To improve your HDL level and your overall cholesterol, you definitely want to avoid trans fats, which are commonly found in hard margarines, baked goods and fried fast foods. Conversely, you want to consume more healthy fats like those found in avocado, olive oil, nuts and salmon.
Super sprints, a newer sport sanctioned by the governing body USA Triathlon, is fast and short, as the name suggests. The distances come in at the lowest end of the short-distance triathlon and range from 0.2 to 0.25 miles in the water, 5 to 8 miles on the bike and 1 to 2 miles running.
For a fit Olympic distance triathlete, this means 1 to 4 long bike rides around the 3-hour range. These rides fall within the last few weeks of training before volume tapers heading into race day. When I design a 70.3 training plan for athletes on a time budget, there are typically only two rides over three hours. In one of my ready-to-follow plans, the longest ride is at four hours. Many athletes have proven that it is possible to successfully complete a 70.3 race with a finish time between six and seven hours, having no more than one long training ride at the 4-hour mark.