TRI LINGO EXPLAINED

Once you’ve got your head around the tri disciplines, there’s a whole host of multisport lingo to master. But what's the difference between a brick and a bonk? T1 and T2? It's time to find out

AEROBARS

Aero or tri-bars, whether that’s clip-ons or integrated units, are extended bars that protrude from the middle of the handlebar to allow the cyclist to assume a more aerodynamic position on the bike. Good for flat, fast races but nothing too hilly.

AQUATHLON

A multisport event that usually consists of a swim followed by a run. Distances and content vary, with the ITU Aquathlon World Champs consisting of a 2.5km run/1km swim/2.5km run. There’s also swimrun racing that features multiple legs.

BONK

No, not what you think it is, but a term attributed to a triathlete meltdown. A bonk is when you’ve hit a brick wall and can’t go any further and is usually caused by a depletion of glycogen in the muscles. A famous example is Jonny Brownlee at the World Series Grand Final in 2016.

BRICK

A brick is a training session that involves at least two or the three disciplines. Bricks are crucial pre-race training as they enable you to adjust to the disruption caused by transferring from the swim to bike and especially from the bike to run.

DISTANCES

The five most common tri distances are: Super-sprint 400m swim/10km bike/2.5km run.

Sprint 750m swim/20km bike/5km run. Olympic 1.5km swim/40km bike/10km run. Middle (or Ironman 70.3) 1.9km swim/90km bike/21.1km run.

Ironman 3.8km swim/180km bike/ 42.2km run.

DRAFTING

A term used to describe a method of saving energy by following, usually on the bike, in the slipstream of an athlete in front of you. Drafting on the bike is outlawed at most events but the elites (and some agegroupers) in International Triathlon Union (ITU) races are allowed to draft on the wheel of the triathlete in front. It’s legal on the swim and run.

DUATHLON

An event that eschews the swim for a run/ bike/run format. The Standard distance is 10km run/40km bike/5km run, and many say they’re tougher than a triathlon. These can feature all year round and are often held on off-road trails.

IRONMAN

A series of branded long-distance triathlons consisting of a 3.8km swim/180km bike/42.2km run. The Ironman World Championships, held in Hawaii since 1978, are the climax of the Ironman season.

ITU

The International Triathlon Union organises the ITU World Series at Olympicdistance (often live on the BBC), and also host the ITU Long Distance, Duathlon, Cross and Aquathlon World Champs.

SPLIT

The time it takes you to complete a discipline in a race. I.e. 40mins for the 1.5km swim, 90mins for the 40km bike and 50mins for the 10km run.

TAPERING

A reduction in training volume prior to a race event.

T1, T2

Transition 1 (T1) is the changing area between the swim and the bike sections. Transition 2 (T2) is the bike-to-run area. Both usually feature head scratching aplenty from triathletes who can’t remember where they’ve racked their gear.

TURBO TRAINER

A training mechanism that clamps your back wheel, thus allowing you to ride your bike indoors, in the shed or on the patio, usually over winter time.