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Intrigued by the sport of triathlon? Do you think the sport is reserved for only the fittest athletes, or those who have too much time on their hands and a thing for pain? Think again. Everyday people are training for (and successfully completing) triathlons of every length, from super-sprint to the Granddaddy of them all – the Ironman! In fact, triathlon participation in the U.S. is at an all-time high. Membership in USA triathlon swelled to more than 100,000 in early 2009. To put that into perspective – the average membership between 1993-2000 was between 15,000-21,000 members! A sport once considered an outlet for Type-A, over-achieving endurance junkies, triathlon is becoming accessible to every age and gender, regardless of fitness ability.
From super-sprints to Ironman-distance events, there is something for everyone…
Sprint: This event typically involves a 750 meter swim, 20km ride, and 5k run, although distances can be shorter. The “super sprint” might be a 200-500m swim, 10km ride, and 2.5-3k run, for example.
Olympic distance: 1500m open water swim, 40km ride, and 10k run is the typical format.
Half-Ironman: As the name implies, this is half the distance of a full Ironman – 1900m open water swim, 90km ride, and 21km run.
Ironman distance: 3800m swim, 180km ride, and 42km run. Yes, you read that correctly. That translates to a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile ride, and 26.2-mile run (a full marathon.)
The benefits of triathlon training, as opposed to single-sport training (such as distance running), are numerous. Cross-training across three sports can ease the strain of repetitive movements and help preserve joint integrity. The swimming component of triathlon training strengthens the upper body and lower back (both areas that are largely neglected with running and cycling). Finally, the psychological challenge of training for multiple events can offset the boredom that can beset even die-hard, single sport enthusiasts, like marathon runners.
Training for a triathlon does require a time commitment and tremendous dedication. You would be well advised to seek the aid of a certified triathlon coach who can design a custom training plan for you, and/or a triathlon team that meets weekly. To find a coach and/or a training team near you, check out these helpful sites: USATriathlon and TriFind
Beginners can find helpful advice online at BeginnerTriathlete, TriFuel, and DailyMile