Swim, Bike, Spend

TOGETHER WITH TRIHARD

Good morning everyone,

I recently sent out our second Tempo Pro members interview which was all about the principles of swimming well. I really enjoyed the chat, and it’s crazy how even though I’ve been swim training for over 20 years I’m still learning new ways to improve.

• I’d never actually considered how important ankle flexibility is to swimming, but it was one of the big takeaways from our chat - and something I will definitely be focusing on moving forward.

If you want key insights on how to improve your swimming, and other tips on leveling up your racing and training, then become a Tempo Pro member today for 34% off the regular price!

In today’s edition:

• 🤑 The top earners in triathlon

• 🏊‍♂️ Why you should be sculling more

• And tart cherry juice’s incredible influence on recovery

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. 

ONE BIG THING

Swim, Bike, Spend: Triathlon’s Top Prize Earners in 2023

As the end of the professional triathlon season approaches, many top pros will be reflecting on a record-breaking year for earning potential - which has been documented by TRI247.

• With the Professional Triathletes Organization bringing deep pockets and a focus on building the best global series for pros, the athletes were able to take full advantage of the opportunity.

PTO gold: Although the end-of-year points have yet to be fully decided, athletes like Anne Haug (GER), Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) and other PTO stars are already enjoying the fruits of their labor. Top prize money earners from 2023 include (all figures $USD):

• Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) - $200,000

• Anne Haug (GER) - $150,000

• Jason West (USA) - $95,000

Super League swag: As a fellow professional triathlon startup, Super League Triathlon also impressed with their prize payouts. According to TRI247, the top prize-getter, Leo Bergere (FRA) earned an incredible $859 per minute of racing!

• Leo Bergere (FRA) - $112,200

• Jeanne Lehair (LUX) - $105,000

• Kate Waugh (GBR) - $100,200

World Triathlon winnings: Pre-PTO, the athletes who competed on the World Triathlon circuit typically had the highest prize money earnings, but that isn’t the case today. Although it was still a pretty good year for these folks!

• Beth Potter (GBR) - $173,100

• Dorian Coninx (FRA) - $121,400

• Casssandre Beaugrand (FRA) - $105,000

Ironman under pressure: Although the prize payouts for the Ironman and 70.3 World Championships are impressive, the reality is there isn’t the same earnings potential as the PTO. But some athletes did pretty well despite that,

• Lucy Charles-Barclay - $127,050

• Sam Laidlow (FRA) - $125,000

• Taylor Knibb (USA) - $100,000

Tempo’s take: It’s truly a golden age for triathlete earnings, especially at the top end. And thanks to competitive pressure from the PTO, Ironman has stepped up and created its own race series for 2024 with a significant bonus pool at the end of the year.

• The PTO is still slated to announce at least 3-4 more races next year.

• Plus, the PTO is currently signing athletes to its 2024 tour, which, according to a source is “incredibly generous” and “well north of six figures.”

TOGETHER WITH TRIHARD

Are You Tired of Dry Skin and Hair?

TRIHARD offers pre and post-swim solutions for triathletes to prevent, treat, and protect against the negative effects of chlorine and saltwater, ensuring a fresh and healthy pre and post-swim experience.

With our proprietary formula, PLECOTECH, containing clean ingredients, our products help:

- Eliminate chlorine and saltwater from the skin and hair
- Remove goggle marks and soothe under-eye skin
- Reduce chemical absorption
- Hydrate dry skin and hair
- Alleviate itchy skin and scalp
- Restore skin and hair texture 

'Tis the season to dive into healthy skin and hair with at the best price.

Use TEMPO for 5% OFF on top of the 30% OFF sitewide sale.

FAVORITES

♀️ Women are tougher: A thought-provoking thread from physiologist and coach Alan Couzens on the reality that female athletes can handle more intense training than men, but that can lead to more opportunities for overtraining and burnout. [Alan Couzens]

👏 Thriving at seventy: Great Britain’s Mike Harris has been competing well into his seventies, and his advice for athletes wanting to follow in his footsteps? “Eat plain but nourishing food, and as far as exercise goes… don’t stop.” [220Triathlon]

🍒 Performance juice: What is tart cherry juice? And why are pro cycling teams consuming it by the gallon? In an update to our legal performance enhancements article, Dr. Jeff Sankoff takes a deep dive on why it’s so incredible for endurance athletes. [The Tempo]

🤔 Micro quitting, macro fails: Have you ever changed a workout because you didn’t think you could do it? This is a form of “micro quitting,” and it could be why you aren’t reaching your goals. [Triathlete]

TRAINING THOUGHT WITH BLUESEVENTY

Why Sculling is Superb

What is it: Sculling is a swim drill that helps build a feel for the water, brings awareness to your body position, and helps improve the catch phase of the swim stroke.

Here are a few reasons why sculling is great for triathletes 👇

🦍 Increase propulsion

• When practicing sculling, the catch phase of the stroke becomes more efficient and results in an improved ROI for each stroke.

💪 Improved core strength

• The way the body sits in the water during sculling requires an increased demand on the core.

🛥️ Better body position

• When sculling properly, the hips will be higher in the water which promotes better body position while swimming.

Scull Progression

Here a two sculling drills to incorporate into your swim training:

• Of note for beginners, use a pull buoy to help maintain a good body position. Blueseventy has a great deal on them right now. 

Front scull: This drill is all about feeling the water with your hands and learning to hold it at the beginning of the catch as demonstrated in this video.

Long dog paddle: Rover is definitely on to something with this drill. The goal is to build more awareness around the catch and how our hips help us generate power through the stroke.

• This video is a good representation of this drill.

Level up: Take the pull buoy out so that you can also work on maintaining a good body position, and give this challenging hybrid scull/single arm drill a go (but keep a normal stroke rate)

• You can level up your swim gear with incredible Black Friday deals from Blueseventy. Can’t-miss-savings of 50% off goggles and bags, and 25% off everything!

REEL TIME

Winter miles = summer smiles! 😃

baertluka

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QUICK NEWS

Neuer triathlon: Mark your calendars for June 8th 2024 and the inaugural edition of the Steinhudermeer Triathlon just northwest of Hanover, Germany. The event includes a middle distance, sprint and a relay. [con-nect]

Doping sucks: Russian triathlete Valentina Raisova has recieved a two year doping ban after a urine test was found to have a the preseence of a banned substance. [World Triathlon]

Garden state expansion: Challenge family has continued it’s North American expansion with the addition of the Challenge New Jersey State Triathlon. The race weekend will take place on July 20-21, 2024. [Endurance Sportswire]

Global presence: World Triathlon has announced a slate of new races for 2024 including World Cup events in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, and Uzbekistan. [World Triathlon]

Incredible Sebi: German triathlon legend Sebastian Kienle will compete one last time this weekend at Ironman Cozumel. And once again his race bike will be auctioned off for charity, he’s already raised over $250,000 this year! [Triathlon Magazine Canada]

RACE WEEKEND

Ironman Cozumel

Women’s race: Gurutze Frades (ESP) is a previous winner, but she’ll have her hands full with the likes of Ruth Astle (GBR), Svenja Thoes (GER), and Diede Dieriks (NED).

• We’ll also be watching for Ultraman World Champion Dede Griesbauer who has the endurance to clean up if some athletes start to blow!

Men’s race: Leon Chevalier (FRA) looks to be the favorite for this one, but with Ironman winners Cody Beals (CAN), and Robert Wiloweicki (POL) it will be an absolute battle for the top step.

Full start lists

Ironman 70.3 Mossel Bay

Women’s race: Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR) is the class of the field, but Magda Nieuwoudt (RSA) will be pushing her with the support of the home crowd.

Men’s race: Bradley Weiss (RSA) is always a dangerous athlete, but with the return of multiple World Champion and Olympic medalist Javier Gomez (ESP) he will have to leave no stone unturned on the course.

Full start lists

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• The PTO rankings were bad - so Renee Kiley helped fix them.

• Why Tom Bishop said “f$@k it” to his previous path.

• Triathlon deaths are happening more - how safe is the sport?

LATEST EDITIONS

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• Why you might want to be a morning athlete, and should you take Ozempic?