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- The Women's Guide to Triathlon
The Women’s Guide to Triathlon is the definitive companion for female triathletes. Authored by the national governing body of the sport, USA Triathlon, this landmark resource features expert instruction and personal insights from 20 of the world’s top female coaches and athletes:
Rachel Sears Casanta
Sarah Haskins
Stacy T. Sims
Siri Lindley
Sage Rountree
Sara McLarty
Lindsay Hyman
Margie Shapiro
Melissa Mantak
Tara S. Comer
Melissa Stockwell
Krista Austin
Gale Bernhardt
Wendy Francke
Rebeccah Wassner
Laurel Wassner
Shelly O’Brien
Melanie McQuaid
Celeste Callahan
Brenda Barrera
With the latest research, proven techniques, and expert advice, this authoritative guide addresses the unique demands of today’s female triathletes. You’ll find the most effective strategies for training and competing through all of life’s stages; avoiding and overcoming common injuries; and balancing the constant demands of the sport, family, and work.
For women, by women, The Women’s Guide to Triathlon is the one guide that every female triathlete should own.
Chapter 1 Gearing Up
Rachel Sears Casanta
Chapter 2 Tri-Specific Strength Training and Performance Testing
Sarah Haskins
Chapter 3 Fueling the Female Triathlete
Stacy T. Sims, PhD
Chapter 4 Mental Training for the Inner Athlete
Siri Lindley
Chapter 5 Alternative Exercises for Triathletes
Sage Rountree, PhD
Chapter 6 Streamlining Your Swim
Sara McLarty
Chapter 7 Biking Strong
Lindsay Hyman
Chapter 8 Running Smart
Margie Shapiro
Chapter 9 Progressing From Sprint to Half Ironman
Melissa Mantak, MA
Chapter 10 The Traveling Triathlete
Tara S. Comer
Chapter 11 Race Day Strategy
Melissa Stockwell
Chapter 12 Injury Prevention and Recovery
Krista Austin, PhD, CSCS
Chapter 13 Coaching Options for Triathletes
Gale Bernhardt
Chapter 14 Training Through Different Life Stages
Wendy Francke, MD
Chapter 15 Integrating Triathlon Into Your Busy Life
Rebeccah Wassner and Laurel Wassner
Chapter 16 Starting Children in Triathlon
Shelly O’Brien
Chapter 17 Succeeding in Off-Road Triathlons
Melanie McQuaid
Chapter 18 Careers in Triathlon
Celeste Callahan and Brenda Barrera
USA Triathlon is the national governing body of triathlon and other multisport disciplines in the United States. The organization is the sanctioning authority for more than 4,300 diverse events ranging from grassroots to national championship races across the country. The organization works to create interest and participation through a variety of programs, including camps, clinics, races, and educational opportunities. USA Triathlon’s nearly 500,000 members are athletes of all ages, coaches, race directors, officials, parents, and multisport enthusiasts, all of whom contribute to the success of the sport in the United States.
USA Triathlon is responsible for the identification, selection, and training of elite triathletes who represent the United States in international competition, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
USA Triathlon also fosters grassroots expansion of the sport, which is facilitated by the sanctioning of age-group events and triathlon clubs around the country. In addition to local races in all 50 states, USA Triathlon hosts national and regional championships for triathletes ages 7 to 80-plus.
USA Triathlon strives to expand and inspire the triathlon community while providing the resources required for all involved to reach their potential.
Tara S. Comer is the chair of the USAT Women's Committee, which leads national efforts to support and create opportunities for women in triathlon while increasing their influence in the sport across the country.
A triathlete for more than 15 years, Comer became a USAT-certified coach in 2008. She cofounded the Triathlon Club of New England in 2010, serving as its president and coach for three years. Since its creation, the club has grown to more than 200 members. Comer is also a 500-hour certified yoga instructor and combines her practice with her coaching to create innovative training programs that use the mind–body connection to improve performance, mental strength, and achievement in triathlon.
In addition to being a leader in the multisport community, Tara is the creator of WomenRYSE, an innovative program that helps women take ownership of their health and fitness for life. Through this program, Tara has begun to create powerful social change and build a sustainable, supportive women’s health community.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
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Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
Save
Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
Save
Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
Save
Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
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Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
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Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
Save
Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
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Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
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Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
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Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
Save
Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
Save
Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
Bike Basics
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating.
The bike is the most gear-intensive discipline in triathlon. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned veteran, choosing a bike and the seemingly endless associated gear can be intimidating. Take heart - as with other equipment, you can start with the basics. Match your experience and skill level to your purchases knowing that virtually every part of your bike can be upgraded when the time is right for you.
To determine the best bike for you, establish a bike-buying budget. Quality entry-level road and triathlon bikes can be purchased for between $1,200 and $1,500. When establishing your budget, remember to figure in costs for accessories. Basic equipment includes a helmet, pedals, air inflation device, spare tubes, patch kit, seat bag, water bottles, footwear, and clothing.
Your budget will narrow your bike search. You won't generally have to worry about which frame material is best to buy or whether the bike has specific components; the price range you choose will include or exclude many of those choices for you. As a rule, manufacturers have bikes along the cost spectrum to match an athlete's experience and skill level. As bikes get more expensive, they are geared toward an increasingly more experienced athlete. Regardless of whether you aim to purchase an entry-level or high-end bike, each part of a bike is upgradable. However, just because a part costs more does not mean it is the best choice for you. With the help of your bike shop pro, you can add, swap out, and upgrade components as your skill level progresses.
Road Bike or Triathlon Bike
Before we look at specific bike parts and what you should know, let's address the question of which bike to use - a road bike (figure 1.6) or a triathlon bike (figure 1.7). If you will only own one bicycle, the most versatile option is to purchase a road bike, especially if you use the bike outside of triathlon or live in a hilly area. Later you can add aerobars or racing wheels and potentially upgrade components.
a Road Bike.
The L1R is a UCI-approved frameset composed of 60T carbon fiber formed with Reactive Pressure Molding for optimal stiffness, light weight, and all-around performance. It was created with the philosophy of Shape-Specific Design in which every tube is crafted with attention to shape, weight, functionality, and stiffness.
b Road Bike.
"My Litespeed is like a rocket that can maneuver through a maze. I am comfortable, confident, and excited to go fast. Every ride is a blast on my Litespeed." - Chelsea Burns, USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program
USA Triathlon
In general, a road bike is the most versatile bike choice. Designed to be used across varied terrains, the neutral geometry and availability in many sizes make a road bike an excellent first choice for the multisport athlete.
The triathlon-specific bicycle (figure 1.7) is best used as a tri bike for riding in the aerobars on flat to moderate climbs. Everything about the modern tri bike is designed to be aero and fast and provides the optimal choice for racing. It can pose challenges for training if you live in a region with hilly or mountainous terrain. Table 1.2 compares the characteristics of road bikes and tri bikes.
a Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
The PRsix is a superbike with everything you need and nothing you don't. Aero, agile, simple, light. This bike is fully adjustable to fit your needs and requires only 2 wrenches to assemble, making it easy to transport to any race.
b Quintana Roo PRsix Triathlon Bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
"The PRsix is fast, sleek, and practical. It's faster, more responsive, and more comfortable than any bike I've ever ridden, meaning that I always know I'm getting the most out of whatever engine I can provide!" - Pro Triathlete Jennie Hansen
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group
Women-Specific Bikes and Bike Fit
As the participation of women in triathlon and cycling has grown in recent years, manufacturers have responded by offering more bikes designated as women specific (figure 1.8). For some of these brands, women-specific models are bikes painted in feminine color schemes and modified with shorter cranks, narrower handlebars, and a woman-specific saddle. Other bike companies have chosen to make women-specific geometries with corresponding women-specific components. These bikes are generally marketed to women who are under 5 feet 5 inches in height. Even with a women-specific bike, there is no guarantee that the cranks, handlebars, and saddle are right for you. Almost any bike can be customized with different length, width, height, and weight components to fit your needs. Here's how it works.
a Women-specific bike.
The CD0.1 Camo uses QR's exclusive 18-millimeter offset downtube shift that diverts concentrated airflow away from the drive side to produce a measurable bike-course advantage for every athlete at every level.
b Women-specific bike.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
"The CD0.1 Camo is not only pretty, but the stability that SHIFT technology provides creates an easy transition from bike to run." - Pro Triathlete, Cait Snow.
Courtesy of American Bicycle Group.
Stack and Reach
Bikes are traditionally sized in one of two ways. The first is a measurement using seat tube length, and the second is by top tube length. The issue with both of these measurements is that manufacturers independently decide how the two lengths are measured. As a result, the parity of measurement between bike brands is inconsistent at best. To achieve parity, a method of standardizing sizing, called stack and reach (figure 1.9), was developed by industry veteran Dan Empfield. Today most bike professionals use stack and reach to compare bike sizes and determine fit.
Stack and reach.
Adapted, by permission, from D. Empfield, 2003, Stack and reach primer: Chapter one. [Online.] Available: www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/Stack_Reach_Primer_Chapter_One_95.html [January 13, 2015].
Reach is the horizontal length from the center of the crank spindle to the center-top of the head tube. Stack is vertical height between these two points. Stack and reach numbers can be measured and compared across any bike brand and model. This means that you are free to choose from any bike brand, regardless of female - male designation. With the help of a professional bike fitter you'll be able to customize your bike, setting it up with an appropriate saddle, handlebars, and other parts to best fit you and your riding needs. While a women-specific bike might feature a color scheme that you like, unless you are particularly petite you do not have to purchase a women-specific bike. Compare bikes of similar prices, test ride, and go with the bike you like best, regardless of female - male designation.
Save
Yoga and Pilates Exercises
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice.
If you have the time, take regular classes with an experienced instructor. Having a teacher observe your form and offer individual feedback, either verbally or with a hands-on assist, helps you develop healthy habits and stay safe in your practice. When you execute the majority of your other workouts solo, it's also nice to practice in a group setting for camaraderie.
While having a regular yoga or Pilates routine can do wonders for your training and well-being, an overenthusiastic practice - too hard, too hot, or too frequent - can adversely affect your performance. Be sure that the highest intensity and volume of your exercise is in inverse proportion to the intensity and volume of your training. The off-season is the time to first investigate these practices. As you grow closer and closer to your peak competition, the physical intensity of your practice should become increasingly more mellow. This is the time for gentle and restorative practices and for a focus on meditation and breath awareness.
The following poses and exercises are derived from yoga and Pilates. You can execute them at home to balance strength and flexibility in the core and hips for better, injury-free performance in triathlon. For more on yoga philosophy and physiology and for ways to fit yoga into your training plan, please see my books, including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga (2008),The Athlete's Guide to Recovery (2011), and The Runner's Guide to Yoga (2012).
Include this routine three times a week in your base period, twice weekly in your build period, and once weekly in your peak period. Follow the poses in the order listed here, and complete enough repetitions or hold for enough breaths that you feel the effects, but don't overdo it. Practiced mindfully, these exercises will have powerful benefits for your swim, bike, and run, as well as your general well-being.
Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge is a critical exercise both for strength and for flexibility through the hips. It approximates the movement your legs make as you swim, bike, and run. The more balanced and fluid you are in a lunge, the more efficient your movement will be and the more you'll be able to ward off injury.
For the crescent lunge, start by standing tall. Step your right foot back a few feet, and check that it is not directly behind the left foot but still at hip width, a few inches to the right. Keep your left knee directly over the top of the left ankle, but let it bend as much as feels good (figure 5.1). You'll feel a release in the front of the right hip, especially if you push back through the right heel and lift the right thigh toward the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your hips, come to prayer position, or lift overhead, together, parallel, or in a Y position, as your chest stretches. Hold for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Crescent lunge.
Warrior III
Warrior III asks you to hold the lines of plank pose while standing on one leg. Thus it builds core strength in addition to stability in the hip and lower leg.
Stand tall, then shift your weight into the left foot and lift your right leg behind you as you lean your pelvis and torso forward (figure 5.2). Aim to hold a long line from your foot through your hips and shoulders. Hands can be on the hips, in prayer, or extended off or in front of the shoulders for more challenge. Hold for 10 breaths on each side, and if that's easy, repeat two or three times.
Warrior III.
For a quick dynamic warm-up or strength-building two-pose flow, move back and forth between crescent lunge and warrior III. Try to make the transitions refined, deliberate, and smooth. Taking 10 breaths or more while flowing between the two poses will get your hip muscles firing, wake up your lower legs, and build your focus and balance before your workout.
Front Plank With Leg Lift
Holding strong up the central line of the body is critical for efficiency in the swim, bike, and run; plank is the ideal exercise to build strength up the center. Hold your pelvis neutral and your spine long. Letting the hips sag or lifting the bottom too high will add strain to your back, so find a neutral alignment. Plank (figure 5.3a) can be done on the hands or on the forearms, palms together or parallel. Either keep your knees to the floor several inches behind your hips, or lift to the balls of the feet with the heels pressing back. Hold for three to five rounds of 5 to 20 breaths each.
Plank variations: (a) basic front plank; (b) front plank with leg lift; (c) front plank with arm lift; (d) front plank with opposite arm and leg lift.
For more work, try slowly lifting and lowering one leg (figure 5.3b), then the other. This mimics the movement of kicking, pedaling, and running, all of which require that you hold the core steady while the legs alternate movement. To find further challenge, try lifting one arm (figure 5.3c), then the other, which builds strength for the swim stroke and helps you hold a steady line on the bike while you reach for your water bottle. For even more challenge, lift opposing legs and feet simultaneously while holding the central channel of the body long (figure 5.3d). This can be done from any version of plank, whether on the knees, feet, hands, or forearms.
Save
Travel Planning
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It's a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home. The triathlon experience can be greatly enhanced by geography, as there's a little magic in finishing a race on a beach in San Diego, diving into Hawaiian surf, or biking through the Rockies. You can become a citizen of the world through triathlon, but first, you're going to need to learn how to pack!
Traveling to races requires planning and organization skills far in excess of those already needed to shoehorn hours of training into a typically packed schedule. Because you're taking your show (and your bike and wetsuit and shoes and gels) on the road, you're multiplying the possibility for things to go wrong, get lost, and break down by a huge factor, and, however briefly, ceding control over your race prep to an airline, hotel, or interstate highway system. It can be a challenge dealing with the unexpected, but the determination and attention to detail most triathletes exhibit will be a tremendous help during this process. Chances are you'll arrive on time, well rested and prepared to have your best race, but let's not leave it to chance.
USA Triathlon offers travel-related discounts including hotel, car rental, airfare, and bike transport to annual members. Log in to your account or visit www.usatriathlon.org/travel to learn more.
Planning
Choose your race. Seems like this is the simplest thing to do, but as triathlon continues to grow, the race options seem to have expanded exponentially, and just deciding can be tough. Make sure to factor in distance, ease of travel, and race setup and location relative to lodging and transportation. Also, look online for reviews of the race from previous years. You'll want to make sure you're hitting the road for a worthwhile event, and that all of the hard work you put in won't be wasted on a poorly run race over a dangerous course. This time investment up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Finding Lodging
Book accommodations early. Sometimes the race has a beautiful host hotel that's convenient, that's affordable, and that stocks those delightful bath gels you love for postrace recovery. Sometimes it doesn't. Get informed about all possible lodging options well in advance so you can make the best choice for your wallet, sanity, and convenience. Resources such as Priceline, AirBnB, VRBO, and Yelp will help identify traditional hotels, but also rental homes or condos, and provide great information about the quality of the stay. Pick a place where you can best relax and prepare, get good sleep, and comfortably recover after the race. An upgrade from the spring break motel to the high-rise well above the crowd may be worth a few more dollars.
Make sure that wherever you're staying is prepared to accommodate your needs. A simple call ahead can help you reserve bike storage, make sure a fridge is in your room for food and fuel, and ensure that you're not sharing a floor with 75 kids on a class trip just dying to keep you up all night! One of the hidden secrets of hotel living is that there are many amenities and services available to the average traveler, but most of us simply don't ask. Often an earnest inquiry to the counter representative can reveal possible upgrades, identify which side of the building is quietest, or yield a better level of service. Remember, the front-of-house staff have an inordinate amount of control over the quality of your stay, and a well-placed $20 proffered to the check-in person can result in any number of benefits. A simple "I'd appreciate anything you could do to make my stay great!" and a discreet gratuity can make you a favored guest and ensure that your race experience is well supported by the hotel.
Once you check in, lay out all your gear. This will enable you to identify anything you may have forgotten, save time later, and confirm the condition of everything posttravel, prerace.
Traveling Internationally
Racing internationally? Traveling with a group such as Endurance Sports Travel can make international racing surprisingly easy and affordable. Using a tri-specific travel agent, while seemingly antiquated by today's book-it-yourself standard, will help immeasurably, as she will have expertise in the specific needs of the triathlete abroad. Destinations have different processes for handling odd baggage such as bikes and equipment, unique customs requirements, and other unforeseen impediments to a smooth travel plan. By letting an agent make your international arrangements, you receive guidance and often expedited service, have someone proficient in handling language or currency conversion concerns, and have someone who understands the importance of what you're doing and how travel can affect your race day.
Traveling Smart
Travel can have a number of effects on your body, and your travel plan should account for those eventualities. Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of the race to become familiar with your surroundings, shake off jet lag or other fatigue, and arrange for proper storage of your gear. The last thing you need is to arrive in haste, be disoriented and rushed, and create stress before your race. Similarly, don't plan to jet out of town hours after you cross the finish line. Allow at least a day after the race to rest, recover, and decompress before cramming your aching muscles into a cramped airplane seat or behind the wheel.
When flying, be sure to request an aisle seat on the plane so you have plenty of room and freedom to get up and stretch. If your race travel involves jetting to a different climate or someplace with a significant time difference, allow more time to let your body compensate and adjust to the new conditions.
Researching the Location
Read the athlete guide and get some local tourism information. The key to a successful race trip is doing your research and gathering as much intelligence about your destination as possible. The athlete guide will give you course maps for review and outline parking, staging areas, and the like; but you need a 360-degree view of your surroundings to make your trip the best it can be. Knowing the local landscape can provide a wealth of benefits, such as identifying pools or beaches for a tune-up swim, locating healthy eating spots, or scouting safe places to run in preparation for race day. Map out the race route because the map in your packet might not be the clearest, and identify the ways in and out of your destination. No one likes fighting traffic or getting lost, but we hate it even more when anxious about an upcoming race and concerned about the location of our stuff.
Another reason to learn about the destination is so you can enjoy yourself if you have some downtime. Traveling for triathlon is about the race, but it's also about seeing new places, taking a break from work and life routines, and using sport as a tool for creating new experiences. Finding out as much about your race location as possible can help your performance, but it can also identify where to get a massage or a triumphant postrace margarita!
The Female Athlete Triad
Traveling for triathlons can be fun and exciting. It’s a great way to see other cities and connect with the wider triathlon community while experiencing the many amazing venues and courses our sport calls home.
The most challenging condition that differentiates female and male athletes is the female athlete triad. The triad consists of three primary components: disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which is decreased bone mineral density (Ivković et al. 2007). Reduced availability of energy intake with high levels of energy expenditure is the primary cause of injuries that characterize the triad (Ivković et al. 2007). When females restore adequate energy intake, bone-associated injuries decline and menstrual function resumes, resulting in improved training and performance (Ivković et al. 2007).
In a sport such as triathlon, in which athletes can benefit from being lighter and in which they compete in form-fitting or minimal clothing, intentional disordered eating is more prevalent than sports that are not highly weight dependent or have participants wear clothing that fully covers the body or that is not tightly fitted. Studies show the prevalence of disordered eating to range between 15 and 62 percent in groups of female athletes, which is significantly greater than the 1 percent identified in the general population (Migliorini 2011). Disordered eating can take on a variety of patterns, from intentional avoidance of food intake to poor food choices because the athlete has not been educated on how to eat for her training load.
When an athlete is not consuming adequate calories and will not intentionally increase food consumption, the disordered eating pattern is termed anorexia athletica . Anorexia athletica differs from anorexia nervosa in that the disordered eating patterns are a function of trying to achieve a performance goal rather than body image alone. Athletes willing to increase caloric density in order to achieve adequate caloric intake are not considered to have anorexia athletica.
Anorexia athletica is characterized by an inability of hormones to rise and fall properly in order for menstrual function and normal bone formation to occur. When a female's menstrual cycle is absent for a period of 90 days or more, she is considered to have amenorrhea, which is characterized by low estrogen levels. As a result of these low estrogen levels, bone density is immediately affected, and injury most likely will eventually result. When estrogen levels are too low, osteoclasts within the bone live longer and resorb more of the bone, thus inhibiting the daily rebuilding of bone tissue. Should this occur for a prolonged period of time, the third component of the female athlete triad, osteoporosis - a skeletal disorder resulting in severe decreases in bone strength and density - is the end result. In addition to amenorrhea and decreased bone density, psychological disturbance is also observed in anorexia athletica and includes obsessive food behavior, anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings. Along with food restriction, anorexia athletica may include episodes of binging and purging and increased levels of exercise, especially after consumption of any form of food.
With a lack of appropriate caloric density, athletes with any form of disordered eating also lack nutrient density sufficient to sustain energy metabolism. As a result, stores of critical nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, and electrolytes become depleted, resulting in a malnourished state. With declines in nutrients such as iron, B6, B12, and folate, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells is compromised, which eventually results in anemia and a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Thus, one of the primary indicators of insufficient caloric and nutrient density is a continuous decline in training capacity and performance. In addition to anemia, athletes may also present with decreased stores of vitamin D and calcium, which impairs bone remodeling and leads to increased incidence of bone-related injuries.
Preventing anorexia athletica, disordered eating, and the rest of the female athlete triad is not only about nutrition education. It also revolves around the environment, including whom athletes choose as coaches, friends, training partners, and family, as well as the mental outlook athletes have on performance and life. Coaches should help focus their athletes on measures of performance rather than body weight or body composition. Friends, training partners, and family should lend support to optimizing nutrition for performance. Ultimately, an athlete's mindset toward performance will determine her ability to choose the right foods and use them to enhance training and succeed in competition.
Training to Prevent Injury
Preventing injury depends heavily on understanding how to place a training load safely on the body and maintain the body's overall athleticism. The training load can be considered the total amount of stress placed on an athlete's body. Athleticism is the ability of the body to optimize the innate sport characteristics of flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, and explosiveness.
Overloading the body with a higher training load is one of the fundamental principles for improving performance. In the sport of triathlon, when three sports must be improved, too often the load can become too high and injury results. Keys to ensuring that an overtraining injury does not result include improving one sport discipline at a time, using perception of effort to guide training intensity, and manipulating only one of three factors - frequency, intensity, or duration - in the process of loading the body.
Determining the most effective training load on the body is best facilitated through the use of physiological monitoring tools such as power meters and GPS (Global Positioning System) or heart rate monitors in conjunction with a psychobiological assessment such as rate of perceived effort (RPE; table 12.1). In addition, the overall feeling of recovery should be monitored each day to enable full understanding of the impact of training (table 12.2). Together, these methods can then be used with software systems such as TrainingPeaks and Training Load to calculate and monitor a training load or stress score.
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