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Want to Swim Faster Now? Be More Buoyant!

Swim better with buoyancy, are you underfueling? And can you "split" your long run?

Author

Matthew Sharpe
February 21, 2025

Good morning everyone,

After breaking my toe last week I took a day or so to be mad about the circumstances…injuries suck!

  • But, after having plenty of injuries over the years I have a strategy that’s helped me through frustrating times.

The key? Focusing on what you CAN do. Triathlon is basically an elevated form of cross-training 😅 So when injury strikes there’s usually one or two sports you can still train!

  • I can’t run right now, so it’s all about time in the pool and on the bike! It’s not perfect, but definitely the best of a bad situation!

In today’s edition:

  • 🏊‍♂️ Want to swim faster now! Be more buoyant!

  • ⛽ Could you be underfueling?

  • 🏃‍♂️ And should you “split” your long run?

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Headshot of Matt Sharpe

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

Better Bouyancy for a Best Time

Blueseventy

Buoyancy, or the ability to float in the water, is the foundation for fast swimming. Here are a few things to think about to keep your body position on point.

🏄 Keep it horizontal:

  • Like a surfboard, horizontal is good, vertical is no bueno!

  • Usually, the hips are the first to drop, so do your best to keep them high in the water.

👀 Eyes down:

  • An easy way to stay buoyant is to look towards the bottom of the pool/lake/river/ocean/bathtub.

  • Not directly down, more like 4-5 feet in front.

😮‍💨 Just breathe:

  • Exhaling through the entire stroke cycle will keep you relaxed so you can bring tension to the right areas.

  • Make sure to exhale lightly in between breaths!

TEMPO TALKS PODCAST

Should You Stop Doing Strength Training? 

Has RaceRanger defeated Age Group drafting?

And the surprising demographic fueling the growth of Triathlon!

All this and more in episode two of the Tempo Talks Podcast!

Together with The TriDoc, we’ll bring you the biggest stories in Triathlon,

  • Training tips to make you faster,

  • And breakdowns of the latest in sports science and performance!

Don’t miss a moment, listen to Tempo Talks here!

FAVORITES

🥞 Underfueling awareness: Chronic underfueling results from insufficient caloric intake, and it can have disastrous results on your training, racing performance, and life! This must-read infographic shows the symptoms most associated with underfueling. [TrainingPeaks]

🏃‍♂️ Split up your run: Maybe your legs are tired from a big week of training. Maybe you have an early brunch Sunday reservation. Whatever the reason, is it ever a good excuse to split up your long run? Sort of! This article explains when you should split up your long run, and when you can’t! [Marathon Handbook]

💪 Recover better: We want to get the most out of our hard-earned miles. So before bed tonight you want want to consider a protein shake. Your body will thank you. [YLM Sports Science]

🤠 Outlaw odyssey: In 2025 the much-loved Outlaw Triathlon will celebrate 15 years of incredible experiences. This interview goes deep with race director Adam Moffat to learn how he does his races differently, and what inspires his team to keep pushing! [TRI 247]

🥑 Superfood boost: Oxygen-boosting superfoods are typically full of antioxidants, essential vitamins, and minerals. And if you want a nutritional boost before your next workout be sure to check out these six oxygen-boosting superfoods! [Net Meds]

Where to Find the Best Deals on Hoka Shoes

Are you a runner? More specifically, a road runner? Hoka was built for that. Meaning “to fly” in Maori, Hoka was founded in 2009 so that runners could get the ultimate experience with optimum cushioning and stability. Less than 15 years after its founding, Hoka is bringing in revenues topping a billion dollars a year, so it’s clear that people are loving this brand. But with quality comes high prices, and Hoka is no doubt in the high end price-wise. So we’ve rounded up the best stores to find the best deals for Hoka.

REEL TIME

Is honesty the best policy? Not when you’re deep in a race! 😆

QUICK NEWS

WTCS location: Alghero, Italy will host a World Triathlon Championship Series race in May. Sardinia has hosted a race for many years in Cagliari, but will now shift to a new city in the north of the island. [World Triathlon]

SupertriE is open: If you fancy a go at the SupertriE format, today is your lucky day! Supertri will be opening the doors for Age Groupers to compete in the innovative racing format! [Supertri]

Nitro Napier: World Triathlon World Cup season kicks off in Napier, New Zealand. Verena Steinhauser (ITA) and Luke Willian (AUS) wear the #1 bibs. [World Triathlon]

A race returns: For the first time since 2021, the Carlisle Triathlon club has announced it will host a race as they have been able to secure a suitable venue. [Yahoo]

Malaysia madness: Olympic athletes highlight the elite fields at this weekend’s Asian Triathlon Cup event in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Volunteers needed: Volunteers are still needed for March 2nd’s Kawartha Lakes Indoor Triathlon to assist with registration, swim lap counting, and treadmill monitoring! [Kawartha Lakes]

YOU SAID

Would Tempo subscribers pay more to have the innovative anti-drafting technology, RaceRanger, at their races? Not everyone!

Reader: Triathlon is already too expensive. Since I started 10+ years ago it has evolved into a sport solely for the rich. I’m already choosing different races due to cost, I’m not interested in paying even more.

Reader: A few Euros/dollars per race, sure, I would pay that in order to have no drafting and a Fair race. But I don't think it will ever work for thousands athletes' races. it would be constantly blinking red all over the place and the referees would be overwhelmed.

Reader: I would absolutely pick a race with RaceRanger over one without it.

Reader: At the moment, the tech still only works if there are officials there to see it. If not, then it's like a red light camera ticket you receive after the fact and might not know who won the race just by who crossed the tape first.

Reader: Races and travel costs are already prohibitively high. I’m an amateur doing this for fun.

Reader: I still have my reservations, this was a small sample of riders compared to a field of 2,000 to 3,000 participants. I would like to hear more from the participants who used them or survey results before claiming victory. And as you pointed out, it is only one battle. Would I pay more? Well, each year we are paying more, so it might as well be for something usable.

Reader: I am not really competing for podiums in my AG at Ironman 70.3 events and I am honest enough I can follow the rules without adding another cost.

Reader: Yes within reason... But more importantly, how does it work in a 2000+ athletes field, with the inevitable accordion effects? Also, consider the course type with some areas where maintaining the distance is just not really practical (Oceanside twisty narrow road along the shore...) while other areas would clearly benefit (lost count of how many drafters I saw on the way to the hills at Oceanside last year!!)

Reader: I would like to know the cost, but also how RR could be practically implemented at scale. I did the T100 age group race at Lake Las Vegas last year, and even with "only" 500 athletes on the 12.5-mile 4-loop course, it was ridiculously crowded and nearly impossible to maintain a no-draft distance. IM Oceanside 70.3 is supposed to have 3,400 athletes on course. Would be interesting to know RR's and referees' thoughts on practicality at this scale.

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