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Futureproofing Triathlon....

Monday, 15 February 2021 23:10

By Susan Lacke (triathlete.com)

In engineering, the concept of futureproofing means to design something so that it can still be used for the long haul, even when technology changes. By anticipating the future, engineers can develop methods for minimizing the shocks and stresses of future events, be it a building that will one day need to expand or a computer that will need to be compatible with changes in network operations. Future-proofing something, at its core, means to take steps now to avoid becoming dysfunctional later.

It’s a concept that has swirled around in the mind of Dr. Michael Kennedy, a sport scientist and Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, for years. Though his specialty is athletic performance, not engineering, he’s long sought out ways to apply the concept of...

futureproofing to endurance sport. His big question: Are the methods we’re using in triathlon now helping athletes avoid consequences in the future? Is it possible to futureproof endurance sports to create happier, healthier, lifelong triathletes?

The result of his investigation, published in the January 2020 journal BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation, suggests several themes coaches, race directors, physicians, and athletes can apply to triathlon today to ensure long-term health and performance. Here Kennedy discusses his research.  READ MORE