IRONMAN Turns Race Cancellation into PR PB

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning everyone,

Summer is officially here in the Northern Hemisphere, and in many places (looking at you, Texas) it is absolutely cooking. OK, it’s wayyy too hot in Texas now, but here in Boulder the temps are rising and we are loving it! Hope the training/racing weather is pleasant in your part of the world.

In today’s edition:

• IRONMAN scores a PR PB after a frustrating race cancellation 🙌

• Ketones - they’re trending, but will they help you perform? 🥑

• And what makes this fourth of July tri so special? Hint: Plenty of hydration 🍺

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. 

QUICK NEWS

🇰🇿 Astana advantage: Astana, Kazakhstan will host an IRONMAN this weekend. Last year’s edition saw a $1.8 million boost to the economy, and it is now one of the most significant international events in Astana, with over 5,000 spectators. Very nice! [Astana Times]

🎭 Arena Games spotlight: Super League Triathlon shared the spotlight at the International Olympic Committee’s recent Esports week. The Arena Games was part of the demonstration events that may be included in future Olympic Esports competitions. [Super League Triathlon]

⛔ PTO no-go: The Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) will not host a fourth event in 2023. In a letter to athletes, Chairman Chris Kermode said timing and logistics did not allow for the delivery of a high-quality event. [Tri-Today]

🦁 State College smoke: Ahead of this week’s inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Happy Valley, local officials are monitoring smoke-related air quality issues. Although current forecasts indicate conditions should improve significantly by the weekend. [Yahoo]

ONE BIG THING

IRONMAN Impresses In Wake of Cancelled 70.3

What happened: Last weekend, athletes who were slated to compete at IRONMAN 70.3 Mt. Tremblant woke up to smoke-filled skies from forest fires currently plaguing Quebec.

With the air quality index reaching values up to 300 on portions of the race course, the organizers cancelled the race in the interest of athlete safety.

• When AQI levels are above 100, outdoor exercise is not healthy. 

The response: Not always known for its stellar customer service, IRONMAN quickly found solutions for its 70.3 athletes that have been described as very athlete friendly, as reported by Triathlon Magazine Canada. 

For the athletes dealing with the cancelled race, IRONMAN has been able to reschedule the event for August 20th, the same weekend as the full-distance IRONMAN Mt. Tremblant.

Options also include:

• A free upgrade to the full-distance event at Mt. Tremblant.

• The ability to transfer to any available 70.3 event in North America.

• Defer to the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Mt. Tremblant.

• Choose to receive a refund.

Tempo’s take: Smoke from forest fires is something that IRONMAN can’t control. What they can control is how they respond to what happened. They made the right call by canceling the race, as it’s not healthy in the short or long term to exert oneself in conditions like that.

• IRONMAN then made another very correct call by offering the athletes a suite of potential transfer/refund options that should be favorable to most athletes.

• Of course, athletes are still out of pocket for travel/accomodation expenses, which is super frustrating.

I’ve been in a similar situation when in 2018 I travelled to a race in Kelowna, Canada. The wildfire smoke hit, and there were many disappointed athletes. And we didn’t even get a refund 😢

TOGETHER WITH PILLAR PERFORMANCE

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"Sleep has always been one of the most important aspects of recovery to me. However, it can be tough to always get a good nights sleep, especially now that I have two kids! When I took PILLAR, I literally saw through my sleep data, that my quality of sleep improved!"

• Ben Kanute, Olympic Triathlete

Hack your sleep performance. Buy TRIPLE MAGNESIUM at The Feed today.

Do you want to reach almost 7,000 thoughtful and engaged triathletes? Respond to this email and we will get back to you ASAP.

TRAINING THOUGHT

Fuel or Fad? New Study Suggests Ketones Not Worth the Hype

Ketones — they’re one of the most on-trend performance supplements for professional cyclists and influencers alike. But are the tiny bottles worth the big price?

Ketones are marketed as a “super fuel” that athletes can use to tap into extra energy, which preserves precious glycogen during training and racing.

• But according to a study conducted by kinesiologists at McMaster University, not only do Ketones not help performance, they might hurt it.

The study: Well-trained cyclists conducted a race simulation in a lab environment. Each athlete completed two 20-minute time trials, one with Ketone supplementation and one with a similar-tasting placebo.

The results: The researchers found that 👇

• 🐢 The speed the cyclists sustained during the test was lower after taking the Ketone supplement vs. the placebo.

• 😤 Ketone supplements increased cardiorespiratory stress during exercise.

No doubt, future research will look into the performance-enhancing effects of Ketones. But in the meantime, they might not be worth it, even with that Tik Tok referral code.

Are you an expert and want to share your wisdom with thousands of engaged triathletes? Fill out this form and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

REEL TIME

Pro triathlete Lisa Becheras gives us a masterclass in transition speed. Check out her T2 Tik Tok and watch her fly!

@lisabecharas

If you need help learning how to nail your triathlon transitions, I’m here to help 💁🏼‍♀️! #triathlon #triathlontok #cycling

FAVOURITES

🏁 Not average now: Eight months ago YouTuber Average Rob set a big goal to finish an Ironman. And now, he’s done it. Check out this awesome and entertaining video of Rob’s race day journey to finishing his first Ironman. [Average Rob/YouTube]

🍻 Hermosaman: Everyone knows about Kona, but on July 4th, Hermosa Beach, California, will host the 50th edition of its iconic “Ironman.” But instead of swim, bike, and run these athletes run, paddle, and chug! (a six-pack of beer). [Daily Breeze]

😰 Avoid burnout: Performance psychologist Alex Auerbach was experiencing success as a college football coach, but it came at a steep price: burnout. Check out his Twitter thread on his experience with burnout and how you can avoid it. [Alex Auerbach/Twitter]

💡 Injury information: Brad Beer is a physiotherapist with many years of treating triathlon-related injuries. Check out his recent podcast appearance where he discusses treatment of common triathlon injuries, rehab and return to sport from common triathlon injuries, and lots more! [Scientific Triathlon]

FRIDAY MEME

WEEKEND RACES

IRONMAN Frankfurt

Women’s race: Last year’s winner Daniela Blehymehl (GER) will look for another big victory in Frankfurt. But it will not be a walk in the park.

• A couple of Yankees, Sarah True and Skye Moench will be looking to spoil the party.

• Nikki Bartlett (GBR) and fellow German Svenja Thoes will also be fighting for the podium.

The races start at 6:30 AM CET

Watch live on YouTube here.

Check out the rest of the weekend races here.

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• What is the State of the Sport? Good! According to race director Mark Wilson.

• Expert analysis: How to train in the heat with a world leader researcher.

• Expert Analysis: Strength Training for an Ironman PB. 

LATEST EDITIONS

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• IRONMAN reveals Nice World Championship course.

• Is there a perfect swim stroke? And top tips for first-time triathletes.

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