Long-distance triathlon glossary·Drafting

Drafting : energy saving by sitting in someone's slipstream

Bike

Riding or swimming in another athlete's wake to cut effort by 20-40%.

On the bike in long-distance triathlon (Ironman, 70.3) drafting is FORBIDDEN: 12 m gap rule, 25 s overtake window, otherwise penalty. In the swim however it's ALLOWED and essential: sitting on someone's feet or hip at similar pace saves watts and helps sighting. On the run it exists (strong headwind) but the effect is smaller.

In TriPaced:

TriPaced doesn't optimize drafting tactics (it's tactical, not physiological). Worth remembering: on the 70.3/IM, mentally accept the "solo rider" mindset from sign-up, and plan ahead if you end up in a pack (penalty = 5-10 min).

Related terms

  • FTP : Functional Threshold Power
  • Cadence : rotation frequency
  • W/kg : Watts per kilogram
  • Aero position : aerodynamic optimization on the bike
  • CdA : Aerodynamic drag coefficient
  • Critical Power : CP