Triathlon Short Course Sports Profile Part 3 - The Technical & Tactical

Cycling and running performance is usually dictated by an individual’s conditioning, however, swimming has both a technical and conditioning element. Research shows that there are three critical technical elements to swimming fast and efficiently: ability to produce high power through propulsive force, ability to reduce drag, and an efficient pull phase to reduce any potential power loss[1]. There are several variables when it comes to a swimming style including kicking beat, stroke rate and stroke length. Kicking beats are often in 2s, 4s, or 6s; with the most common pattern amongst triathlete being a 6-beat kick, however, the kick itself only contributes approximately 4% of propulsion and hence is not a major focus in the sport.

On the bike, mounting and dismounting quickly is a skill that needs to be mastered for high level athletes. There are several methods in which athlete can mount their bikes and being able to adequately perform one enables the athlete to quickly transition from swim to bike giving them a head start over their competition[2]. Furthermore, in draft legal style racing the ability to comfortably sit behind the wheel on another athlete is a vital skill as drafting on the bike can save energy required for the run. Additionally, courses vary from race to race, with some containing lots of corners for the athlete to navigate. Being able to corner efficiently can result in less power spikes and therefore a reduction in the dependence of the anaerobic systems.

In the short distance style of racing the swim becomes extremely critical. At the beginning of the race there is a cost/benefit to be assessed as to whether the athlete sprints and try and get away from the group or to conserve some energy and use the draft off someone else. From an energy conserve standpoint drafting is much preferred as the cost of your effort is reduced by 10% for the same speed and hence overall performance improves by 3.5%-5%[3].

In draft legal racing, an athlete can conserve energy during the cycle leg therefore reducing the oxygen cost leading to a decrease in metabolic demands. This can lead to an improved run performance, as athletes are able to run at a higher velocity for the same RPE. This highlights the important tactical decision for the athlete especially in draft legal racing to ensure they can work in a pack to conserve energy for the final run leg. However, in non-drafting racing, tactics may be very different depending upon an athletes’ strongest discipline. A strong cyclist would look to put time into their competitors prior to the run, whereas a stronger runner may have a more conservative cycling approach preserving energy for the run. Nevertheless, it is important for athletes not to burn themselves out on the bike leg as the run leg is often considered to be the most important and critical part of a race when it comes down to a successful event[4].

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References

[1] Olbrecht J. Triathlon: swimming for winning. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise. 2011;6(2):233-46.

[2] Romero-Ramos O, Fernández-Rodríguez E, Merino-Marban R. How triathletes mount their bikes after first transition (T1). A proposal of classification.

[3] Millet GP, Chollet D, Chalies S, Chatard JC. Coordination in front crawl in elite triathletes and elite swimmers. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2002 Feb;23(02):99-104.

[4] Vleck VE, Bürgi A, Bentley DJ. The consequences of swim, cycle, and run performance on overall result in elite olympic distance triathlon. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006 Jan;27(01):43-8.