Maybe R.I.C.E. isn't so N.I.C.E?

Good morning everyone,

It’s race week here at Tempo HQ, which means taper time! I’m looking forward to racing here at the Boulder 70.3 this weekend and am stoked to recover from a big training block.

In today’s edition:

• Tragedy strikes at IRONMAN Hamburg

• Is R.I.C.E. still the gold standard in injury treatment?

• And how should you fuel in between training sessions?

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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QUICK NEWS

📹 PTO partner: The Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) has announced that it will partner with Outside Interactive to broadcast the rest of its 2023 PTO Tour events in the U.S. and Canada. Outside is a leading Triathlon broadcaster as they already carry numerous IRONMAN events on its streaming platform, Outside Watch. [Endurance.biz]

👏 Go Shanelle: After New Zealand’s Shanelle Barrett suffered a significant personal struggle, she pivoted towards an impressive journey of selfless service to the sport of triathlon, and recently, became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. [NZ Herald]

🥖 Allons-y: The Eiffel Tower Triathlon will be contested this weekend in Paris. Athletes can compete individually or in a relay. But be sure to set your GPS to Paris, Illinois 😂 [The Prarie Press]

🤝 Special bond: 24 years after Jim Tatur donated a kidney to his brother Jeff, they will be competing in a triathlon to mark the special day that brought them even closer together. [CCX Media]

Do you want to partner with The Tempo and reach over five thousand awesome and engaged triathletes? Respond to this email and we will get back to you!

ONE BIG THING

Tragedy Strikes at IRONMAN Hamburg

During Sunday’s IRONMAN Hamburg, a collision involving a race motorcycle and an age-group athlete occurred, as reported by CNN. This resulted in the death of the motorcycle driver. The athlete is in the hospital recovering from serious injuries, while an event photographer has since been released.

• The motorcycle driver briefly moved into the oncoming lane of traffic, which is when the incident occurred.

• The incident occurred on a narrow two-way section of the bike course.

Disturbingly, the race continued to occur even as athletes had to get off their bikes and walk up a steep embankment to get around the collision site.

IRONMAN released a statement saying, among other things:

“We are devastated by this tragic accident. On a day meant to be a celebration of the human spirit, we instead mourn the loss of a member of our triathlon community. Our sympathies are with all those affected.”

Tempo’s take: This is a truly tragic incident, and our thoughts are with those involved and their families.

As fans of the sport, we want maximum coverage of the athletes. But in circumstances where the course is too narrow (like in Hamburg), an executive decision has to be made in the interest of everyone’s safety.

If the course was designed not to have two-way traffic, the chances of incidents like this plummets. In reality, the goal of one-way traffic on an IRONMAN bike course comes up against the reality of the cost associated with closing more roads.

• IRONMAN is a corporation, so it may make decisions like designing a more cost-effective bike course with two-way traffic.

• In doing this, it may make it feasible to have a race in a major urban center like Hamburg, with a population of five million.

So, where do we go from here? IRONMAN will need to make changes in the interest of athlete safety. We just need to accept that might mean fewer major race venues or higher race fees to cover the costs of a safer course.

What do you think should be done in the wake of this tragedy? Respond to this email and let us know your thoughts.

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE

R.I.C.E. is D.E.A.D

Injured? Use the tried and true rest, ice, compression, and elevation - or- R.I.C.E. method. This acronym has been adorned on physio clinic walls worldwide and has been the standard advice for treating acute injuries like sprains or strains.

• But what if R.I.C.E. isn’t as N.I.C.E. as once thought? According to an article in the New York Times, some sports medicine physicians are elevating their guidance:

🧊 The original physician who coined the term R.I.C.E is now saying, “ice can delay healing, rather than aid it.”

🚴‍♀️ He also suggests movement post-injury is recommended, as long as there is no pain (especially for overuse injuries).

🔥 Heat is also recommended as a way to help loosen up muscles in the A.M.

We’re going to have to come up with a new acronym!

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FAVOURITES

🛎️ ATTN new triathletes: New to the sport and looking for some solid resources? Be sure to check out Taren Gesell and his extensive library of training tips. This playlist for new triathletes is a great place to begin. [Taren’s Mottiv Method/YouTube]

🍟 Low carb, low performance: If you’re training multiple times daily, what is the best option for snacking or eating in between? Well, according to this infographic from Yann Le Meur, it definitely helps to have something with a high amount of carbs! [YLM Sports Science]

😲 Insane comeback: In March 2021 during a race, American Professional triathlete Tim O’Donnell suffered a “widowmaker” heart attack. Against all odds, he survived and is back racing at the highest level. He talks about that incident and more on the Rich Roll podcast. [Rich Roll/YouTube]

💵 Big talk, little cash: There is always big talk about the economic impact of a big triathlon weekend. But does everyone really benefit? According to this Morro Bay business, definitely not. It’s an interesting perspective from a small business owner on how a race weekend impacted them. [Sanluisobispo.com]

WEEKEND RACES

IRONMAN Hamburg - European Championships

The tragic death of a motorcycle driver marred the men’s only race. The bike course was shortened to 170km as a result.

Men: A large pack exited the water together, featuring heavy favorites Jan Frodeno (GER), Denis Chevrot (FRA), Josh Amberger (AUS), and Kristian Høgenhaug (DEN).

On the bike, Høgenhaug broke away from the bunch but only gained a couple of minutes. Eventual race winner Chevrot quickly chewed this up. Frodeno seemed to be missing some critical endurance as he finished just off the podium in fourth.

• 🥇 Denis Chevrot (FRA)

• 🥈 Pieter Heemeryck (BEL)

• 🥉 Kristian Høgenhaug (DEN)

Full results

Check out the European Triathlon Championships and the rest of the weekend’s results here.

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

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

• Expert analysis: Nail your Ironman training nutrition.

• If you build it will they come? The crazy story of the Triterium.

LATEST EDITIONS

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• Beat the heat with tips from a world-leading researcher.

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