21 easy triathon and Ironman training tips

Whether you're about to hit the road for a long bike, or looking for some simple training tips, the Tempo has got you covered.

These aren't meant to replace your existing program. Instead, you can use them to quickly improve on what you're already doing or spark new ideas.

How to stay fueled during long runs

A cornerstone of any good triathlon training program is the long run. There’s definitely a legend around the Sunday long run. The vibe of the run just seems to go with the day. A more chill run on a more chill day. Here are three ways to make the most out of your Sunday special. 

😴 Sleep well before the session

• A proper sleep of 7 - 9 hours can be the difference between a blissful jaunt or a slow slog.

🍫 Fuel well during

• Eating is winning. Make sure to take in some carbs throughout the session to keep energy high and hanger at bay!

🧀 Fuel well after

• A good mix of protein and carbs post-run ensures your body has the energy and building blocks to properly recover.

Why you should incorporate snorkelling into your training

Not just for scuba diving! Incorporating a snorkel for swim training can be a game changer for a few key reasons. 

📏 Body Alignment

• By using a snorkel you can focus on keeping the head in an ideal position that will help keep your hips up.

👀 Eyes Down 

• Instead of missing the catch phase while breathing, a snorkel allows for full vision of how you are pulling water through the water, and can make it easier see faults. 

🏍️ Keep Going

• By not having to lift the head to breath a snorkel will reduce fatigue during longer intervals, and help build endurance.

Use low cadence for big gains

For triathletes, a typical cadence, or RPM, should be around 90-100 revolutions per minute (RPM). However, whether training or investing, diversification is key. And for triathletes, incorporating low cadence (bigger gear, lower RPM) intervals can pay dividends on race day. 

Here's why:

🔎 Improve pedaling technique:

By slowing down the RPM’s, more attention can be paid to the pedal stroke and weak spots can be identified. 

💪 Build muscular endurance:

 When using a bigger gear, more muscle fibers will be activated and will eventually adapt to the training stimulus. Which creates more fatigue resistance!

👟 A better run: 

With more fatigue resistant muscles, the legs are able to come off the bike feeling fresher and ready to attack the run. 

Three easy stretches to loosen up your quad and hip flexors

Triathletes love to train, but with all that stress on the muscles the body needs some love as well. After cycling a ton, the quads and hip flexors are often very tight. This reduces range of motion while running, which can lead to slower times and even injury. 

Here are three perfect stretches for triathletes to run fast and stay healthy 🔽

🦵 Rectus femoris 

• An important quad muscle for cycling and running. Loosen it up with this knee to wall stretch. 

🍑 Piriformis

• Hip stabilizing muscle that can fatigue from cycling. Stretch it out, but also get to lay down!

🧘 Psoas

• Definitely a top five muscle in the body! Psoas helps stabilize the entire lower body and is in heavy use while cycling and running. Give it some love!

How to improve your open water swim

Swimming well in the open water is so important, but often neglected. Here are three hacks for pool swimming that will lead to better races in the open water 

👀 Sighting

• Pick a spot to sight on the other side of the pool and take a sight every six strokes. Important not to lift your whole head, just the goggles!

🏋️‍♀️ Band only

• Band only is brutal, but so good for you. Tie a band, or pair of goggles around your ankles, and focus on keeping your hips up. Start with 25's or 50's and build from there.  

⌛ Longer intervals

• Extend your intervals to mimic swimming in the open water, which helps build strength and endurance. Cause there aren't walls in the lake!

Cross-country skiing? Here's why you should try it

With winter settling in for folks in the northern hemisphere, it could be time to throw some cross-country skiing into the training routine this winter. Here are three reasons triathletes should definitely cross-country ski! ⏬ 

👩‍🚀 Low impact

• Cross-country (XC) skiing puts less stress on muscles, joints, and bones, which is great for athletes who are injury prone.

🏋️ Whole body workout

• XC skiing is the true full-body workout. Arms, legs, and everything else will be worked. There's a reason why these elite skiers are among the fittest athletes in the world. 

🌲 Nature

• It is a great excuse to get out in the woods, and amongst nature! Which can help keep the body and mind in a state of wellness.

Get smart about oxygen consumption and running

After swimming and biking hard it's crazy to think that triathletes still have the energy to run at pace. A great way to improve the triathlon run is to improve running economy.

According to Runner's World running economy is, "the relationship between oxygen consumption and running speed." So, the less oxygen used at a pace the more efficient one will run. Here are three ways triathletes start running more efficiently 👇

🐆 Shorter stride

• A shorter stride uses less oxygen than a long one!

📈 Increase Mileage

• This one requires a bit of nuance. But by running more the body will adapt to use oxygen more efficiently.

🏎️ Race pace efforts

• Once races are closer incorporating appropriate length race pace intervals will help the body become more efficient at that pace.