This Might Be The Perfect Fuel

TOGETHER WITH THE FEED

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday in the Northern Hemisphere, it was the summer solstice. I spent my longest day of the year training and writing the newsletter - two great activities!

It’s bittersweet knowing the days will start to get shorter, but that probably won’t be noticeable for a bit anyways.

• And for you the southern hemisphere, the longer days await!

In today’s edition:

• 😍 A high-carb fuel that’s easy on your stomach and affordable? Sorry, that doesn’t exis…

• 😲 The shocking snubs of the British Olympic triathlon team.

• 🧇 And the fuel you should definitely be starting your day with!

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 REVIEWS

Tempo Reviews: Enervit Isocarb C2:1 Pro Hydration Mix

An affordable high-carb hydration mix that’s easy on the stomach!

If you’re looking for an affordable, high-carb, and easy-to-drink fuel that’ll help you push harder in training and on race day then the Enervit Isocarb C2:1 Pro is an excellent hydration mix!

What we liked:

✅ Affordable

✅ Makes high-carb fueling easy

✅ Easily digestible

Matt’s Review

After interviewing pro triathlete Ben Kanute and finding out he trains and races with the Enervit Isocarb hydration mix, I knew I HAD to give it a try. 

Also, the name is great. “Enervit” is a gorgeous portmanteau of the words “energy” and “vitality.” Not relevant to performance at all. But I couldn’t do this review without acknowledging it!

• Anyway, I had a few solid product testing opportunities including quality workouts on the swim and bike.

I’m typically a high-carb fueler, so I didn’t notice a huge difference in my overall energy levels. But the biggest difference was just how incredibly easy elite-level fueling was with the Isocarb C2:1 Pro mix.

During hard training, it can be hard to take down a gel, or fumble with a package of energy chews. Especially in critical between-interval moments. Fueling with the Isocarb C2:1 Pro during these key sessions was seamless and helped me get the most out of my effort and time. 

• Plus, the mild flavor was perfect during the hard efforts.

The 2:1 ratio of maltodextrin to fructose means there is incredible carbohydrate absorption without the typical GI stress. If you have stomach issues after hard training sessions or races, I would definitely recommend you give the Isocarb C2:1 Pro mix a go.

• And at $19.99 for the container, it’s also pretty easy on the wallet!

You might not like this product if you’re looking for more sodium. If that’s the case, I’d take a look at the Carbs Fuel Sport Drink mix. It’s also an affordable high-carb hydration mix with 500mg of sodium per serving.

Affordable, high-carb fueling without the GI stress? Get it all with the Enervit Isocarb C2:1 Pro hydration mix. And save 15% off your first Feed order when you join their Strava Club!

FAVORITES

🍯 Carb king: They say the day's most important meal is breakfast, but what is the most important carbohydrate to accompany your critical meal? Apparently, it’s fructose! This infographic from Yann Le Meur explains why fructose is the carb that does the most. [YLM Sports Science]

🏀 We’re talking about practice: Do you love to flex on everyone in training? Is a session only worth it if you finish in a collapsed heap on the ground, surrounded by your own vomit? Well…it’s definitely not helping your performance when it matters most, on race day. [Science of Running]

🪒 Leg shaving gains: Does shaving your legs actually make you faster? Swimmers have known it for years, and now its been tested in the wind tunnel. Yeah, it won’t win you he race, but it might lead to your next fastest bike split! [Lionel Sanders]

🏎️ Triathlon’s Drive to Survive: For six months World Triathlon followed top athletes as they battled it out in the final Olympic qualification races. And soon, you’ll be able to see their triumphs, setbacks, and meltdowns. Watch the exhilarating trailer for Dare to Dream here. [World Triathlon]

ONE BIG THING

Controversial British Olympic Triathlon Selection Sees High-Profile Snubs

What is it: After a lengthy deliberation process, which included significant legal interventions, the final roster for the British Olympic Triathlon team has been set.

• Shockingly, 3x Olympic medalist, Jonathan Brownlee, and World Triathlon Series race winner, Sophie Coldwell, will both be on the sidelines for the Games.

Three spots to fill: After Alex Yee and Beth Potter had already achieved automatic selection from their impressive 2023 performances. It came down to discretionary selection to fill the two remaining women’s slots and the one remaining men’s slot.

Brownlee beaten: After a Paris Olympic qualifying campaign that saw Brownlee struggle to achieve his previous form, it all came down to a final qualifying showdown at a Super Sprint European Cup event in Poland.

• It was Brownlee VS. Sam Dickinson. To the winner, most likely a spot at the Olympics. To the loser, a summer lamenting what could have been.

• Through the swim and bike, Brownlee and Dickinson were neck and neck with no daylight between them.

• On the run, Dickinson shadowed Brownlee until meters before the finished where he kicked past the veteran, all but assuring his spot at the games.

And on Monday, it was finally confirmed that Dickinson would be competing in Paris, bringing an end to the storied Brownlee Olympic triathlon era.

Women’s matchup: For the women, it was two spots available amongst three high-powered athletes;

Georgia Taylor-Brown - Individual and Relay Olympic medalist in Tokyo. Injured for much of 2023.

Kate Waugh - Breakout athlete of 2023 finishing in 2nd at the World Triathlon Championship Final.

Sophie Coldwell - Winner of 2023 World Triathlon Series Yokohama.

And there was plenty of hype before last month’s WTCS event in Cagliari as British Triathlon had deemed it a priority selection event - meaning a heavy emphasis for selection would be placed on the results.

• In Cagliari, 16 seconds separated Taylor-Brown, Coldwell, and Waugh who finished 6th, 7th, and 10th respectively.

• But with discretionary selection at play, there was no way to know exactly how they would decide.

Sophie spurned: In the weeks after Cagliari, with the British team yet to be announced, rumors were floating around that team had been selected, but an athlete had appealed the decision.

That athlete was Sophie Coldwell.

On Instagram, Coldwell revealed that “After the original selection was made, it became clear that I needed to appeal … We then found out that we won the appeal, the arbitrator approved it on the grounds of ‘failing to follow the selection policy.’”

• So the arbitrator had the selection committee meet to reselect the team, however, they ended up continuing with their original selections of Kate Waugh, and Georgia Taylor-Brown.

Tempo’s take: The British Olympic Triathlon team is now set. Alex Yee, Sam Dickinson, Beth Potter, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Kate Waugh will be competing for the podium in Paris. And they are all deserving selections.

• Of course, Coldwell and Brownlee are also just as deserving.

Discretionary selection is always controversial. Do selectors choose someone who is performing well close to the games? Or someone who has shown past performances that could win future medals?

Sports federations live and die by podium performances - especially triathlon. The selectors in British Triathlon know that if they can get a medal they will be able to retain, or even grow their crucial funding. Medals often lead to significant pay increases and job opportunities for those who can point to the decisions made that led to their success.

• The athlete most likely to win a medal at the Olympics for Great Britain is Beth Potter. She won the Olympic Test event last summer and is essentially a lock for the podium when she comes off the bike in the lead group.

But the Olympics is not like a typical World Triathlon World Series Event. There is a much larger spread in the athletes’ abilities, and it is much more likely to feature a small breakaway - like at the Tokyo Olympics - which isn’t favorable to an athlete like Potter.

• Coldwell pushes the race hard on the swim and bike, which is an existential threat to Potter, and British Triathlon’s podium potential. And although Waugh is also a front-pack athlete, she won’t contribute to a breakaway’s success like Coldwell will.

In leaving Coldwell off the team, British Triathlon has eliminated a threat to their medal hopes and the rewards that come with it. But what about the other 52 athletes who they can’t control?

RACE WEEKEND

IRONMAN 70.3 Mt. Tremblant

Strong fields include Lionel Sanders (CAN) returning to the start line after a significant rib injury. Paula Findlay (CAN) will be looking for a big weekend as she takes on Tremblant after competing at the Canadian Cycling Time Trial Championships on Friday.

Watch live: Outside TV or ironman.proseries.com 

Full start lists

QUICK NEWS

Olympic team selections: Australia and South Africa just announced their respective Olympic teams. The only noticble announcement remaining? New Zealand. Who are rumuoured to be mired in their own legal challenges similar to Great Britain.

Kids tri success: The second kid’s triathlon in Aarau, Germany was a huge success, and the rain even held off for the races! [aarauer-nachrichten]

New school tri: Warren Wilson College in Western North Carolina is the latest school to welcome a Women’s collegiate triathon team. Funding from the USA Triathlon Foundation helped make this initiative a reality!

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• Want to perform better? Better drop your phone! 

• Why you NEED to train faster (not harder).

• The crazy design process behind Blueseventy’s incredible new wetsuit!

LATEST EDITIONS

• IRONMAN’s gain, T100’s pain. Plus: Check out these iron-rich foods!

• Who wants a World Triathlon Championship? And how to taper well!

• T100 turns a corner in San Francisco, and can we trust top nutrition products?