If you watch any world-class marathon, you'll see that runners have started taking a page from cyclists-they're all wearing arm warmers in cold weather. Well, cyclists are doing like the runners, too. For years, women's world record holder Paula Radcliffe has raced in compression calf guards to stave off fatigue and soreness. Pro cyclists, too, use compression wear, which promises to increase circulation and, therefore, increase your muscles' endurance and waste-flushing ability, and reduce muscle damage. Compression tights, calf guards and other products from 2XU, an Australian company, have been worn by several domestic pro cycling teams, including Slipstream, Jelly Belly and HealthNet.

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Paul Tichelaar just won the 2008 Trisports.com Desert Classic Duathlon and is focusing now to qualify for the Canadian Olympic Team. We wanted to know more about this ITU triathlete.

ST: Paul, you just beat a great field at the 2008 Trisports.com Desert Classic Duathlon. You must be very happy with this kind of 2008 season start?

Paul: I am really excited about the result. I was hoping to get off to a great start to the 2008 season and this race was my first really big effort and first test. I've made a lot of changes to my training since last season. I have a new coach, Joel Filliol, I quit my job as an electrical engineer to train full time, I've lost weight, and I am now very focused and dedicated to triathlon. It is good to see these changes paying off. The week before the race I called Simon Whitfield out on my blog telling him I was going to give him a run for his money. I’ve never beaten him in a race and I think a lot of that is mental. For the first time I believed I could beat him and that made all the difference.

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Katya recounts her win in Soldeau, Andorra:

I had my first ever full FIS race victory in Europe / North America!

We left early this morning for a GS race in Soldeau, Andorra . The course was unbelievably difficult, easily the most difficult course I've ever skied. Even just looking out of the start gate was intimidating! The hill dropped away from you incredibly fast. There was a lot of terrain in the course, and to finish-off the 1 min 12 second course, there was a 12-gate pitch into the finish that appeared almost vertical when looking down it.

It is well up there as one of the toughest GS race hills in the world.

After the first run, I was in fourth place. I skied very tentatively mainly due to the demands of the hill. I was ready to tackle the course for second run, however, and an aggressive, risk-taking run paid off in the end. I made an enormous come-back and ended up winning the race by 2.5 seconds.

I was extremely happy with my performance today. It's great have a win, and is definitely a real confidence booster leading in to these Europa Cups next week in Spain, and in particular the World Junior Championships in a few weeks time

Last night the 20 winners of the 2008 220 Triathlon Awards were announced at the prize-giving ceremony at Sandown Park. The 2XU Elite wetsuit took out the prize for best overall wetsuit trumping all other leading wetsuit brands. Read more about the Elite E:1 Wetsuit

You can read about the winners and the ceremony itself in the April issue of 220 Triathlon, which hits the newsstands on 11 Mar.

See the list of winners here

Athletics: Celia Brown gave English athletics a sensational boost after running a 1500m qualifying time for this winter's World Indoor Championships.
The 31-year-old, who runs for Rugby & Northampton, scorched home in 4mins 11.29secs in an indoor international in Vienna.

Her amazing effort was seven seconds faster than she had previously run indoors and five seconds quicker than her best-ever outdoor time.

"I've no idea where that came from," said a delighted Brown, who had to settle for third in the 800m at Saturday's Norwich Union International in Glasgow.

"I was disappointed with my race on Saturday and annoyed that the commentators called me old. They said I was doing all right for my age. Well, I've proved them wrong!

"I've always run better abroad than at home, probably because I don't have to work the day before I race. And this team is brilliant; the management are really looking after us.

"So I was kind of hoping for the World Indoors qualifying time of 4:15. I thought that would be incredible. But once we got going I just got into the zone – and it was incredible. All I have to do now is win the trial!"

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