Swim Drafting For A Triathlon

GTN Presents: Swim Drafting 101

BY Susan Legacki

Drafting in the swim leg of a triathlon can be a great (and legal) way to shave some seconds, save energy and get an edge heading onto the bike. In this week’s episode of GTN’s Triathlon Training Explained, find out about optimal position for swim drafting—and how much extra energy you spend if you’re in front.

As part of the partnership between the Global Triathlon Network (GTN) and TrainingPeaks, we’ll be bringing you twice-monthly episodes of the new “Triathlon Training Explained” show. Hosts and former pro triathletes Mark Threlfall and Heather Fell will answer your triathlon training questions, with the help of TrainingPeaks software, coaches and industry experts from around the world.

In this week’s episode of Triathlon Training Explained, hosts Heather Fell and Mark Threlfall discuss the elusive topic of swim drafting. While some triathletes swear by it, others don’t believe it gives them any performance advantage, and is riskier than it’s worth. To find out how much energy drafting can really save, and where you’ll get the most benefit, Fell and Threlfall took to the pool and did some research for themselves:

Triathletes in the know use TrainingPeaks to help plan, track and analyze their training. Get dialed-in with a free 7-day Premium Trial today!

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About Susan Legacki

Susan Grant Legacki is the Content Director at TrainingPeaks. The founding editor of LAVA Magazine and a former editor at Triathlete Magazine and Inside Triathlon, Susan is an IRONMAN finisher, Boston Marathon qualifier, USAT Level 1 Triathlon Coach and certified Pilates instructor. When she’s not editing or writing copy about endurance sports, you can usually find her training for them around Boulder, Colo.

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