Morning all, I do not have a TT/Tri bike. Just asking folks thoughts on tri bars for full IM, are they required?

We asked aound and it strikes us that ALL of these races have 2 things at least in common. They are all done best 'with others' and they are all pretty tough. 1. Craggy Island ( yes again) - the whole vibe is just unique. Doubled as the Lanark tri Club world champs 2. Aberfeldy ( yes again) - vibes, course, organisation up there 3. Llanberis Half - the first M dot race in the UK . Cold, tough only lasted 2 editions as the soft southerners complained it was too hard 4. Challenge Paguera - classic Majorca, honest and scenic 5. IM Lanzarote - hands down the hardest IM course, rarely sells out as it is never going to attract time chasing. The volcanic landscape is a defining feature. 6. 70.3 Gydinia - the Polish Riveria is beautiful, easy to get to cost effective and a fair but fast course 7. IM Wales - The town of Tenby just delivers, the place, the people, the landscape and definitely one to do with pals. Pretty sure GTC had 50 athletes entered for this one year, with some maddie in a Tutu. 8. Norseman - the OG XTRI so it has 'status' and atmosphere. The ferry jump is a bit of a gimmick, ,stunning bike course and a finish on a proper big mountain. 9. Celtman - this draws people in from all over the world and some year after year. It is a genuine 'community feel' and still retains the ethos of old school racing before the social media circus 10. Roth - we have talked about this race before. Anywhere that has tourist signs saying 'triathlon area' is different. The whole area gets a bank holiday and literally hundreds of thousands of cheering spectators make it as close to feeing pro as you get. There are hundreds of others so if anyone has some favs let us know the recommendations.

Sean and I were chatting on our call this morning about lists of 'The hardest' etc and we gave it a bit of thought. First up is our top 10 Scottish Triathlons of all time ( well in the 35 years we have been part of it). 1. Abefreldy - just has to be. 70.3 is the racers distance on a tough course in one of the most scenic parts of these islands. 2. Celtman - this is a really special one for far too many reasons but it is genuinely up there with the hardest races on the planet. Location is magnificent, Course is challenging, the feel and vibe of the thing just enthralling 3. Aviemore - yeah its off road but the Long Hard Durty has history. Originally based in the borders it was a bit of a 'cult classic'. Now established in the fabulous Cairngorm national park its possibly the most beautiful location. It is also a racers race, so that ticks some boxes. 4. Gullane beach - possibly the most challenging Std you are likely to race. Beach swim, sand dunes to run through and on and a rolling technical bike. Its a classic 5. Bishopbriggs - one of only 2 pool swims to make the list. The only fully closed road race in Scotland. Superbly run, beginner friendly and still draws full aero set ups. Sells out as soon as it opens for good reason. 6. Craggy Island - sadly no more. An off road classic. The original version where you had to swim to the island from the mainland made this a genuinely unique experience. 7. Ayr Sprint ( now replaced with Irvine) - another unique race run by the super guys at Ayrodynamic tri club. Two features - a river swim upstream and downstream and riding on the Electric brae ( an optical illusion where you have to hit the wee ring and pedal hard on what looks like a downhill) 8. Monikie - another hard Std distance. Lake swim and run in a country park with a challenging bike route. Not a lot extra just a solid race experience 9. Lochgilphead - low key and family friendly but the mention here is this race helps ensure that pool stays open! 10. Loch Lomond - this is gone now too due to traffic but it was a proper jewel in the crown. Swim in the famous loch and then a super fast bike course. Always produced something. The year they mismeasured the swim and it went from 1500 to 2200 was great for the swimmers

This weekend we have 9 racers in 5 global locations, several of which will have conditions in excess of 27-32 degrees. Even Norseman next week can have over 30. So what can we do about it? Here are some tips and hints. Racing in the heat requires changes in pacing, hydration, cooling and nutriton. Those who manage the heat will outperform those that overheat earlier. Pre race: Acclimatise ideally 7-14 days at 30 -60 mins a day Race day -2 increase intake of electrolytes - in the uk a sachet of 'diorlyte' works wonders Stay cool as long as you can before the start - so no wondering around the expo Swim: Keep the effort controlled - its easy to cook yourself especially if its wetsuit legal relax and let it flow Bike: Reduce power by 3-8% compared to normal conditions Keep the cadence in your own sweet spot Drink early and consistently from the moment you ride Aim for 500-1000ml and 500-1000mg of salt depending on your sweat rate Stick with your planned carb intake - that you have delivered in training Run: Start off 10-20 secs per k slower than goal pace and let the body settle in If your HR keeps rising you need to back off Cooling: At aid stations pour water on your head, neck and arms. If you have a hat, wet it through If ice is available - down the tri suit and under the hat and rub on hands Clothing: Wear factor 'duffle coat' waterproof sunscreen Light coloured trisuit Sunglasses Finally, expect to be slower and use HR and RPE to make sure you don't 'think' you can muscle through and listen to the body. If it feels too hard, it definitely is!