There’s no substitute for training (except aero wheels!) but you’re gonna buy some gear so here’s what I think you NEED if you want to do half well. this is NOT what you need if all you want to do is finish. this is what you need to be a bit competitive and get the best out of what you’ve got. I think I’ve got everything in the list but let me know if not. Remember just things you NEED to be competitive:
- Personal organisation and a triathlon/duathlon plan.
Swim
- Pull buoy & paddles
- GPS watch able to show stroke rate/length, count lengths
- Wetsuit, cap, glide,
- Tri suit
- Video analysis of technique (or good, personal critical analysis)
- Technique coaching/lessons at least monthly
- For poorer swimmers: Bouyancy shorts & £200+ max buoyancy wetsuit.
Running
- Racing flats
- ‘Training’ shoes
- Breathable, lightweight kit
- GPS Running watch that shows pace and cadence and HR. Able to upload session stats in a non-proprietary format
- Proper gait analysis
Bike
- A reasonably aerodynamic frame that sensibly combines RIGIDITY as well as weight.
- TT setup with aero bars
- Hydration ‘system’ for >sprint events
- Deep section >48mm aero front wheel
- Race tyres and tubes (clinchers)
- Gator skin type training tyre and tubes.
- A suitable helmet for your event combining ventilation and aero, consider appropriate protective and aero eye wear.
- Turbo trainer & large, powerful fan. Need not necessarily be required to produce power as speed can be used as a proxy with limitations with a speed/power curve.
- Power based rear-wheel hub system if you can afford it
- Some way of producing cadence data
- GPS bike watch/Tri watch
- A bike fit at least bi-annually
- A watt bike technique analysis
- Tri shoes
Strength & Conditioning
- Fairly rigid roller
- Weights – at least dumb bells individually able to hold at least 20kg
- Spiky Laundry ball and golf ball for rolling
- Yoga block
- Some means to assess your recovery status [R-R/HRV/Recovery]
- Whey protein isolate
- Glucose+fructose carb gels that don’t need diluting for >sprint
Diet
- Sensible
Of course YOU might NEED specific things like compression gear or certain medicines. Of course there are lots of useful things over and above this such as a blood lactate test. That list gets a bit long.
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