The Wiggle winter sale is well and truly underway. They currently have 277 items discounted just for you. The selection of discounted items is again staggering, with everything from wheelsets to swim gear reduced.

With certain products reduced by up to 50% it’s well worth a look. You may also be able to find Christmas gifts for the more sporty people in your life.

My pick of the sale items would be these Aqua Sphere Zip Fins. I’ve blogged about them before as they complement your swim drill sessions very well by giving you a little more forward propulsion, so you can focus on the drill in question.

List price £19.56
SAVE 35% = £6.85
NOW ONLY: £12.71

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The two components of pedalling are technique and cadence. Despite the expression ‘it’s like riding a bike’, correct pedalling technique and cadence often do not come naturally and require long practice to cultivate. The three characteristics of good pedalling technique are immobility above the hips (except when out of the saddle), no lateral movement of the legs or feet and a relatively even application of force throughout the pedal stroke. The three most common errors in pedalling technique are body rocking, wide knees and pedal stomping.

Rocking in the saddle is a waste of energy. It’s most common causes are having the saddle positioned too high or riding in too high a gear. However, other causes could be lack of sufficient flexibility in the hamstrings and hip flexors, s well as weak gluteal muscles. If you find that you tend to rock in the saddle, first of all check your seat height and your pedalling cadence.

Failure to maintain a pedalling cadence of at least 70 rpm on all terrain, except steep climbs and descents, is an indication that your gear selection is poor. However, if you can eliminate these causes you should concentrate on correcting muscular imbalances in your lower body with some functional strength training and thorough stretching. You can also complement these measures by paying attention to your form when you ride and consciously not rocking in the saddle.

The problem of wide knees is typically also caused by the above muscular imbalances and is often exacerbated by setting the saddle height too low, which many cyclists do because of their tight hamstrings. To correct wide knees check the set-up of your bike, if it seems right or you cannot comfortably pedal in the correct position then begin work improving the flexibility of your hamstrings. As your flexibility improves you should find that you can adjust your bike set-up. Like before, also pay attention to your form and force those knees in when you catch them creeping wide.

Pedal stomping (also called mashing) is a descriptive term for failing to apply force evenly throughout the pedal stroke. In particular it entails concentrating force on the downward gravity assisted portion of the pedal stroke and allowing momentum to carry the pedal back around to the top. Beyond the gravity factor, the reason this problem is so common is that the muscles that serve as the prime movers for the upward portion of the pedal stroke (gluteals and hamstrings) are relatively weak and under-developed in the average person because of all the sitting we do. Continuing to ‘stomp’ will only make the muscular imbalance more pronounced because of the repeated ‘stomping’ taking place.

In order to overcome pedal stomping it may be worth while working on your ‘pedal stroke cycle’, which means analysing which muscles of your lower body should be invoked at certain points throughout the full 360 degrees of the pedal turn. To describe this with only words would make for a hard read, so next time I blog about bike training I’ll get together a drawing to assist with the explanation. As well as this pedal pattern there are also a few good indoor cycling drills that can help develop this feel. Again we’ll discuss these next time.

In the mean time whilst out cycling try to be more aware of your cadence and cycling form. At this stage of training (base) try to keep your rpm relatively high (approx 90rpm), keep the knees tucked in and if you do ‘pedal stomp’, just try to be more aware of the full pedal stroke through out the full pedal turn.

Happy training!!

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You’ll be hard pushed to find a bigger range of Shimano cycle products than what Wiggle have to offer and the latest offer to be announced is a massive 20% off all 2009 Shimano cycling shoes.

The shoes range from the triathlon specific TR51 to the R076 road shoe. There are also female specific Shimano shoes as well as MTB and commuter variations.

In Shimanos 80 years of existence they have accumulated a wealth of technology and product development expertise that serves as the driving force behind their continually evolving product line.

A few examples of the 2009 Shimano shoe range are detailed below. Click here to view the full range.

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Turbo trainers have been around for a long time, the ‘turbo’ referring to the fan that was the original method of creating resistance.

Of course technology has moved on and today’s basic model consists of a steel or aluminium frame and a magnetic resistance unit. Magnets are the cheapest way to start ‘turbo-ing’, but they have drawbacks. They tend to be fairly noisy and the resistance rate is linear; it doesn’t get harder the faster you go, which would feel more natural. More expensive magnetic units (e.g the Tacx Satori, £135.99) enable you to adjust resistance via a bar-mounted lever to simulate ups and downs, which makes the training experience more interactive and realistic.

The next step up from magnetic’s is a fluid trainer – essentially a fan rotating in oil – which gives a quieter ride and a more natural resistance curve; sometimes a trainer will feature both, using an adjustable magnet to control the overall drag.

Taking training to the next levelare computer (or ‘ergo’) trainers, which as well as providing the workout can also measure your training data. The Tacx Flow (£247.99) can display heart rate, speed, power, cadence and you can also follow pre-programmed training routes with the resistance automatically adjusting to match the incline.

New virtual reality (VR) trainers such as the Tacx Fortius Multiplayer (£719.99) go even further. This extraordinary machine allows you to hook your PC up to the trainer and ride actual stages of the ‘Tour De France’!

Whatever type of turbo you choose, you need to use it regularly and keep track of the work you’re doing to get the most benefit from it. I don’t mind using the turbo trainer, although 60 minutes is my ‘absolute’ as I find it quite tedious. I much prefer the cold, wet and windy British outdoors!!

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Have you ever heard any of your club members ever say, ‘I don’t really kick much during the swim leg of a triathlon, I like to save my legs for the bike and run’?

Very few people actually understand the importance of the kick in freestyle swimming, which is why so many swimmers are such poor kickers. Their kick probably creates more drag than propulsion, or they may not even kick at all.

What many triathletes (and swimmers) incorrectly assume is that kicking is a waste of energy. The fact is that an efficient, easy kick, is the foundation of a good body position. If the kick is used properly, it helps get the body in an optimum streamlined position to take full advantage of every pull. We’re not talking here of a powerful kick, but an efficient kick that helps keep the legs up (reducing drag) and helps rotate the body in alignment.

When a swimmer drags the lower body from side to side (fishtailing), it is creating unnecessary drag. Driving the rotation from the kick and core helps keep the body aligned and long. Therefore, the key is in a small kick that stays in the slipstream and is co-ordinated with the pull and rotation.

The kick in freestyle is called a flutter kick because the legs alternate in position ‘fluttering’ whilst keeping the ‘legs long’, meaning that the feet are pointed and the knees bend only slightly at the end of each movement. The most common mistake with this kick is bending the knees too much. This creates too much drag since it comes out of your slipstream. Think of your slipstream as a hole in the water that your body has to pass through, or a narrow band of area that your whole body has to move through with minimal exposure.

Another important factor in the efficiency of the kick is the ankle range of motion. The better a swimmer can point the toes, the more potential there is due to less drag. Flexibility in the ankle joint (for pointing the toes)can be enhanced by stretching the muscles in front of the shinbone(anterior tibialis).

Practice: Kicking Drill

The purpose of this drill is to make the kick efficient. From a vertical position with your arms at your sides, use a flutter kick to keep your head above the water (provided your pool is deep enough of course). Look down at your legs and make sure that you are not bending the knees too much or bending forward at the waist. Utilise the upper muscles of the leg and make small, fast movements. At first this may be too hard to maintain for even 30 seconds, persist and work your way up to one minute.

If your pool is not deep enough to perform the vertical kicking drill you can always revert to the more traditional drill with a paddle out in front of you with extended arms either on your front or back. Remember to keep the flutter kick between the imaginary band of area, i.e. in your slipstream. Try to complete 2 x 50m as part of you drill set.

A set of (zoomer) fins may also be advantageous when executing (most) drills as they help make you more aware of your feet and legs, which helps keep them in the slipstream of your body. The fins should have a short blade so to offer a little propulsion but not too much to push you way out of your slipstream.

Happy training !!

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Last night’s British Triathlon Annual Award Dinner saw the presentation of the first Gold Pin Awards, awarded to three of the sport’s leading figures to highlight their significant and long standing contribution to triathlon. The three awards went to Dick Poole, Aleck Hunter and Simon Lessing MBE.

Yorkshire’s Alistair Brownlee took home the prestigious British Olympic Association Athlete of the Year award as well as the Male Elite Triathlete prize following his excellent win at the World Under 23 Championships in June and brave front running at the Olympic Games.

Recently married Helen Jenkins (née Tucker), deservedly won the Female Elite Triathlon of the Year award having fought back from prolonged injury to win the World Championships in Vancouver in June whilst inspiring Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington collected her second successive Female Long Distance Triathlete of the Year Award as she maintained her unbeaten record over the long distance discipline since turning professional at the end of 2006.

British Triathlon Annual Awards
BOA Athlete of the Year
Alistair Brownlee

Male Elite Triathlete of the Year
Alistair Brownlee

Female Elite Triathlete of the Year
Helen Jenkins

Male Elite Duathlete of the Year
Paul Amey

Female Elite Duathlete of the Year
Catriona Morrison

Male Long Distance Triathlete of the Year
Stephen Bayliss

Female Long Distance Athlete of the Year
Chrissie Wellington

Male Age Group Athlete of the Year
Dion Harrison

Female Age Group Athlete of the Year
Louise Collins

Male Disabled Triathlete of the Year
Graham Kiff

Female Disabled Triathlete of the Year
Melanie Easter

National Volunteer of the Year
Kay Wilson, Durham Triathlon Club

National Young Volunteer of the Year
Alex Teagle, BRAT Triathlon Club

National Official of the Year
Keith Perry, FVS Triathlon Club

National Coach of the Year
Chris Hunt, Total Fitness Nottingham

National Event of the Year
Gower Peninsula Triathlon, Wales

National Club of the Year
Manchester Triathlon Club

(Courtesy of British Triathlon)

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Whilst browsing away earlier today I came across the new Trek Equinox TTX 9.9 SSL for 2009 for the first time. I’ve never really been a one for Trek bikes for some reason, however I must say this one does the trick, it looks fantastic.

Just about everything on the bike is carbon and manufactured by Bontrager from the Aeolus 5.0 carbon wheelset to the aero bar. Then there’s the ‘drivetrain’, which is a full SRAM set including carbon shifters.

Could this be a new contender for my ‘bike of the year 2009′? I’d even go as far to say that I prefer it to the Ceepo Viper I blogged about last month. It could also be the fact that it looks quite similar to my current Orbea (less the wheels)!

At a RRP of £4,400, it is again a bit steep for the average multi-sport enthusiast, however compare it to the Ceepo and the Felt DA, then the price tag doesn’t seem quite so bad after all.

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Tonights British Triathlon Annual Awards Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, East Midlands Airport, celebrates those members who have achieved outstanding results in both the elite and Age Group categories, and recognises those who have impacted the sport through officiating and volunteering.

The Awards Dinner is an opportunity for Age Group and elite athletes to rub shoulders and recognise exceptional performance at every level. It also gives athletes the chance to acknowledge and applaud the efforts of those behind the scenes: the volunteers, coaches and officials, who give up many hours of their time to put on events, without which there would not be a sport.

The evening is due to start with drinks at 7pm followed by dinner and award presentations. Guest speaker Simon Lessing will close the event and be taking questions from the assembled guests.

I’ve always thought about attending one of these functions, but never actually managed to get there. If any of you are heading there for the evening I’d like to hear from you. Just leave me a comment with how you thought it went. It might get me motivated to get there next year!

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We all know that endurance is the ability to perform relatively intense work over an extended period of time, but how many of you know how endurance training affects our bodies?

The following are the major, performance related physiological changes that occur as a result of endurance training. This list does not include all known adaptations, nor is the list of known adaptations itself considered to be complete.

Muscles
The muscles store greater amounts of glycogen (carbohydrate fuel), triglyceride (fat fuel) and myoglobin(a protein that stores oxygen. These adaptations increase the body’s ability to produce energy. The size and possibly the number of muscle fibres increase in some muscles. These changes result in greater muscle strength, which is why the base phase of run training is important.

Heart
The heart muscle becomes larger and more powerful, hence capable of pumping more blood per contraction. Consequently the resting pulse rate decreases, as well as the heart rate associated with any given level of intensity of exercise. To prove this theory, during the base phase of your training run the same course at the end of every three week cycle at the same pace. What you should find is that your average heart rate for the duration of that run should lower each time.

Blood
Blood plasma volume and haemoglobin content increases, improving your body’s ability to carry oxygen to the muscles.

Vascular System
Capillary density in the muscles increases. Capillaries deliver oxygen from the bloodstream to the muscles, so this adaptation also increases the body’s capacity to consume oxygen.

Body Fat
The muscles metabolize more fat both at rest and at moderate levels of exercise. This adaptation increases endurance and decreases levels of stored body fat, which helps to maintain an ideal race weight.

Bones
The density of many bones increases, making them stronger and more injury resistant. A huge benefit when it comes to the higher intensity training/racing.

Next time you’re training and your session is endurance based, you can really think about all the good you are doing for your body.

Happy Training!!

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If you can’t get enough triathlon or need something extra during the long winter evenings then look no further.

With the conclusion of the 2008 BG Triathlon World Cup series, you can now re-live all the action from this season online on triathlon.org or on ITU’s YouTube channel.

You can also view photo galleries and results from all the 2008 World Cup events right here.

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