Club News

Let’s keep this simple by firstly identifying common challenges experienced by a triathlete during the Winter months and then offer a tip or solution for each issue:

Poor weather conditions. When it comes to getting out on the bike for any length of time more often than not it’s windy, wet, cold, and you feel restricted to training during daylight hours.

Tip: Wrap up. Beg, borrow or buy the right type of kit to keep you warm, dry and safe on the roads. More and more I hear of “Night Rides” taking place in clubs, where training groups train in the dark but with specific bike lights. If lit up adequately, these sessions can be a very useful option considering the roads can be quieter in the morning and in the evening outside of rush hour or peak times. Regardless, having the right gear on the bike during these times will make your session more comfortable and enjoyable.

Winter is a busy time! There is plenty happening during this period including; mid- semester breaks, school/uni exams, Christmas holidays, New Year’s celebrations etc.

Tip: Stick to a routine that works for you. Plan your week/s in advance and accommodate those sessions that you will most likely miss. Be clever when you structure in your adaptation/ recovery time, try line it up so that it is appropriate for your training and day to day requirements. Remember, pool opening hours tend to change during the Christmas holidays so again don’t get caught out if you need to work on this element of the sport, find an alternative in advance.

Family and social life distractions. Time spent in the pool or on the bike can be associated with a guilt that you are not spending time with significant others.

Tip: Plan to take some time-out from your usual training sessions. You can use cross-training activities such as mountain-biking, surfing, trail walks/ runs as recovery sessions! These can be done with family or friends, at the same time you are getting time on your legs and/or/whilst building strength.

Be careful of the “Turkey run”! There is no shortage of charity events during the Winter period. However, associated with this season are some risks to your body often due to the cold weather. You may have noticed a literal “spring in your step” when going out for a run in the cold, this is biomechanical action known as the ‘stretch shortening cycle’. Reactivity in a structure such as the lower limb is heightened when its more tensile but consequently this lovely feature of running mechanics can leave tendons, joints and muscle vulnerable to injury.

 Tip: Take an extra bit of time to warm up by mobilising joints activating appropriate stabiliser muscle groups and working toward dynamic exercises. Otherwise, you are asking your tendons to stretch and relax with high force and velocity when they are not ready which may result in tears.

Don’t lose sight of your personal performance goals! Setting targets is easy, it’s the adherence and consistency to training that is challenging.

Tip: Set realistic process goals, mini objectives throughout the season will help you keep on track and motivated to train. Identify your weaknesses and find ways to improve on them. But also learn to maximise your strengths! This applies to your diet too. Pay attention to what you eating and when, avoid over-indulging on sugary foods late in the evening.