What do I need to race well in a winter duathlon or triathlon?
Every multisport event has its own logistics challenges, but racing in the cold can add a whole new level of complexity. As the nights draw in, Coach Denise examines the specific demands of winter racing and ensures that all the bases are covered.
Taking up triathlon or duathlon means training for more than one sport, considering nutrition appropriate for all disciplines, and ensuring you have the necessary kit for effective training. As you start to compete, it quickly becomes apparent that one of the other challenges for competing in multi-sport events is ensuring you have everything you need for each discipline in the right place and on hand at the right time. This can sometimes seem even more complicated than doing the race itself.
Just as you think you have everything organised and in place, summer comes to an end, and winter events arrive with their own set of challenges. Moving into autumn and winter means the most common multi-sport activity is the duathlon rather than a triathlon. Although some triathlons do still happen in the winter, these will tend to be pool-based events rather than open-water swims.
Looking at duathlons initially, there are a number of considerations that the colder weather can bring. In many cases, it is not just cold; it is often wet and/or windy, too, adding to the need to make sure that clothing is adequate for both comfort and speed.
With a run, followed by a bike ride, and then another run, getting the right level of clothing for the different activity levels is crucial. The key to this is layering, allowing you to adjust clothing up or down quickly as you need it. The first run may make you feel warm, but cooling down on the bike is a definite possibility, followed by heating up on the final run. The phrase ‘ Be Bold, Start Cold’ may be good advice for a run, as you will generate heat and warm up after the first few minutes. Cycling up hills will generate heat, but what goes up must come down, and the wind chill can be significant. Additionally, feet and hands are vulnerable to getting very cold, to the point where they can become painful and make it hard to operate brakes and gears.
A quick thought about physiology – the body is very efficient at ensuring it is protected in various environments. There is a vast body of research in this area, with a fascinating lecture on the topic given by Professor Mike Tipton. In summary, as the body gets colder, it decides to protect the most essential organs, which are located in the torso. To do this, the blood flow is restricted to the limbs and concentrated in the core. Also, any blood that goes into the limbs will be exposed to the external cold air, which will get cooled more quickly and make you feel cold. If you do not protect the limbs from the external cold sufficiently then you will start to get loss of motor function, that is, your hands and feet go numb and stop working properly. In extremes, the core body temperature can drop, and you may become hypothermic.
Following the bike ride, the second run will generate more heat, warming you up again. The degree of heating, cooling, and re-heating will vary, depending on how cold it is and how far you need to run, ride, run.
The terrain is another consideration for many winter events. The runs can be trail-based or road-based. For the former, many paths will quickly become muddy, with many competitors running through the same area twice. Therefore, trail shoes that can cope with the mud are essential. Road-based runs may also become slippery if there are a lot of wet leaves or icy patches, so grippy shoes may still be needed for road events.
Finally, for UK-based events in particular, the weather can be unpredictable. Full sunshine followed by heavy hail showers is not an unusual occurrence in autumn, winter, and even Spring. So, there is no guarantee that the weather you start the event in is the weather it will end in.
Considering all of this, what is the best approach for packing for a winter duathlon and setting up transition?
When packing your kit, follow the mantra—it is better to look at it than look for it. If you are not sure of the terrain, take all the shoe options you can so you can make the final selection when at the race venue. Ask others who have done the event before or live more locally for their advice, too.
Layering is essential – a merino base layer will help you enormously across a range of conditions. A windproof jacket will help reduce wind chill, and some tight-fitting ones exist to minimise wind drag on the bike. If it is due to be wet, keeping dry will help you to stay warm. A good quality, waterproof, windproof layer will be worth it. Again, they can be close fitting to minimise drag. An alternative approach is to wear a short-sleeved top and arm warmers, enabling you to adjust levels easily as you warm up and cool down.
The next question is – gloves or no gloves? Personally, I hate cold hands, so I wear gloves. You can put them on in a duathlon at the start; low-bulk wind or waterproof gloves are ideal. Wearing shoes for warmth is also easy to do with a duathlon. Bike shoe covers are not very practical for races since they take time to put on, but toe covers can be left on the shoes at all times and really help to reduce the wind chill. Another option is winter cycling boots with a membrane to reduce wind chill, which may even be waterproof, helping to keep your feet dry and warmer.
If you are participating in a pool-based triathlon, putting on gloves and socks does take longer in transition. Given the conditions on the day and how you will respond to them, whether you feel it is worth taking the extra time to do this is a personal decision.
A checklist of kit is super helpful, the following is what I use at a winter pool-based triathlon. It is worth spending some time developing your own list.
Swim
Tri suit and/or swim suit
Sports bra
Goggles
Antifog spray/baby shampoo
Bike
Bike (!)
Helmet
Shoes with toe covers on
Gloves – possibly a few options
Sunglasses
Buff(s) and a merino hat
Jacket/ Gilet – possibly a few options and arm warmers
Water bottles
Masking tape (if taping on gels) or bike bag (if using for gels/food)
Number belt
Safety pins
Puncture repair kit/plugs for tubeless tyres
Pump or two cylinders (with delivery fitting and foam cover)
Charging cable for DI2 gears (if using)
Chain oil
Track pump (if you have one - there is usually one or more in transition)
Run
Trainers (with elastic laces)
Cap or sun shield
Sunglasses (if you use different ones for running)
Other
Gels for bike and run legs
Food for after swim
Food for bike and run legs
Recovery food for at the end
Pre race food if you want something specific
Warm clothes for after – hoodie / tracksuit bottoms
Garmin / Apple watch or other tracking device
Charger for tracking device
Period products
Denise has been coaching triathletes since 2019 as a coach at her local triathlon club in West Lothian. Between 2019 and 2022, Denise was the Head coach in the club, working with a team of coaches to support and develop triathletes with a wide range of capabilities, completing her BTF Triathlon Level 2 coaching qualification in 2021.
Denise joined Tri Training Harder as a coach in 2021, building on the qualifications through the experience and knowledge passed on by the coaching team.
In 2019 Denise set up and continues to run her own Jog Scotland running group, a mixed ability group of runners who meet weekly. This delivers on her passion for helping people to do much more than they think they can.
Visit Denise's
Coach profile
We’re here to help
Tri Training Harder are one of the leading Triathlon coaching providers in the UK, using our wealth of experience to unite scientific and technological research with already well-established and successful best practices, to create a formula for triathlon and endurance coaching that works.
The result is an honest, dynamic, yet simple new way of constructing an athlete’s training to allow them to reach their potential.
If you’re planning your next season, just starting out in the sport or are looking for extra guidance at the very top end of the field, we are here to help, and our coaches would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us via the website, and one of the team will be in touch.