Which Muscles Actually Help You Cycle Fast? The Surprise Answer Here

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Good morning everyone,

I’m currently typing away in the Santiago airport on my way home after another special experience at IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon. This past week reminded me of just how amazing this sport is - especially the incredible people who are a part of it.

I spent time with young athletes training hard with their own Olympic ambitions, a startup CEO who successfully earned their pro license, and a few fellow Canadians who took time from their vacations to cheer me on. And of course, the incredibly warm and enthusiastic Chilean triathlon community!

I came into this race off the back of my stubborn hip injury and wasn’t sure what I would get on race day. I had a solid swim and started the bike in the lead group. Once our bike pack ballooned to 10+ athletes it became a tactical affair and no one wanted to push ahead of what would be an absolutely brutal run.

The Pucon run course is famous for its “Peninsula” section and is often spoken in hushed tones. 350m (1,160 ft) of elevation gain will do that. I started the run with what I thought was a conservative pace, but a combination of missing fitness and heat had me in the hurtbox a lot sooner than expected!

On the first of three run loops, I caught another athlete and figured I would run past him soon after. But I did not. The rest of the run was a battle of body and mind and I left a piece of my soul somewhere out on the Peninsula just to try and hang on.

His name was Matteo, and the crowd was overwhelmingly on his side, but I just pretended they were just saying my name wrong 😆. Once we got into the finish straight I was able to sprint ahead and finish in what was easily the hardest fifth place of my life!

I hope I’ll be back next year to compete in “the most beautiful race in the world.” Until then I’ll be doing whatever I can to bring my quads back to life!

In today’s edition:

• 🦵 The muscles that actually help you cycle fast might surprise you. Here’s how to strengthen them!

• 🧀 Protein is on trend, which is why this surprising food is having a moment!

• 🍌 And how you should fuel long outdoor rides!

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.

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FAVORITES

🦵 Primary cycling muscles: When it comes to cycling strength and your ability to generate power, it’s often the quad muscles that get the attention. But as it turns out your glutes and hamstrings are actually the pedaling powerhouses! Want to get the most out of these crucial muscles? Check out this illuminating article! [TrainingPeaks]

🧀 Protein trend: One of the hottest food trends? Protein. It seems like people (and athletes) can’t get enough of it! And in the search for more protein many are looking at an old favorite - cottage cheese. It’s having a moment. But with different options available, it’s important to choose the right one! [Sherwood, New York Times]

🍌 Fueling the ride: For some, outdoor riding is currently a thing, for others, potentially on the horizon. If you’re wondering how to properly fuel those long rides outdoors here is a great place to start! [GCN]

🏃‍♀️ Endurance, simplified: Endurance training and performance can often seem incredibly complex. Throw in all the jargon and buzzwords, and you can get completely lost in the sauce. This article helps you cut through the noise to find the true key to endurance performance - the accumulation of basic fitness! [McMillan Running]

REEL TIME

The shoes nowadays basically guarantee a PB! 😂

ironman_jayson

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QUICK NEWS

Prevailing in Pucon: Canadian Olympian Tyler Mislawchuk, and Mexican Olympian Cecilia Perez opened up the 2025 professional triathlon season with respective wins at IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon. [Triatlon Noticias]

Inspiring athlete: Zachary Josie, an athlete with Ellis Van Creveld Syndrome is aiming to be the first athlete with Dwarfism to break 10 hours at Challenge Roth! [TRI247]

Katara Triathlon: The Katara Triathlon saw athletes competing over super sprint and Olympic distance races as national titles were handed out. [Gulf Times]

Yee runs fast: Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee dropped a crazy fast 10k this weekend. All a part of his build towards the London Marathon. [Olympics]

Indoor success: The only indoor triathlon in British Columbia saw dozens of athletes compete to kick start the 2025 season! [Castanet]

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