Christmas Gift Guide
It’s that time of year when you are starting to think about what to get your loved ones for Christmas, also what would you like to receive as well. So with this in mind we have the annual Gift List for you to either treat yourself to or perhaps send onto your dearest and nearest to pick from.
Power: You like the purity of power and data then here’s the next big thing: Stryd Next Generation
Who doesn’t like training with power on the bike? Utilising objective data taking into account terrain, conditions, physiological effects, etc then training with power on the run is the logical next step.
Stryd’s really small running power meterprovides real-time feedback via a compatible Bluetooth smartwatch or smartphone, letting you know exactly how much effort you are producing, in exactly the same way that your bike meter does.
The latest version clips on to your shoes and detects running dynamics like cadence, power, stride length, efficiency, and leg spring, but it also now computes the effect of wind resistance on the athlete.
This helps runners understand the impact of drafting, how much work they’re actually putting into a headwind, and how a tailwind affects their pace. While Stryd is an excellent training tool, long-course athletes would do well to use this device for maintaining actual proper pace on race day helping take into account all outside factors. This also means that you have the ability to develop a pace plan based upon the physical course itself in much the same way that Best Bike Split does. Meaning that nothing is left to chance.
HUD: What? Heads Up display? What’s that got to do with triathlon? Well normally you have to wait until the end of the swim set/interval to look at your watch to find out if you hit those intervals/timings. Not anymore! With the FORM goggles you can have real time information displayed right in front of your eyes, they not only help swimmers to adjust their pace as they go, but it also gives near-real time feedback on speed/stroke.
It’s a big step forwards that will revolutionise the way you train in the pool
For the ladies: Eye catching or popping Swimsuits.
Who doesn’t like a bright and I mean bright swimsuit design? More and more are appearing in the pools so go all out and go to the source.
Funkita are arguably the best at producing some incredible designs and eye wateringly bright suits. I am told that they are really comfortable and great fitting.
Torque me up: Tired of carrying around a lot of tools to races, camps, or even onyour big rides then this may be your answer. The SILCA T-Ratchet + Ti-Torque Kit is (allegedly) the smallest and lightest Torque wrench/kit in the world and can easily bit in the back of your jersey or saddle bag, let along bike case or hold luggage.
You will love how small this is and being safe in the knowledge that the bolts are tightened correctly and not causing damage to your bike if you need to make adjustments is worth its weight in gold.
Sore muscles: Who wouldn’t want their own personal masseuse that they can stuff into their bag, take with them to races or even training camps?
With the Air-relax recovery tights are designed to help increase circulation, reduce pain and soreness from training and racing, and help expedite your recovery from one day to the next.The compression technique improves blood circulation, promotes lymphatic fluid movement, helps remove lactic acid, reduces inflammation, soreness, stiffness and improves flexibility thus stimulating recovery and enhancing performance
Marginal Gains: Want to know a secret that the pros use? Headphones. I’m not talking about the type that plays your favourite playlist as you turbo or run but ones that are designed to increase your brains capacity to learn movements better and faster.
The Halo Sport 2 works by applying a small electric current to the part of your brain that controls movement, activating neurons so they fire more often when you train.
The more neurons fire together, the faster pathways are built in your brain. According to Halo, more than 4,000 peer reviewed papers have backed their claims, including improving your running endurance by 15 percent, perhaps not quite so marginal after all.
Running edge: We’ve all seen that hype surrounding Kipchoge’s run shoes, either that or you’ve been on top of a mountain in a cave without a mobile signal. If you cant face shelling out nearly a quarter of a thousand pounds of a pair of running shoes then these are your answer. The Hoka One One Carbon X is the triathlete’s answer to the newest generation of energy-returning shoes.
Using a pronounced rocker in combination with a carbon plate embedded into Hoka’s special combination of foam, it is meant to not only make the wearer faster, but more efficient. This race-day only shoe helps accelerate the foot from strike to toe-off and definitely works best when running at speed. Compared to other afore mentioned brands’ attempts at carbon-plated shoes, Hoka’s version is definitely created with triathletes in mind, as there is an appropriate amount of traction for wet aid stations, a thin mesh upper for ventilation and wet feet, and a pronounced heel tab for easy on in transition.
Old Skool: As an alternative to Hoka’s Carbon X’s its worth looking at Zoot’s return to its roots. As one of the original triathlon brands, Zoot enjoys a heritage that is deeply rooted in Kona, the company was founded there in 1983. They have been absent from the shoe market for a while, they asked Danny Abshire (of Newton fame) to help out with a new re-introduction of their Ultra TT.
They have triathlete focused specifics like huge water drainage holes (think pouring water on your head, squishing along, and blisters), built-in quick-pull laces, and a midsole that’s been designed to help with quick turnover out of T2. They are wide fitting and super comfy, I know because I have a pair. Oh and think bright, Very bright colour scheme!
Pack it up: Tired of trying to find that pair of goggles in the bottom of your bag? Then the Roka Transition Pack Might just be your answer. Just like the rest of Roka’s gear, it’s incredibly sleek looking. Clearly created with design in mind, this pack looks absolutely nothing like other transition bags in a good way.
Boasting customisation with removable Velcro walls, lots and lots of organisation, a removable wet/dry pouch, and more, I also really like that the padded walls provide fragile items with a slight buffer, and that a side-access laptop compartment makes this ok for work.
Another Masseuse: If you’ve been inside a gym or physical therapist’s office over the past couple years or scrolled through your Instagram feed you’ve likely seen a percussive massage gun. These popular tools look like power drills and are designed to aid recovery, decrease soreness and increase range of motion by pleasantly beating your muscles into submission.Theragun were one of the first to launch in 2016 and are still the gold standard in this area.
Although Theragun’s top of the line G3PRO option isn’t cheap, but it gets the job done, delivering 2,400 percussions per minute. With six attachments and an adjustable arm, you can target every nook and cranny of your body. The battery only holds a charge for about 75 minutes of use, but with the option to swap out the two included batteries, you can keep using one while charging the other.
If you’d like to save some Euros/Pounds, Theragun also offers the more affordable G3 and livmodels. They’re lighter weight, look great and hit the same max speed, but they sport fewer features and assault your muscles with less force.
Sisu Racing Triathlon Endurance Coach