Faster Triathlon Race Times – 4 Tech advancements to PR your next Race
Karen Parnell BEng (Hons) CEng MBA CPT
Helping Triathletes & Swimmers meet or exceed their Training & Race Goals | 121 Coaching | Training Plans | TrainingPeaks | Final Surge | Clinics & Camps Spain | Sports Tech & Blog Writer
How to improve your Sprint to IRONMAN Triathlon Times using the Latest Swim, Bike and Run Technology
Triathlon is a technical sport and mastering all three disciplines plus transition takes time and dedication. You are training hard but maybe not getting the results you want or deserve. Technology trickles down from the professionals and over time the prices become more affordable and can help you shave minutes off your triathlon race times. Here we discuss the most effective current technology to help you achieve your personal best.
Tubeless Tyres
Tubeless tyres have been popular with mountain bikers since 1999 due to their ability to resist punctures and they can run their tires at lower pressures, resulting in more grip and comfort. A tubeless system is also less likely to puncture (even when running lower pressures) than a tubed tire as there is no tube to pinch between an obstacle and the rim – the cause of the dreaded snakebite or pinch flat. A pinch flat happens when the tire bottoms out on the rim, completely compressing the tube causing it to fail and usually leaving two holes which resembles a snakebite.
In 2006 Shimano Hutchinson introduced a tubeless system for road bicycles but due to lack of sponsorship did not take off with road racers and nowadays the pro's prefer tubular tyres. Tubular tyres tend to be the preserve of the professional riders as they need to be glued to the wheel. The benefit of tubeless tires for triathletes is however more apparent and as their price falls you should consider using them.
Tubeless road bike tires offer greater puncture protection, they are lighter weight, and offer a lower rolling resistance, which results in a more comfortable and more controlled ride. Tubeless tyre rolling resistance is lower than that of both clinchers and tubulars?due to the friction between inner tube and casing being eliminated. This lower rolling resistance can equate to a gain of around 5 watts according to?GTN.
If you are travelling to a race by air, you will need to deflate the tire, and this could cause messy sealant leaks and cause your stress when you arrive as you need to find a bike shop to help inflate and check your tires. In this scenario some athletes prefer to use a?latex inner tube?to reduce stress.
Tubeless tyres can leak air if not seated correctly so if you need to rack your bike the day before your race then you may find your tyres are a little flat when you exit the water and transition to the bike leg. But hopefully you would have checked your set up in training and avoid such an issue.
Tubeless tyres are harder to change than clinchers as they have a tighter fit on the rim, need sealant and a special pump or air compressor. Another consideration is that you will need to top up the sealant every 3-6 months as it tends to dry out.
Pros
-?????????Less likely to puncture which could save you minutes in a race. The time saving is dependant on how good you are at changing an inner tube under race conditions.
-?????????You can gain 4-5 watts with lower rolling road resistance which can save you minutes in a race. The time saving is dependent on your race distance and tire brand.
-?????????They give a more comfortable ride and you could feel less fatigued going on to your run leg.
Cons
-?????????Expensive when combined with the price of a set of good tubeless wheels.
-?????????When travelling to an overseas race it can be messy (tubeless sealant leakage) and stressful when you arrive if you need help to reinflate your tyres. You could use a latex inner tube as a back-up.
-?????????They could lose air overnight if you rack the day before your race.
-?????????Are more difficult to change than a clincher tyre.
-?????????You will need to top up the sealant every 3-6 months.
Adding sealant to a tubeless tyre
Seat Post Dropper
On March 20th, 2022, Matej Mohoric stunned the cycling world by winning Milan-Sanremo using a seat post dropper to ascend quicker. Mohori?‘s bike was fitted with a Fox Transfer SL dropper post,?launched in June 2021?and is claimed to weigh 327g. It’s described by Fox as the “lightest mainstream dropper post on the market”. Seat post dropper technology has moved on and they don’t weigh much more than a standard seat post. The seat post dropper enabled him to get into a more effective ascending position.
The seat post dropper is race legal and may give an advantage for triathletes on longer hilly courses.
Dropper posts are mostly seen on mountain bikes and allow the rider to drop the saddle height at the flick of a switch, making it easier to lower their centre of gravity or shift position on steep or technical terrain, improving their ability to manoeuvre the bike.
It may be something to try in training to see if it can improve your comfort on longer rides and also improve cycling ascending or descending skills.
Pros
-?????????Could improve comfort and handling skills
Cons
-?????????Something more to think about in training and racing and are a little heavier than standard seat posts.
-?????????Not proven in triathlon races yet.
Carbon Running Shoes
Running shoes with a carbon inserts first emerged in the 1990’s but were very rigid and hard to run in. Many brands tried to make a good, comfortable carbon running shoe, but it wasn’t until the Vapor Fly 4% was created by Nike for Eliud Kipchoge did it become a useful shoe type. Eliud lowered the marathon world record in 2018 in Berlin to 2:01:39 using this new carbon plated shoe.?
A carbon plate is used in the running shoe midsole?to create a degree of rigidity and therefore improve the stability of the platform. The carbon plate also enhances energy return from the midsole material because of the additional stiffness.
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After 2018 the Vapor Fly 4% was much sought after, and the standard price was around €300 but some sold for much more as they were in demand. Now most brands have a carbon version of race running shoe and are much more affordable. You can now get a branded pair for around €150 which is similar to a decent branded running shoe.
Most people who have tried them have reported a positive difference and achieved PRs in their races. A study in 2021 by Joubert and Jones of 7 carbon plated race shoes found up to a 3% improvement in running efficiency. A 3% improvement in running efficiency would theoretically translate to 25-30 seconds for a 15–17-minute 5km runner and 4-6 minutes for a 2.5-3.5-hour marathon runner.
They also found that some brands were better than others with the Nike Vaporfly 2 being the benchmark.
Based on these results and the falling prices of carbon plated racing shoe this could give an advantage over all triathlon distances from sprint to IRONMAN and beyond.
Pros
-?????????Selecting the right carbon plated race shoes could improve your running efficiency by 3%
Cons
-?????????Not all carbon plated running shoes are created equal so do your research (the study referenced in this Blog is a good place to start.
Nike VaporFly 2 with carbon plate
FORM Goggles
FORM goggles have an in-goggle display which can give you data about your swimming speed, stroke rate, heart rate and pacing as well as training sessions for your desired race distance. I got a chance to test them?and wrote about it in TRI247. These could help with your training and on race day help you understand your speed and stroke rate, keep your heart rate in the right zone and keep your pacing in line with your race strategy. To get open water stats you will need to pair your FORM goggles with a compatible Garmin or Apple watch. For heart rate data you will need to use a Polar verity sense or OH1 with the FORM goggles which is an extra expense.
They won’t however help you swim straighter so you will still need to practice sighting in your open water swim sessions before race day!
Interestingly that when the goggles were first launched, they stated that they were race legal but have now added “just be sure to check with your race director before racing”.
Pros
-?????????During training and racing they can help with pacing, distance and time.
-?????????The FORM App provides structured training sessions.
Cons
-?????????For open water stats you need a compatible Garmin or Apple watch plus for heart rate a Polar Verity Sense device.
-?????????The FORM goggles are quite pricey at €245 with 12 months membership plan.
My FORM goggles with the Polar Verity at the lake
Conclusion
No amount of technology will replace consistent training, a good training plan and well thought out nutrition but I’ve detailed here a few ways to give you a little more speed on race day.?
Technology prices tend to come down so it’s worth keeping an eye on the latest trends to see which ones will help you achieve your personal race day goals.
Karen Parnell?is a Level 3 British Triathlon and IRONMAN Certified Coach, NASM Personal Trainer and Sports Technology Writer.
If you are interested in training for a triathlon get in?touch.
References
2021 A Comparison of Running Economy Across Seven Carbon-Plated Racing Shoes Dustin P. Joubert Stephen F. Austin State University, [email protected] Garrett P. Jones Stephen F Austin State University
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