IF April is apparently the cruellest month (maybe T.S. Eliot was thinking about that fallow period between the end of the duathlon season and start of the tri calendar), then September is our favourite month for triathlon racing in the UK.
There's that softer bucolic light, the warm – but not too warm – autumnal sunshine and some truly classic races to end your season on a flyer. We're looking at you Hever and Helvellyn, Ironman Wales and 70.3 Weymouth, the Brutal, Outlaw X, Aviemore and, well, many more. And there's also the satisfying feeling of a plan coming together, the joining of the dots that started months ago and are now uniting for some end-of-season fireworks.
That's the plan at least, but are there surefire ways to hit that late–season A–race fit and firing? How do you avoid injury and shake–off the summer holiday slumber? And what race–day tactics and tricks can see you performing a PB–smashing final flourish? Here are our favourite 15 ways to end the season on a high…
1 STAY SEATED
After the relatively low-key August period,Ironman Wales, The Brutal and Helvellyn will tell you (the undulations of the Weymouth and Hever bike courses aren't to be underestimated either). So how should you tackle the second-discipline climbs? By staying seated, says aero luminary Dan Bigham. “When you're out of the saddle, your co-efficient of drag (CdA) goes up. If this is really steep, it's not too much of an aero issue as speeds are slower and you can generate more power by engaging other muscle groups like your arms. But on longer, shallower drags, there's an aerodynamic case for remaining seated. Many riders are significantly more efficient biomechanically and physiologically in a seated position, too.”
