If you have a young son, chances are you've heard of the Lego spinoff series called Ninjago (or maybe you're into it yourself... it does feature some sweet ninja moves). My boy is a huge fan, quite possibly the world's biggest. Upon receiving the "Airjitzu Flyer" shown below for Christmas, he memorably yelled out "RRRRIIPPP into battle" as he pulled the ripcord sending a ninja named Zane into orbit.
Rrrrrrip into battle!!!!!
I've repeated this line many times, even periodically texting family members reminding them to "rip into battle today." Such wisdom! On that note, I picked up my new Argon 18 E-117 last week, and I think it's only appropriate to name it "Rip." Here are some pictures, comparing to my old ride. My Felt B16 will always have a special place in my heart, but I'm excited for the upgrade!
"The truth hurts, doesn't it, Hapsburg? Oh sure, maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Officer Frank Drebin (Naked Gun)
dirty, dirty, dirty... I know
upgraded to Shimano Ultegra, along with Stages power meter on the crank
new cockpit
old cockpit, aluminum aero bars
carbon aerobars from Profile Design
old front brakes
new brakes... love this design, as they're tucked out of the wind. Very clean.
with this set up my Speedfil hydration system (for 70.3 & IM) was always awkward
on the other hand I love the hydration options on the Argon (see 5 screws on both tubes)
rear brakes on the Felt were pretty cool, tucked down low on the frame
that said the Argon system is way more aero, tucked out of the wind like the front brakes
attention to detail is obvious... the two little "nubs" on the top of the frame come out and facilitate adding a food-carrying system (Bento Box, etc.)
no longer have to mark my seat height with a Sharpie
Chad Zeman first joined Triple Threat Triathlon out of Rhode Island, but now represents North Carolina on our national team. He is a recent "graduate" of Ironman University and the Head Coach at C2 Endurance. Last but not least, Chad is a "Knight" in Sufferlandria, which he painfully earned by completing 10 Sufferfest videos back to back in a single day. Here he shares his thoughts on one of The Sufferfest's most recent releases: The Way Out.
Overview
Over the past three years I've come to love The Sufferfestvideos - they make the trainer fun, they are to the point, and they get your heart racing. As a coach, I will only have my athletes ride these videos after the base phase unless they are absolutely antsy. Why? They stress the VO2 Max system at a time where the Northern Hemisphere is typically base training.
People have seen great gains when properly implemented, but what about those who are "recovering" or wanting to tax the fat burning system rather than the sugar burning system? In a non-Sufferfest type of workout - they did exactly that with The Way Out.
The Way Out is that perfect video that works you, but keeps you right below the edge. It's a 60 minute ride that has great landscape, music, and various workout queues to keep you on track. As a coach, this video is an essential for one of my athletes to have.
Workout
It's a "sweet spot" workout. What this means is that you are going to be working hard enough to see fitness gains but you will not need a whole lot of time to recover. Efforts (with the exception of two) sit just below Threshold, so no lactate is going to build and stay in the system. Over the course of time, as you continue to work sub threshold, you are really recruiting muscle fibers to rebuild faster and stronger. In addition it also allows the blood vessels to provide better oxygenated blood deeper into the tissue. Below is the exact breakdown of the workout.
Serious kudos to The Sufferfest this time around - the warm-up is pretty sufficient. Notice the first Climb as well - no where near threshold. So really we are looking at an 11:30 warm up. Much better than the usual warm-up in their videos.
Review
The video starts as all Sufferfest videos do - make sure you are cleared to ride, don't copy or pirate the videos. We also see short clips of real life cycling footage. In the video, the opening credits seriously feels like a movie production not a workout video - I almost felt like it was a murder mystery drama T.V. show or film. The opening credits seriously have improved and definitely sets the tone for the upcoming workout.
Another nice update they have done is screen directions/information. We now see the next RPE schedule in the workout, sit/stand que, Cadence, Perceived Effort, how much time is left of the interval and what is coming up next. As you are warming up, they cover what each area means.
As the workout begins, you are instantly settled in France - you actually ride a stage of The Tour de France. Crisp views of historical land markers, villages, and someone cooking. This seems to be a theme of recoveries showing people cooking and eating.
With that, we begin a story background of what is expected of you, what not to do, what is going to happen. The Sufferfest really does a good job to get a new rider informed while keeping a veteran interested.
Throughout this video, you'll also notice there isn't any real race footage. You are following endurance cyclist Michael Cotty. It's actually quite educational as if you are receiving a tour from within your own home. As the commentator continues to speak, various landscape views are shown, efforts change and you continue your workout. You never feel the need to truly push it which is key in this video/workout.
All in all, I'm actually a fan of this style of video. I am unsure how it will sell compared to the traditional "grind it out" style, but the Knights and Dames of Sufferlandria did request a recovery video for in-between days and The Sufferfest delivered.
Verdict
Overall I'd give it a 10 out of 10. It provides its purpose, mixes it up, great scenic route, educational in terms of geography and more, and it does keep you interested riding on a stationary bike.
As a coach, I would recommend my athletes to download this and ride it on any Z1 and Z1/Z2 type of day no matter what phase in the plan we are in.
Professional triathlete and Triple Threat Triathlon friend Guilherme Ferreira Campos has the green light to contribute content whenever he wants... he's wicked fast, very knowledgable, and his reviews are among the most popular posts in our 3+ year history. Here he gives some insight into Stryd: the world's first running power meter. Thanks, G!
Hi friends of Triple Threat Triathlon! It’s always a pleasure to write here and be in touch with you guys! A couple of years ago I introduced power into my training routine trough cycling. It helped me in many different ways, and when I recently saw the chance to incorporate power to my running as well I got immediately excited about it!
Although the concept is slightly different when we compare power in cycling vs. running, the idea of having a “raw” number I could trust and also correlate to heart rate and pace (the 2 numbers runners use to pace themselves) was a no brainer to start using Stryd right away. Power is a consistent number and it’s not directly interfered with by terrain, wind or climate conditions (heat, humidity etc.) so you can base your training and racing with reliability around it.
In cycling when you read power, the faster or harder you go, more watts you will see. Simple as that! With running your watts also “quantify” your level of effort (easy, moderate or hard) but it can also be used to work on your running form and efficiency. That being said, that’s the main reason anyone could incorporate Stryd to their training whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned veteran runner/triathlete.
Now let’s talk a little bit about the device itself. Stryd is very easy and simple to use as soon as you take it out from the box. It works with any ant+ gps device many athletes already use for running such as the Suunto Ambit 3 or any Garmin XT series watch, and you “plug” the Stryd device on your heart rate strap. The device is light and slick and uses a regular 2032 coin battery that can be easily replaced when necessary.
Check out Stryd.com/support to learn how to pair Stryd with your gps watch, access the Stryd power center, get information about the Critical Power Test, the Stryd Power Center for workout data and much more!
Once you’re all set up Stryd suggests you find what's called your Critical Power. The test can be done by anyone at your local track and you will need to download the Stryd app (versions for both Android and IOS) and use one of those fitness bands to carry your phone while doing the test. The Stryd phone app “guides” you through the test protocol, and by the end it will not only tell you your Critical Power, but it will determine your power zones as well. Once you know your zones you’re ready to start using it for your recovery runs, intervals, hill reps and play with those numbers!
Science backs up more and more the use of tech tools for sports science and Stryd is definitely a game changer for the running community!
Stryd understands that many questions can come to your mind along the way and they’re always keen to help and give the best possible answers!
You can use the Stryd Club, which is a discussion forum where you have access to a huge data bank about questions and answers from other users and the Stryd staff! You can also join the Stryd Community, a Facebook page dedicated to Stryd users where you all can ask questions and share your experience running with power! That’s a great way not only to get more knowledge but also to get involved with other runners who are using power as well.
It was really cool to get the chance to talk about Stryd here at the Triple Threat Triathlon blog and if you want to follow me go to my Facebook profile and Athlete page. See you all out there! Gui
As was explained in the Rudy Project Airstorm review, I have a tendency to follow the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. That review highlighted my 235K mile, 1995 Honda Accord with busted AC and no functional radio. I was reluctantly forced to part ways with that car a few months ago, after multiple failed safety tests that would’ve cost more to fix than it was worth. In addition to this car example, any new clothes I get are either gifts or race t-shirts, my “smart phone” has been reduced to a complete idiot, and I’ve had the same toothbrush since 2006. Ok, that last one is still a lie, but you get the idea. For the Airstorm review I used an analogy of the previously mentioned ’95 Accord, and how I came to discover it was probably time for an upgrade. Along the same lines, I’d like to walk through the evidence I’ve gathered that has convinced me I need to replace my idiot phone as well. Truly a first-world problem!
Exhibit A
The first sign I had that my phone was becoming obsolete was when I entered an AT&T store looking for a new cover, only to be told that they no longer carried them for my phone. This was a few years ago, and it was a little surprising at the time. In hindsight it was my first inkling that technology had passed me by.
Exhibit B
Between email, basic Facebook stuff and texting, I’m on my phone a fair amount already. That said, I can’t open a single other website and have it look right. For example, a few weeks ago I tried five different sites, just trying to get the score of the Steelers game… finally on the last one I was able to see some numbers, even if the site was otherwise completely jumbled.
Exhibit C
Here’s how I currently post a picture to our team's Facebook page:
1) Take a picture with my phone 2) Text it to my wife 3) Convince her to email the picture to my gmail account 4) Open gmail on our laptop 5) Save picture to desktop 6) Post to Facebook
It has come to my attention that the process has been streamlined a bit.
Exhibit D
No ability to take a decent selfie! How do I live!?!?
Exhibit E
My downloaded apps consist of one called "guitar tuner" that I’ve used once in 5 years.
Exhibit F
My library of games consists of mini golf and “Harbor Master.” (I will say both are decently entertaining when I’m bored out of my mind).
Exhibit G
Emojis texted to me come thru as [] [] [] ... I can't tell if someone's giving me a thumbs up or flipping me the bird!
Exhibit H
No Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Exhibit I for Ironman!
The straw that brakes the camel’s back: I can’t track Ironman-racing friends & teammates on race day on my phone!!
While I'm pathetically slow with technology upgrades, one upgrade I pounced on this past year was from my circa 2008 Giro to a Rudy Project Wingspan aero helmet. I liken my old one to the phone I've been hanging onto, while the Wingspan is akin to a tried and true, mainstream iPhone.
Here are the key differences from directly comparing the Wingspan to my previous aero helmet:
Ear Flaps: the ear flaps on my old one were flimsy and brittle... in other words, they cracked!!! Every time I put the old helmet on I swear I cracked them more. They were hanging on by duct tape and bubble gum. No such problems with the Wingspan.
Overall Quality: The Wingspan is much more solidly made. Holding both side by side, it's not even close.
Ventilation: a huge front vent & 4 massive rear vents as opposed to a few tiny front vents and zero rear vents. The Wingspan also comes with vent covers that can be used depending on race distance and conditions.
Looks: look fast, feel fast!
Adjustability: there's a dial on the back that makes for an extremely comfortable fit, easy to adjust on the fly. My old helmet was much more difficult to tinker with.
Shorter Aero "Tail": the Wingspan was engineered by aerodynamics legend John Cobb, and the Wingspan's aero tail is right in the sweet spot... not too long and not too short. Wind tunnel studies repeatedly show benefits of the aero tail. That said, too long of a tail is detrimental, especially given how many triathletes realistically ride on race day (for example putting your head down when tired causes significant drag).
Comfort: Just a better feel overall. Seemingly small details like a small pad on the chinstrap make a big difference.
Weight: 310g vs. 437g
Although not as BEAST MODE as Rudy Project’s Wing57, its sibling, the Wingspan is a proven, reliable, high-quality aero helmet. The Wingspan has played a huge role in Rudy Project's dominance of the prestigious Kona Count over the past 5 years. At the 2015 Ironman World Championships, for example, 639 of the world's most elite triathletes chose Rudy, smoking the competition by several hundred.
So, if your race helmet has the tail of a snow leopard, holds heat like an oven, or has ear flaps flimsier than a house of sticks, it could be time for an upgrade yourself.
Check out the Wingspan and the entire Rudy Project arsenal at e-rudy.com! Being the offseason, there are some incredible deals to be had right now.
ps. the deed has been done. Samsung Galaxy S6... now I just need to learn how to use this thing!
A little housekeeping... below is David Fernandez' (Florida) video review of the Wing57, which I've added to the original written review. Enjoy!
Being successful on race day requires equal strength in both body and mind. Let’s face it, the DNA you’re born with contributes to the equation, but regardless of the hand you’re dealt, you can train your way to huge individual improvement. On top of that is the equipment you use on race day. For example, no matter how good Mirinda Carfrae’s DNA and training may be, she’s not winning Kona on the rusted out beach cruiser in your neighbor’s garage (now that I think about it, I'm not so sure... she still might run everyone down).
The mental side is huge as well. Just like any sport, some people show up having conceded the fight before it begins. Of course everyone is there for some element of “fun,” but some show up with that X Factor, which is often described by phrases such as Marshawn Lynch (below) “activating Beast Mode,” “a little fire in your belly,” “a chip on your shoulder,” “Playing Angry," etc, etc. Basically it’s a drive or an attitude of winning, whatever “winning” means to you. On the other hand, others are afraid to really push themselves and stay comfy in “Safety Mode.” A good performance requires a huge helping of mental toughness in order to, as Macca famously puts it, “shake hands with the pain.”
regardless of the sport, we can all take a lesson in activating Beast Mode from this guy
Some days it’s easier than others to have both body and mind clicking on race day. Sometimes that’s on the physical side, if your legs just aren’t there, for example, but other times it’s more mental. It’s an interesting phenomenon: Have you ever gone for a run really pissed off about something? Or maybe really stoked about something? Suddenly you have a gear, and a drive, that you didn’t have before. For some it’s the competition, or could be a certain someone you really want to beat! For others it’s more internal, even a “look fast, feel fast” phenomenon of rocking a new race kit, new gear, etc. All of these benefits are obviously psychological, but they can sometimes play a big role in your performance.
After getting a chance to test out the Rudy Project Wing57, in my opinion the benefits are huge on both of these levels: physical as well as psychological.
On the physical side, the Wing57 has been referred to as an “absolute speed monster,” and was designed with the aid of legendary aerodynamics guru John Cobb. It underwent extensive wind tunnel testing, and it also comes with a magnetic, removable extension that can be added to the tail depending on your riding style (flat or arched back), to help break apart vortices which create a low pressure zone and drag.
In addition to its aero benefits, the ventilation is far superior to other brands I’ve worn. This is a big reason why Rudy Project has won the prestigious Kona Count 4 years in a row. Especially in hot conditions, this ventilation is crucial. That said, the Wing57 comes with vent covers so you can customize the helmet depending on race distance, conditions, etc. It comfortably fits a wide range of athletes, weighs in at a mere 300g, and features a one-touch adjustable dial in back, which makes transitions a breeze.
Lastly, the fully integrated (yet removable) optical shield obviously protects your eyes, but also enhances aerodynamics according to wind tunnel tests.
On the mental side, I’ve got to say there’s something about strapping this helmet on that immediately activates the aforementioned Beast Mode. Andy Potts touched on this power in our interview when he said “I feel like a fighter pilot when I wear it.” It’s easier to feel and be fast when you look fast! The visor is badass… I thought it might take some getting used to, but it really didn’t. You feel legit, feel fast, and it looks intimidating as hell.
Speaking of Andy Potts – He just won IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene wearing the Wing57 in one of Rudy’s 6 new limited edition colors. Check out how that wicked new Red & Black matches his kit perfectly:
photo credit: Nils Nilsen
There are reasons why some NFL players such as Marshawn Lynch (Beast Mode himself), the retired great LaDainian Tomlinson and others play with a visor, and I’d argue in many cases they are more psychological than physical. They strap that thing on and it’s go time… they look tough, intimidating, and it transforms them to another level.
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
In summary, like all sports, succeeding in triathlon is both physical and mental. I would encourage you to put the Wing57 to the test and find that next level for yourself!
As previously mentioned, Rudy just released 6 new limited edition colors of the Wing57, including the slick black & red that Andy Potts is wearing in the image above. All-in-all, they now have 10 styles in stock, and I'm told they will be releasing a further line of 3 "custom" colors in August, which have been made specially for North America.
To see all the new Rudy Project Wing57 colors, head over to www.e-rudy.com
One of the great things about doing Boise 70.3 as a regional team race was being able to compare/contrast gear and talk shop. Something I quickly noticed on the noble steeds of both Jackie (Utah) and Stewart (Colorado) was the funky-looking elliptical Rotor Q Rings. I had heard of them, but didn't know much about them before Boise.
Here Jackie gives a synopsis of his experience with the product after six months of use.
In a never ending pursuit of getting faster and strengthening the bike leg, I researched any possible way to increase power while maintaining efficiency. I am not a power rider, with a current FTP of 220 watts (please do not mock) so I was looking for a way to get up the hills a little better and maintain a higher average mph on the flats.
All of the marketing and hype basically boils down to removing the dead spot of the pedal stroke and enhancing the power portion of the stroke. This is done by altering the chain ring to reduce the tooth count in the dead spot and increasing the tooth count at the down stroke. This is accomplished by moving away from the traditional round chain ring to a more oval shape. I was willing to take the chance to increase power and save energy and drop the $250 to give them a try. Super easy to install like any ring, except you get 5 different mounting positions depending on where you want the power portion to begin. I went with the neutral recommended position 3. Spinning them in the bike stand it was a bit weird to see an out of round chain ring, giving the appearance it was bouncing up and down. The first test ride I thought it would be awkward, but after about 5 minutes you could not even notice them. I found a hill to see if I could notice a difference and that is where I really could feel the benefit. Once the watts required to push up the hill kicked in, the down stroke had noticeably more power per pedal and I could hold my cadence in a harder gear than normal. On the flats once I got up to speed and into my rhythm I also noticed it was easier to hold the speed. Six months into the new rings, I rave about them to everyone and even went from a 53 to 54 big ring because of the top end benefits. The benefits are real and the hype is true. If you want more power climbing and the ability to hold a higher speed on the flats you should look into getting a set of Q rings.
As mentioned in Part I of our review, our team recently received the new SpeedForm Geminis from Under Armour. Since UA is relatively new to the runner/triathlete space, we want to share our feedback as a team to the endurance community.Ryan Nuckols (Illinois) is currently training for the Chicago Marathon and put together this video review after a few weeks of testing.
Triple Threat friend and professional triathlete Guilherme Ferreira Campos wrote up these thoughts on gear that will make you faster from a company called Ceramic Speed. Thanks G! Ceramic Speed Bearings, Pulley Wheels and UFO Chain I recently upgraded a few components of my Cervelo P5 Tri Bike with Ceramic Speed parts. That is for sure, the simplest and easiest thing I could have done to save some watts and gain the so desired “free” speed. As athletes we wanna take the most advantage we can from our equipment, and while equipment and technology doesn’t buy you fitness or substitute those hard long miles in the saddle, the best and right equipment on top of solid training leads to a huge advantage on race day! Ceramic Speed is a company based in Denmark, now sponsoring a few of the best pro triathletes in the business and also a couple of Pro Tour cycling teams. Their products have been tested by the fastest riders out there and below I will address why it is a “no brainer” investment for your bike. First of all, Ceramic Speed has world class customer service and once you decide to upgrade your bike they will take care of all details for those parts to fit your BB, frameset and groupset.
They also just bought UltraFast Optimized, a company that coats chains, adding another upgrade to the race day arsenal that I will talk about by the end of the article.
The main benefits of having the whole upgrade are:
Save energy due to extremely low friction
Last 3-5 times longer than other bearings on the market
The lower rolling resistance increases your power transfer when pedaling
Increased top speed with improved power transfer
High performance bearings made with special quality CeramicSpeed balls
The Ceramic Speed upgrade can save from 6-9 watts when used with the UFO chain on race day, and according to the company up to 9 min on a 112mi Ironman bike! Eliminating friction plays a big role together with aerodynamics on a long course triathlon bike, allowing you not only to ride to your full potential, but also to run your best off the bike! The UFO chain is supposed to be installed the day before the race, as it has a “lifetime” of about 200mi, used only in races! The other parts you can leave on the bike and they have very good durability if you do regular maintainence on your bike, especially after wet rides or rain!
