REECE CHARLES- BARCLAY
Reece may be best known as the coach and husband of Ironman star Lucy Charles-Barclay, but he’s also a tri pro in his own right. Here are his top tips…
1 BUILD YOUR RUN VOLUME
If you’re starting out in triathlon, it’s a good idea to build up your run volume year on year, as your body will take time to adapt. This is especially important if you don’t have much of a running background. Transferring fitness from another aerobic sport will definitely help, but your body will still need to adapt to the specific demands of triathlon.
2 FIND A CREW
Joining a triathlon club or a group of like-minded people can make a real difference to your training sessions, injecting a sense of fun as well as a competitive element. Having a good group of people to talk to and socialise with should also help to speed up your learning curve, while giving you a support network for the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead.
3 HIRE A COACH
If you can afford it, it’s well worth employing a professional coach or mentor to help you work through your objectives and training plans. A second opinion is always useful, as it’ll help you to set realistic goals and focus on the appropriate training to achieve them. A coach or mentor will also be able to pick you up when you’re having an off-day or feel like you’re not hitting your targets.
4 OPTIMISE YOUR AERO POSITION
Aero-position optimisation is everything if you want to achieve success on the bike. The ability to tolerate an aero position at the same time as delivering power to the desired level is more important than what might appear to be the fastest position possible.
5 STAY LOCAL
Make friends with your local bike shop – the large chains may offer cheaper deals, but ensuring that you get the appropriate equipment for your needs is vital. Unless you’re good with bikes or have time to enrol on a course, having somewhere local that you can go to find out how to get the most out of your equipment will make a huge difference.
6 PRACTISE IN OPEN WATER
For many people, swimming in open water is the scariest part of a triathlon, with the standard pre-race nerves hardly helping matters. So familiarising yourself with such environments in training will give you the confidence to perform at your best come race day. Obviously, before entering any open water, make sure it’s safe and legal to do so.