YOUR TRIATHLON QUESTIONS ANSWERED
FEEL FOR THE WATER
Q I keep hearing about ‘feel’ when swimming. What does this mean and how can I do it better?! Karl Orson
A The more effectively you can feel the water, the faster you can swim. The hands are extremely skilled in perceiving sensory information and at producing very nuanced movements. However, there are two issues that triathletes will run into that prevent them from taking advantage of the genius of their hands.
Firstly, the hands simply aren’t as keyed in to the information the water presents as they could be. The water is a foreign environment and most humans aren’t naturally attuned to what the water is conveying. Secondly, learning comes from novel experiences. When you’re consistently using the same arm actions with little variation, there’s not much reason to change.
The solution is a simple one: change the position of your hands as they move through the water. Doing so addresses both of the issues above. It provides a novel experience for your swimming and, more importantly, it helps you pay attention to what the water is doing.
When you change the position of your hands, it breaks up the water flow around your hand. When you open the hand back up, you can really feel the flow return. As an added bonus, removing the hands requires you to use the forearm to move water backward. If you don’t, you won’t go anywhere. When you can learn to use the hand and the forearm, you’re able to move more water with each stroke.
All of these different hand positions are effective for positively impacting your feel for the water:
1. Swim with a closed fist (or hold a tennis ball)
2. Swim with pointer finger extended only
3. Swim with middle finger extended only
4. Swim with index finger extended only
5. Swim with pinky finger extended only 6. Swim with pointer and pinky finger extended only
Swim for 5-10mins, using one, two, or all of the different hand positions. The key is to spend an extended period of time without the hands open. This gives you time to figure out how to use the forearm, and for the hands to become sensitised to the flow of the water. You can perform regular freestyle or your favourite drills.
Then, open up your hands – you’re going to feel like you’re swimming with dinner plates for hands! Just as importantly, you’ll have more awareness of what you’re feeling as you move your arms through the water. When done over time, you’ll find your ability to feel the water with each stroke improves dramatically. Andrew Shea
TRAINING VOLUME
Q Does volume need to be the central factor in my training? Richard Slattery
A This question can be answered by looking at what training you’ve done previously. In simple terms, if you have a significant amount of low-intensity endurance work behind you, the capacity for more endurance work to improve your performance will be less than for someone who has a history of less or no endurance work.
If you already have a diesel engine, doing more of this same type of training may yield far less benefit to you than a focus on other aspects of training you’ve spent less time on, such as technique, speed or strength.
I’ve seen many athletes get faster having reduced training volume but focus far more on these previously neglected aspects of their training.
The second question here might be: Do you need volume for your event? Whether you have a training history containing lots of endurance work or not, you need to consider how much might be needed for your target event.
A few years ago, I coached an athlete who’d spent most of the last decade training aerobically around 25-30hrs/ week across swim, bike and run. They came to me looking to improve over sprintdistance drafting events, and while clearly they were able to complete the time demands of about one hour, and also had the ability to sit at threshold for that time, they simply didn’t have the speed to race at the level they were aiming for.
In this example, not only did they not need volume from a physiological perspective, but their event did not demand it. Do more volume than needed and it might be unhelpful to your mission to improve.
Had the same athlete come to me asking for help for an Ironman event then the answer would’ve been different – despite their history, the event would still have dictated the work to be done. Joel Enoch
YOUR QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS
Q What’s the difference between anaerobic and aerobic?
A Anaerobic is when your body produces energy without utilising oxygen, stimulated by exercise that’s at high intensity. Aerobic is the use of oxygen in the body’s energygenerating process. Aerobic exercise involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body. Exercise intensity is usually moderate.
Q How do you calculate fuel intake during a triathlon?
A In general, you have enough stored carbohydrates in the form of glycogen for up to 90mins of exercise, albeit this can vary by individual and intensity. But when taking on energy products, the classic wisdom is around 60g of carbs per hour in an easily digested form like gels and blocks.
This will meet the needs of most when it comes to fuelling your sprint-and Olympic-distance races. For events of over four hours, you’ll need to train your body to take on fuel even when under strain, this is why it’s essential to practise your race-fuelling strategy in training.
Also, ensure adequate fluid intake (around 100ml for every 8g of carbs) and sodium (around 50mg per 100ml) are taken with carbs as they help to ‘co-transport’ through the gut lining. Be sure to reduce fat and fibre intake for race time to accelerate gastric emptying, and make sure you find what nutritional products work for you before practising with these at increasing intensities in the eight weeks before your event. For more on this check out our Tapering Masterclass, from p68.
Q Can I use my carbon frame in a turbo without damaging it?
A You can, of course, damage any frame in a turbo in an accident, but under normal circumstances using your carbon frame in a turbo should be fine. Check the warranty, though, as some companies won’t replace a frame in the unlikely event of it being damaged on the turbo.
Q Can you get any outside assistance in a race?
A Afraid it’s a big no no and will result in disqualification. Check out British Triathlon’s rule book (britishtriathlon.org/competitionrules) to see what else will result in a DSQ.
Q What does it mean to ‘hit the wall’?
A Also known as ‘bonking’, this describes a rapid drop in energy caused by the depletion of glycogen in the muscles and liver. It can be accompanied by nausea, dizziness and even hallucinations. In short, it’s not pretty and is why practising your fuelling strategy in training is a must!
Q Do all bike shoes work with all cleats?
A Sadly not. Some pedals, like Shimano SPDs and Look, require shoes with three bolt holes in the bottom, while Speedplay require four bolt holes. MTB shoes and cleats are different, too. Make sure you get the correct shoe/cleat combo to avoid disappointment.
Q How can I repair nicks in my westuit?
A Try some neoprene glue, such as Gear Aid’s Aquaseal Neo Contact Cement. Readily available online.
EFFICIENT RUNNING
Q How can I improve my efficiency in an Ironman run? Rachel Shaer
A There are lots of things we could change about the average triathlete’s running technique, but most would have very little impact on economy. And there’s only one big rock here – foot placement at impact with the pavement.
Watch efficient runners and you’ll see that they all do the same thing with their feet: they return them to the ground with a flat placement. Some place their feet with what might be called a ‘midfoot’ strike. Others land only slightly on the heel before immediately putting the entire foot down. A few even land on the ball of the foot before the heel touches down.
What do most age-group runners do? They land on the heel with their toes pointed toward the sky at a 30° angle. This is what you’d do if you were hitting the brakes. It means spending extra time in that spot. You can’t run fast this way because too much time is wasted doing a rocking chair movement from such an extreme heel-strike position to toe-off.
The best way to improve this is to undertake a bit of barefoot running on grass. Another option is to use a pair of the lightest, least-supportive shoes you can find. Reducing the amount of shoe on your foot will quickly teach you how proper running is done. Bear in mind that some people are more easily injured when minimalist running than others. The key is to start with what you know you can handle, even if it’s a few minutes weekly. Joe Friel
CYCLING IN WIND
Q Can you give some tips on how to cycling in windy conditions please? If I see it’s breezy I stay indoors! John Inglewood
A It’s no coincidence that the flatlands of Europe have produced some of the strongest cyclists ever. There are no hills, but there’s an awful lot of wind!
Knowing how to deal with the wind is essential to not only improve your bike PB, but also to start the run with enough energy and to finish feeling strong. The following pointers will see you riding smoothly through the windiest courses, setting you up for the final race to the line…
With a strong head or tail wind, disc and deep-profile wheels can make a real difference but can also be a real handful in a sidewind. Try to get some pre-race information on what wind is expected and consider taking a couple of wheelsets.
Make sure all cables are neatly installed and keep your cockpit similarly clutter-free. Too many age-groupers go mad for oversized bento boxes; just look how clean a pro’s front end is. Store spare bottles, tubes and food behind your seat and out of the airstream.
Get your position sorted. It’s always a balancing act between aero gains and power loss, so it’s worth getting some professional input. When riding into the wind, smooth is the order of the day.
You’d shift down to climb a hill, so shift down into the wind. Not fighting a big gear will help keep your upper body still, meaning you’re not having to punch as big a hole in the air.
Try to keep your knees working slightly over your top tube. Be warned: ‘bandy-legged’ pedalling is an aero disgrace!
In a race situation, when speed is everything, sacrificing that bit of comfort for skin-tight aero slipperiness is well worth it. Ditch the billowing windproof. Instead, don a pair of arm warmers to take the edge off any chill.
If it’s a hot day, resist the temptation to unzip your jersey. Wind-tunnel research has put the time loss of having an unzipped jersey at almost a minute over 40km.
Prioritise wind-proofing your extremities and you’ll go a long way to keeping the rest of you warm. Windproof gloves, an under-helmet skull cap and overshoes are all essentials on cold, blustery days.
There are some excellent jerseys available with windproof fronts and fully breathable backs, as well as tights with windproof panels on the knees. Finally, whether racing or training, a quality pair of wrap-round glasses are a must-have to prevent streaming eyes. Nik Cook
Need advice or help with any aspect of your multi-sport training and/or racing? Simply send an email to coaching@220triathlon.com for a chance to be featured.
THIS MONTH’S COACHING PANEL
ANDREW SHEAFF – Feel for the water
Andrew is a swim coach at the University of Virginia, the reigning NCAA champions.
JOEL ENOCH – Training volume
Joel is an award winning triathlon coach and GB age group triathlete at world and European championship level.
JOE FRIEL – Efficient running
Joe is a coach, co-founder of TrainingPeaks.com and author of the global best-seller Training Bible series of books.
NIK COOK – Cycling in wind
Nik is a writer, author, coach and athlete based in the Peak District. He specialises in health, fitness, endurance and adventure sports.