- This is The GTN Show. Welcome.
This week we're going to be
discussing swimming technologies,
we're going to be looking at some indoor training,
as well as, altitude training.
- Yup. We also have the announcement of
the winners for our Park Tool competition,
and we're going to be discussing of the cost of triathlon,
and getting your views.
(energetic fast paced music)
Right, let's talk about altitude training.
We hear athletes talking about it a lot.
Many of the top pros train altitude,
some live at altitude, and then train at low altitude,
and others try to emulate that with altitude tents,
even ceiling rooms...
but really, why,
and does it have an advantage on our performance?
- I think before we get any further,
we should look at the theory behind it.
When you're at altitude, there's less oxygen in the air,
because there's less pressure,
so your body is automatically working harder to carry
oxygen that would have been before, when you're training
that's exacerbated, so then your body has to adapt to this,
and basically, it makes more red blood cells,
so you got more haemoglobin,
so you can carry more oxygen, or more basically the same
amount of what you be getting at sea level.
And then once your body has adapted, it should feel,
as you would at sea level.
When you come back down though, that's when advantages,
because you still got those
red blood cells and it just appear,
so you still have more ability to carry more oxygen,
and in theory either training and racing is easier,
or you can go faster.
- [Mark] And of course, if you are racing altitude,
then it makes sense to go to altitude, train at it,
so your prepared for those conditions.
But Heather, I know you've trained altitude bit in the past,
what's your experience with it.
- Yeah. I mean, the training at altitude is hideous.
It's so hard, because when you first get there
you take a few days easy, because your body really
is adapting, and just even walking up stairs,
you're out of breath.
But then, I quite like it,
cause you're naturally able to push yourself
harder in a way already, because it's hard.
If you're trying to hit the same times you're hitting
back at home, you're already training harder,
and you're getting that effect.
And for us, it took a lot of experiments to work out
the right length, you have to spend there,
to be able to get that benefit
and then also, the right time to come down,
cause when you come down there's a period
where you don't feel very good, as well,
so it's very personal
and it takes a lot of experimenting with.
- Well clearly, altitude training places
quite a big demand on the body and a lot of stress,
so it shouldn't be underestimated,
and you actually, you should allow yourself
a lot of time to adapt to it before
you push on in your training.
But aside from our own personal experiences,
we still hear it, time and time again,
is altitude training worth it, does it really work?
Well it has actually been a mega study into this recently,
and on, possibly the most interesting~ people; Sherpas.
- [Heather] Yeah I mean, for the normal person,
summiting something like Everest is a massive feat.
It's hugely demanding on the body,
and as you rise up with altitude,
you're gonna need more oxygen,
so pretty much, anyone will need oxygen to be topped up.
And tests show, as you go up with altitude,
you have less oxygen in your body,
and therefore, you end up with less energy,
but bizarrely, and very interesting,
the study has actually proven,
it measured the energy found in the Sherpas' muscles,
as they went up through altitude,
by measuring the ATP that was found there,
and it shown to actually increase,
as the altitude increased.
- So they get more energy, as the oxygen reduces.
That's fascinating. - So it looks.
- It's an absolutely fascinating study
and it kind of, one of its kind,
it's being performed by Professor Mike Grocott and his team.
And they literally, were taking blood samples
and muscle biopsies on the side of Everest.
- Must be quite hard to get blood out,
when you're that cold,
like your veins must be like shrunk away.
- And in a tent and not a laboratory, or anything,
which is crazy. - Yeah, oof.
- But they have noted that
there's still a lot of unanswered questions.
Are there Sherpas--
do they have an enhanced oxygen efficiency,
or are they actually, I don't know,
some sort of conservation of energy going on there?
Still a lot to be answered there.
- What we do know is that, altitude training has a benefit,
you just got to learn how to use it right for yourself,
and how to time it, and how to train there,
but I think maybe it's time,
we went and did our own investigation:
I think some nice sunny mountain somewhere.
- Yeah, let's go for the mountains
and not for the altitude tents.
(Heather chuckles)
Right, for the first bit of news this week,
and we have been fortunate enough to ride around
on the superbike, the P5X, from our partner Cervelo,
and they have taken it up a level
and partnered with the supercar brand, Lamborghini,
to launch, their limited edition, P5X.
Just take a look at this.
(slow mellow music)
- [Heather] Well apparently, the lucky Lamborghini
academy drivers have, actually, been
riding around Cervelo bikes for awhile.
I don't know that it was P5Xs,
but there's already a good link between
the brand Cervelo and Lamborghini,
so apparently, it was a natural fit.
Now, interestingly, there's only going to be
25 of these bikes available.
We're not sure, to who, it says globally,
but whether, it's going be purely to pros,
or whether its going to be some
very rich businessman, we don't know.
But the unique thing is, each bike is going have
its number stamped on the back of the seatpost.
It's quite cool.
- Right, whilst we're on the subject of cool technology,
check out this swimming device from SwimAR.
It's a holographic heads-up display for swimmers
that attaches to your swimming goggles,
and any pair of goggles, not a specific pair.
It essentially shows what you're swimming data:
how fast you're going, how far you've been;
on a clear display that sort of
just floats in front of your eyes.
- That does sound pretty cool, well, they developed
this technology working alongside Sony
and using the Sony smart-eye technology.
They've also collaborated with swimmers and triathletes
from around the world, so it's still very much
in that development stage, but it's looking pretty cool.
- Yeah, keep your eyes peeled.
- So there's a first for Ironman in North America,
they've just announced, it's going to be a relay format
at a full distance Ironman.
It's Mont-Tremblant, who are going to be hosting this,
and you can enter either two or three members in your team,
and entries actually open today,
Wednesday the 14th of March.
- [Mark] Something that makes this even more interesting,
is that the fact that Mont-Tremblant is almost full.
It's already got over 200 entrants,
in excess of, the total entry number last year.
- It's going to surely encourage more people.
The first--
One of my first two experiences doing triathlon,
we're actually in a relay. First, I did the swim leg,
and then I did a bike leg, and eventually
I got the courage to put it together.
So I know that the race director
has said in his press release,
he's really hoping that it will have that effect.
It'll make just more accessible to people,
who having put off amount of training
or equipment you need to do a full one,
so its got to be good for the sport.
There's been a pivotal moment in triathlon the last few day,
when Super League and the ITU have actually signed
a memorandum of understaning.
It's great to see these two bodies coming together
with separate races at different times in the year
and they've agreed to look at what's best for triathlon,
what's best for the athletes, trying get more audience
engaged, and to grow the sport in the same direction.
- [Mark] Yeah, also, wonder if this has got
anything to do with the athletes trying to do
both series: the Super League, and the ITU series.
I did hear on the grapevine that there's been
some tricky timing between events in the calendar this year.
So perhaps this is a move towards
slightly better coordination in the events.
- Last week, we heard some tragic news from South Africa,
when triathlete, Mhlengi Gwala, was attacked by three men,
whilst out on his mountain bike
in the early hours of the morning in the Durbin area.
Now, both of his legs were severely damaged,
leaving him needing extensive surgery.
- [Mark] Yeah, the triathlon community
has really come together on this one, though,
offering support, and raising funds
for his surgery and his rehab;
even from professional triathlete, and his friend,
Henri Schoeman, has sent him a nice little tweet.
But it's quite startling actually, the amount of support
he's had over his crowdfunding page
and the amount of funds that he's received.
He's already at around 650,000 rand,
which is around 55,000 US dollars and 40,000 pounds.
- While I'm sure that's going to go to a great way
to helping Mhlengi with his rehab.
Right, let's move on indoor training, well actually,
this time we're going to be looking at indoor racing.
Now, you won't be surprised to hear
that Lionel Sanders is involved in this.
This though, is the CVR World Cup.
It's going to be held in Los Angeles.
The athletes, actually, going to have to go to the event.
It's the 24th and 25th of March,
but it's still going to be virtual reality cycling,
so Lionel admitted that he's going to line up
against actual cyclists.
Having said that, he is still on his Turbo Trainer,
so he's going to be in his comfort zone,
and then, they'll be racing it on their Turbos,
I guess next to each other.
- It's time for our Park Tool competition,
and we have five lucky winners to announces.
First up is Dennis Weerdenburg.
- We have Adrian Betti.
- We have Merlin Dorner.
- As well as, Andrew Mikosz.
- And finally, Tim Sievers, so congratulations.
These Park Tool products will be
on their way to you very shortly.
(upbeat music)
- And now, it is the GTN Tribe, where we feature
your club on our map, and we're really hoping
to cover the whole of the world,
and this week, we're heading down to Australia.
It's a club from Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia,
and this one is being sent in by Benn Cobra.
- Yeah, this sounds like quite a fun club.
They actually link up four other local clubs in the area
to run, sort of, weekly races or monthly races,
depending on the time of the year,
so they all must have like,
bragging rights between the clubs.
They have like little club championships,
which sounds great really.
- Well, interestingly, you might have actually noticed,
we mentioned an athlete, called Lauren Parker.
A few weeks ago, one of the shows, in the race news,
cause she was able-bodied athlete last year,
and sadly had a accident on the bike,
and is now paralysed, and is now racing for Australia
in the wheelchair category.
And she has already competed in two World Cups,
and I think she's qualified for the Commonwealth Games.
Well, this was her, I think still is, her home club.
And they've actually setup a foundation,
the Lauren Parker Foundation, to help raise money,
and lot of their races and events also go
towards local communities, as well.
it's a really lovely story around that.
- Yeah, it sounds...
it does sound like a fantastic club actually
with a very fun atmosphere and just all the races
are about coffees and barbecues, after all really.
- [Heather] (chuckles) Suits me.
- [Mark] As you can see in the photos,
so they look like they're having a great time
at their events and...
- [Heather] Well certainly got kit that you wouldn't miss.
- Well yeah, look at that.
- I love those colours. - Fantastic.
Well, do please keep sending in your GTN Tribes,
using the hashtag #GTNTRIBE.
(upbeat music)
- It's time for race news
and there was some hot competition down in Australia,
the Mooloolaba ITU World Cup.
And it was quite tough surf conditions;
I think I was a big swallow,
which actually, played into the hands of the Australians,
especially, Emma Jeffcoat in the women's race:
she comes from surf life-saving background,
so led the swim and came out with a bit of a margin,
but there was a return to ITU racing for Vanessa Fernandes,
who was a star to ITU Triathlon
with numerous World Championships titles,
but hasn't actually raced ITU since 2008 and...
- [Mark] I mean, I actually remember of her
from back in the day and she just used to win everything.
If she was on the starter list,
you knew she pretty much had it.
- [Heather] Well, it didn't play into her hands
at this race, and I think the swim had a big part
to do with that, cause the surf was really tough.
But anyway, Emma Jeffcoat went on to lead from, well,
stayed at the front pack on the bike, and led into T2,
and then, she didn't reel it back,
she ran away to take the win.
Second place this time went to Kristen Casper,
after the frustrating fourth, in that sprint finish
she had at the Abu Dhabi World Cup.
So USA taking Second, and third,
it was Angelica Olmo of Italy.
- Well, over on the men's side, it was Max Stapley
that led the 30 man out of the ocean swim.
And then onto the bike, it sort of seemed like
they were all testing each other in a number of breakways,
but nothing that really kind of succeeded,
so they came onto the run pretty much together,
and then it was, Matt Hauser and Richard Murray
that seemed to steam ahead, and get a little bit of a gap.
Richard Murray took the win, overall,
and Matthew Hauser, in second,
and in third, Matthew McElroy.
Right now for the inaugural
Ironman 70.3 Bariloche in Argentina.
(long beep)
- [Translator] (accented) San Carlos de Bariloche.
- Bari-losh-she, Bari-losh-she.
- Cool. Cool.
- And, quite an interesting person on the
starter list for this one, we had Terenzo Bozzone,
just a week after his win, Ironman New Zealand,
and after setting a new course record in New Zealand.
So I think, quite a lot of people,
including his competitors were wondering
how he's going to cope just a week after an Ironman,
and after all the travel,
but he was in the lead on the bike
with Igor Amorelli, and ex-pro cyclist, Kenneth Peterson,
but then again I'm sure they were hoping is,
wheels are going to fall off on the run,
but they didn't, he continued onto a blistering
run split to take the win overall.
In second, it was Igor Amorelli,
and in third, Kenneth Peterson.
- [Heather] from the women's side,
it looked like it was going to be a race between
just the two athletes, Alicia Kaye and Dede Griesbauer.
They had a lead for the swim, and the bike,
and had about 7 minutes going into T2,
but Pamela Oliveira of Brazil
had an absolutely storming run.
She ran 6 minutes quicker than Alicia Kaye,
but Alicia Kaye took the overall win,
and just a minute behind was Pamela Oliveira of Brazil,
and Dede Griesbauer hung on for third.
(upbeat music)
- Now for the caption competition,
where you get your chance to win a GTN swimming cap.
Last week, we had a photo, James Cunnama,
a head of the Durban Ultra Triathlon race in South Africa,
looking a little bit grumpy.
- [Heather] I think he's going to be even more
grumpy now we've used his picture in our caption comp,
but that aside, we had some great suggestions as usual
and we got a runner-up this week from Ken Tsang.
And Ken wrote, "this stylised Instagram filter
"really doesn't flatter my curves"
- [Mark] (chuckles) The winner was Adrian Betti, who said,
"Who did you say was on the Cervelo test team?"
now if you didn't know already, and you probably
should know if you've watched any of a GCN,
and now Dan Lloyd, from GCN,
used to ride for the Cervelo test team
He liked to tell us that as well.
- Yeah, it's hard to miss that one.
- Yup, well, we got some really good photos for this week,
and we picked out this one
of Richard Murray, kissing a seal.
- [Heather] It's very friendly.
It's a very sweet picture isn't it.
- I think, Murray is maybe sealed the deal there.
(comedy snare and cymbal hit) - Ha, yes Mark.
(laughter)
- Send in your captions suggestions in the comments below.
(upbeat music)
- It's time for the weekly poll.
Last week, we asked you,
why do triathletes really crash so much?
- We don't.
- Well, some people agree with you there Mark.
Anyway, the results are in from the poll,
and coming in 5th place, it was indoor training
with 8% of you, thinking that was a reason.
11% of people thought it was
because triathletes ride TT bikes,
next, was 16%, spending less time on the bike in third,
second, it was because triathletes ride solo with 19%,
and on the majority, go with Mark, 45% say it isn't true.
- Wow, that's interesting.
Actually, another poll that was being quite
interesting recently was, on about,
what is the worst thing about triathlon.
Now, in the comments section below,
we noticed quite a few people are alluding to the fact
that triathlon is pretty expensive,
and I got to be honest, I sort of agree.
If you go to enter any event these days,
they're pretty expensive, whatever that is due to
the cost of things for the events, event company,
I'm not sure, but we thought, we bring this to you guys.
Let's make a poll of this, do you think triathlon
is becoming too expensive: yes or no.
You can enter that poll by clicking above Heather's head,
but most importantly, we want to hear your thoughts on this,
so please, leave your comments
in the comments section below.
(upbeat music)
- It's time for the GTN Pain Cave,
and our first one in is this, from Louis Asprec,
with lovely looking, Bianchi.
- [Mark] You're big fan of Bianchis aren't you?
- [Heather] I am. I do love the colour.
I think it's quite GTN-esque, as well.
- [Mark] Well, there you have,
wow you actually also wondered why he had a red tyre on,
it's probably some of our viewers, asking the same.
That is a Turbo specific tyre.
- [Heather] Makes sense.
- [Mark] Yup, and they got a Zwift Setup
going on in front of them. Nice fan.
I can't quite see what is going on
their screen next to them, but two screens,
that's just being greedy, isn't it?
- [Heathter] I reckon it's got to be pretty hot in there,
cause there's a sweat catcher, there's two bottles
on the bike, and that big fan,
or a big workout is coming up.
- Kay next one from Eric Gu, and they are on an Avanti,
which isn't a very common bike.
I believe it's from New Zealand that brand.
- [Heather] It looks like another Turbo specific tyre.
- [Mark] Yes, so this is, you got their turbo setup in
what look likes their office with a piano in the background.
- [Heather] And some trainers ready for,
maybe, a brick session. You never know.
- [Mark] They should set-up the Turbo alongside the piano,
so they could practise both at once.
- (laughs) Maybe, maybe not. - Not sure how that would end.
- Anyway, our final one is in from Waxy Mud.
- [Mark] This is epic.
- [Heather] There's a lot going on here.
- [Mark] Yeah. I mean (chuckles) two fans,
two screens, and then, I don't know,
like a bike elliptical thing.
- [Heather] Yeah, Cross Trainer.
- [Mark] Oh it's like a Cross Trainer, sorry.
- [Heather] Yeah, there's the arm weights for Cross trainer.
- [Mark] Weights bench. - [Heather] Weights bench,
a lot of free weights, a barbell...
- [Mark] Weighing scale, chords...
I believe that's a Kuota bike on the Turbo,
and then, I think if I zoom in that's BTwin bike
you get from dicathlon, so there we go.
- Very observant.
- Some good investigationg going on.
But we love looking at your pain caves,
seeing where all horrible hard work goes on indoors,
so please, sending in your pain caves,
using the hashtag #GTNPAINCAVE.
- Well, that's it for this week's GTN Show,
as we mentioned throughout the show,
we love hearing your thoughts, your opinions,
or any questions you might have, so make sure,
you let us know in the comment section below.
- And you have any training specific questions,
then we have actually started
a triathlon training explained show,
which is going to be bi-weekly, powered by Training Peaks.
We're basically, answering all your training questions,
and you can see our first one,
of this week, by clicking here.
- And haven't yet done so, you want to see more GTN videos,
then just hit the globe to subscribe, and a few days ago,
I did an investigation into barefoot running.
If you want to see the results in that
there's a video just here.