Concerned that following a vegetarian or vegan diet will prevent you from performing at your best in triathlon?
It can be difficult to eat a balanced diet in general, let alone as a triathlete. Throw female vegetarian triathlete into the mix and you’re facing very different nutritional necessities than say… a guy who doesn’t spend his time endurance training!
You may find that everyone is suddenly asking, ‘How do you get enough protein?’ or perhaps your energy levels have dipped because you’re not consuming enough calories to keep up with your heightened energy expenditure.
All of these concerns and more are covered in the latest Trigirl article by nutritional therapist, Jo Scott-Dalgleish, where she shares tips on what you need specifically as a female vegetarian triathlete.
Follow her advice and you can perform at your best, without having to compromise on your dietary choices!
After months of swimming indoors in an overheated, chlorinated, lucky-if-it’s even-25-metres pool, it is with great joy that we announce that it is officially open water swim season here in London!
There may be those die-hard open water swimmers amongst you asking, ‘Isn’t it always open water swimming season?!’, but here at Trigirl we are not ashamed to admit that we prefer our swimming water at least 10 degrees before we take the plunge. And local lakes are opening up now that their magic 12-degree barrier has at last been reached, so we’re not alone in our preference!
We were so excited at Trigirl when we heard that Triathlon Pink was coming to the UK, offering five more options this year for women’s triathlon racing in a variety of locations. We are even more excited to offer one free race entry!
Triathlon Pink is a women’s triathlon series originally from Australia, which has raised over AUD$1million for breast cancer research. The goal of Triathlon Pink is to encourage women of all fitness abilities and backgrounds to participate in a swim, bike and run event, while providing the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
As a triathlon coach working with Trigirl, I’m often asked, do you prefer a one-piece or a two-piece trisuit? I diplomatically answer something along the lines of, ‘There are advantages to both.’ Which is absolutely true. But if you want to know what I personally prefer, the answer is hands-down: a two-piece. Here are the top five reasons why:
1. Two-piece trisuits are great for both training and racing
Not that you can’t train in a one-piece trisuit, but I like that, while my two-piece is still very streamlined, I can stop for a coffee in my two-piece without looking like I got lost during a race. Or that during a brick training session at the gym, my two-piece is the perfect solution. I just feel comfortable in it.
An added bonus is that all of the training in my trisuit guarantees that I know exactly how it will perform on race day.
2. The wee issue of… weeing
Race day equates to nerves for pretty much anyone. And that often means going to the toilet… a lot.
A two-piece trisuit (i.e., tri shorts) are simply easier to get off and on than a one-piece. And not that I recommend it, but if you do get caught in a bathroom emergency while training without a loo nearby, it’s nice not to have to pull down the whole suit.
3. Perfect sizing for an ‘imperfect’ body
Before everyone gets angry that I’m judging my body too harshly, I’m not putting myself down. Its just that I am a bit curvier on the bottom than on the top, meaning I can’t always order the same size for both and get the perfect fit. I like that with a two-piece, I can order my tri-top in one size and my shorts in another and know that I won’t be compromising on fit.
4. I like the look of a two-piece trisuit
Perhaps a slightly shallow reason, but I figure if I’m going to wear tight-fitting lycra, I should probably like the way it looks, right? For me, I really like the proportions of a two-piece. I will admit, though, in the past, I hated how tri tops would ride up, exposing tummy that I don’t necessarily want showing! Fortunately, Trigirl tops are cut a bit longer and actually stay in place- a feature that I love!
5. Flexibility of use
Similarly to my first reason, I love the flexibility that a two-piece offers. I almost always wear my tri shorts when I cycle (I personally find a tri cycling pad more comfortable), which means I wear them to spin class and even on longer outdoor rides. Having the two-piece means that I can do that without also having to wear a tri top… convenient when I need the extra pockets of a cycling jersey (or the extra ventilation of a crop top in a super-hot spin class!)
Having tried Trigirl one-piece and two-piece trisuits, I can attest that you’ll be happy whatever your choice. But for a great-looking, all-purpose option, I choose a two-piece every time.
As a certified Spinning instructor, I obviously think an indoor cycling workout is a good way to stay fit (and despite often being really tough, they’re fun!) But as a triathlete, how should you approach an indoor cycling class? Is Spinning (or other indoor cycling class, such as RPM) good for your training? If you haven’t been before, what should you expect from an indoor cycling class?
What to Expect
If you have never been to an indoor cycling class, don’t be intimidated. Classes can be really tough, but when it comes down to it, you are in control of your workout. Arrive to the class early and let your instructor know that you’re new (and be sure to share any injuries).
Do you know what your body needs in terms of fluid and electrolytes? Have you wondered how many water bottles you need for a long ride? When to drink sports drink versus water?
When it comes to training and racing, everyone is different, which makes it difficult to answer hydration questions with a one size fits all response.
In her latest Trigirl-exclusive article, nutritional therapist Jo Scott-Dalgleish helps to explain how to find the hydration plan that is right for you, why hydration is extremely important, and why – especially as women – too much water can be as harmful as too little.
It’s like Christmas here at the Trigirl offices – we’re opening boxes and finding amazing things inside… our lovely new Trigirl collection!
We weren’t sure how to top the last couple of seasons, but we’ve done it! This season is perhaps our best collection yet, with our first delivery available to order now!
The new season features all of the fabulous details that you’d expect from Trigirl, including our high-performance fabrics, functional details, and flattering women’s specific fits, in all new (and we have to say… amazing!) styles and fun and fabulous colours.
We have also added a new and improved triathlon pad in all of our trisuits and shorts for the most comfortable ride possible, no matter how long you’re in the saddle.
And don’t worry, the fun’s not over… stayed tuned for our second 2014 collection delivery, coming in late April!
To check out the new styles and place your order, click here.
Trigirl is excited to announce that we have chosen the winners in our latest Trigirl giveaway!
We asked you: Why would you like to race in a women’s-only event?Would you like to see more women’s triathlons in the UK? Overwhelmingly, the response was that a women’s race is so much more supportive and fun and that YES!, you would love more women’s races.
While it was difficult to choose from all of the amazing responses, we are happy to announce that Marion Moore and Rainy Marsh are the winners of a FREE entry to the Venus Women’s Only triathlon in July.
Evans Cycles is running their third series of free women’s only evenings, offering a chance to gather with other female cyclists and hear from women coaches and mechanics about training and bike maintenance.
Hosted in Evans stores throughout the country, not only do the talks offer advice to novices and existing cyclists, there will also be store discounts (even on bikes!), food and drinks, and goody bags for the first 50 women at each event.
Evans is committed to helping support and encourage the growing field of women interested in cycling, which, of course, we think is amazing! Past sessions have gotten rave reviews from participants and they continue to grow year after year. To sign up for an event near you (the next is London Mortimer Street on 7th April), click here. Space is limited, so don’t wait!
We have a new YouTube video and we couldn’t wait to share it!
For our latest, Coach Kristin discusses how to read the exclusive Trigirl 12-week training plan, as well as tips on how to read any triathlon training plan. If you are finding that one of the most daunting things about training for triathlon is deciphering the training plan, then this is the video for you!
For further training advice, including how to find the training plan that’s right for you, a downloadable training log, and information about our fabulous women’s-only training days, visit our Triathlon Training page here!
To get your own copy of our training plan, see our Special Offer page.
We are excited to announce a new series of articles, written exclusively for Trigirl, by nutritional therapist, Jo Scott-Dalgleish.
Jo, who is also a triathlete, will help to cut through all of the palaver that’s out there about diet and nutrition and give us the facts about what we need to eat for health, energy and endurance.
Look for articles about specialised nutrition for female triathletes, hydration for everyday and race day, vegetarian nutrition and gluten- and dairy-free tips, all tailored specifically for the fabulous female triathlete.
More about Jo:
Jo Scott-Dalgleish BSC (Hons) mBANT CNHC is a nutritional therapist who specialises in working with triathletes, runners and cyclists to optimise both their performance and their health through the creation of individual nutritional plans. She is a full member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) and registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Please see Jo’s website www.endurancesportsnutritionist.co.uk for details of consultation options. She sees clients in Chiswick, West London.
As part of our recently launched competition to win a place at the Venus Women’s Only Triathlon, we asked, ‘Why would you like to race in a women’s-only event? Would you like to see more women’s triathlons in the UK?’
Your responses have shared a universal desire to see more women’s races – and everyone who has responded has told us that women’s only races are more supportive, less intimidating and they are really fun!
If you’d like to participate in a supportive, fun women’s race this season, check out our guide, updated for 2014. We’ve complied a list of women’s races throughout the country, along with dates and website links, so that you can pick the race that’s best for you.
And while you’re signing up for your women’s only race, why not drop us a line and enter our competition by letting us know why you’re choosing a women’s only race and if you’d like to see more in the UK? You could win a free place at the Venus Tri!
One of the questions we frequently hear at Trigirl is, ‘How can I train for triathlon with kids?’ The issues that anyone training for triathlon faces, where to find the time, the energy, the commitment, are certainly compounded by school runs, kid’s activities, let alone a full-time job… it’s easy to understand why the idea of training for not one, but three sports, is a little daunting!
Statistics show that the 35-44 age group is one of the fastest growing in triathlon, perhaps partly because of more mums and dads getting back into fitness (or deciding to finally get fit) after having children. There are clearly parents out there finding the time and the commitment, but how?
In our latest Trigirl video, Coach Kristin chats with Trigirl ambassador, Natalie Johnson, and asks how she manages training for her latest challenge- a middle-distance triathlon- with three young daughters. According to Natalie, one of the things she’s had to give up is sleep. A self-confessed ‘not a morning person’, Natalie has found one of the best ways to fit in training time is in the morning before her girls are up.
Of course, Natalie is not the only one finding that the time issue is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to training for triathlon with kids. On her blog site, Mama Sweat, Kara Thom admits to ‘hyper-scheduling’ when training, and even then, she finds that life sometimes just gets in the way. When it does, the best thing is not to try to make up for missed workouts, but to recommit to your training plan and move on.
And Natalie is finding that her training is motivational for her girls, who are learning the values of exercise and a healthy body image, worth more to Natalie than sleeping in!
For more on Natalie balancing triathlon training, check out the video. Her answers may inspire you, even if you’re not a mum!
So you read my blog in January and set yourself an exciting, relevant SMART goal… you did, right? You’re probably wondering – what’s next?
Hopefully you’ve begun training, or started to look into what training will best help you reach your goal. If not, don’t worry, but do start moving forward with your goal before your motivation flags.
Make the Commitment
If you haven’t signed up for your chosen race, do it. Today. Go online, pay the money, put it in your diary, tell all of your friends. Now that it is set in stone, let’s look at your race season.
Last week, we announced Trigirl-exclusive discounts for the women’s-only Venus Sprint Triathlon, hosted by My Tri Event on 14th of July 2014.
We have two free places to give away to our lucky readers, but first we need to hear from you!
Why would you like to race in a women’s-only event?Would you like to see more women’s triathlons in the UK?
Email us your reply to these two questions by the 15th of March for a chance to win one of the free places! Please send your responses to Kristin at Trigirl.
Concerned that following a vegetarian or vegan diet will prevent you from performing at your best in triathlon?
