It’s another huge weekend for triathlon this weekend. There is a massive group of LFTC athletes taking part in the Cowman Middle Distance Triathlon. For some this will be their longest race yet! It’s going to be great fun being surrounded by so many team mates. It’s my first race of the season too…eeek!
This weekend is also Challenge Roth. Roth is one of the most legendary long course triathlons in the world and is a course on which may elite athletes have posted world record times. It attracts crowds as big at the Tour de France and is definitely a race for the bucket list if you fancy long course racing. There is no sign of Lance Armstrong on the start list as yet but I’ll keep my fingers crossed! Actually it is looking more and more like he might be caught up in court battles.
We’ve go our newly qualified coaches taking the Saturday and Sunday swim sessions. Bring your fins, pull buoys and paddles as there will be drills to clean up different aspects of your stroke and a fitness element as well. Check out this blog from Swim Smooth’s ‘Feel for the water‘ for a great technique tip about the ‘basic extension drill’ i.e. kicking on your side. This drill forms the base from which many more advanced drills are built and is therefore a key drill to really get nailed.
It is not uncommon to feel a little faint when you exit the water in a triathlon or in training. In fact sometimes people do faint. The reason is postural hypotension – a sudden drop in blood pressure when you go from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The risk increases when swimming because blood had been directed to the working muscles, predominantly the upper body and then all of a sudden it has to be redirected to the legs once you are able to stand. If your body temperature is also elevated blood is directed towards the skin to assist cooling and the risk of faint may be increased further.
What can you do? Prepare yourself by increasing the effort you put into your kick for the last 100m or so. This way you start to redirect blood to the legs before moving from horizontal to vertical. Don’t allow yourself to get too hot. Choose appropriate days and venues to practise swimming in your wetsuit and if you are getting too warm flush some fresh water through it to help cool off or finish your session without it.
See you Saturday poolside or at the Cowman! Tim (LFTC Coach)