Triathletes just starting out have many race options

Many times athletes looking to join the ranks of triathletes, back down when they hear about the requirements for an Ironman triathlon. Swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles, and then running 26.2 miles? Wait a minute, isn’t that last requirement a marathon all by itself?

 

Entering shorter races is good training for aspiring Iron men and women

But not all triathlons are about winning an Ironman. There are many different varieties of triathlons out there. They don’t all have to be about an ultra length triathlon (the one I described above). A triathlete can enter a shorter triathlon because he or she enjoys the multiple sport aspect of it; they don’t have to be Olympic medalists to compete (to win, yes but to enter the race, you’re in). If you don’t have your endurance built up, that doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun in the meantime.

An aspiring triathlete can enter shorter triathlons:

• super sprint: for the super sprint length triathlon, a triathlete will swim a quarter mile, bike for six miles and then run for 1.5 miles.
• sprint: for the sprint length triathlon, a triathlete will swim a half mile, bike for 12 miles, and then running for 3 miles.
• international: for the international length triathlon, a triathlete will swim almost a mile, bike for almost 25 miles and then run just over 6 miles. The lengths are funny because (as you might have guessed it with the “international” name) the lengths for this length triathlon were originally measured in meters and kilometers.

  Paragon Sports. The Triathlon and Cycling Sports Specialty Store. Over 10,000 on line items. Free Ground Shipping or 2nd Day Air Only $9.99

Related Article(s)

see also triathlon bike frame