If you want to finish successfully, you have to pace yourself wisely. Why cadence on the hill and patient training are the keys to success.
The way to your first or next triathlon is an adventure that requires structured preparation. Whether on tarmac or off-road: if you want to cross the finish line successfully and with a smile, you have to understand the interplay of training, equipment and the right race tactics. Current reports from the triathlon scene show that patience and the right pacing on the hill in particular make the difference between success and failure.
One of the biggest challenges in triathlon is the transition from cycling to running. According to a report by tri-mag.de, cadence on the hill becomes a decisive performance factor. While small differences in revolutions per minute hardly matter on flat routes, things look different on climbs. If you push up here with too low a cadence, you shift the load from your lungs and cardiovascular system directly into your legs.
For triathletes, this has fatal consequences: if you over-acidify your muscles on the climb, you will have no strength left for the subsequent run. Lars Wichert also gives concrete advice in the "Aloha Friday" podcast for the bike leg in Hawaii: before climbs, you should select an easy gear in good time and ride up with momentum without overpacing.
Not only in competition, but also in the run-up, the right dosage is crucial. The prominent example of professional triathlete Lionel Sanders shows how important it is to listen to your own body and not rush things. According to a report by tri-mag.de, the Canadian is skipping the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice despite a successful return after an injury break. His argument: the body needs time to rebuild the necessary resilience and load capacity. Increasing training volume too quickly carries too great a risk of further setbacks.
This caution is also biologically justified. The "number of the day" from tri-mag.de illustrates how slowly the body adapts: the Achilles tendon needs around 500 days to completely renew its structures once. Long-term, continuous fitness building is therefore the safest way for recreational athletes to remain injury-free.
For your training and preparation, simple, concrete steps can be derived from the experiences of pros and experts:
Your takeaway: Shift into an easier gear in good time on the hill to save your muscles for the subsequent run.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.