Triathlon

Enjoy our recap video of the American Triple-T triathlon stage race. This event features four races of varied distance over a three-day period. Our Tech Editor attended with a Go Pro camera.

We test two new skin lubes for triathletes from Sport Luub Sport Luub £11.99 (66g) Suit Luub £11.99 (66g) sportluub.com These new skin lubes are proudly made in Britain and targeted firmly at triathletes. Both ‘luubs’ have the same formula and feature aloe vera and arnica for a non-stingy, soothing feeling. The lubricants come in a solid stick within a plastic container that extends for use via a rotating base, meaning there’s none of the mess that baby oil or other options can leave. They’re also really easy to apply wherever your chafing hotspots are. We found the lubes to work just as well as Bodyglide, preventing neck rash during swimming with a wetsuit, staying on the tri pad well into long bike rides – though not quite as well as thicker chamois creams – and keeping skin protected from friction while running. At £11.99 for a 66g per stick,  they’re also great value.

RT @dailycamera: #Boulder's Scott Carpenter Pool to open Tuesday with new parking restrictions. via @BrittanyAnas

To run with or without socks is a question that haunts beginner and experienced triathletes. It may even cause nightmares and painful blisters for those brave enough to experiment. There are numerous articles and forum threads dedicated to the idea that eliminating socks in transition will lead to great savings in time trying to put socks on wet feet. Many offer their two cents on what to do to eliminate painful sores and blisters that might result from going sockless. If you’re crazy or dedicated enough to go without socks to save a few seconds, more power to you. The majority of age groupers shouldn’t have to go through the pain, anguish and anxiety of messing with going sockless since it probably won’t get them a podium spot or overall win. Blisters and days of agony versus saving some seconds in transition, which is better? Then the question arises about what socks work the best. Some socks are better than others when it comes to reducing blisters and foot sores from rubbing shoes. Some are meant more for fashion and others are meant more for function. There are a litany of sock companies out there jockeying to get a hold of your disfigured toenails and smelly feet. Crew, no show, ankle socks, compression socks, padded socks, minimalist socks or toe socks, so many choices. Balega (www.Balega.com) socks hopes to make your decision a little easier. Maybe they won’t answer which is the best sock for you, but they hope to provide any sock you may need. From their site, “Our story is as rich and vivid as the country from which we come: South Africa. Balega is a Zulu word which has no literal translation but means ‘to move with speed.’” They have US and South Africa bases where they are looking to get a toehold in the sock market (pun intended). In doing so, they reached out to us and graciously provided 3 different styles of socks to review. If you don’t get the right size, you’ll pay the price. Whether they bunch up from being too large, or don’t cover enough from being too small, runners need socks that fit correctly. Socks, like a lot of other apperal, may vary in size from manufacturer to manufacturer. For this review, we went off the shoes size of men’s 12 / 11 and errored on the side of caution and went with a large size per the sizing chart. Historically medium sizes have been the correct sizing as a multitude of socks lines are larger than they should be for the shoe size they recommend. Thankfully Balega held true to their sizing chart. The large size fit our feet perfectly. There was ample length above the ankle to reduce shoe friction and avoid toe scrunching to make the sock fit. Some people are black and white. And some people want neon orange and pink. Balega offers a variety of styles and colors. They use their trademark logo on the socks, but finding a style and color that fits your personality or race kit shouldn’t be an issue. They don’t offer witty phrases or cute logo’s like some more novelty sock lines, but that’s not what Balega is after. What do you need? If you need compression, blister protection, more cushion, lightweight, minimalist, performance, hidden, soft thread for men or women, Balega wants to offer you a solution. There’s no shortage of choices. There’s also no shortage of brick-and-mortar stores that you can shop Balega at. They might not carry all of the lines, but you can find them at most running and multisport stores. Do they deliver? We took their cushioned blister resistant, merino enduro and ultra light weight socks for a few runs. From 2 and a half hour long runs to sprint intervals, and including some bike rides, Balega was on our feet. It also needs to be noted, we used the same lubricants from previous workouts for anti-chafing and blister protection. From historical experience and trial and error, along with socks we use a liberal supply of anti-chafing cream. These runs were no different. After it was all said and done, after sweat had

Organisers of the Guildford Aquathlon Series have cancelled some events. Organisers of the Guildford Aquathlon Series have announced that due to unprecedented rainfall over the spring, the River Wey is no longer suitable for swimming. As a result of this, the aquathlons scheduled to take place from Shalford Park, Guildford on the 16th June and 28th July have been cancelled. Sincere apologies to all athletes affected by the cancellations. A substitute aquathlon will take place at the Surrey Sports Park on 28th July. This event will consist of an 800m swim and a 5km cross country run. For more details, and to enter, go to www.guildfordaquathlonseries.co.uk. Free open water swim training sessions are still available thanks to Triathlon England. These sessions offer swimmers the opportunity to get used to the water and pick up some hints and tips! Novice training days – 4th June 7:30-9pm; 21st July 8:30-10am. Rob Mitchell, Events Manager at the Surrey Sports Park said: We are excited to be part of this aquathlon series, which works towards a shared ambition to encourage local residents to become more active. I hope people will enjoy swimming in our state-of-the- art pool, and running through the University grounds.” Have you taken part in an aquathlon before, or is the swim/run combination new to you? Either way, join the conversation on the Guildford Aquathlon Series facebook page – It’s a great place to pick up a few last minute insider tips and to get to know some of your fellow athletes before race day! www.facebook.com/allabouttriathlons.co.uk.   To enter the races, or register for the training sessions, please see www.guildfordaquathlonseries.co.uk Any queries, please contact allabouttriathlons at becky@allabouttriathlons.co.uk or 01483 720459. Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news. Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone. Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines. Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.

Rich takes part in the Bradford on Avon Standard Triathlon and has a smashing day at the office. Rich is part of our in-house dream team aiming to take on the Virgin Active London Triathlon this July with the support of Team Carbon – official bike supplier, Tenn Outdoors – official kit supplier, Saucony, Polar, Zone 3 and Limar. To find out more about Team Triathlon Plus click here Rich racing to the finish line (Photo Credit: www.sportysnaps.com) It was an early start for the Bradford on Avon Triathlon on Sunday, but luckily the sun was out in full force – a rarity in the UK. This was my first standard distance triathlon so I wasn’t sure how to pace myself. I was pretty confident, however, as my training has been going really well and I’m felling strong in all three disciplines. Following my training plan set by team coach Phil Mosley has been a massive help. My wave set off at 8.30am; the thought of getting in a river at that time was a bit strange, particularly since it was pretty cold. Luckily, I was on holiday in Cornwall two weeks ago and going in the sea toughened me up a bit. The swim was shortened to 1,000m because the temperature was only 12°C.  We set off with the current and I found myself in the lead at the turnaround. It was the first time I’d worn my Zone3 wetsuit in anger and it fitted like a glove, with plenty of buoyancy. Someone went by me as we turned into the current which was perfect as I could then just draft behind them. I regained the lead on the second lap and surprised myself by exiting the swim first. My first transition went well and I was first out on the bike, so I took on a gel and knuckled down. I wore my Limar Speed Demon aero helmet and felt that it really gave me some extra streamlining. The course gets hillier as you go and I eventually got caught by someone on the steepest hill only a few kilometres out. I managed to regain the lead though and never looked back. The second transition also went well. The run started OK but I found it hard to keep my form as I’d worked pretty hard on the bike. This is something I need to work on with some longer brick sessions.  I had no one go by me and overtook a few from the previous wave. I came 21st overall and 17th in my age category, with a time of 2:10. I was really chuffed with my performance, but more importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed the event and met some great people. It was fanatically organized and a brilliant day out. Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news. Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone. Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines. Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.

About a year ago we built up a Giant TCX Advanced SL cross bike with Rotor 3D+ cranks with 50/34 Rotor Q-Rings and it is now time to talk about the experience.

Australia often has quite a bit of young talent in the sport of triathlon and among them these days is 21-year old James Hodge. He recently finished third at 70.3 Busselton but now he is back to studying and preparing for tests.

An in-depth test of the Felt AR4 aero road bike. Felt are a bike brand well rooted in the triathlon community and their AR range has pioneered the aero road platform. Borrowing heavily from Felt’s DA time trial bikes, the AR4 is a sleek, fast machine that blends aerodynamic advantage with friendlier road bike geometry and versatility, resulting in a great ride for training and racing. The Felt AR4 is packed with triathlon-friendly technology THE FRAME With its wheel-hugging profiles and stunning matte finish, the AR4 looks mean and fast. The bike shares the same design and aero benefits as the rest of the AR range and like the AR5 below it and AR2 above, the frame is made from Felt’s own UHC-Advanced custom carbon that’s developed for superb ride quality. The company’s unique InsideOut process uses internal and external moulds to better compact carbon during construction to create more complex and consistent tubes. The result is the most aggressively aerodynamic-looking aero road bike on the market. Only the pro-level AR1 uses a different lay-up for added stiffness and reduced weight. The frame won a Red Dot design award in 2010, which is telling of its superbly-crafted lines, expertly-designed geometry and the fact that it’s starting to get a little old in the tooth in some respects. There’s no tapered steerer on the fork for instance – though the long head tube provides excellent rigidity at the front – and the classic 68mm bottom bracket doesn’t quite match up with the wider, stiffer BB30 designs now being slotted into Felt’s newest TT bikes. Nevertheless, it’s still a beautiful piece of aerodynamic design. The narrow, tall headtube is unimpeded by cabling, which instead slot neatly into the top tube behind the stem. The top tube itself is horizontal to hide from the wind and flared, becoming thinner as it runs from the headtube to meet the seat tube. The narrow aero fork has a notched profile on the back of the fork crown that lines up with the thin teardrop downtube, which hugs the front wheel for better aerodynamics then sweeps down to meet the bottom bracket. The seat tube is also profiled to accommodate the back wheel and features a scooped interior curve for a close fit to the wheel but with clearance enough for any standard tyre sizes. The thin seatstays aid aerodynamics and a supple ride while the chainstays are strong, chunky numbers and feature a replaceable aluminium gear hanger. In contrast to some other aero road bikes on the market, the front derailleur cable leaves the frame to travel under the bottom bracket inside an external housing, popping up to meet the mech, while the rear derailleur’s cable runs naked along the outside of the chainstay. THE KIT The AR4 comes specced to the nines in Shimano Ultegra – the mechanical levers shifting flawlessly across the front and rear mechs to keep you in control of cog selection at all times. Pushing hard on the big ring or climbing out the saddle, the gearing won’t let you down. Clearly designed to go fast on the flat, the AR4 features a silky-smooth Ultegra chainset with standard 53x39T chainrings paired with an 11-25T rear cassette for close enough ratios to always find that sweet spot. There’s no compact option available on the chainset though, so if you need friendlier gears, talk to you local Felt dealer or factor the additional cost into the equation. The Ultegra brakes also have decent, reliable stopping power though took a while to bed in. An in-line gear adjuster – crucial for triathlon, where indexing can be knocked out of alignment in transition – is included for front shifting, but not the rear, which would have been nice for mid-ride tweaks. The wheel selection is telling of the AR4’s against-the-clock potential. Shimano’s RS30 wheelset offers 30mm aero-profiled rims and solid performance on the flat, but at a shade under 2kg without tyres and tubes, they drag the bike down when the gradients tip up, being neither light nor stiff. Though the RS30s me

Next week is Hawaii 70.3. Excitement has filled my entire heart, for many reason. Beyond the thrill of a start line, the push & will to go hard for 70.3 miles, there is of course opportunity. Some hope of a pay day and precious KPR points for Ironman Hawaii. Not many points, at all, but every little bit helps. My fingers are crossed that the next 3 races will seal the deal into Kona. Coach and I made a back up plan, but honestly I am not chasing that, I never go for plan B in life. While sometimes back ups are good and turn out pretty cool, it's hard to rest easy on a plan B... A few wonderful things have happened leading up to this race. I'm racer #19 next weekend so I figure a good way to keep my brain reminded on some of the good heading into next weekend, I should write down (in some random order) 19 of them...1. My favorite tree went into Summer bloom, hotter training weather...2. The winds did not knock me off my bike when the "hurricane" trades blew3. I can keep up with Chandler (almost, okay if he is tired) at swim practice4. 2.4 miles solo (a few times) and no sharks, plenty of dolphins5. Zucchini bread does not make you poop during track practice6. ZOOT sent me really bright clothes and new shoes: MOTIVATION7. I ran 20 miles without an IPOD and survived mentally8. No injuries & Rob is getting better everyday after being hit by a car 9. Breakthrough Nutrition has helped me avoid bonking on any long rides 10. My body has minimized damage thanks to Odin Willmont: Chiro/ART 11. Coach Steve & the High School swimmers don't kick me out of the pool12. Kainoa reminds me to wear sunscreen & chill out13 Mike continues to keep Pancake Sunday in full force after big days14. My new Swift Carbon is such a dream bike (you'll see it race day)15. I rode to Hilo! Still stoked on that big adventure, must repeat...16. Splish makes me want to swim, 80's suits are my favorite at the moment17. Kainoa asks to go to church (maybe for the food), he keeps me believing18. I got to paddle yesterday, it was a needed rest from SWIMBIKERUN19. I'm happy. Sometimes I race better happy... Cheers :)Bree