Australian Triathlete - 01.08.2018

AustrAliAn triAthlete | 87

Nick Croft
Nick Croft is a former professional and Australian Triathlete of the
year. A two-time Noosa Triathlon winner and coach for the last 22
years, Nick coaches athletes of all abilities in his home town of
Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine coast. He also runs Noosa Tri
Camps and online coaching through mscsport.com.au

W ARM UP – as you should do on race day dry land first and

finish in the water pre wave start – even for this bike/swim

specific session you will jog an easy 5-10minutes to get the

blood flowing. A few light dry land stretches for the upper

body pre swim –

• Double arm swims forward and reverse - x10

Posterior Shoulder Stretch

• Stand or sit with chest up and head in neutral position


• Bring your right elbow up and pull it over to the left at
  shoulder level with the left hand.


• Hold this position for 30-seconds.


• Repeat on the other side.

Triceps Stretch

• Standing or sitting raise your right hand up over your head.


• Bend the right elbow and grasp the right elbow with
  your left hand.


• Pull your right elbow to the left overhead.


• Hold this position for 30-seconds.


• Repeat on the other side.

Mid Pectoralis Muscle Stretch

• Stand with your right side facing a wall or doorframe.


• Put your right hand up on the wall - thumb facing up,
  at shoulder level.


• Slowly rotate your trunk to the left until a stretch is felt.


• Hold this for 30-seconds.


• Repeat this on the left.


• Next, get in the pool/water and again, spend 5-10minutes
  warming up. Swim 200-300metres relaxed/working some
  back and breaststroke after and some sculling before adding
  some 25metres fast freestyle efforts/25metres easy x4.

MAIN SESSION

Swim - 50m sprint – 90-95% - rest 15sec/3x100m @ race

pace – 80-85% - rest 15sec after each / 50m@85-90% -

straight out of pool to your bike.

Bike – do your transition and if your shoes are in pedals, ride

first 300-400m @race tempo with feet on top of shoes and

work your feet into the shoes as have practiced in the past

being careful if out in the street to be aware of your surrounds,

staying in line and looking up for parked cars /obstacles.

Ride 8-10min @race pace/cadence.

• Repeat x 2-4 times

You can add a short run just to keep the running in here after

the last round of up to 10minutes relaxed. But remember the

bike/run specific is in another session.

If your swim/bike transition has been lacking or you have

been finding it tough to get going in that first 20minutes of the

bike on race day, adding this session once a week in the lead in

to your first few races of the season will greatly help.