Triathalon Information

Triathlons provide athletes with a venue to compete swimming, cycling and running in one event. The time between activities are called transitions. Distances, types of water bodies and locations vary for triathlon races. According to Triathlon.org, standard Olympic distances for triathlons include a 1,500-meter swim, a 40-km bike and a 10-km run.

History

San Diego Track and Field Club at Mission Bay in California held the first recorded triathlon in 1974. Triathlons continue to grow in popularity with races such as the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, Inferno in Switzerland, Byron Bay in Australia and in Olympic competitions. The first triathlon world championship event was held in 1989 in Avignon, France. The International Triathlon Union, or ITU, is the sport's governing body.

Types

Along with Olympic distances for a standard triathlon, there are other lengths. A sprint distance includes a 750-m swim, 20-km cycle and five-km run. Long distance includes a three-km swim, 80-km cycle and 20-km run, according to Triathlon.org. The Ironman World Championship is a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle and 26.2-mile run. Racing individually is the most well-known style of triathlon, but team races are gaining popularity as of 2009. Persons with disabilities often choose to compete in paratriathlons.

Training

Because triathlons require strength and endurance in three sports, Triathlong.org recommends keeping a log of your training and developing a thorough training plan. For gradual improvement, you should swim and run two to three times a week and cycle one to two times. Also, learning and practicing how to transition efficiently between the three triathlon legs is essential to lowering race time.

Benefits

Becoming a triathlete offers many benefits because it encourages you to become proficient in several sports. Triathlons cross-train your body. The American Council on Fitness highlights that cross-training might lead to healthy weight loss, reduce your risk of fitness injury and motivate you to stay active by keeping your fitness schedule exciting. Having an upcoming triathlon on your calendar can also help motivate you to exercise regularly so your body and mind are ready to compete.

Tips

USA Triathlon Level II coach Michael Harlow emphasizes that a triathlon is a sport in and of itself. To incorporate this principle into triathlon training, triathletes should practice for less mileage and intensity than if they were training solely in one sport. Beginner Athlete encourages all triathletes, but especially beginners, to train with proper form, then follow that with learning endurance. On race day, Harlow suggests that a triathlete who has also practiced transitioning as if it were a sport itself will have the most successful results.