waves were still going on – but nothing unmanageable.   I looked the business with my Team Carbon bike and Limar aero helmet – I hope I did them justice.  The bike handled superbly and I felt as though that section went well.

It started to go down hill after that though as I got into transition, got my trainers on and went for it but pretty soon started to get muscular pains in my stomach and just couldn’t turn my legs over quickly.  I kept going but was disappointed with my performance.

Running should be my best discipline but I just can’t seem to maintain my cadence in the same way as I do in training.  This is something I really need to work on and I’m going to incorporate a lot more brick sessions to get my running up to standard over the next couple of weeks.  Overall I had a great day; this event is in a beautiful setting and is truly unique. I received great support from Triathlon Plus and the spectators and the atmosphere was amazing.” 

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Ben is part of our in-house dream team aiming to take on the Virgin Active London Triathlon this July with the support of Team Carbon – official bike supplier, Tenn Outdoors – official kit supplier, Saucony, Polar, Zone 3 and Limar. To find out more about Team Triathlon Plus click here

“If I said I had three children and the oldest was eight, you could work out pretty quickly when my last tri was. I train at least three times a week but these are usually sporadic and unstructured sessions. Team Triathlon Plus has come calling just at the right time and injected a new focus and purpose into my training.

It’s a real shame that John has had to drop out due to injury, however, I am delighted that I’ve been given the opportunity to join the Team.  I can’t wait to get into the full swing of things and I am determined to use this process to improve my tri skills for London and beyond . . .

The team is all different standards but individually we have a common single goal; to get quicker. For me that means tackling my biggest weakness, cycling – I’ve just never felt comfortable and at-one with my bike. The bike fit with Andy Sexton from Bike Science has already gone a long way to fixing that, and my bike posture is much improved. I now need to work on strengthening my glutes and improving my top end speed over the next couple of weeks.

While cycling is the biggest area where I can make gains, I still need to work on my run and swim times.  I’ve run countless miles and races over the years including the London and Paris marathons but never once have I analyzed my gait, or tried to improve it. Luckily, Saucony have come to the rescue and I am booked in for a gait analysis at Run Swindon next week. I’m hoping that with right shoe, I might be able to run even faster and stave off silly niggles.

I’ve been working hard on my swimming recently and have already managed to get a couple of open water swimming sessions under my belt this season. I feel confident in the water but need to work on keeping a sound stroke on sessions longer than 1-2k, especially when its chilly. I think the open water training day that we have planned this month courtesy of Zone3 will really help me with my technique and hopefully might mean that I finish the swim before temperature becomes a problem!

I am really looking forward to training with the team and I’m sure that while we’ll all be a bit nervous on the starting line at The Virgin London Triathlon we’ll be able to say we had a great time getting there and learned some invaluable lessons in the process.

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



John is part of our in-house dream team aiming to take on the Virgin Active London Triathlon this July with the support of Team Carbon – official bike supplier, Tenn Outdoors – official kit supplier, Saucony, Polar, Zone 3 and Limar. To find out more about Team Triathlon Plus click here

Some bad news. My London Triathlon is over, at least for this year. I’m out. It’s a situation I regret and a decision that was hard to come to but one that was the correct call. Since I joined the team in January, and some months before too, I’ve been plagued by a knee injury that refuses to budge. The specialist insisted it was nothing to be overly worried about when I saw her in March, suggesting physio and strengthening exercises to correct what she believed to be a structural problem with my knee cap. But every time I’ve felt like I’ve been making progress, one of my one-legged lunges has resulted in the pain returning. Every time it happens I’m set back weeks. I’ve tried short runs but it’s always the same outcome – pain. So, with the triathlon a matter of weeks away, I’ve stepped aside to allow someone who can do the team and event justice. Apart from the bike, I’ve just never been able to get my training off the ground and I was starting to envisage showing up on the day with zero real training behind me. As someone who has competed in sport their whole life, I know the consequences of that.

So with that, Triathlon, I bid you farewell. It’s time for us to go our separate ways. I’d like to say it’s been emotional, that this is going to be a difficult break-up, but I never really got to know you, certainly not to the extent I imagined we first clapped eyes on each other back in January. Then again, you were hard to get know. A complex enigma.  Maybe we’ll meet again someday and be able to understand each other a little better.

Find out who has replaced John next week . . . .

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Rich is part of our in-house dream team aiming to take on the Virgin Active London Triathlon this July with the support of Team Carbon – official bike supplier, Tenn Outdoors – official kit supplier, Saucony, Polar, Zone 3 and Limar. To find out more about Team Triathlon Plus click here

Rich racing to the finish line (Photo Credit: www.sportysnaps.com)

It was an early start for the Bradford on Avon Triathlon on Sunday, but luckily the sun was out in full force – a rarity in the UK. This was my first standard distance triathlon so I wasn’t sure how to pace myself. I was pretty confident, however, as my training has been going really well and I’m felling strong in all three disciplines. Following my training plan set by team coach Phil Mosley has been a massive help.

My wave set off at 8.30am; the thought of getting in a river at that time was a bit strange, particularly since it was pretty cold. Luckily, I was on holiday in Cornwall two weeks ago and going in the sea toughened me up a bit. The swim was shortened to 1,000m because the temperature was only 12°C.  We set off with the current and I found myself in the lead at the turnaround. It was the first time I’d worn my Zone3 wetsuit in anger and it fitted like a glove, with plenty of buoyancy. Someone went by me as we turned into the current which was perfect as I could then just draft behind them. I regained the lead on the second lap and surprised myself by exiting the swim first.

My first transition went well and I was first out on the bike, so I took on a gel and knuckled down. I wore my Limar Speed Demon aero helmet and felt that it really gave me some extra streamlining. The course gets hillier as you go and I eventually got caught by someone on the steepest hill only a few kilometres out. I managed to regain the lead though and never looked back.

The second transition also went well. The run started OK but I found it hard to keep my form as I’d worked pretty hard on the bike. This is something I need to work on with some longer brick sessions.  I had no one go by me and overtook a few from the previous wave.

I came 21st overall and 17th in my age category, with a time of 2:10. I was really chuffed with my performance, but more importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed the event and met some great people. It was fanatically organized and a brilliant day out.

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



James (left) finished four minutes quicker than he did last year

So, here I am again. A year on from signing up to be part of Team Triathlon Plus, I’m back at the Cotswold Water Park shivering as I prepare to take part in (I still can’t bring myself to write ‘race’!) the Cotswold Super Sprint triathlon for the second time.

The thought of diving in and swimming among a mass of bodies still fills me with dread, but somehow the feeling of familiarity makes it a much less daunting prospect than last time. With the sun shining in the sky – a rarity in the UK – the race gets underway.

As always, I set off too fast on the swim leg and it’s not long before I’m gasping for air. Luckily, I manage to calm myself and get into a rhythm, and I’m feeling in good shape by the time I exit the water.

Transition goes well; a year on, I know what to do and manage to do it pretty quickly. The bike leg – my strongest discipline – is a joy, with great marshaling and traffic-free roads. A quick 34 minutes later and I’m back in transition.

While training for the London Tri last year I did a lot of brick sessions to practise going from bike to run. Foolishly, I neglected this aspect of training this year, so for the first half-mile I had that dreaded jelly-legged feeling. Eventually, I started to regain feeling in my feet and made good progress round the beautiful Cotswold Water Park course. With one lap completed, I upped my pace and finished in much better shape than I did last year, and with a better time to boot!

Although my swim leg was still pretty poor, I was much quicker in transition. This was probably helped by the fact that it was much warmer this year, so fewer clothes were needed! I rode strongly on the bike and my run was on par with last year. Overall, I beat my 2012 time by four minutes to finish in 1hr 3mins. Clearly, practice does make perfect, and while I’m still no threat to the Brownlees, this is only my second year of competing in triathlons and I reckon I’ve plenty more to give.

Thanks to triferris.com for a fantastic event – great organisation and well-planned early morning sun led to a brilliant day out for all. I even took my wife and two children this time, who are as keen to return next year as I am!

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Aimee is part of our in-house dream team aiming to take on the Virgin Active London Triathlon this July with the support of Team Carbon – official bike supplier, Tenn Outdoors – official kit supplier, Saucony, Polar, Zone 3 and Limar. To find out more about Team Triathlon Plus click here

Aimee having her swim stroke analysed by Rick Kiddle during a swim training day courtesy of Zone3.

And so it begins……

Three weeks on from my last blog and quite a lot has changed. It’s now only 12 weeks until the Virgin Active London Triathlon and so I’ve been forced to get my act together training wise. As a result, I’ve been running twice a week, spinning once a week and dragging myself to a crack-of-dawn swim on Friday mornings with Jek, and feel so much better for it.

I’ve also just got my personal training plan from Triathlon Plus coaching editor, Phil Mosely. He’s created it with my hectic work schedule in mind and I can’t wait to see how my fitness improves by sticking to the plan.

Run

Last night I jogged off to my local park to start my run training. I took my snazzy new Polar RCX5 watch with me so that I could monitor my heart rate and follow Phil’s plan precisely. I have to admit that the HR monitor felt a little alien at first, but once strapped on you hardly notice it – lucky since I’m told this little tool is going to be my new best friend over the next couple of months.

The warm up sounded easy – 15 mins @ 145bpm. I didn’t realise how hard that would actually be; I’m used to pegging it around as fast as my little legs will carry me and really struggled to keep my heart rate down. I was hitting highs of 175, before I’d even started the main set.

The main set consisted of 10 x 40s sprints with 20s recovery.  It turns out that 20s rest isn’t quite enough for me at the moment but I really enjoyed running full pelt. I did forget my inhaler though, so maybe my recovery between sets won’t be so bad next time.

The warm down was as tough the warm up and I really struggled to get my heart rate down to the low levels prescribed. Again, I think my inhaler might help me next time.

Swimming

My recent attempts at front crawl in the pool have highlighted a couple of technical problems, namely that I have a very wobbly core and sinking legs.

This became apparent when I borrowed Jek’s pull buoy during a morning session; I found it impossible to swim in a straight line and instead zigzagged my way up the pool. This has, however, given me something tangible to work on and try to improve, so I will be heading off to the shops next week to buy my own ‘peanut float’ as I have called it! I couldn’t help but feel a little daft using it but you can really focus on what your arms are doing. I definitely favour my right arm but it’s interesting to see just how weak my left arm can be, especially when I start to get tired.

I’ve recently made enquiries at my local open water swim centre, Vobster Quay, to see if I can start swimming outdoors. Unfortunately however it’s still a little cold (barely above 10 degrees) and so I’m going to have to leave it a little while longer.

Cycling

My bike arrived this week from the lovely folk over at Team Carbon Bikes and I couldn’t be happier; I’ve been itching to get my hands on it and start practising. We have a team bike fit booked in next week, so once I’m set up on the bike I plan to spend most of my weekends whizzing around the country lanes in Wiltshire. It’s great to have such a lightweight helmet too – those guys over at Limar really know what they are doing. I just need to work on stripping back some of my own weight…every little helps!

I’m feeling positive now about the event and I’m determined to make sure that I’m as fit as possible come race-day. I really can’t wait – and I never thought I’d say that!

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



John is part of our in-house dream team aiming to take on the Virgin Active London Triathlon this July with the support of Team Carbon – official bike supplier, Tenn Outdoors – official kit supplier, Saucony, Polar, Zone 3 and Limar. To find out more about Team Triathlon Plus click here.

John (and the rest of the team) learning the correct swimming technique at a Zone3 training day

I don’t know about you but exercise to me is like a drug, an addiction. And like any drug, the more I do it, the more I crave it. Looking back now on last summer when I was training for the Haute Route sportive, it came close to consuming me. It was all I thought about, 24/7. Riding my bike harder and harder each day, and making slow, steady improvements, overrode everything else.

In the days after the event, I remember fretting about taking so much as a day off, such was the rush it gave me and my concern about even the slightest drop-off in fitness. The same is true in reverse, though; go without something for long enough and you’ll forget the effect it had on you. It’s the point I find myself at now.

Long-term injury (a knee problem picked up in November) has meant my off-season is still going on into May, and work commitments have meant I’ve spent much of the last month either on planes, in airports, hotels or press rooms (I write this from Istanbul airport, waiting for a connection to Baku, Azerbaijan, having just returned from Marrakech). Finding time for anything close to a regular training routine is hard.

This lack of routine has killed the one thing I always relied on in training: momentum. For me, a good training session is only good if it’s backed up soon after and recently, while the quality of what sessions I’ve done have been really good they have been too sporadic.

I need to see and feel changes in my fitness levels to motivate me and move me forward but I feel like I’m right back to square one each time I ride, run or swim. Initially it was a cause of frustration, which then turned to concern. With the London Triathlon just three months away, it’s now panic.

Momentum isn’t just limited to my training – it’s everything that can have an impact on it. It means the food I’m putting into my mouth, the frequency I get sick, the injury niggles. When I’m at home, my diet is far more balanced than it is on the road. I eat more fruit, cook more meals and drink less beer.

The routine of eating well is a momentum builder, so I’m less likely to eat fatty, stodgy foods. This goes out the window when I’m working away. I mean, what’s one more pizza when I’ve already had three this week? And things I’d never dream of buying at home – the family-size bag of mint M&M’s in an airport that get gobbled down in a flash. Avoiding illness is much harder, too, and I rarely get home in a better state than when I left.

What I need to realise, and fast, is that the routine I enjoyed last summer just isn’t going to be there this year. I need to work around it, just like the millions of others who fit their training round busy home and work lives, otherwise I’m simply not going to be ready.

I’m going to have to improvise more and see the free time I get as an opportunity rather than pass it up with lame excuses. And for once I’m going to take my own advice, starting tonight. There’s a gym in the hotel I’m in tonight and I’ve packed my running shoes. Before breakfast (where I’ll take the fruit salad and muesli option rather than the croissants and pastries, of course), I’ll go for a spin on the static bike and start, once again, to build up some steady momentum. I need to remember just how much of a positive impact training has. It’s time to fall off the wagon again.

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.