Triathlon gear makes training easier for our editors this month

It’s officially summer. Although this means peak triathlon season, it also means more careful planning of how and when you train as higher temperatures and humidity affect your socks (which is probably why athletes don’t wear socks).

Our editors are sharing the gear they got their hands on during June, and spoiler alert can help you log in the miles during July, which is hotter in most parts of the country.

Precision fuel drink mixes only

$51 $60 For a 30-serving bag, Amazon

Okay, I’m pretty sure I’m the last person to attend Precision’s high-carb mix party, but let me explain myself: First, I haven’t really been “competitive” into working out, or going to a race in a long time, so I never felt like this trend was for me. With all the warnings about stomach upset, the cost, and, again, the fact that I no longer fast fast, I mostly wasn’t interested in high-carb nutrition. Second, to be honest, I find the Precision brand’s overwhelmingly extroverted presence at events to be repugnant to my personality. Sure, they’re fun (and they’re really cute), but they’re also a lot of fun.

So I was very reluctant to load my water bottle on a Wednesday morning with Precision Fuel’s carb-only drink mix. Why are you hesitant? The day before, I had sat across from Precision Fuel’s temporary promotional watermelon booth for Trailcon at Olympic Valley in Palisades Tahoe for an hour, while more marketers than I’d ever seen before massaged Precision products. Later, I was sitting at a restaurant table screaming into editors’ ears over blaring DJ beats while Precision hosted a 100m promotional event in the lead-up to the start of the sacred, tradition-filled race. Western states 100 trail race. Irony? Not found.

All of this is to say that the only reason I put this fuel mixture in my bottle was because it was the only thing in my room at 5 a.m. before I headed out on the run to the immigrant corridor that had surely defeated me the day before. The result was infuriating: I had an amazing ride. I tackled nearly 2,700 feet of gain in about two hours, suffering from poor hydration and exhaustion/humble from my awkward attempt the day before. The only difference was that the moisturizing blend, was laughing at me all the way through, like one of those overgrown Precision products, where people smile and sell the product all week. I had no stomach upset (even at 8,000 feet), and I had a smooth streak of energy up, down the intense descent, and even in the hours after the run. Consider me a reluctant convert.

-Chris Foster, Editor-in-Chief

Specialized S-Works Prevail 3 bike helmet

Specialization $300

As I write this, it’s 107 degrees in Phoenix, Arizona, where I live and train. But if you think I’m hiding on Internal trainerYou are sorely mistaken. I simply can’t stand hours of pedaling and getting nowhere, so instead I set an early alarm, put on the lightest set, and head out for a sunrise race. The most important part of my hot-weather gear is this helmet, which has the most ventilation of any brain bucket in my collection.

When it’s hot, I want as much ventilation as possible. I’ve used a few bike helmets in the past with more holes to promote an “open” design, but they still get overheating – that’s because airflow is more important than exposure. With this helmet, I can literally feel the channels directing the airflow over my forehead and scalp, drawing heat away from my head. It’s a mental boost as much as it is physical, and honestly, I’ll take anything I can get to survive the summer months. The only thing I wish was that it came in high-visibility colors so I could glow in the predawn hours.

-Susan Lackey, Senior Editor

Contour Legacy Leg Pillow

$28, Amazon

Sleep is essential, whether you’re in a heavy training zone or not. We recently covered the struggle that many technology-focused athletes face with this condition OrthosomniaOr worry about trying to get the perfect amount of sleep in our world that is more connected than ever. While I love my country Triathlon smart watchI’m also very aware that it doesn’t tell the whole story when it comes to sleep.

Healthy sleeping habitssuch as completing exercise sessions several hours before bed, turning off technology, finishing dinner several hours before bedtime, and spending time relaxing, override anything a sleep score could be trying to tell you.

One comfort measure I’ve found recently is to replace the traditional pillow between the knees when side sleeping with a pillow specifically designed to align the back and hips. It’s obviously more economical to use an old, worn-out pillow, as it’s bulky and doesn’t move with me during those turbulent moments.

The Contour Legacy leg pillow is compact but perfectly contoured to provide good support for side sleepers. research I found that placing a firm pillow between your knees while sleeping on your side can prevent your upper leg from pulling your spine out of alignment.

– Rebecca Pratley, associate editor