Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions

Apr 5, 21 11:15

Post #1 of 15 (1521 views)

What ambient temp and humidity are optimal for racing as a pro or top 20% amateur?

750m/20k/5k?
1500/40k/10k?
70.3's?
140.6's?

Assume no/negligible wind, mostly flat, near sea-level.

Feel free to also answer the "if windy" scenario.
Feel free to also answer the "if hilly" scenario.
Feel free to also answer the "if at altitude" scenario.

From your experience, at what level of "suboptimality" in ambient conditions do you start to expect things to go sideways for more folks? Interested in personal experience, as well as formal datasets or coaching experience if you've got it!

Random thought of the day: I think faster race performances could be possible if racing in warm climates during late evening. Hotter for bike, cooler for run. Agree? Has this been attempted?

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 11:28

Post #2 of 15 (1500 views)

As a 70.3 racer, I think I'd prefer:

63-65 degree water
65 and cloud cover on the bike
55 and cloud cover on the run

0% humidity or as close to it as possible. I'd rather have a dry mouth than be profusely sweating.

Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 11:31

Post #3 of 15 (1492 views)

Give me heat, humidity, and sun. The hotter, the better.

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 12:00

Post #4 of 15 (1468 views)

my ideal temps would be high 60s water, 70 on the bike, and anything 55 to 75 on the run as long as it's shaded/cloudy, and low humidity.

to address some of your other scenarios - assuming it was windy, and it's a one-transition race (i.e, can't have a point to point tailwind whole time), the worst scenario in my mind is a straight, flat, exposed out and back with a dead perpendicular crosswind the whole time. the wind would be hurting you 100% of the time, never get any downwind help, nowhere to hide from it. i guess then the best scenario in my mind if it was really windy was a sinuous loop course with lots of shelter (trees, topography, buildings) so the wind doesn't hurt you too much for too long, and there are times when it'd be at your tail.

I agree strongly with your thought of the day. warmer air is less dense for aero, and cooler temps for run would be beneficial. cool idea. only downside i can think of is that a day's wind is generally stronger later in the day, so you'd need an exceptionally calm day for optimal conditions.

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 12:27

Post #5 of 15 (1432 views)

5 - 10 C (40-50f) and im happy ... the hotter it gets the worse I perform, body just cant cope

@the.lazy.triathlete

https://www.strava.com/athletes/18691068

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 12:43

Post #6 of 15 (1416 views)

I'll take races that are as close to the past 4 weeks of training. Or, if Mother Nature is going to adjust the temp/ humidity, ask her to adjust it down.

Here's what typically happens here:
-Training weeks ~2 weeks prior are pleasant
-Race day is 15 degrees F hotter with a few percentage points of humidity
-Day after race day returns to 'normal'

Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 12:50

Post #7 of 15 (1399 views)

I'd prefer as miserable as possible. Extreme heat, tons of rain, etc. Let's see how bad people really want it.

But if we are talking optimal as far as making times fastest, I think water in the high 60s to be wetsuit legal, and then 50-60 and sunny on the bike but overcast on the run with minimal wind would make for a PR day for many

Last edited by: indianacyclist: Apr 5, 21 12:51

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 13:12

Post #8 of 15 (1372 views)

I've looked at a couple of the conditions that make for an "easier" day and "harder" day.

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [RChung] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 13:25

Post #9 of 15 (1362 views)

None of the images are loading. :( Is this an ST thing or a me thing?

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 13:57

Post #10 of 15 (1341 views)

I cleared my cache and was able to load the images on two different devices.

[Edited to add:] Ahh. I usually use Firefox.I just tried with Edge, and the images didn't load automatically but they could be opened in another tab.

Last edited by: RChung: Apr 5, 21 15:20

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [RChung] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 15:32

Post #11 of 15 (1297 views)

Bummer. No luck on Chrome on PC or android for me.

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 15:54

Post #12 of 15 (1284 views)

That's too bad. One of my best graphics was in that thread.

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [RChung] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 16:54

Post #13 of 15 (1250 views)

Ack!

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [DrAlexHarrison] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 17:48

Post #14 of 15 (1226 views)

The bottom line was that *in Kona* the days with slower swim and bike were the days with faster runs, and vice versa; and from contemporaneous weather reports, it appeared that wind was the factor.

Specifically, when the swim/bike are hard the majority of racers lose more time than they gain from the easier run. So the overall lesson appears to be that (in Kona) wind makes the swim and bike hard but cools off the run; and the lack of wind makes the swim and bike easier but makes the run harder. And that the wind costs you more time on the swim and bike than it gains you on the run. So in Kona, calm conditions put you ahead through T2 and then made you suffer like a MF during the run, but racers got faster times overall.

Re: Optimal Triathlon Race Conditions [RChung] [ In reply to ]

Apr 5, 21 17:51

Post #15 of 15 (1220 views)

Fascinating and very well stated. Makes sense. Thanks for taking the time to come to such an astute conclusion. Funny how pouring over real world data with a keen eye will do that!

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub

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