Blog: Preparations for the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon

Tue 7 Jun 2016

Derby City Council gym-goer shares his final preparations for The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon, happening on Sunday 17 July.

"With just under six weeks left to go, I am pleased with my preparations in the gym and attempting to master the transition from the bike onto the treadmill, which I was told is the hardest part. Luckily, I no longer cramp up when I begin the run which hopefully shows some sign of progression. I have my tri suit, helmet and road bike ready, now I’m just waiting for my wetsuit and I’m almost there.

I've found Markeaton Park and Darley Park useful areas to practice cycling and running in the build-up, especially as they are located so close to my office. Admittedly, I have yet to try open water swimming which I will do as soon as my wetsuit arrives, but I should concentrate on attempting this sooner rather than later. I am eager to push myself to motivate me to train harder and to achieve the changes I am hoping to make – and I am hoping this will spark motivation to enter other triathlon events in the future.

In the final few weeks before the event, I am trying to focus on nutrition, as with the training, it has become very apparent how important recovery is and gaining the energy to keep working hard. Therefore, I asked the Livewell team for some advice, who offer a variety of services for those seeking to improve their daily lifestyle habits, including smoking, alcohol, nutrition and more.

With nutrition being my main focus, Livewell advised that I look at the most up to date information from Public Health England and the new ‘eatwell guide’:

This focuses on reducing sugar, saturated fat and salt intake, while looking at portion sizes appropriate to activity levels. During periods of training, which now tends to be 5-times a week, I am looking to increase calorie intake slightly and to expand the amount taken from each group within the ratio to keep energies stores replenished

Similarly, it is recommended that I drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, which is increased to 8-12 glasses when training, to replenish the water lost through sweat. Additionally, any alcohol must be taken into consideration due to the calories found in alcohol and the effects it has on dehydration.

I have found the Eatwell guide useful as it paints a clear picture of many meals you can make in a time efficient and costly manner. I like to snack, so I try my best to stick to the fruit and vegetables here and find carrot sticks, cucumber and pepper slices dipped in a low-fat hummus to be my favoured snack. As the event gets closer, I am gradually stepping up my carbohydrate intake to build up my energy stores ready for the day."

By Tom Leonard

Livewell offers practical tips on shopping and eating healthily on a budget and the advisors work with their client to devise an activity plan suitable for their client’s ability to increase fitness levels. Additionally, Livewell offers a stop smoking service for clients who wish to quit.

All clients aged between 40 and 74 who do not have existing heart or kidney problems and do not suffer from diabetes, are offered a free NHS health check, carried out in the community by our health check team. This is to help prevent future health problems before they arise and raise self -awareness around being healthy and staying healthy. To learn more about the services offered by Livewell, please visit their website.

The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon takes place on Sunday 17 July, starting at Markeaton Park. You can find out more inforamtion about this event by clicking here.