Power Outputs of Different Triathlon Races - Draft-legal vs. Non-drafting

See the difference of these two power files? They come from 2 different triathlons, and both were excellent performances, despite how different they look. This is because the demands of a draft-legal triathlon and a typical Olympic or non-drafting race are VERY DIFFERENT. So, if you're training for one of these like it is the other's demands, chances are you're not going to do very well. (Click on images to enlarge)

This image above shows the power demands by training zones, of a draft-legal triathlon. This is also what you might see in a group ride, where riders attack and bridge gaps.

This second image shows an Olympic non-drafting power file by an age-group triathlete. You can see the difference in the demands of the energy systems placed on the rider, depending on the race. 

So if you're training for a non-drafting race, by mostly doing group rides, with attacks and bridging, then you can see you are not training specifically. And specificity is the key to high performance.

If you want to train more specifically, get a power meter and start to track the specific demands and metrics, making sure you are training those.

Coach Vance