Pacing yourself for one discipline is hard enough but when trying to do it for 3 it becomes even more challenging. The key is to make sure you think about each discipline individually, understanding your strengths and planning accordingly. Someone very good on a bike can sometimes push to the max, finishing this leg in a strong time, only to suffer in the run and lose all the time they made up. For first time triathletes a good place to start is the sprint distance triathlon. While the distances are shorter, it’s worth bearing in mind that it does not necessarily mean it’s easier as you are generally working at a higher level (sprint) throughout. Different tactics need to be considered for different levels of fitness
Tag: cycling
Cyclefit: Transform your cycling
When the hire bike for my up-coming triathlon arrived, I hated it. It felt too small, I felt cramped and I even considered dumping it in favour of my beloved retro-style Bobbin Scout. Then I received a call from Cyclefit asking if I was interested in a bike fit session – knowing that the set-up is really important I jumped at the opportunity. The result? I now LOVE the hire bike and my riding has been improved beyond recognition. It’s fair to say that my experience at Cyclefit has been transformative, not only does my bike feel great – like we are working together as a team rather than two separate entities – but my riding position has improved to such an extent
Tried and tested: Cafe Du Cycliste Fleurette jersey
It’s not so long ago that cycling gear was either very logo heavy (think team jersey’s) or just very dull, and it certainly wasn’t cool. Now there are fab brands popping up all over the place and there is actually CHOICE, which for female cyclists is pretty much unheard of. I’ve long been a fan of Cafe Du Cycliste, the French brand giving Rapha a run for their money in the style stakes, so when they offered the Fleurette top to test I jumped at the chance. (Note: The top is black, as shown in the last image in the gallery, not brown as it looks in these images taken on a sunny day) Click on the images below for a picture-by-
Win: Urbanist Cycling underwear from Velovixen
Ever dreamt of a comfortable ride around town without having to resort to full-on cycling shorts? Something you can wear all day and feel feminine in, but still helps cushion your most sensitive parts as you ride? Urbanist Cycling’s Brigitte chamois-padded knickers are the answer to your prayers. Beautifully cut to fit and enhance the female form, they’ve been tested tirelessly by the Texas cycling community where Urbanist is based, to ensure no chaffing or digging in. The material is sumptuous, whilst the chamois pads come from one of Italy’s most respected chamois designers. The Urbanist Brigitte is well suited for medium/longer rides of up to 25 miles, or even longer. A quantum leap forward for women’s cycling kit. Click here
Event: Macmillan Cycletta women only bike ride
Macmillan Cycletta is the UK’s leading series of women only bike rides set in stunning, family friendly host venues. There are six events around the country featuring spectacular routes with varying distances from 20km up to (new for 2015!) 150km. These distances offer a ride for all abilities and, even if you haven’t ridden a bike in years, they are challenging but achievable. The events are all held at wonderful family friendly host venues with plenty on offer for supporters and participants throughout the day. If you’re looking for a challenge this summer, why not join the women on wheels? We hope to see you there. Oh, and you also get to enjoy the free Recovery Zone; the perfect way to relax, rejuvenate and revive after
Gifts for cycling fans
Since it’s cycling week, we’ve searched out some fun gift ideas for all you cycling fans. Enjoy! Basil bike bell Everyone needs a bell and this beautiful floral one with a ‘ding dong’ sound is like a bit of art for your bike. Lovely! Details Size: 80mm diameter Cost: £8 Buy: www.sustrans.org.uk Bike stationary This lovely box full of super-cool stationary is perfect for notes, birthdays, gifting, keeping! It’s going to be hard to part with… Details – 4 bicycle thank you postcards – tandem bike with heart banner card – bike motif letterpress note cards pack of 4 – blue, pink, red, yellow – bicycle tags set of 4 variety of bike styles and colours Price: £14.58 Buy: www.etsy.com Poster and t-shirt
Pedalling the Dream – How Cycling Really Can Change Your Life
It was at the top of the first climb out of Ushuaia that I knew I’d turned a corner. Phil – the man I’d met just six months earlier – had lovingly assured me that ‘there shouldn’t be any big hills to climb for the first few days’ of our trip. Yet here I was at the top of the southernmost point of the Andes. Phew. How wrong he’d been. My thighs burned. I’d been sorely tested on our very first day on the road. But I’d made it. Before setting off to the bottom of South America with our bikes and panniers, our ‘training’ programme had consisted of one 30km ride along a towpath. There hadn’t been the time, as we tied up the loose ends
Sportsister Loves: Muc-Off Athlete protection
Muc-off, the brand responsible for keeping our bikes clean and running smoothly have now turned their attention to keeping us, the riders in good shape too. The new range called Athlete Protection, features balms and lotions that protect, prepare and aid recovery. First – Although completely irrelevant to the performance of the product, we love the look and packaging of the range – modern and stylish and totally unisex. Second – The product smells serious, like it’s going to do something good. It has a medicinal but not unpleasant scent which disappears fairly quickly. The balm is runnier than expected, less creamy, more like a lotion, but this means it goes on easily and quickly and does not leave a greasy residue. Third – How
How to cycle up a hill
To master cycling, you need to be able to conquer those dreaded hills day in day out. Whether you’re a complete beginner, at intermediate level or an ultra-distance endurance cyclist, the same basic principles apply when it comes to tackling those blasted hills. And we guarantee, that the smarter you train, the easier they become…we promise! Our friends at Team Njinga (the cycling tours and training experts) give us their top tips: Mentally Prepare Yourself A key problem for a lot of cyclists is their negative attitude towards hills which leaves them defeated before they’ve even started the incline. A fundamental aspect of hill climbing is mentally preparing yourself for the challenge in advance and remaining positive that you can do it. Key
London’s Top Stops for Cyclists
Strava, the global community for athletes, has released details on London’s Top Stops for cyclists, including cafes and bike shops. The stops are based on data from over 10.1 million London-based Strava activities, giving unprecedented insight into the habits of the city’s cyclists. In compiling the Top Stops for Strava Local in London, the stopping habits of the city’s cyclists were analysed to find out how long they stop for and their favourite locations to meet for a ride or grab a coffee. This has thrown up some interesting findings on the habits of athletes in London. On average, 78,000 rides are recorded in London each week, clocking up over 1.7 million kilometres. The data shows that on average cyclists take a coffee break after 90 minutes of riding, stopping
One Kit Wonder – how the right cycling kit can double for so much else
Garish, unflattering lycra and cycling. Cycling and garish, unflattering lycra. It’s like coffee and cake, or Poldark and scything. They just go together. Don’t they? Not necessarily. And if they do, today’s cycling gear most certainly doesn’t have to be ugly. Far from it. Over the three years since we launched VeloVixen, we’ve become ever more aware of how important it is to track down cycling kit that works well and looks great. But there’s another dimension that’s often overlooked: many active women have a preference for kit that can be used across a number of activities. To generalise for a moment: male cyclists are usually happy to define themselves as cyclists and invest in clothing that works for cycling and cycling only. Women who cycle generally