Mel C: I’m scared of the bike. You can really hurt yourself if you fall off

Melanie C and Victoria Pendleton will lead their own triathlon relay teams at the Shock Absorber WomenOnly Triathlon on Sunday 13 July. Photograph: Publicity

Hello Melanie, you have sold millions of records around the world. Why would you want to add in gruelling training for the Shock Absorber WomenOnly Triathlon? I only started doing triathlons in 2011 and I was just bitten by the bug. It was something that I quite fancied having a go at, but I was scared of the unknown. Then I thought, “No, sod it, I’m going to do this.”

One of Small Talk’s own mantras. Any regrets? The beginning of the swim is pretty hairy because everyone’s trying to get the shortest route, there’s a few arms and legs and punches and kicks and things. But it’s not actually that bad, the odd foot in the face is all right!

Underwater punch ups, blimey. Do you give as good as you get?No! [sounding horrified] I’m too, like [mimes inching her way through a crowd] ‘Oh sorry! Sorry! I don’t want to hurt anyone’. I’m actually more scared of the bike, because you can really hurt yourself if you fall off.

It all sounds horrific so far. What do you actually like about triathlon? I love the range of people there. Women of all ages, all shapes and sizes, all fitness levels. You know, there are women doing the bike ride on their shopper bikes! It’s fabulous. Everyone is welcome, everyone is treated the same. And it’s supporting a brilliant women’s charity in Breast Cancer Care.

Do you ride a shopper bike too, Melanie? I’ve got a fab bike. It’s a Rose bike, which is a German company. It’s super light, it’s got electronic gears, it’s amazing. One of the guys I train with – he still competes in triathlon – and he spec-ed it all up for me. So I’ve got a really super duper bike now.

More importantly, what colour is it? White.

Ooh! Yeah, it’s very stylish. I can’t change a tyre on it though. You know the old adage: ‘all the gear and no idea’ … well my triathlon trainer taught me a new one which is: ‘all the kit, still shit’, which very much applies to me. I’m just a newbie to the sport, but I’m loving it.

You’re captaining a team that will be going up against two-time Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton. Who is more competitive? Well, I’ve eased up a bit since I’ve got older, and when you’re competing against a multiple gold-medal winning champion you tend not to be quite so competitive … [sounding somewhat unconvincing].

But Vicky P’s only doing the run leg – without her bike, you might be able to take her down! Well, I don’t want it to be too competitive because we’re trying to get women to take part.

[Small Talk blushes] Oh yes, well of course. We should at this point say that female readers can win a place on your team, where the run and cycle legs are up for grabs … I would love to have someone in my team who’s never done it before and who’s going maybe to take ages but will have the satisfaction of achieving something for the first time. I think that’s really special.

Is it true that you have always been sporty, and not just Sporty?At school I did everything gymnastics, athletics, hockey, netball. But bizarrely, now, I’m sportier than ever.

Even though you don’t wear tracksuits anymore … I’d kill to be in a tracksuit on telly now!

Did you actually wear tracksuits in real life, or was it all a Spice marketing invention? Absolutely I wore them. I was at dance college, and where I grew up that’s just what kids wore anyway. On street corners, going out in parks, drinking cider, that’s just how it was growing up in the 80s. So that was never a construct. People don’t know that about the Spice Girls, the marketing was genius, but it was real. It really was us. Of course we played up to it, but it really wasn’t contrived.

Are the other Spice Girls into sport? Not like me. I suppose Victoria [Beckham]’s had to become interested in football … which she can let go again now.

You were brought up a massive Liverpool fan. It all seemed to be going so right this season, until Crystal Palace pulled off the mother of all comebacks on Monday night … I didn’t watch the game thankfully [Melanie shakes her head sorrowfully] I was out. It is really sad. They could maybe do it still but just to see them back up there and doing so well and just getting excited for the club again is really nice. Because it’s been a tough few years. It’s 25 years since Hillsborough, and the families are getting closer to getting justice for the victims so that’s something which I think has made it a lot more emotional this season with Liverpool doing so well. It may not be the fairytale ending we would have liked but it’s still a step in the right direction. We’re back in Europe. It’s a good thing.

With the rivalry between Liverpool and Man Utd, were you cross with Victoria for going out with David Beckham, then a Man Utd player? Absolutely! I still haven’t forgiven her. It’s funny, it’s so deep seated it’s genetic almost, you grow up with it. Even to the point where I didn’t even like shopping in Manchester as a kid. Growing up someone would go, “You going Manchester shopping?” You’d go, “No I’m going Southport.” [Although Melanie is at pains to point out she can, now, joyfully shop in Manchester, and a lovely place it is too.]

What were Liverpool v Man Utd derby days like in the Spice Girls era? There was always a bit of banter, definitely. I used to pretend that me and David [Beckham] didn’t get on. But David’s such a lovely guy you couldn’t do that for long. [Suddenly a PR lady interrupts Small Talk, anxiously looking at her watch and demanding the interview come to an abrupt end. But Small Talk is having none of it, Small Talk fights back! Waving the dictaphone in the air, Small Talk rants wildly about there being a full six minutes and 21 seconds left of our allocated time to speak. Melanie C politely pretends to ignore the hiatus.]

Ahem. Sorry Melanie but there are still some very important questions to ask you. Such as, who would win in a fight between a lion and a tiger? OK, let’s find out. A lion and a tiger, has this been trialled?

Small Talk isn’t sure, it’s possibly not legal … Underground. Got it. Right, why am I even thinking about this? [Small Talk shrugs unhelpfully.] I’m going to have to say lion, because the lion’s king of the jungle.

Touché. Who is most likely to win a triathlon out of all the Spice Girls? Me! [Indignant] Can you imagine if I didn’t? I would be so annoyed. I’m not very good at losing.

OK, so who would give you a run for your money? I think Mel [B] probably trains the most out of everybody. Victoria runs, Geri does her yoga, Emma does a reluctant workout – she just hates it – but yeah I think Melanie would be the hardest to beat.

Finally, if you were a footballer who would you be? I have no idea … that is a really hard question.

Small Talk likes to think this is a space for challenging thought and debate, hence the tiger question … Well, over the last few years Steven Gerrard has done so much for the team, he’s so well loved, and he’s stuck there even when time’s have been difficult so I would say Stevie G. Everyone’s got a lot of respect for Stevie G.

And he’s got a single letter for his surname, just like you … Yes!

And on that bombshell Small Talk will depart. Good luck in the triathlon Melanie! Thanks, bye!

Olympic and World Champion cyclist Victoria Pendleton and Spice Girl Melanie C will both be leading their own triathlon relay teams at the Shock Absorber WomenOnly Triathlon on Sunday 13 July. For full information on the event, click here

see more:http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/09/mel-c-small-talk-triathlon-women-only

Jurgen Zack Bike Workout

Pros Ride The Queen K

ack shares his favourite workouts with fellow athletes, such as this bike session, a combination of low cadence/ high resistance and high cadence/low resistance work.

One Of the Original German über-bikers, former pro Jürgen Zack was known for his gear-grinding “Zack Attack,” leaving rivals decimated in his dust on triathlon courses around the globe. His cycling strength was so dominating that it earned him eight iron-distance titles and his world bike-course record (4:14:16 set at Ironman Europe, now Challenge Roth, in 1999) stood for more than a decade (countryman Sebastian Kienle rode nine seconds faster on the Roth course in 2010). These days, Zack lives year-round in Phuket, Thailand where he serves as senior coach of the Triathlon Academy at Thanyapura, the island’s world-class sports training center, while battling in the age-group ranks.

Zack shares his favourite workouts with fellow athletes, such as this bike session, a combination of low cadence/ high resistance and high cadence/low resistance work:

After a warm-up spin… 
❚ Climb a hill for 6–15 minutes seated, with no upper- body movement, at a low cadence (50–55 rpm) in the big chain ring.
❚ The heart rate should be relatively low to avoid lactic acid buildup.
❚ Finish the climb with one minute at a high cadence (110–125 RPM) in the small chain ring on top of the hill.
❚ Repeat this effort three or four times during one session.

“The improvement of bike-specific strength through big-gear stuff is common knowledge, but the combination with fast spinning right after is a new dimension,” says Zack. “I call it ‘muscle confusion.’ It does improve intra- and inter-muscular coordination and makes you a faster cyclist. I guarantee!”

Read more at http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2014/05/08/jurgen-zack-bike-workout#thLzedKUmFxCqZVz.99

‘Ludicrously challenging’: Britain’s best Chrissie Wellington takes on Three Peaks with a gruelling twist

Britain’s most-decorated long-distance triathlete Chrissie Wellington will tackle the Three Peaks Challenge this weekend with an added twist – she will cycle between the mountains and then run up them.

After leaving triathlon in 2012 to start a new phase in her life, the University of Manchester graduate is now taking on the test as part of a four-person team of seasoned endurance athletes to raise money for charity.

Starting today at the foot of Snowdon they aim to cover the 29 miles of climbing and 421 miles of cycling all within a 48 hour period.

While the four-time Ironman triathlon world champion is used to pushing herself to the limit she admits that this is going beyond anything that she has experienced before.

“It’s going to take me totally out of my comfort zone. The unknown is scary, frightening and bears little resemblance to what I’ve done before,” she told ESPNW.

“Sure I have a history of cycling, running and doing a bit of what sometimes resembles swimming, but I try to get that over and done with in under nine hours.

“Those who know me realize that I am a passionate devotee of the eight-hour slumber. What will I do if I don’t manage to get a decent bit of shut-eye?”

After tackling the highest peak in Wales the group will ride 168 miles to Scafell Pike before taking on the longest running route in the event, 11 miles of climbing to take them up to 3,478 feet.

“When we get on the bikes after Scafell, the thought, ‘OK, 250 miles to cycle now,’ will probably not be a useful one,” the 37-year-old said.

“I will be trying to draw on all the tools and strategies I have developed over the years to help me cope with the highs and lows, the pain and discomfort, and to quiet the voice that questions why on earth I agreed to enter such a ludicrously challenging challenge.”

With temperatures predicted to hover around zero on Ben Nevis on Saturday the team are well aware that conditions will be tough.

Matt Edwards, sport development manager at the University of Bristol, who initially suggested the idea, says they cannot rely on Britain’s notoriously changeable weather to play ball.

“We want to be able to complete the challenge even if this means crampons and ice axes rather than trail-running shoes and a pair of shorts,” Edwards said.

“We need to prepare for all four seasons multiple times.

“However in the U.K., at the start of May, with four people, a support vehicle, 29 miles of mountain running and 421 miles of road cycling to navigate, the chances of everything going smoothly and in our favour are almost zero.”

The team are raising money for Jole Rider, an organisation that provides bicycle to children in Africa, and The Rainbow Trust, a charity that supports children with terminally children.

Updates on the challenge can be found on: http://4321challenge.org/ 

see more:http://www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/020568807-%E2%80%98ludicrously-challenging%E2%80%99-britains-best-chrissie-wellington-takes-three-peaks

Alistair Brownlee insists he is fighting fit again and ready to catch triathlon star Javier Gomez

McLaren F1 denies Button triathlon injury reports

McLaren F1 denies Button triathlon injury reports

McLaren has denied reports that Jenson Button had suffered a leg injury competing in a triathlon over the weekend.

Button was competing in the Challenge Fuerte in the Canary Islands but failed to finish the event after dropping out during the half-marathon distance run. There were reports that Button had withdrawn due to a leg injury which could put his participation in the Spanish Grand Prix in doubt, but McLaren has issued a statement denying any injury. 

“Jenson decided not to complete the Canary Islands triathlon, but he is fit and well and has, contrary to a few rogue media reports, no injuries of any kind,” the statement read. 

“Indeed, he is driving in our simulator today and is looking forward to participating in the forthcoming Spanish Grand Prix.” 

see more:http://www.crash.net/f1/news/203792/1/mclaren-denies-button-injury-reports.html

Button ends triathlon with leg injury

Apr.29 (GMM/Inautonews.com) Jenson Button pulled out of a triathlon on the Canary Islands last weekend.

The McLaren driver, participating in the event at Fuerteventura in the gap between the Chinese and Spanish grands prix, completed the 1.9km swim and 90 kilometre bike legs without trouble.

But Button, 34, pulled out during the half-marathon with ‘muscle problems’ in his leg, according to specialist media reports.

With less than two weeks until the Spanish grand prix at Barcelona, McLaren has been contacted for comment.

see more:http://www.inautonews.com/button-ends-triathlon-with-leg-injury#.U19u5fldU_Y

Photo Gallery: Kids of steel

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Noah Bolsvert (left) and Kinley DeBoer of Delta race in the Kids of Steel category of the Delta triathlon on Saturday.   Photograph By Jim Kinnear

The Delta triathlon went down on Saturday, April 26, with the Kids of Steel event (ages 8-11) drawing a turnout of 73 children [results here].

Rylan Armstrong of Brackendale finished first in boys, while Janek Basi, Noah Boisvert, and Jacob Bonikowsky, all from Delta, finished second through fourth, respectively.

On the girls’ side, Cassidy Anderson of Vancouver fininshed first, with the top female athletes from Delta being Madelyn Bonikowsky and Megan Bonikowsk, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Our photographer Jim Kinnear was on hand to capture some of the moments:

– See more at: http://www.southdeltaleader.com/sports/photo-gallery-kids-of-steel-1.1005386#sthash.yeX0GmOR.dpuf

Low-carb Paleo diet embraced by triathletes for faster recovery and weight loss

Delly Carr/Getty Images

Carb-loading is so deeply ingrained in endurance sports it may come as a shock to learn that the gluten-free, low-carb Paleo diet can help endurance athletes achieve peak performance.

Ironman triathlete Nell Stephenson is among the growing number of endurance athletes who are sold on the merits of the Paleo diet, she toldCompetitor. The Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and then a 26.2-mile marathon, done in that order without a break.

Stephenson switched to the gluten-free Paleo diet after contracting a parasite during an Ironman triathlon in 2004. After finding no relief with prescription drugs, Nell adopted the Paleo diet, which emphasizes high-quality animal proteins, healthy fats, vegetables, and excludes gluten, sugar, dairy, legumes, starches, alcohol and processed foods.

“I felt better in three days,” said Stephenson, author of Paleoista: Gain Energy, Get Lean, and Feel Fabulous. “My body is functioning optimally.”

NBA Superstars and Celebrities Go Paleo

The Paleo diet is already popular among professional athletes. It has been adopted by the Los Angeles Lakers (including superstar Kobe Bryant) and Miami Heat guard Ray Allen.

Similarly, pro cyclist Dave Zabriskie and ultra-marathoner Timothy Olson abandoned their high-carb, low-fat eating plans in favor of the high-fat, lower-carb Paleo diet, and experienced meaningful performance gains.

Nutrition experts say the Paleo diet’s emphasis on healthy fats helps the body shift from burning carbs for fuel to burning fat. Research indicates the Paleo diet accelerates weight loss, lowers blood pressure, and prevents cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and even Alzheimer’s.

A two-year study recently conducted by scientists at Cambridge University and Umeå University in Sweden showed the Paleo diet is twice as effective for producing weight loss and melting body fat as low-fat diets.

“Clinical trials have shown the Paleo diet is the optimum diet that can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, markers of inflammation, help with weight loss, reduce acne, promote optimum health and athletic performance,” said Professor Loren Cordain, author ofThe Paleo Diet for Athletes.

Paleo Diet Enhances Weight Loss and Fat Oxidation

The weight-loss and health benefits of the Paleo diet aren’t surprising to nutritionist Dr. John Briffa. “As the Paleo diet removes a lot of the foods that tend to cause spikes in insulin levels — particularly sugar and starchy carbohydrates — it aids fat loss,” said Dr. Briffa.

Joel Friel, a U.S. Olympic triathlon coach, said the Paleo diet works for triathletes because it helps with recovery. “[Paleo offers] better long-term recovery due to greater micronutrient content [than a standard high-starch, high-sugar diet], allowing the athlete to train with a greater stress load,” said Friel, author of the Triathlete’s Training Bible.

Friel said the Paleo menu provides more antioxidants and vitamins than the typical high-carb diet favored by most endurance athletes and boosts fat oxidation and weight loss — a major advantage for endurance athletes, because the less excess weight you carry, the faster you’ll be.

see more:http://www.examiner.com/article/low-carb-paleo-diet-embraced-by-endurance-athletes-for-weight-loss-and-stamina

World’s top athletes return to acclaimed St. George Ironman 70.3 U.S. Pro Championship

ST. GEORGE — St. George is just a week away from welcoming thousands of athletes for this year’s Ironman 70.3 St. George U.S. Pro Championship.

St. George is again attracting a sold-out field of Olympians, world champions and top professional athletes along with a host of amateur athletes who will race alongside the pros on Saturday, May 3.

It really is the return of the champions

“It really is the return of the champions,” said Sports Marketing Director Kevin Lewis, with the St. George Convention and Tourism Office. “The athletes love the challenge and beauty of this early-season race.”

The lineup of professionals features some of the biggest names in the sport, including 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Jan Frodeno; American Olympian Sarah Haskins; Ironman world champions Terenzo Bozzone, Julie Dibens and Andy Potts; and previous St. George champions Meredith Kessler, Brent McMahon, Ben Hoffman and Heather Wurtele.

It’s rare to have this collection of the world’s top pro triathletes in one place

“It’s rare to have this collection of the world’s top pro triathletes in one place; they only come together for a few races a year,” Lewis said. “St. George is clearly a favorite destination.”

St. George has quickly flourished as one of the most popular Ironman locations because of its intense course, unmatched scenery and tremendous community support. It’s one of only five 70.3 championship destinations in the world, and this year has been selected for national television coverage.

The course offers spectators and athletes unrivaled vistas and variety as they make their way through a 1.2-mile swim at SandHollowState Park, a 56-mile bike ride through SnowCanyonState Park and a 13.1-mile run that ends in downtown St. George.

The St. George Ironman 70.3 promises to offer the best in athleticism and competition with 2,800 registered athletes from 25 countries. Utah is the most represented state with 1,024 athletes. The oldest competitor is 75 years old; the youngest is 18.

Resources

Ironman 70.3 St. George | website and Facebook.

For a course map, visit: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/st.-george/athletes/course.aspx#axzz2zkuSCciA.

source:http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2014/04/26/worlds-top-athletes-set-return-acclaimed-st-george-ironman-70-3-u-s-pro-championship/#.U14qAvldU_Y

More Speed For Less Money

Photo: Nils Nilsen

There are many ways to make your bike faster for the cash you have in your wallet right now. Add up a few of these affordable upgrades, and the benefit can easily outshine a sparkly new bike frame.

Race Tyres: Continental GP4000S II
Tyres affect both aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance, two of the biggest factors in triathlon cycling performance, and the Continental GP4000S II has proven to be a standout in both. Aero testing conducted by Flo Cycling and published on the wheel maker’s blog (Flocycling. blogspot.com) found this particular tyre to perform exceptionally well on the Flo 30 aero wheel. Other manufacturers, including Zipp, have found similar results when comparing tyres—although much of that data remains unpublished.

Cycling super-geek and mechanical engineer Tom Anhalt lab tested the rolling resistance of 21 tyres, and the original GP4000S excelled again. For a rider holding just under 40 kph, Anhalt calculates this Continental to be within two watts of the fastest rolling tyre in his test (full results at Bikeblather.blogspot.com). Not only is the Continental GP4000S II fast, the tyres also feel solid and reliable when cornering, and provide sturdy flat resistance.

Tyre Sealant: Geax PitStop
Riding the bike leg without interruption is the simplest thing you can do to achieve a faster bike split. But if some- thing does go wrong, PitStop can help keep the dead time to a minimum. It combines tyre sealant and CO2 in a single canister that can simultaneously repair and reinflate a flat tyre. It works quite well for tubular tyres but has a lower success rate with clinchers. After unloading a can into a 23c tyre, expect a little less than 100 psi (6.9 bar) in the tyre—plenty to make it back to transition.

Stiff Tubular Cement: Mastik One cement
Partway into a four-year tyre rolling resistance experiment, retired engineer turned cycling researcher Al Morrison found that rolling resistance of a tubular tyre changes significantly based on the type of cement and the number of coats used to adhere the tyre to the rim. He asserts that creating a “100 per cent bond to the base tape” keeps friction to a minimum. Morrison found that “three coats of Mastik One [cement] on the rim and two coats on the tyre” reduced rolling resistance compared to tyres adhered with two coats of Continental tubular cement on the rim and none on the tyre. The more robust method using Vittoria Mastik One requires approximately two tubes of glue per wheel.

Aero Frame Bottle: Profile Design RZ2 System 
In addition to being the leading tri bike manufacturer, Cervélo also conducts some of the most reliable aerodynamic research on position and bike setup. Damon Rinard, the company’s senior advanced research and design engineer, says they learned that while all bottles come with a drag penalty on a modern aero frame, not all create the same amount of drag.

“Aero bottles are prefer- able to round bottles in every case,” says Rinard. “On most frames—and it varies a bit— when you add a round bottle to almost any aero bike, it adds about 50 grammes of drag. An aero bottle creates about 25 grammes of drag.” That difference equals a savings of about 10 seconds over the bike leg of an Olympic-distance triathlon.

Forearm Water Bottle: XLab Torpedo Mini Mount
Adding fluid storage can actually make a bike faster. A wind tunnel test conducted by our sister publication Triathlete showed that adding a horizontal bottle between the forearms reduces drag. Cervélo and Specialized both came to the same conclusion in their own hydration setup tests. The Torpedo Mini and cage position a standard bottle (that can be swapped at aid stations) right between the hands, making it easier to access than a (drag-inducing) frame bottle.

Tilted Aerobars
There is no such thing as an aerodynamic trick that works for every rider. Each person has a unique formula for the fastest possible position, but tilting the aerobars upward is about as close as it gets to a universal fix. Raising the hand position helps block air from swirl- ing into the chest. Many pros with access to a wind tunnel, including Cameron Dye, T.J. Tollakson and Craig Alexander, have found that propping their arms upward can counter this drag effect. You may not be able to verify for yourself, but take confidence that most athletes reduce drag by rotating the aerobars up.

Chain Catcher: K-Edge Road Chain Catcher
Whether you are an expert mechanic or don’t know the difference between a front derailleur and a free hub, travel- ing to and setting up for a race creates plenty of opportunities for your bike to get bumped out of alignment. Chain catchers erase one potential problem: They prevent the chain from dropping to the inside of the crank. SRAM now includes one with every Red and

Force front derailleur, and an aftermarket option such as the K-Edge Chain Catcher can be added to any derailleur. It re- ally has no downside. It weighs just 10 grammes, and the rest of the drivetrain hides it from the wind. Even most professional cyclists with full-time mechanics tending to their machines now use chain catchers.

New Chain: Shimano Ultegra 10-speed chain
Spinning a chain around the crank, cassette and rear derailleur takes energy, albeit a small amount, and the difference between a fresh chain and a used one is noteworthy. Friction Facts (Friction-facts. com), an independent test lab found that a chain at the end of its recommended wear life sucks an additional two watts more than a new one.

The Right Chain Lube: Rock-n-Roll Gold chain lube
Spinning a dry chain takes more energy than turning a lubed one, but not all chain lubes are equal. Independent lab Friction Facts cleaned and re-lubed chains with 29 different products and measured the resistance created by spinning the chain. Treating a chain with paraffin wax resulted in the least friction, but the process is time consuming. Rock-n- Roll Gold chain lube bested all other standard lubricants. It reduced drivetrain friction by 1–1.5 watts compared to 17 of the options tested and saved even more energy compared to the others in the test. Not a bad return for £8.95.

Rubber Bands
Watch an ITU racer leave T1, and you’ll see him launch onto the saddle while running barefoot at full speed, then pedal away before slipping into his shoes once riding faster than 30 kph. Using rubber bands to prop the shoes horizontally while attached to the pedals facilitates these elegant transitions. Instead of allowing the shoes to drag on the pavement, jamming against the ground and twirling wildly, suspending them eliminates the variable from the tricky process of a flying mount. Wrap the band through the heel loop of your tri shoes (some have small hooks specifically for this purpose) and around a piece of your bike—the front derailleur and rear skewer are good options. The bands will snap once you start pedalling away.

Remove Frame Bottle Cages
Putting a water bottle or empty cage onto a frame adds drag in almost every case. Damon Rinard, Cervélo’s senior advanced R&D engineer, has found that a round bottle adds approximately 50 grammes of drag, which translates to roughly 20 seconds over an Olympic-distance triathlon. MIT-educated aerodynamicist Mark Cote of Specialized adds that an empty cage creates just as much drag as one toting a bottle, so if you’re not going to carry water in your frame cages during a race, removing them entirely is the best solution.

Cadence Computer: Wahoo Fitness Blue Speed and Cadence Sensor
Cadence is important, but there isn’t one “correct” spin rate. Many athletes can reach higher intensity levels by turning a rapid cadence of 90 RPM or greater while others prefer a more methodical turnover. Some experts including Brett Sutton, Chrissie Wellington’s first Ironman coach, advocate for lower cadences around 80 RPM for Ironman in part because spinning slower consumes fewer total calories. Whatever cadence you decide to employ, a computer that displays your RPM’s can help train your body to operate in that desired range.

Read more at http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2014/04/23/more-speed-for-less-money#OCgcaKZDcRCW3OqF.99