Sunday, 6 November 2016

What One Should Understand Regarding Triathlon Training

By Scott Bailey


Triathlon refers to a multiple-stage competition in which competitors complete three continuous and consecutive endurance disciplines. In general, triathlon entails running, swimming, and cycling, with all the three parts of the race completed in immediate successions over varying distances. Athletes in this sport are called triathletes. The competition is about who takes the shortest time to complete the race, including the time spent in transition. The Greek language is where the word triathlon originated. Its translation into English means three sports.

Athletes change their gears in a transition region, which is provided to them in advance before race starts. In the transition area, athletes transition from swim to bike or bike to run. All the supplies and accessories the athlete needs such as bikes and sports gear are held in the transition area. Triathlon training is done intensively and vigorously to boost the endurance of the athlete in preparation for the race.

The first transition entails moving to biking from swimming and it labeled T1. The second transition, which is labeled T2 involves transitioning to running from biking. Athletes spend some time in transition and it is added to their final time. The number of participants is a huge variable, so the size of transitions areas also varies a lot. Transition areas serve as social headquarters before the beginning of races.

Triathlon has its origin in the 1920s. However, the modern version of the sport was first held in San Diego, California. The event involved swimming, biking, and running and occurred on the 25th or September, 1974. Don Shanahan and Jack Johnstone are usually given the credit for conceiving and directing the event. The two individuals were both members of the Track Club of San Diego.

The global body responsible for governing this sport was founded in 1989. It is called the International Triathlon Union, ITU. The main goal of ITU at the time it was being established was to enter triathlon into the Olympics. Later, ITU would become the organizing and sanctioning authority for World Triathlon Series and World Cup. Three main competition levels exist, that is, age-group athletes, junior pro-athletes, and elite pro-triathletes.

Several days in advance are given for people who intend to participate in an event to sign up. After signing up, participants are given colored swim caps, timing bands, and race numbers. Timing bands are for use in electronically timed races only. Any applicable information that participants may need to know such as applicable rules and the course to follow is communicated beforehand.

In major events, athletes have to check-in their bikes at the transition area in advance. Bikes that have been checked in are them guarded until when they will be used by the athletes. Different methods are used to start races. Some of the methods are wave and mass starts. Mass starts involve a single start signal being given so that all athletes can start the race simultaneously.

If an event is wave started, athletes are released in small bunches at predetermined intervals. A start signal is given at the lapse of the predetermined time intervals. This method is less commonly used in long races than in short ones.




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