Ironman Triathlon Holy Grail for Endurance Athletes
The Ironman Triathlon is the most challenging of all triathlons. Triathlons come in different lengths. Sprint triathlons are on the one end of the spectrum (short) and the Ironman is on the other end (long). How much
swimming you do in the triathlon depends on which one:
* Sprint or Olympic – triathletes swim ½ mile
* International – triathletes swim .93 miles
* Long – triathletes swim 1.2 miles
* Ironman or Ultra – triathletes swim 2.4 mile
Triathletes used to swim last in an Ironman but due to safety reasons, it is now the first event. The idea here is that you’d be better off passing out from exhaustion on asphalt than you would be out in the big blue ocean.
Open-Water Swimming Different than Pool
Swimmers find the open-water in a Triathlon very different from being in a pool. It’s as different as riding a bike in a gym is from cycling out on a wooded trail. Or, take your own experience with the treadmill. Running inside is different from running outside.
While most of us have played in the surf at beach, we may not have tried to competitively swim in a straight line to a distance, compensating for the current and watching out for other swimmers. Most triathlons won’t have shores where swimmers can just dive in. You’ll need to run in to the point where you can swim. Some swimmers find their experience overwhelming to the point where they lose their focus and become disoriented.
Training in your pool is a vital part of training for your Ironman. Just don’t leave your training there. Make sure you get some open-water time as well.
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