Running in the Dark? Here's How to Make the Most of it

Good morning everyone,

If you’re like me, you’re seeing a ton of media related to this weekend’s Women’s Ironman World Championships. I personally love it since Kona is like triathlon’s Super Bowl. The hype is really building, and I can’t wait for Sunday’s showdown!

In Tempo News…news. We just recorded our Tempo Pro members-only podcast with performance nutrition coach Scott Tindal. It was an incredible conversation with world-class insights on how to fuel a busy lifestyle. If you want insider access to this recording and future insights from world-leading experts, subscribe here. 

In today’s edition:

• 🔦 How to stay fit and safe while running in the dark.

• 💪 Can you get faster as you age?

• 😨 And how to panic train for a fast-approaching race!

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. 

TRAINING THOUGHT

Shed Some Light on Running in the Dark

As Northern Hemisphere triathletes head towards winter, you might be running in the dark to get those workouts done.

Here are some tips on how to stay fit, and safe while running in the dark:

🔦 Be visible: It’s shocking to still see people out running in dark clothing without any kind of reflective gear. There are so many options for reflective outerwear and running lights available at every price point.

• Here’s a great list of running lights.

🗺️ Switch it up: With the lack of light, motivation can also be at a low. Sometimes, finding a new trail or route is the best way to keep engagement higher. Maybe that trail across town is calling your name, or a neighborhood that looks interesting could be even more so on foot.

💡 Seek light elsewhere: If you’re going to spend your time training in the dark, it might be beneficial to ensure you’re still getting good light exposure elsewhere.

• Light therapy lamps emit UV rays that are similar to what the sun releases.

• Vitamin D supplementation can also help make up for lost light (it is also important for athletes).

It’s not totally obvious, but there are clear benefits to running in the dark:

😌 Peace and quiet: Busy roads and trails will often be more quiet. Instead of battling with cars and other trail users, you can glide along for some peaceful moments of aerobic bliss.

🍃 Cleaner air: If you run near a busy road, often during the darker hours of the day there will be less traffic, and therefore less emissions.

• The negative health effects of consistently running near a busy road can include a weakened immune system. 

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FAVOURITES

💪 Faster after 50: Canada’s Melanie McQuaid is a professional triathlete making her Kona debut this weekend as a 50-year-old! In this interview, she reveals the mindset that helps her excel and keeps her competing at the highest level of the sport. [220 Triathlon]

🌟 Valuable lessons: “95% of the young girls don’t like the way they look.” For Australian Olympic triathlete Emma Jeffcoat, this statement has sadly hit home during her career. But she shares an inspiring message of what she’s learned about the value of her strength and the incredible things her body can help her achieve. [Emma Jeffcoat]

🏃 Incredible apparel: The team at Qavah Designs is changing the game with their incredibly soft, durable, and one-of-a-kind triathlon apparel. Have a young athlete in the family? They have an awesome selection of kid’s clothing. Head to qavahdesigns.com and Enjoy 15% off everything with the code TEMPO.*

😨 Panic training: You were all motivated and signed up for a race, but with the big day on the horizon, you might not have done enough training! You don’t need to panic, but you may need to panic train. Here’s the right way to prepare for a race with less time than you thought. [Triathlete]

🎢 Highs and lows: There can be plenty of highs as a pro triathlete. But often the best lessons are learned from adversity. Take a look at the latest YouTube video from Holly Lawrence as she goes through the most recent part of her season, which has seen plenty of setbacks. [Passion Project]

*Sponsored content

REEL TIME

The team at Feisty Media has been doing a great job with their coverage of the Women’s Ironman World Championships in Kona. And we can definitely relate to sharing a lane with this kind of athlete! 😆

feistytriathlon

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QUICK NEWS

🎉 Record numbers: An incredible 2,100 women are registered for this weekend’s Ironman World Championship in Kona. [Big Island Now]

🚵 Trending: Vancouver Island in Canada will see its first-ever gravel triathlon on July 21st, 2024. The middle-distance event will take place in the beautiful Comox Valley. [Human Powered Racing]

👏 D1 baby: Congratulations to the Hanover-based Triathlon Team Ratingen 08 for their promotion to the first level of the Bundesliga for 2024. [Supertipp]

🌟 New club vibes: South Australia’s newest triathlon club, the Bluefins Eyre Triathlon Club, was launched last weekend. The Port Lincoln-based club asks potential members to look out on social media for club training, racing, and volunteering opportunities. [Port Lincoln Times]

🙏 In our thoughts: A 44-year-old woman who had health issues during Ironman 70.3 Langkawi, a Pastor who suffered a cardiac arrest during Ironman 70.3 Memphis, and an athlete competing at Ironman 70.3 India all sadly passed away this weekend. Our thoughts are with their family and friends.

RACE WEEKEND

Triathlon power couple Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) and Josh Amberger (AUS) took the wins at the Ironman 70.3 Langkawi, Malaysia. Full results.

Vasco Vilaca (POR) and Nina Eim (GER) were a step ahead of the competition at the World Triathlon World Cup event in Rome, Italy - the first time an event was held in the Italian capital. Full results.

Alistair Brownlee (GBR) settled for second in his return from injury at Challenge Barcelona, finishing second to Youri Kuelin (NED). Immogen Simmonds (SUI) took the convincing win in the women’s race. Full results.

INTERVIEW

How Pro Athlete Katy Slade Designs Her Training Day

For some, attending veterinarian school to become an orthopedic surgeon would be enough. But for first-year pro triathlete Kaylee Slade, it’s just what she does between workouts. And somehow, Kaylee and her partner Brian also have time for their own YouTube channel. Kaylee only took up the sport in 2021, and it’s mind-blowing just how she does it. She’ll be making her pro debut this weekend at Clash Miami, good luck Kaylee!

Study O’Clock

4:30 am - 6:30 am: My body is programmed to wake up at 6 AM, but with exams coming up, and a surgery lab taking up most of my time, today called for more waking hours and more caffeine! The alarm greeted me at 4:30 AM, and I started studying for an upcoming anesthesia exam with help from a quad shot of espresso. There aren’t many supplements I believe in, but caffeine is definitely one of them.

I also start off the day with around 250-400 cals, mostly carbs, mostly belVita’s.

Read the entire interview here.

WHAT YOU SAID

Here’s what Tempo readers had to say about racing in a new location.

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• With the recent deaths during races - how safe are triathlon?

• Training in the heat? You need to read this!

• Why this performance psychologist wants you to celebrate the small wins.

LATEST EDITIONS

• Triathlon’s global footprint expands, and what does a quality workout actually look like?

• Women’s Ironman World Championship heads (back) to Kona, and how to fix sinking legs while swimming.

• Incredible Women’s Ironman World Championship start list released, and are softer surfaces actually better for your running?

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