Early this month I attended a triathlon "expo" at Marty's shop in Randolph, NJ - the focus of the expo was to educate current and prospective triathletes of all abilities on the sport. There were three speakers - one discussing compression socks, one discussing the various aspects of training for the three disciplines in a triathlon (swimming, riding and running) and one discussing equipment.
All three were fascinating and I learned a lot.
Compression Socks/Clothing:
The first presenter from CEP Socks discussed the mechanics, technology and benefits compression socks/clothing. From what I took away, they provide assistance in returning blood back to the heart/lungs from the lower extremities for re-oxygenation. The socks are engineered to provide precise variable compression up from the ankle to the top of the calf (higher compression at the bottom/ lower at the top). I think the theory is that gravity assists in the blood flow down to your calves/feet, but must be overcome on the return trip, and with compression socks you get better circulation and more efficient performance.
Note: Maybe this explains how "one sock" Bob on our trans continental trip rode with such strength and stamina - I can't imagine how he would have performed with two socks!!!
During the presentation two thoughts kept popping into my mind...
1) Have these guys thought of marketing their product to executives who spend half their lives on planes and are at risk because of blood pooling in their lower extremities due to the reduced air pressure in aircraft cabins.
2) How long will it be before "assists" like this which are used for performance enhancement as opposed to a medical reason (e.g. varicose veins) are considered a form of "mechanical doping", and how would WADA or anyone else test for it.
Technique:
The second speaker talked about technique for swimming, cycling and running, and was fascinating. His key points were that while you may know how to do all three, do you know how to do them efficiently? I thought I did, but with the exception of cycling, was sadly mistaken. Apparently a key point is to do nothing in your technique which either impedes forward progress or does not assist it. For example, in running you should not land on your heel, or plant your foot forward of your hips, as it in effect created a force pushing you backwards. In swimming, you should strive to keep your body parallel with the surface (less drag) and perpendicular to the surface as much as possible (again less drag). In cycling, drag is key, but you also want to avoid unnecessary motion (rocking of hips, upper body bounce, etc.). As well you want to have your bike fitted to maximize the transfer of power to your pedals.
There was a rather interesting discussion on the challenges that triathletes face - particularly associated with the transitions from swimming (horizontal) to cycling (semi-vertical) and finally to running (fully vertical) and how thier muscles need to adjust, and how the at the start of the running they are hunched over because their hip flexors are tight from cycling.
Aerodynamics:
The final speaker for the evening was Mark Cote, Specialized's Product Manager for Road Bikes. His "prop" for the talk was the Shiv, Specialized's top of the line time trial bike.
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| The Shiv |
He was there to talk about equipment, and how aerodynamics can affect performance. He graduated from MIT with a degree in Aerodynamics, and has spent his career in and out of wind tunnels testing his designs for Specialized. Apparently the best efficiency gains for cyclists, especially time trialists or triathletes, are realized in order of importance, through:
1) Bike fit
2) Aero Bars
3) Time Trial "tear drop" helmet
4) Wheels
5) Bike (e.g. a time trial frame)
The way he described things made perfect sense, and it was great to hear someone so passionate about their work. It was also neat to see someone with an extremely high degree of technical expertise able to communicate with people who just want to ride, but ride efficiently.
My next posting will cover the extensive bike fitting I just went through this week as a subject to a SPecialized research project for Roubaix.
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