Triathlon training and racing tips, teams, clubs, rules and governing bodies.
The swim leg of a triathlon (sprint, Olympic, half-ironman/Ironman 70.3, or Ironman distances) could be the easy part - or the hard part - of the triathlon. It depends upon your swimming ability; a combination of swimming skill and swimming fitness. A shorter triathlon might require more swimming speed, a longer triathlon more swimming endurance, but no matter what the distance, swimming skill or…
Triathlons are a swim, bike, and run to the finish, a "multisport" race. Sound intimidating? It should not be. Many races are short, sprint distance events, challenging for experienced triathletes and short enough for newbies to have fun meeting that challenge. There are other multisport races, aquathlons (run-swim-run) and duathlons (run-bike-run), too.
blueseventy, a maker of wetsuits, swimskins, and other swimming accessories, is hosting a raffle contest to triathletes competing in four iron distance triathlons. Any athlete who demos a blueseventy wetsuit at several iron distance events this summer will automatically be entered to win two roundtrip tickets to Kona for the Ford World Championship Ironman on October 10, 2009.
The swim leg of a triathlon is not the most important leg, but it needs to be good enough to get you to the bike and the run. What do you do to get better at the swim leg of a triathlon?
As technical as the sport of swimming can be, it is tough to narrow down the answer to the often-asked question, "what should I concentrate on to become a better swimmer?" Here is a "top ten" list of steps for swimmers to improve their triathlon swim. These could go a long way in helping you achieve your goals, whether you are a beginner or trying to go pro.
It is only fitting that the first triathletes to earn a spot on the 2008 US Olympic Team are doing so this weekend on the same course they will race in Beijing, China 11 months from now. The results of the International Triathlon Union BG 2007 Beijing World Cup on September 15-16 will guarantee one male and one female triathlete a spot on the 2008 USA Olympic Team at the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008.
Just one part of a triathlon, these links will help you do it better.
Ways to prepare and complete swims outside of the pool.
Do you have the dreaded runner's kick? Have no fear, there are things you can do to beceome a better kicker and a better swimmer. Even the worst of kickers can develop an adequate kick for freestyle, which is all you need for a triathlon swim.
Did you know there are aquathletes - swimming and running athletes? If your body allows you to run and swim, this is a great way to cross train, adding some extra variety, training gains, and scenery to your workouts. Can't run, swimmer? You can still add some walking to your training mix. Swimming has some good things for runners, too.
The first part of triathlons is the swim (if it is run in a standard order). This may help you get through it successfully.
The tools of the trade, from wetsuits to bicycles.
The rules of the sport, and the groups that make them.
For a triathlete, a fast triathlon swim takes more than great swimming technique. It also takes a smart triathlon race plan, and these tips and tactics can help a triathlete get faster race results, from the swim through the transiton regardless of their overall swimming ability.
The About.com Running Guide can help triathletes with everything from workout ideas to equipment choices.
Another leg of a triathlon; the About.com Bicycling Guide has a wealth of information to help you improve.
Second alternate in 2000. First alternate in 2004. Olympian in 2008. The third time was the charm for American triathlete Laura Bennett (N. Palm Beach, Fla. / Boulder, Colo.), who claimed the first spot on the 2008 US Olympic Team with a third-place finish at the ITU BG Beijing World Cup in Beijing, China. Bennett, who earned the spot by being the first American to finish, accomplished the feat on the same course she will now race for an Olympic medal in 2008 at the Beijing Olympic Games.
A strong contingent of American athletes represented themselves and their country well at the ITU Aquathlon World Championships in Ixtapa, Mexico on Saturday 12 May 2007. Team USA grabbed a total of 21 medals at the event, including 12 gold, 6 silvers, and 3 bronze. Among the totals were 19 medals earned by age group athletes on the 2.5k run, 1k swim, 2.5k run course. Sarah Groff (Boulder, Colo.) and Kelly Cook (Marietta, Ga.) finished first and second, respectively, in the women's elite race.
Some ideas on how to taper (the easing-off period) in the weeks preceding the race. How you taper can hinder or benefit your race performance as much as your training does.
A collection of links to information for the new (and semi-new) triathlete.
Laura Bennett opened the 2007 ITU World Cup campaign with an eighth place finish in Mooloolaba, Australia. For the American men, the top finisher was Matt Reed in 27th place.
Wearing a triathlon wetsuits should give you a potential or an actual swimming speed boost. You do not have this free swim speed boost in a non-triathlon wetsuit or without a triathlon wetsuit. Want to be a faster swimmer in a triathlon? Get a triathlon-type, swim-specific wetsuit.
So, Triathlon is on your mind again, and you're revving up your training to prepare for the next racing season. Swimming has been on the backburner during the off-season, and some of you may be a bit disoriented about how to begin. No need to fear. You're in an enviable position to re-discover your swimming with a clear and open mind. You have the opportunity to refine your swim technique and develop good habits for those oh-so-many pool laps ahead while you initiate your base training.
A database of tri's and other multi-sport events in the USA and other countries.
The Womans Triathlon Site - Specific information for women triathletes.
How frequently should you do a swimming workout? Here are a few things to ponder.
The most common question I hear in the triathlete world about the mysteries of swimming efficiently usually involves something with breathing. In freestyle, it is the first step to get your body position right. Then, for many, you throw in breathing and everything goes haywire! This has to do with lack of balance, using your head instead of your core to breath, and a few other factors.
Important swim workouts for a triathlete involve race simulation, swimming skill proficiency, sustainable swimming speed, and time to recover after a swim. These factors, along with the athletes experience and goal race distance, will help a swimmer balance the types of swimming workouts done in the swimming pool (or lake, river, or ocean) among emphases of technique sets, endurance sets, strength sets, and speed sets.
A survey-based research project that looked at annual training patterns and ironman-distance triathlon race results showed a few things that triathletes may want to consider when laying out their training plan for the year. It appears that some elements of training are often similar among successful triathletes.
First hand information for triathletes as well as links to training and coaching sites.
Ruth Kazez has some simple ideas that make sense.
One of the greatest puzzles of triathlon is creating the right blend of training to achieve optimal performance without the occurrence of injury. Rod Cedaro, M.Sc. has ideas on how to accomplish the mix.
Need a little help? Here you will find all you will need to get training for your first triathlon today. From beginners programs and simple running routines to dieting and gearing up for your first, you will be able to do better than just crawling over the finish line - no matter who are.
It was an American sweep of the gold medals as Julie Swail and Andy Potts won Pan American Games triathlon titles in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday, July 15 2007. Swail, the 2007 USA Triathlon Elite National Champion, won in a time of 1 hour 57 minutes and 23 seconds. Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J. / Colorado Springs, Colo.), the 2007 USA Triathlon Elite National Champion, led for most of the men's race, crossing the line in a time of 1 hour 52 minutes and 31 seconds.
Good resources for multi-sport athletes.
Several members of the USA Triathlon National Teams program have spent the past month in Australia preparing for the 2007 racing season. Last year’s USAT U23 National Champion Sara McLarty reports on the team’s progress after the first weekend of racing, which included the opening ITU BG World Cup event in Mooloolaba. US Triathlete Sara McLarty shares some of her experiences from Australia.
Ask yourself how important it is to win the swim portion of a triathlon compared to how you will perform overall. The longer the race, the less likely it is that the winner of the swim is the winner of the triathlon. But if it takes all you've got just to get through the swim, you are going to face a big challenge completing the bike and run. This is a training plan I recommend for Olympic distance or longer triathletes.
A reader asked for some wetsuit buying ideas. "I'm a good swimmer. It's my strength in triathlons. I'm doing an IronmMan race, and the water temperature is supposed to be about 70 degrees. Would I be okay in a sleeveless wetsuit? At what temperature do you recommend wearing a suit with sleeves? Who makes the best wetsuit"
A guide to multi-sport events, results, training, and equipment.
Swimming in a triathlon can be an unpleasant experience. Your swim is going to be disrupted by dozens (or hundreds) of other triathletes churning the water. The mental focus, so simple during a pleasant lap swim at the local swimming pool, becomes almost impossible. Visibility sucks, there is no wall to push off, and the 10 degree drop in water has completely taken away your breath. So... what's the best way to deal with this difficult aspect of open water swimming? Train the way you race.
The Extreme Tri site's swim column for triathletes; good articles on training and technique.
The first leg of a triathlon is the wettest, even on a rainy day, but it should also be the most enjoyable and relaxed part of the race. A good swim can lead to a great race. Some tri's are short, some are long, but all require you to swim. From my perspective as a competitive swimmer, coach, and triathlete, the swim is not the hardest portion of the event, but it is critical to perform the swim leg of a triathlon correctly to set up a successful bike and run leg.
Some great ideas for swimming in tri's, from the Hulaman website.
How to polish and fine tune your training for the big event.
More ideas on eating for the long races, by Dan Empfield.
Ideas on eating for the long races, by Dan Empfield.
The start of a triathlon can be nerve-wracking, tiring, intimidating, frustrating, and even discouraging (why do we do this sport??). But don't let all this get to you! The start for everyone is a crazy cluster of splashing, starts and stops, physical contact, and swimmers trying to separate from each other. Here are some tips to deal with what some consider being the toughest part of any triathlon.
What questions do triathletes frequently ask about the swim portion of a triathlon? Should I wear a wetsuit? May I swim another stroke besides freestyle? Where should I line up at the start of the swim? Should I use a heart rate monitor? How often should I "sight"? How often should I breathe during the swim? TriSwim Coach Kevin Koskella reviews the his top 6 FAQ's from swimmers on the swim leg of a triathlon.
They say the best way to learn is to make mistakes. As a newbie and Clydesdale, in my first year of competing in triathlons, I've made my share of mistakes. Here is my Top ten list of newbie triathlete mistakes. (Roman Mica/Everyman Triathlon)
Good ideas for you to follow for ocean, lake, and river swims.
A free Excel based training log program based on the SERIOUS plan.
TrainingBible.com is a web-based scheduling and log system based on Joe Friel's "Training Bible" series of books.
Downloadable triathlon magazine, web search facility, classifieds, race calendar, and photos.
A guide to traveling with your gear - planes, trains, and automobiles.
Get ready for action and work toward an awesome goal when you train for an AARP Tri-Umph! Classic, a swim-bike-run event for people 50+.
The "bare bones" of triathlons; a good place to start.
The stories of Triathlon from around the world, from trifind.com.
Getting in and out of the transition area makes all the difference in a sprint race, but smooth race transitions also help in Ironman distances.
Jack Johnstone with the story of perhaps the very first organized triathlon in the world.
The site of genuine Ironman races, from the qualifiers to the world championships in Kona.
Many coaches subscribe to the "no pain, no gain" philosophy. More is better, faster is better, tighter intervals are better, etc. This is not my method! Overtraining can be worse than undertraining.
A variety of articles to help you become a better triathlete.
Looking for news and race reports on triathlons and triathletes? You can find many of them here, along with gear and training ideas.
US Triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker knew he would have to have the race of his life to earn a spot on the 2008 US Olympic Triathlon Team. The 25-year-old did just that, earning the first spot for the U.S. men with an 11th place finish at the 2007 ITU BG Beijing World Cup on Sunday. No one was close to champion Javier Gomez of Spain, who finished in 1:48:41. Australian Courtney Atkinson outsprinted Bevan Docherty of New Zealand to claim second.
The place to find things on triathlons from the Official U.S. governing body.
Different brands and styles of wetsuits claim to make you faster. What is it that each one is really saying, and which one may be right for you?
Ruth Kazez thinks it is about 5 hours a week, and she tells you how to plan your week to get the least amount of training accomplished to help you finish your first triathlon. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and this is a great way to begin.
