Stay Aero Everywhere Except Hills and Turns
A recent wind tunnel study shows that if you are using a road bike, riding in the drops versus on the bars could cut five to eight minutes from your time on an Olympic 40K course.
In Practice: You need a strong core to hold that position for an hour. Make time this winter for some classic core exercises like plank to build the required strength. Also, practice in the drops for extended periods on your trainer in front of the television.
Pedal in Circles for the Entire Course
Make your bike work for you. Cleats allow a rider to sustain complete, circular strokes. Don't give away this advantage by pedaling in dreaded "squares." Make a full cycle and push your heel down like you're scraping mud off your shoes.
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In Practice: The best way to develop this skill is by doing 30 minute one-leg drills on your trainer. Find a box to rest each off foot. Warm up for ten minutes with both legs. Ride two minutes on one leg, then two minutes on the other. Recover for two minutes with both. Repeat. Cool down for eight minutes with both legs.
Get Water at all Aid Stations Without Losing a Stride
Triathlons aren't marathons. Given the distance of the run, it's entirely possible for any average competitor to run without stopping. Olympic-distance races commonly provide six aid stations along the 10K run. By not breaking stride, you could cut a minute from your time.
In Practice: Increase your brick workouts prior to the race. This will help your leg muscles get used to transitioning from the bike to the run so they won't tire as easily on race day. Practice indoor bricks at the gym during the cold winter months: Ride an exercise bike for 15 minutes, increasing the resistance every five minutes. At the end, get a quick drink of water, then run on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Every 10 minutes, increase the pace by at least 15 seconds per mile.
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Hold a Lean for the Entire Run
Let gravity do some work. Natural running really came of age in 2010. The publication of Born to Run proved the tipping point necessary for the masses to adopt lighter shoes and lighter strides. Chi Running, POSE method, Newton Shoes, and Vibram Five Fingers all encourage runners to lean forward as they run, and pick up, rather than push off, their feet.
In Practice: This technique will immediately add speed, however, it also requires good core strength to maintain for the 30 to 60 minutes of a typical sprint or Olympic distance run course. To be able to check this goal off your list, you will need to consistently follow a good core strength routine. In addition, you will need to add one "form" run a week where you focus only on sustaining this technique.
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