VALUE-ORIENTED WETSUIT
MULTI-PADDLE WORKOUT
TOTAL SET 4,000 METRES strong 1' (10 seconds rest) (one minute Focus on faster arm turnover with each set. I say it often but it bears repeating: boring training makes good athletes.
Another three of my favourite fulldistance training sessions: 10 x 400 m, 20 x 200 m, 40 x 100 m.
With rolling starts becoming de rigueur in full-distance racing, starting the swim with two to three minutes of threshold swimming to get in the right pack is not necessary. It’s important to still have a bit of “nytro button” so you can bridge gaps (or create some), but hitting it at the gun is becoming a thing of the past. On the occasion where you find yourself in mass start mayhem then, unless you’re swimming under 57 minutes, put your head down and swim. There will be plenty of others to key off. Follow the bubbles and settle into an effort you’ve worked on in training.
Once the decision to step up and double down on your race distance has been made, it’s imperative you recognize the first goal is not to swim the 3.8 km fast, but to swim it strong. Start the day off on the right foot and you’ll find your legs on the bike all the quicker.
Clint Lien is the head coach of Victoria’s Mercury Rising Triathlon mercuryrisingtriathlon.com
THE COMPANY THAT led the way when it came to direct-to-consumer wetsuits, Xterra has been a mainstay in the sport for years. The top of the line Vector Pro offers lots of flexibility and speed at a discounted price – the MSRP is US$600, but this suit is available to Canadians for half that price. Xterra offers a $59 shipping package that covers customs and duties, which is a logical option unless you can have the suit sent to a U.S. address.
The front of the suit uses 5 mm thick neoprene to ensure you’ll get nice and high in the water, while the back uses 3 mm rubber to provide lots of flexibility and stretch. Anatomically correct arms and shoulder panels (all 1.5 mm thick) ensure you have lots of range of motion for your swim stroke, while the low-profile collar adds to the comfort. The triple layer of glue and double blind stitching ensures the suit will remain both durable and keep water out.
You get a lot of suit for the price of the Vector Pro. While you don’t get to try one on in a store, Xterra has a very dialled in fitting system online, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding the right-sized suit. There’s a size guarantee and a 30-day money back guarantee, too.—km