What would it mean to make another Olympics?
If you make the British team you have a fighting chance for a medal. I’ve been to three Olympics and in Beijing unfortunately I got food poisoning, so that went out of the window as a performance. I don’t want to go to the Olympics to make up the numbers.

Do you feel you missed out on a chance of a medal in Beijing?
I feel you’re only as good as your last race. You have to earn the privilege of racing the Olympics. I’m lucky enough to have been world champion, junior world champion and aquathon world champ, but if it goes wrong on the day that’s tough – that’s what our sport is about. I’ve got to step up and turn it on at the other qualifiers.

What have you learnt from racing at previous Olympics?
No two Olympics are the same. Sydney was amazing. I was the young gun and had no pressure – a little like Alistair Brownlee in Beijing. I was the lowest ranked athlete in the field at the time but came away with a 10th. Athens was good but there were political issues with our women’s team at the time and that had a massive effect on everyone. Then in Beijing getting food poisoning despite being in the shape of my life. That year I took Bevan Docherty and Jan Frodeno to the cleaners at one of the biggest World Cup races of the season and everything was looking good but it wasn’t to be. With the Olympics you have to expect the unexpected. You will not appreciate the pressure until you’re a medal favourite and I believe I was going in to Beijing. It’s important to surround yourself with a team of people you trust and believe in you 100 per cent, and always have your back. The small things really matter at the Olympic Games.

How hard was it to move on from Beijing and close that door?
The door will never be closed. Shit happens but it’s how you deal with it. That’s why I tried a longer race doing Ironman 70.3 and wanted to see if that’s where I wanted to go then. I realised it wasn’t and I wanted to go back to the Olympics and be in with a shout of a medal. It took me months to get over Beijing because the best part of two- years of my life was about one day and one race. What made it worse was that everything was going so well and I was in such great shape. I really believed everything was right. All the testing was showing I was in great shape, I was in the right place mentally and with the best support team around me it was a hard pill to swallow. You have to take a step back and see how much stuff is going on the real world and take stock. If anything, Beijing has made me hungrier. It’s made me realise it’s about the journey.

How different is it racing at the Olympics?
Apart from all the protocol and accreditation the race itself is like a championship event. If anything you could say it’s easier because there’s only three people from each country. On the whole it’s always a solid race. The courses are never usually easy and the pace is always on. I expect London to be exactly the same. I think Team GB will be under massive scrutiny with such a strong line up and with Alistair Brownlee and Helen Jenkins winning the test event.

What do you think of the London course?
It’s going to be hard. There are lots of turns on the bike. On the run there a few off-camber sections on the far side and a little cross country, but I think it’s a good honest city centre course. I know people are saying some hills would be good but you can’t have that in central London. I think it’s a great way to show off London to the world like Sydney did with the Opera House. We have Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards Parade and all those classic sights. It’s an amazing spectacle.

What will it take to get a result on this course?
Lots of training, staying relaxed and not giving up until you’ve crossed the line. I don’t think there’s any set formula for getting a medal. I’m not so sure about a breakaway on the bike come the Olympics because 90 per cent of the people at the recent ITU WCS event in London were racing for position to qualify for their country. I know the Germans had to get top nine. If there had been nine people in the breakaway they would have moved to the front. The French were top 12 and they weren’t bothered because of so few in that breakaway. It was all about tactics and qualifying, and there were races inside the race. There might be a breakaway come 2012 but I think it will come down to the run. I can’t imagine any of the fast runners will let people ride down the road.

How do you feel when the media writes you off?
I think that’s typical media and you can’t control that. You know what you hear is always half of the story. I remember after I did the 28:56 10K in Manchester in 2010 I got so many emails. Some from people I didn’t know saying ‘it’s great to see you back in the game’ and I’m sitting there thinking I haven’t been anywhere and have training consistently hard. In reality I had a good season last year with that 10K early season, won Hy Vee in the middle and came second at the ITU Sprint World Championship at the end, along with a third in Hamburg. It was a consistent year. The year before people suggested I had a bad year but if you look there were races where I was right up there. I know I didn’t do well at the Budapest final because I crashed on the bike. People are always going to say things but they only usually know half the story. Even if I am not up there at a race they haven’t seen me doing a hard track session or putting in the road miles. They don’t know about the blisters on the balls of your feet or tear in your calf you don’t want to tell anyone about. I’ve been in it long enough to know how the media works and it doesn’t bother me.

What drives you?
I need to pay the mortgage (laughs). I love pushing myself and love seeing what I can do. Triathlon is such a new evolving sport and the way we train isn’t like other sports. If you want to run a good 800 metres you look at what Sebastian Coe did because his record stood until this year. In swimming you look at Grant Hackett in the 1500 metres and see what he did, but our sport is different. We don’t train like a conventional swimmers, bikers or runners. Plus there’s no set shape or size. Frodeno is eight foot tall, I’m 5”10 and Al (Brownlee) in the middle. Al is lean and Gomez is ripped and everyone has a shot. Because there isn’t a set way to train it’s great to try new things, and that, with the desire to be the best in the world really drives me. I enjoy training just as much as racing and when I do a good session it puts a smile on my face even if I am tired (laughs). Triathlon has been part of my life for so long. I don’t know it any other way. I get up and smash myself. I’m not finished with triathlon yet and love to compete. That’s what drives me and while I can still give these whipper snappers a run for their money that’s what I’m going to do. The London Games is a big draw too (laughs).

What do you do to relax?
I look after my daughter who is great. I spend time with my wife, go for a run or have coffee with my friends. Triathlon is my job and it takes up a lot of my time with the training and recovery. In the off-season we like to go on holiday and do some fun stuff like mountain biking and adventure racing. This year is different with the baby and my priorities have changed. She really helps me to relax. The first three months were hard as hell but we’re lucky with lots of help from family. In the off-season I like good food and a glass of red wine.

Each time I turn to breathe the air is there whether it’s in the pool or open water. If the water is there then I don’t breathe. I wait until the air comes back. How can you not tell the difference? I don’t have to relax in the water, unless working hard I am always relaxed. The water feels solid to me. I just pull myself over and past my hands, it feels like the way a rock climber might go up a rock face. I put my hand in the water and it stays there as I move forwards and travel over it. There is no drag or at least very little. As my hand enters there are no bubbles. I wonder why so many add bubbles on their hand entry. The more solid you leave the water the harder you can pull on it.

I hide my feet behind my legs, and my legs are in the shadow of my trunk. My trailing shoulder hides behind my head while the shoulder of my extending lead arm closes down all trace of exposed surface area by sitting tightly to my chin. My head remains still unless turning to breathe. As my arm leads it hides behind my flat hand, my palm behind the outstretched fingers, remaining flat as I present to the oncoming water as small a profile as possible. When I kick I go forwards, when I demonstrate bad kick I stay still, or with greater effort, I can move backwards but it is tiring. Why would anyone choose this path?

As I finish extending forwards my fingertips lead and instantly point to the bottom of the pool, a simultaneous movement snaps the elbow position and quickly my forearm is vertical engaging the deeper muscles of the back. I can feel the power of them pulling. They like this workout; they were meant to do this. The legs don’t want to do the work, not since they are so greedy and want all the air.

To push down from the shoulder, leaving the arm straight, keeping the palm facing the bottom of the pool just never happens. The prospect of the physio bills is too daunting. My hand then sweeps under the body; sweep is probably to big a movement. The two tile widths that comprise the black line on the bottom of the pool is wide enough to see the hand send water backwards down to the feet with a subtle scull. Small enough that most goes back; wide enough that the pitch change prevents the water slipping around the hand. To me the water feels like a handle, I just hold it and over I go. I often exaggerate this and sweep wide across the black line towards the opposite hip or outside the shoulder line. I immediately feel the hips react and the legs kick out to counter balance thus counter drag. Water is not solid but pressing against it in such a way has me travel in the wrong direction.

Sometimes I forget to breathe because I am so comfortable in the water. It’s just the laziness of it all, why lift the head? My breathing pattern usually involves remembering to breathe when I run out half way down the pool. The head is heavy–surely it would be easier not to breathe? I only need air if I am creating drag. Surely it’s the fuel of inefficiency? Instantly I maintain my streamline to use as little air as possible. Two leg kicks, four or six I can count them all and fit any combination of them all into my arm cycle as I need. If the big toes are tapping then the feet are turned in. I can feel more surface area this way driving me forwards. I could be simultaneously counting tiles if I wished but usually I just sing – it’s the only time I am allowed.

My arms are relaxed as soon as they exit the water. Pressure is applied only during the pull phase – the movement is slow to fast. If you pull too hard or too early the water will again just slip around the hand. The hand leaving the water at the hip is not far enough, I know I can go further, and aim for the knees as my exit point to ensure I travel forwards enough. I lead the exit with the elbow, I can relax more and the pressure is taken off. I tried to lead with the hand and recover a straight arm but it was hard work. From the elbow down to the fingertips I can relax the arm. I liken it to those energy efficient engines that switch off at traffic lights or recoup energy from braking. If the hand stays high but also wide then I know I will need to throw a leg out to stop me from rolling over into backstroke. The momentum leads to a sweep across the centre line on entry. If my left hand extends forwards but crosses over the space in front of my right shoulder more surface area is exposed. Another varying surface, can’t you feel that?

The legs lift back up to the surface in a straight line. There is no propulsion but more importantly there is no drag. The more economical muscles of the hip flexor and glutes do this, not the hamstrings. That would just bend the knee and send the legs sinking. It’s automatic now but the knee bends on the down sweep meaning the forefoot and the shin both push the water backwards aiding my progress. This is not really that propulsive but with them providing this traction I can initiate my rotation. If the legs and core generate this movement down then I do no need the arms to push down, lifting the head and forcefully and inaccurately creating rotation. If I am not breathing then I am still rotating. The shoulders are being lifted above the surface of the water from the inside continually; there is no blockage, and the lack of rotation keeps the trailing shoulder low, if I suddenly choose to breathe to my weaker side.

Fast or slow, the stroke count is the same. Sometimes 13, maybe 14, depending on the number of fly kicks off the wall. A good streamline off the wall does the trick of getting me a third of the way. Push off like a starfish, move like a starfish. There is a good reason kayaks are shaped the way they are without bits sticking out. The stroke count rarely goes up; maybe at the end of 60x50s off 45secs one or two strokes might be added. I adjust the space between my fingers attempting to gain a subtle advantage; I wonder the optimum as I swim warm-ups and subsets? A few millimetres wider and I am under 30 strokes over 50 meters for the first time. Interesting. I can feel the disturbed water when drafting. I wait a fraction of a second and then engage my catch knowing the water will be solid again as it returns to its usual density.

Dan Bullock is a senior coach at swimfortri.com and a Speedo Openwater Advisory Coach

But does that logic work with athletes? Is it good medicine?

The answer to these questions is no! Complete rest is almost always terrible advice—all of the cardiovascular conditioning that goes into training is lost if you don’t keep moving. Patients get unhealthy and depressed—and they end up not liking their doctor very much. And as patients have gotten smarter they often press their doctor to find an active solution, or they find another doctor who will.

Which brings us to biomechanics. Much like the mechanics of what makes a plane fly or a car drive, the mechanics of the body are related to the task that the body is being asked to do. Advances in the concepts and practices of biomechanics have greatly shifted the field of sports medicine in the past 10 to 15 years. In addition to trying to keep patients moving, figuring out why the injury happened, and more importantly, how to prevent it from happening again, is now the key to the practice of sports medicine.

Here’s how addressing biomechanics helped some of my patients fix their problems:

THE PROBLEM: Jason had bad shin pain due to a pronating foot that rolled inward and loaded excessive force on the tibia, overstriding and weak hips that created an unstable pelvis and trunk.
THE FIX: Over-the-counter orthotics to stabilize his foot, a switch to a higher cadence and shorter stride to reduce loading force, and some squats to build glute strength.

THE PROBLEM: Lindsay had patellofemoral knee pain from cycling.
THE FIX: Raising her seat height. By having her saddle too low during riding, she was loading too much pressure on the front of her knees.

THE PROBLEM: Bob had aching shoulders while swimming due to a strength imbalance, a common swimmer’s problem. He had plenty of anterior (front of the shoulder) strength, but he had neglected his posterior shoulder muscles.
THE FIX: Build posterior shoulder strength with exercises such as seated rows or rows in a plank with weights. When the pectoralis muscles are stronger than the scapular muscles, the shoulder gets pulled forward. Over time, this can cause what is known as an “impingement,” a pinching shoulder.

Rest will make the pain go away, but thinking about the biomechanical problems, and how to fix them, is the key to miles of injury-free training and racing.

Jordan D. Metzl, M.D. (Drjordanmetzl.com) is a nationally recognized sports medicine specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Check out his weekly “Med Tent” video series at Triathlete.com.

I should perhaps prefix this tale with a little background: at this race last year I surprised myself – and plenty of others – by winning. The belief and confidence that win gave me set me up for a stellar season in which I would go on to win another two 70.3 titles (at Wimbleball, UK, and  Augusta, USA) and close out the year 3rd in the 70.3 world rankings. I had fond memories of this race and so to say I was eager to perform well here and be champion once more is an understatement. I wanted to defend my title.

However, as I picked up my bike and did a sorry hobble towards the bike racks I began to doubt whether I would finish, let alone win. Ouch, it’s HURTING! I reached the changing tents where I’d normally be aiming to throw on my Pearl Izumi run shoes at speed and get out onto the run course. Instead, I’m being tended to by first aiders eager to clean my wounds. I made the mistake of looking down. Argh! I could see inside my knee. Ugh. I decided it was best not to look at that any more.

Let’s try some running…

I began what became a 13.1-mile game of making deals with myself. “OK, Lidders, let’s run a lap and see how we fare”. The first lap was ugly. Although I could actually run, I was not in a good place mentally and was feeling quite odd. I had no idea how far behind the other girls were and, I’m ashamed to admit it now, I was almost ready to DNF. Almost. Then I could hear two voices in my head. The first was Alex, my four-year-old nephew. Whenever he gets a cut or graze my sister gives him some “ouchy” cream (aka Savlon) and all of a sudden the tears and pain vanish. I heard him saying to me “It’s OK, Auntie Eek, just put on some ouchy cream at the finish line”. The second voice was that of my friend Bex Hopkins, a former mountain bike racer who is always entertaining us with tales of racing with bones sticking through skin after crashing – and still riding on to victory. I could hear Bex saying: “EK, there’s not even a bone sticking out of your effin’ leg, SUCK IT UP”. With that, I did as instructed, and sucked it up. I also discovered that Coca Cola is actually not just a sugary brown drink but a wonder drug with anaesthetic powers. And that when men stand on benches and shout “WE LOVE YOU, EMMA-KATE!” it can’t help but make you smile and transport you to a whole new world where everything is good, fun and positive.

Three, two, one, I’m back “on plan”. I’m back to those visualised plans I’d made in the week before and – for the first time in a while – I’m thinking good things and, most importantly, believing I can still win.

I won’t bore you / scare you with some of the other weird and wonderful things which went through my brain for the remainder of the run but suffice to say, it was an interesting one and when I turned into the finish chute to take the win and my fourth Ironman 70.3 title I was one happy little camper.

Huge thanks to each and every person who cheered me on. I took SO MUCH energy from the crowd on Saturday (and at times needed to!). Thanks also to the medical staff who did a mighty fine job of stitching my knee up afterwards. Particular thanks to Dr Roman Leischik, the Team Abu Dhabi doctor who did a superb job of advising and helping me throughout.

Of course, I’d never be at the start line, let alone the finish line, without all of my sponsors including Wiggle, Morris Owen and Virtua. A strong swim was courtesy of Sailfish wetsuits and Sable Goggles. Fast Forward Wheels, Speedfil Hydration, ISM Saddles and Lazer Helmets all helped me tame a tough bike course and there’s no doubt High5 kept me well fuelled throughout.

Final thank yous to coach Matt Dixon who helped me reach this race in my best form yet; Mike & Verity at The Running School (you were with me on that run course, guys!); all of my family and my long-suffering boyfriend Ozzer. I’m now focusing on rest and recovery – so the CherryActive and Neovite are being hit hard and I’ll likely spend a fair few hours in my Compressport gear!

Profile Design’s Synch Hydration System uses a wide stretchy belt that fits comfortably and is easy to get on quickly in transition with its Velcro fixing. Bottle location is fully customisable on the belt and can be set beforehand and locked in place using the Velcro pads that sit behind the bottle holders. These pads not only lock the bottles in place, but save any discomfort .

We’re pleased the bottle holders didn’t shift over time as we ran either, so things remained exactly where needed and didn’t annoyingly bounce around. The Synch comes with two BPA-free 225ml plastic bottles and found they sat easiest next to the hips, but if using a single bottle found this worked better at the back so there were no imbalances. What’s unique here is the bottles only need a single hand to twist and remove, and twist and lock back into the composite holsters.

It’s important to twist the bottles back in or they’ll end up on the floor. Similarly if twisted too hard past the locking point they’ll fall. The technique is easy enough to master with a deliberate ‘feel’ for the locking point and after a couple of runs becomes second nature. Once mastered this allows for quick removal and storage of the bottles, so less time is wasted using two hands and there are no issues of losing pace.

There are four sizes available in a range of colours along with after market accessory holders for phones and alike.

Performance: 9
Value: 9
RRP: £29.99

Elite Women’s Simulation
As the final automatic qualification event for USA Triathlon, a key focus was on who would join Gwen Jorgensen and Sarah Groff in London. The top contenders were Laura Bennett and Sarah Haskins, who both represented the USA in Beijing and that battle was on right from the start. Both are strong swimmers and both emerged within a lead group of eight that included Helen Jenkins and Erin Densham. While Haskins tried a few times to break off the front in the bike, she didn’t, and they came in T2 together. Bennett flew through in 20 seconds, while Haskins took 28, and that ended-up being a defining moment. While Haskins did almost catch Bennett in the run, the 37-year-old pulled away and went on to bronze – her first series medal and her second Olympic team.

In other individual selection news, Netherlands’ Rachel Klamer met her national federation’s qualification criteria with a 12th place finish. This acted as a confirmation result for her early pre-selection in 2011. Maaike Caelers also put herself into contention with 11th, enough to move herself onto the Olympic simulation. Lisa Mensink had held down a second place for the Netherlands, but her day finished early with a crash leaving T1. That crash also ended her own hopes of competing in London, she sustained a fractured shoulder, however Caelers result was enough to keep the Netherlands with two spots for now.

In other important results, Lydia Waldmuller moved Austria into the picture, taking over the European new flag spot from Finland’s Kaisa Lehtonen, while Hungary moved from two places to one. A week after collapsing before the finish line in Huatulco, Vendula Frintova recovered and put the Czech Rebublic back in with a chance to send two women. So far Frintova and Radka Vodickova hold down those two places. Claudia Rivas also met the Mexican Triathlon Federation’s qualification criteria to confirm her place in London.

The competition to see who can field the maximum three athletes in London didn’t change after San Diego, except for Marina Damlaimcourt gaining more points on New Zealand’s third athlete Debbie Tanner – who was one of three athletes who pulled out from the early crash. That sees Spain now 100 points clear of New Zealand in seventh. The final NOC who can send three athletes is still Germany, even though Kathrin Muller – it’s third ranked athlete – did not race. As Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf did not finish, she didn’t make up any ground which means Switzerland still have just two places. Speaking of Germany, Anne Haug‘s seventh place – including the second-fastest run split – did her own ambitions no harm. So far, only Anja Dittmer has been selected for the German team, but Haug is now in the mix alongside Muller and Bazlen.

Elite Men’s Olympic Qualification
While the New Zealand men’s team looked fairly certain to send three men to London before San Diego, their newly named three-man Olympic team all finished in the top-10, which has pretty much secured it. Ryan Sissons claimed sixth, his best series result, Bevan Docherty eighth and Kris Gemmell 10th to move New Zealand from sixth place to third, only behind Great Britain and Germany. They are followed by France, Spain and Russia, and now Australia and Canada sitting in places seven and eight, as Portugal dropped down to just two men’s spots.

Before San Diego, Joao Pereira had Portugal sitting in seventh place, ahead of Australia in eighth and Canada in ninth respectively. Given Australia’s third athlete Courtney Atkinson and Canada’s third athlete Simon Whitfield were separated by just 64 points, it set up a tussell between two of the sports veterans. That ensued in the race, as Whitfield just pipped Atkinson in 11th place to 13th, but what happened behind them actually had more impact on the results. Pereira did not finish – which meant he did not gain any points and both Whitfield and Atkinson moved ahead, while Brent McMahon finished in 29th place. That means it’s now McMahon as Canada’s third athlete, and while he has more points than Pereira, 149 to be exact, and that moved Canada to eighth place, it now means it’s likely to come down to a battle between McMahon and Pereira as to which NOC can send three men to London 2012. However, Atkinson and Australia’s three chances are still not safe either, Atkinson is just 10 points ahead of Whitfield and 140 poins ahead of McMahon. It’s all going to come down to the wire in Madrid, as Australia, Canada and Portugal fight for the chance to send three men to the Olympic Games.

Just as in the women’s race, the USA Olympic men’s qualification race within a race was captivating. On paper, the main contenders were Jarrod Shoemaker and Matt Chrabot, whose results over the past two years meant they were the two top-ranked USA men, but there was also three-time Olympian Hunter Kemper and Pan Am Games silver medallist Manuel Huerta. After Chrabot was part of an initial break that came back to the chase in three laps, it was clear this would also be decided on the run. There, Kemper and Huerta shone. At one stage, Huerta was in fifth and Kemper in 12th, before an incredible last lap surge saw Kemper run into fifth – and his fourth Olympic team – and Huerta claim ninth and his first Olympic berth..

In the other individual results, Peter Croes just held onto two places for Belgium by finishing ahead of Argentina’s Gonzalo Raul Tellechea. However, Tellechea still holds onto his Americas new flag position. Crisanto Grajales also met the Mexican Triathlon Federation’s qualification criteria to confirm his place in London.

The ITU’s two-year Olympic Qualification period comes to an end on May 31st, which means that the 2012 Madrid World Triathlon is the final race that will count towards shaping the London 2012 women’s and men’s fields.

There are two race distances on offer – the Sprint which consists of a 400m swim, 28km cycle and 5km run and the Try a Tri ‘beginner’ race which is made up of a 300m swim, 14.5 km cycle and 3.2km run.Both of the swims take place in an open-air swimming pool, and the bike routes follow an undulating out and back course with a good selection of rolling hills. The run course then follows through the picturesque village of Shiplake and the surrounding countryside with a spectacular finish at the college in front of the pavilion.

Martyn Edwards, Event Director for F3 Events said, “We are really looking forward to returning to Shiplake College to host these events. The Try a Tri event is perfect for those that are new to the sport and want to give it a go for the first time. The distances are shorter than your average sprint, making them a good option for people that are not yet fully race confident. We are aware that there will be a lot of people completing their very first triathlon and this means that the organizing team will be on special hand to help out athletes throughout the day.’ He continues, ‘The events are also a great opportunity for the more experienced triathlete to warm up for their big events later in the season, and will form part of the same route used by our Henley On Thames River Triathlon which takes place in August.’

Both events will be chip timed and there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each gender category. There are a number of facilities on site including showers, toilets and refreshments, offering a perfect opportunity to go on and spend the rest of the day enjoying the sights and sounds of Henley and the surrounding area.

To learn more information about both events or to find out how to enter, then visit www.f3events.co.uk

Awaking on the morning of the race, we were amazed to look outside and see stunning bright blue skies – quite a distinct contrast from the murky grey, rainy mornings that we have been experiencing lately. Despite admitting that I would always complete a race, regardless of the conditions – we would all be in agreement that glorious sunshine does make the whole process a lot more appealing!

We arrived at Grendon Lake at about 7.20am, and proceeded to head over to registration, which was located close to the car park, in a large field with the adjoining transition. The staff were friendly, and helpful in directing competitors through to where they needed to be. I was really pleasantly surprised by the great quality of the race t-shirt that I was given as part of the race pack, it was technical and quite stylish – one that I would certainly wear to train in.

Racking up in transition, I could not help but look around and scope out fellow competitors and their bikes. The athlete caliber was clearly high – demonstrating the huge number of strong athletes that had turned up to race in a coveted European qualification race. I had a walk around transition, checking out the kit that people had brought with them – pining over the beautifully kept and unthinkably light range of bikes, all racked up and ready to go.

As soon as the race briefing was complete, we walked down to the lake and were given last minute instructions before slowly dipping in, and getting warmed up. Never one for the cold, I swam around in a few circles, breathing deeply in and out, slowly getting my breathing into a controlled state. At 13 degrees, the lake was tropical when compared with the conditions that we will have all become accustomed to in training recently, and I was able to get quite comfortable.

At 8.50am the horn went, and we were off. My tactic had been to power thought the first 100m and get a clear run, away from too much of the hustle and bustle of the main pack. This method did not work. I was kicked and shoved, and one fellow competitor grabbed my wetsuit at one stage, I did not retaliate and worked hard to get into my rhythm. Which I did not manage, swallowing too much water and taking the corners at the buoys considerably wider than I would have liked. It was a relief to reach the shore, and as I ran the 1-2 minute distance up to transition I kicked myself for having not practiced my open water technique more – as I was just not confident with it, and had become too accustomed to only swimming in the luxury of a heated indoor pool, which is no match.

Transition was quick and I managed to get out relatively easily. The cycle up to the main road was well guided – and there were several marshals stationed by bumps in the road, guiding cyclists around tight corners and areas of poor visibility. Weaving through Grendon, and tackling a short sharp climb out of the village it was possible to start to get some real speed going. My hours on the turbo trainer did not feel like they had been in vain, as I was able to tackle the undulating course with relative ease – overtaking a number of other girls as I went. They seemed to come in huge packs, which meant that overtaking them meant that I really had to get my legs moving, before settling back into my own rhythm once I had done so. There was a great mixture of climbs and TT worthy straights, and apart from a little bit of a headwind in sections, the conditions were close to perfect. There were marshals on all main turnings, and they were welcoming and helpful, guiding all cyclists through with a smile.

Entering T2, I felt some tightness in the back of my calves but nevertheless was surprisingly ‘springy’ and still had some power left in my legs. I quickly put my shoes on and got out of transition as fast as I could, aware that I was chasing, and, being chased by a number of other girls.

The run course was as it was described – ‘fast and flat’. Being predominantly on tracks meant that it did not come with the impact and intensity of a road run. I was surprised at the speed of some of the athletes here – and the design of the course meant that it was possible to watch other competitors and keep track of those that were racing directly in front or behind you. I actually really enjoyed the run, and felt stronger in the second half as I had done in the first – overtaking a few people. This is something I am not normally able to do, as I generally start off fast and then just ‘hang on!’! I think the style of the course helped here, as it was really possible to pace well and be fully educated on what was ahead of you.

Finishing the race was exhilarating – there was a good crowd present and I got a personal call out which was a really nice touch. The results were available immediately, and I was able to sit in the sun analyzing my result and working out where the most work was needed. Unfortunately being a long distance athlete – maintaining a strong overall speed seems to be my biggest problem, as I am not used to the shorter distances and have not therefore trained specifically for it.

My conclusion? The Grendon Triathlon is a well-organized, wonderfully located and immaculately organized event that I will definitely be taking part in again. The fact that it was a European qualifier meant that there was an inspiring crowd of accomplished athletes, but I also talked to a number of amateur athletes who were taking part in their first triathlon, who had just as an enjoyable time – it really is open to any level of athlete and was a really great day out.

Roll on my next Just Racing event – ‘The Beaver’ on 26th May 2012! The BeaverFest weekend on 26th and 27th May comprises Sprint, Olympic and Middle Distance Races in the picturesque surroundings of Beaver Castle. For more information go to www.justracinguk.com

If you’re new to longer distances
Swimmers start doing double workouts to build volume starting at a very young age. “Two-a-days are in my regular bag of tricks, especially when I am building someone up for longer distance running,” says Dominion Cycling and Tri Club coach Trey McKinnon of Virginia. “I will have athletes do an easy run in Zone 1/2 in the morning of about an hour, followed by a harder or slightly longer run in the evening, or maybe just keep both at the same level and distance/time.”

If you’re strapped for time
Some coaches, such as Andrew Dollar of Tennessee’s FTP Coaching, believe long runs are best situated midweek. “For some athletes, this poses a slight problem to the work-life-hobby balance,” Dollar says. “On occasion, we will have the athlete perform 60–90 minutes in the morning and follow up with a shorter 20–30-minute run in the evening. The cumulative effect on the body is still an effective two hours of running.”

Jennifer O’Donnell-Giles, an exercise physiologist, coach and sports dietitian in Texas, prescribes split long runs or rides for her athletes with super busy schedules. “Ideally to train for longer races one needs to train as they will be racing—all at once,” O’Donnell-Giles says. “But when that’s impossible to do, a double workout is definitely an option, and one can gain improved cardiovascular results from doing so.”

If you’re trying to avoid or come back from injury
Many runners wind up with overuse injuries such as IT band syndrome, shin splits and tendonitis. Splitting apart a run may be a safer way to build up endurance and maximize recovery. “A 30-minute run might be a bit too aggressive for an athlete returning from injury,” Dollar says. “However, the same athlete may easily tolerate 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening—yielding them 30 minutes of volume.” The recovery time between the runs will help inflammation subside, allowing the athlete to bounce back easier. Another option may be to do the continuation run—start your long run in the evening and finish it the morning after.

If you’re building mental stamina
A long run in the morning followed by an evening 15–20-minute recovery run is challenging but great for long-distance race simulation. “Since the athlete is already in a glycogen-depleted state, the run will require deeper glycogen utilization and additional mental and physical stamina to complete—skills that are particularly important in endurance racing,” Dollar says. He recommends that your secondary run be performed at an “embarrassingly slow pace” and be no longer than 20 minutes. Another option is to do your Saturday long ride followed by a transition run in the morning, then add in an evening 15-minute recovery run.

Well, that’s somewhat true, but it isn’t quite that simple. Instead of telling you to drink more fluids when the mercury rises, over the next few pages we’ll take a look at when you should be drinking water versus when you should be drinking sports drinks or an electrolyte beverage. This is also an important topic to explore in regard to hydrating during marathons or fueling for marathon-specific long runs, but that’s a different topic for another article. Here, we’ll stick to a discussion of hydration and drinking protocols during training.

Finally, I’ll help you calculate exactly how much fluid you need to consume on any given training run, and how to apply that information to your training.

Fluid Absorption Rate
First, it’s important you understand how sugar and electrolytes impact your fluid absorption rates. The speed at which water, electrolytes, and sugars can be absorbed into the blood stream is one of the main determinants of what type of beverage you should choose when trying to stay hydrated.

The absorption of fluids into the body is largely dependent upon two factors: 1. the rate at which it is absorbed through the walls of the small intestine; and 2. the speed at which it is emptied from the stomach. Both of these factors are controlled by the composition of a liquid in terms of its carbohydrate (sugar), and electrolyte concentrations.

As a general rule, the higher the carbohydrate content of your beverage, the slower the absorption rate will be. Consequently, trying to maintain proper hydration and balanced electrolyte levels during a run with sugary sports drinks is difficult. On the other hand, plain water passes through the body too quickly without providing the necessary sugar to spark the insulin response and ignite the recovery process.

Puts you in a bit of a pickle, right?

Your choice for hydration will depend on whether your primary aim is rehydration (keeping the body cool and maintaining fluid balance) or the replenishment of energy (restocking sugar and electrolyte stores).

What To Drink Before / During Running
Most sports drinks on the market are what sports scientists call isotonic, which means they contain a carbohydrate solution that is at 6-8% concentration. These drinks are in the middle of the spectrum in terms of absorption rate, with water being the most readily absorbed (hypotonic) and something like fruit juice, being greater than 8% sugar concentration (hypertonic) and therefore the least absorbable. Because the sugar concentration of most sports drinks is higher than that of most body fluids, they are not readily absorbed into the blood stream and are thus not optimal for the purpose of hydration.

Before and during a run, rehydration should be your main priority. When training in warm conditions, rehydration will allow you to maintain fluid balance and stay cool. Accordingly, your best choice before and during your run would be water, a heavily diluted sports beverage, or water with electrolyte tablets.

By drinking water alone, diluting your sports drink, or using electrolyte substitutes, you provide your body with the best combination of electrolyte replacement and immediate absorption. Likewise, electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium, reduce urine output, speed the rate at which fluids empty the stomach, promote absorption from the small intestine, and encourage fluid retention.

Furthermore, not only do you want to shy away from consuming unnecessary amounts of simple sugar when you can avoid it, research shows that when a runner consumes high-glycemic (Gl) foods such as high-sugar sports drinks or energy bars an hour before a run, he or she may become fatigued more quickly.

What To Drink After Running
After you are finished working out, water or a diluted sports drink is not the best choice for your recovery needs. Water and diluted sports drinks do not contain enough of the sugars and electrolytes that your body needs in order to bring itself back into balance.

In addition, because water or highly diluted drinks are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream, consuming high quantities results in a rise in plasma volume (in non technical terms, this means your body is oversaturated with water). This rapid absorption leads to a further imbalance of electrolytes and frequent bathroom stops, which will only increase fluid loss and decrease your desire to drink.

Your best choice after a workout is a drink that contains a good amount of sugars, electrolytes and possibly some protein. Scientific literature has consistently shown that drinking a beverage that contains a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is optimal for recovery. Therefore, at the very least, you should be drinking a sports drink after you exercise to help ignite the recovery process. Consuming one with protein will also help speed things along.

Calculating Your Sweat Loss
Every runner is different in regard to rehydration and replenishing electrolytes after training. Some runners are “salty sweaters” and some people sweat very little and there’s a fine line between not drinking enough and drinking too much. Consuming the right amount — and right kind — of fluids during and after running will help you avoid an upset stomach from drinking too much, becoming a victim of hyponatremia, or not drinking enough and becoming dehydrated.

Unfortunately, most generalized advice doesn’t cut it when it comes to how much you need to rehydrate: some experts say drink to thirst, which may not keep up with your own body’s sweat loss rate if you’re a heavy sweater, while others say to consume 8-10 ounces of fluid per hour, which doesn’t factor in temperature, humidity, or environmental factors.

Rehydrating properly during and after a run can sound sound daunting and confusing, but calculating your exact fluid loss in any given temperature and humidity is actually quite easy if you use a sweat loss calculator and create a reference chart. All you need to input is your weight before and after each run, any fluid taken or lost (when going to the restroom), and the distance/time you ran. The calculator will do the hard work for you.

Use this calculator a few times in different temperatures and record your results. You’ll now have an easy reference chart to see exactly how much fluid you need replenish on any given run and in any temperature. This will help you avoid dehydration, over-hydrating, or getting a sloshing stomach while on the run this summer.