Beaugrand Golden in Paris

TOGETHER WITH STRIPA STRAP

Good morning everyone,

We finally had our Olympic races. Worries that the triathlon could not be held in the Seine due to water quality issues seemed to be coming to fruition when the men’s race was postponed on Tuesday.

• But at 4 AM on Wednesday, the notice came up in my feed that the water quality was good to go and we would be seeing the athletes compete.

Walking towards the race venue the energy was electric. Thousands and thousands of fans were congregating along the banks of the Seine and the Champs-Élysées preparing to cheer their hearts out for the athletes. For many, their very first triathlon experience.

• The race venue in the heart of Paris was iconic, and the athletes delivered equally historic performances.

I was there supporting my wife, Kirsten Kasper, in her Olympic debut. She had an incredible start to the race where she exited the swim in the top 10 and was comfortably in the lead group in the early stages of the bike.

But disaster struck as her tires slid out on one of the corners. She crashed to the ground but quickly jumped back on her bike and kept pushing. With 12km left to bike, she suffered a flat tire. And before she could change her wheel she would crash twice more…

• When she came past our cheering section on the run her expression was determined and resolute, and stayed that way till she crossed the line.

For many athletes, including Kirsten, the Olympics isn’t their best day. But the way she responded to each setback showed immense resilience and grit that will be remembered long after the closing ceremonies.

• It was an effort, and day, that I will never forget.

In today’s edition:

• 🥇 A recap of the tremendous women’s Olympic triathlon,

• 🏋️‍♀️ How to beat “strength fatigue”

• 😴 And overcoming bad sleep blues!

Thanks for being here,

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free. 

TEMPO AT THE GAMES

Triathlon Royalty Crowned as Beaugrand Reigns Supreme in Paris

What is it: After worries of race delays and format changes due to poor water quality in the Seine, the women’s Olympic triathlon was held on its originally scheduled date and time.

• France’s Cassandre Beaugrand, with the weight of a nation on her shoulders, shrugged off the pressure and her competition to take a historic gold medal in Paris.

Swim: Although water quality was not an issue, the river current proved to be an absolute game changer. Standing on the start line the women could see the 1m/s river flow coursing beneath them.

• As the crowds roared ahead of the start it became difficult to hear the starter’s instructions. the horn blared, but not everyone heard it.

Watch: Olympic athletes miss start due to noise.

As they made the turn to head back towards the swim start it became clear just how brutal it was swimming against the current. Massive gaps opened up between athletes.

• Flora Duffy (BER), the reigning gold medalist, took a solo lead on the first swim lap and extended the gap as she exited the water ahead of favorites Beth Potter (GBR) and Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA).

• Potential medal winners Taylor Knibb (USA) and Leonie Periault (FRA) had been caught up in the current, and were over 2 minutes back out of the swim, effectively ending their day.

Bike: In a show of force Duffy continued to press her lead out of the water. And for two laps she continued solo in the lead avoiding the many crashes that plagued the groups behind.

• When Duffy was caught, the lead group featured ten athletes including Beaugrand, Potter, Emma Lombardi (FRA)

• Also in the lead group was a surprisingly on-form Julie Derron (SUI) whose solo bike effort to bridge to the lead group would prove to be pivotal.

• The athletes would enter T2 in a group of nine, it was clear the medals would come from this group.

Knibb, with little help from the other chase pack athletes, made a valiant effort to bring the leaders back, but coming off the bike they would start the run over a minute back of the eventual winners.

Run: After the first run lap it was clear the medals would go to three of four athletes; Beaugrand, Potter, Lombardi, and Derron.

Derron was thought to be the first shoe to drop. Before this race, she had never been on a World Series podium, while Beaugrand, Potter, and Lombardi have too many to count.

• But lap after lap she continued to stay with them and even led at stages.

As the quartet ran up the Champs for the final time, the Arc de Triomphe just in the distance, it was clear the long arduous race was taking its toll. Beaugrand could sense this, and with about a mile to go she made the decisive move.

In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, she opened up an insurmountable gap to Derron as the thousands of exuberant fans willed her to the finish.

• She broke the tape and collapsed to the ground becoming France’s first Olympic medalist in triathlon, and a national hero.

Eight years ago, Beaugrand burst onto the scene when she was named to France’s Rio Olympic team as a 19-year-old. In Tokyo, she struggled as she did not finish the race.

• Only three years later she is now the Olympic champion. And at 27, a title defense in Los Angeles should be expected. It’s something no female triathlete has done before.

TOGETHER WITH STRIPA STRAP

Tempo Reviews: The Stripa Strap 

If you’re looking for the custom-fit, relentlessly designed, and incredibly comfortable watch strap of your dreams, then I highly recommend the Stripa Strap!

• I’ve never had a watch feel this way before!

What we liked: 

✅ Hand made and custom-fitted

✅ Incredible stability

✅ World-class comfort

Matt’s Review

I’m not the kind of athlete that gets too wrapped up in the finer details. For better or worse I’ve yet to don aerodynamic calf sleeves, and I don’t actually know what tire pressure is truly optimized for my best performance. 

But Péter Sinka, a relentless product designer from Hungary, and the creator of the Stripa Strap, is someone who has been sweating the small details his entire life. And the phenomenal results speak for themselves. 

• Péter grew up as a watch enthusiast and was, “fascinated by the constant change shown by quartz, which illustrates the passage of time.” So it was only a matter of time before he applied his technical skills in textiles and industrial robotics towards his lifelong passion. 

The Stripa Strap, according to Péter, is the culmination of a five-year design process rooted in minimalism-maximalism. The Stripa’s design is subtle and responds fluidly to your every move. At its core are sport-first layers of fabric that are salt water, UV, and abrasion resistant.

• And, the unique Double-loop system provides the stability and security you won’t find with traditional straps and bulky buckles!

I wanted to put the Stripa Strap through its paces. So over three weeks of no-nonsense swimming, biking, and running I came away with two major takeaways. 

1. How stable and natural it felt during the most demanding training sessions.

2. The incredible comfort of the custom-fit design.  

The Stripa’s performance really hit home during an unusually humid track workout. The intense intervals and deluge of sweat were handled beautifully by the strap.

What wasn’t handled beautifully (by myself) was the strap installation. But this video helped me navigate the process in easy steps. 

• Of course, we are talking about a watch strap. And for many, a watch strap can be just that, a simple strap upon which your watch sits. 

But if you’re the type of athlete who sticks with your sports watch for many years, then upgrading to the performance-driven Stripa Strap is a worthwhile investment. 

• So if you need a watch strap that is incredibly comfortable, durable, and brings a little more luxury to your workouts, then I’d happily recommend the Stripa Strap. 

Make your watch a professional sporting tool! Order now at stripastrap.com and use code TEMPOXSTRIPA to get free shipping to North America, Europe, and the UK! And save an additional 5% by subscribing to their emails.

FAVORITES

🏋️‍♀️ Strength fatigue: Strength training is critical for keeping you injury-free and improving performance. But, it can often lead to feeling extreme fatigue during other important training sessions. Dial back your strength fatigue by lifting heavy but with low volume, plus these other three tips! [Montana Running Lab]

😴 Bad sleep blues: Sometimes bad sleep happens. But it doesn’t have to derail your workout! Doing your workout shortly after waking up, and these other tips, can ensure you still get your training done - effectively! [New York Times]

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