WhittleFit Blog

European Middle Distance Triathlon Champs Race Report: WhittleFit Coach Mark Whittle

Sorry for the delay in the writing of my race report from the European Middle Distance Triathlon Champs in Paguera, Mallorca, but here it is, I hope you enjoy it!

Challenge Paguera was always going to be my last race of the season, a nice little blow out in an amazing part of the world seemed like an ideal end to the season. Couple this with several coached athletes racing, what more could you ask for?

Preparation hadn’t been perfect as I hardly trained for the last 2 weeks before the race, for some reason I was very fatigued, so throttled back on the training and concentrated on getting to the race fresh rather than fatigued.

Myself and JimmyD were staying a few miles from the race site of Paguera, but a hire car served its purpose well. We met a few of the other guys racing, did a swim recce (the sea was very rough on this day!), registered, racked our bikes and attended the race briefing with no issues at all. Everything was going smoothly, so far.

Spectating endurance events - is it harder than racing them?

Think back to the last long race you did. Who was there? I bet you didn't turn up, race, and go home all by yourself. Here's to the partners, friends, kids and crew members who support our racing and training efforts. Thank you!

Supporting an endurance athlete is hard work: You think you have it bad? Swim, bike and run take their toll but spare a thought for your support crew. They're out there, on their feet, enduring all sorts of weather conditions for just as long as you are. In fact, that's the thing. Your friends and family will end up spectating for the amount of time dictated by your race pace.

How to know when to end your race season???

Ironman Wales Recce Swim

As the weather gets colder and daylight hours get shorter, endurance athletes start thinking about Winter hibernation. How do you know when to end your race season for the year?

There are so many races in the calendar these days that it would be easy to race all year round, swapping to off-road races and trail events in the Winter before heading back to the roads and open water in Spring. But that's not such a good idea, no matter how well you thrive on the thrill of race day. Why should you take a break? And how do you know when it's time to go off-season? Here's my opinion, as an endurance sport coach and an athlete.

How to cope with the heat

Hot weather training, or heading abroad to race? You need to know how to cope with heat so you can cross the finish line safely on race day. Here's how smart triathletes cope with the heat.

This Summer's heatwave has shown us that even UK triathletes need to think about how to cope with high temperatures and searing sun on race day. Don't let the effects of heat ruin your triathlon. Whether you're in the midday wave of a local Sprint triathlon, or heading abroad to compete in an Ironman, here's what you need to know about racing on hot days.

Ironman Wales in preview!

Team Whittlefit will be at Ironman Wales on Sunday 14th September. What can we expect? Here's a race, course and event preview of Ironman Wales 2014.

Ironman Wales, in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, has been called one of the toughest and least-forgiving Ironman races in the World. Is that true? Well, we'll find out, because WhittleFit athletes will be there to compete on Sunday 14th September. Wish us luck - or come and support!

Ironman Wales: the background. Pembrokeshire is a lovely place to visit, with more castles than any other county in the UK, and a gorgeous coastline (officially protected by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks authority). So why not pay it a visit over the weekend of Ironman Wales and come to cheer us on!

Ironman Wales is an extra draw for some top-class triathletes because it has 50 qualifying spots up for grabs leading to the Ironman World Championships in Kona to be precise. Local athlete Olly Simon looks set to do well (and is sure to have plenty of that famous Tenby support). Will any of Team WhittleFit be on the plane to Hawaii?