subject: Triathlon Explained [print this page] Were you inspired by the Olympic Games? Do you need a challenge to keep you focused on your training through the winter?
As the darker shorter days are fast approaching, now is a good time to think about your sporting goals for the coming year and start planning your training programme.
Having a goal in mind is a good way to keep you motivated and focused. Joining a club is an great way to involved in sports, meet and train with other aspiring athletes.
Have you ever considered Triathlon?
A triathlon is a physical competition involving three disciplines: swimming, cycling and running. These three events are completed in succession without breaks.
Triathlons are endurance activities covering long distances. Triathlon Season generally runs from the springtime April/May through to September so the winter is a good time to keep the training going.
There are varying degrees of races you can train for so if you are a newbie and fancy having a go then you might be suited to trying a sprint triathlon as a taster introduction to Tris or even a Duathlon if water isnt your thing.
Here are a few explanations as to all the different types of races that you can train for from the beginner to the Ironman veterans among you!
Super sprint Triathlon
400m Swim
10km Bike Ride
2.5km Run Sprint
Sprint Triathlon
Sprint triathlons are shorter distance triathlons, This is half the distance of a standard / Olympic triathlon and less than a quarter of the distance of the Ironman! Due to their shorter distances, sprint triathlons have become increasingly popular and are ideal for beginners.
750m Swim
20 Km Bike Ride
5 Km Run
The Standard Triathlon / Olympic Triathlon
The most common distance
1500 Metre Swim
40 Km Bike Ride
10 Kilometer Run
Half Ironman (70.3) and Ironman Triathlon
The most gruelling of the triathlon distances, This is what an Ironman consists of. There is a 17 hour time limit in order to finish an Ironman race.
The Half-Ironman is often called a "70.3" because that is the total number of miles travelled in this race.
2.4 Mile Swim
112 Mile Bike Ride
26.2 Mile (Marathon) Run
Duathlon
If, like me, you fancy having a go at a Tri but have the disadvantage of not being a strong swimmer (there are many people who cannot swim, are afraid of water etc plus the fact that most swims are in the open water and not a pool) then perhaps a Duathlon is the right choice for you.
Duathlons are most similar to triathlons, with the key difference being the lack of a swimming leg.
Sprint distance
5km Swim
20km Bike
2.5km Run
Standard distance
10km Swim
40km Bike
10km Run
Long distance
10km Swim
150km Bike
30k Run
When it comes to competing there are usually two categories: Elite - professional triathletes who compete at an international level and age group - triathletes who are non-professional.
There is no need to invest in lots of special gear as a beginner as the swim, run and bike kit can double up. As long as outfit you choose is comfortable and made of a breathable fabric. Shoes are the most important part of your running equipment. Your feet need to be well supported and comfortable, visit a running shoe specialist shop before you buy and have a gait analysis done so that the right shoes are recommended.
Training for an event like this can be varied with indoor and outdoor training weather permitting. The beauty of home fitness equipment is that it can assist greatly in helping you to reach your training goals when the weather is bad or you just dont fancy going out.
Why not try the following 'indoor triathlon' challenge as part of your training regime.
