Your main goal is to become a faster swimmer. There are no swimming drills or tips on swimming technique here. It is the toned muscle proportions and attractiveness of The Swimmers Body shape that we will deliver.
Germany’s Andreas Raelert has announced he will make the start at Ironman Regensburg this weekend, but don’t expect him to win the race.
His win at Challenge Roth does not count towards Kona qualifying. Photo: Steve GodwinRaelert, who recently broke the world record for fastest iron-distance race at Challenge Roth, still needs to validate his start at the Ironman World Championship with an Ironman finish. In a statement on his website, Passion-for-triathlon.com, Raelert says he will race Ironman Regensburg to raise money for charity. For every athlete that crosses the finish line ahead of him, Raelert and his partners will donate money to a yet-to-be-determined charity. Raelert states he expects to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. The Kona Pro Ranking rules simply state that an athlete must complete an Ironman outside of Kona during the qualifying year, so it does not matter what place he finishes.
PHOTOS: Andreas Raelert’s World Record Performance
K-Swiss had offered a $1 million dollar bonus if the Andreas and his brother Michael could cross the finish line in Kona in first and second position. Michael was scheduled to race the Ironman European Championship back on July 24, but was forced to withdraw due to injury. Michael has not only failed to meet the Ironman validation requirement, he also lacks the overall points necessary to qualify for Kona.
VIDEO: Andreas Raelert’s Take On The Kona Pro Rankings System
See the complete statement from Andreas, translated using Google Translate, below:
“The incredibly beautiful moments that I experienced at the Challenge in Roth are still present. I’m now re-entered into the training process and still feel the strong physical and mental fatigue. I’m looking forward to starting this Sunday at the Ironman in Regensburg. In terms of my season highlight – the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii – I have decided to take my current physical condition into consideration and I would therefore like to go with a specific goal at the start.
I owe the sport so much and so I want to take this opportunity to give something back. To achieve sustainability, I would like to gather together with my partners at the Ironman in Regensburg to raise money for charity.
To me it is very important to stress that this idea of ??charity is a very serious concern of Micah [Michael Raelert] and me.
Many of you who race on Sunday in Regensburg will also race for a good cause to participate and contribute to support a charitable project. Together with our partners, we are for every athlete who crosses in front of me at the finish line in Regensburg donating an amount between 10-20 Euros. I think it is realistic to be able to place me in the middle of all participants so that the proceeds will hopefully bring in a total effective amount.
The donation amount will 100 percent be used transparently and sustainably, and therefore I would also like to ask you for your help and support.
What would you think is the best use for this donation? Who should get the amount collected to good? I would appreciate your suggestions very much!
At this point I would like to thank you for your commitment and your help!
- Andy”
RELATED CONTENT:
- Photo Gallery: Raelerts Aboard BMC In The Canary Islands
- The Raelert Brothers’ New Ride?
- Exclusive Video: Inside the Raelert Brothers’ Spring Training Camp
- Triathlete.com Exclusive: Raelert Brothers Training In Canary Islands
- Video: Andreas Raelert Receives Support From Brother Michael
- Michael Raelert Withdraws From Ironman European Championship
German Markus Fachbach turned in a well-rounded day to take the men’s title, while American Mary Beth Ellis won her second Ironman in four weeks thanks to an impressive run. Germany’s Andreas Raelert took his time and crossed the finish line in 10:21:05 to validate his Ironman World Championship spot.
Ironman Regensburg
Regensburg, Germany – Aug. 7, 2011
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run
Men
1. Markus Fachbach (GER) 8:29:16
2. Stefan Riesen (SUI) 8:36:54
3. Frank Vytrisal (GER) 8:37:12
4. Horst Reichel (GER) 8:42:07
5. Bas Diederen (NED) 8:42:34
Women
1. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 9:18:55
2. Annett Kamenz (GER) 9:28:23
3. Nicole Leder (GER) 9:30:27
4. Heide Jesberger (GER) 9:32:42
5. Katja Rabe (GER) 9:44:45
In March, Cameron Brown broke the tape at the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand, nabbing a historic 10th victory.
Written by: Holly Bennett
Cameron Brown crosses the finish line as the Ironman New Zealand champion for the 10th time. Photo: Delly Carr/SportshootNever before has a pro athlete dominated a long-course event in such fashion, yet the unassuming New Zealander hasn’t let the unprecedented winning streak go to his head. Nor have five top-five Kona finishes, the win at the 2006 European Ironman Championship or being named one of Inside Triathlon magazine’s 10 Greatest Iron-distance Triathletes of All Time.
Terms of endearment: Most people call me Brownie or otherwise Chuckie (from Charlie Brown). It has nothing to do with throwing up!
Not the smoothest move: I’ve been training and racing for quite a long time, so of course I’ve had plenty of bike crashes over the years. The most embarrassing one was when I was looking at a girl while riding along the Auckland waterfront. I went straight over the handlebars! She didn’t even notice.
Home cooking: I have the same pre-race meal before every big event—my mum’s salmon pasta. It always does the trick.
My better half: Jenny and I met when we were 21 years old. Both of our best friends were dating and they set us up. Jenny is a primary school teacher so it’s great having different interests. Triathlon is left at the front door after 3 p.m.—from then on it’s family time. She’s a wonderfully outstanding mum, wife and friend. I’m a very lucky boy to have her!
Who, me? I know people sometimes call me a legend. I don’t feel like one. I still look up to my own heroes from when I was a Junior—guys like Kiwi Rick Wells, Mike Pigg and Mark Allen. Those guys are the true legends.
Before swim, bike & run, the scrum: I think every Kiwi wants to be an All Blacks rugby player when he’s growing up. Rugby is our national sport, and we are all obsessed by it. I was no different—but then I found triathlon.
Maybe 11 will do the trick? I won my 10th Ironman New Zealand title by 10 minutes. I’ve tried playing versions of 10 in the lottery, but nothing’s come up a winning number yet. Guess I have to keep trying!
Filed under : Features • Ironman
Read more about :CAmeron Brown
Just over 50 pro men and 30 pro women will make the start in Kona this year. Photo: John SegestaBeginning with Ford Ironman Wisconsin and Subaru Ironman 70.3 Muskoka on September 12, 2010, professional athletes earned points towards their Kona Pro Ranking (KPR) based on where they finished in each Ironman and 70.3 event. The top 40 male and top 25 female pros in the rankings were offered spots to qualify in the Ironman World Championship as the first qualifying group on July 31. Ten more males and five more females will also be offered qualifying spots on Aug. 31 as the final qualifying group. Additionally, all world champions who earned their title within the last five years are allowed to compete. All professionals, including the former champions, must have validated their entries by completing an Ironman race (other than Kona) within the qualifying year. With the season in full swing, we asked several top pros how they feel about the ranking system now.
Next »Filed under : Features • Ironman
The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) has offered 41 pro men and 27 pro women the opportunity to register for the 2011 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii based on their placement in the Kona Pro Rankings.
American Tim O'Donnell sits atop the men's rankings. Photo: Paul Phillips There are a few key names missing from the list of 65 athletes. On the men’s side, Terenzo Bozzone of New Zealand sits in the 50th position and was not yet offered a spot. Germany’s Michael Raelert is also outside of the top 40 and has not completed the Ironman race necessary to even make him eligible for Kona qualifying. Michael’s brother, Andreas, sits in the 13th spot, but will not be offered a July qualifying spot because he has yet to complete an Ironman. He announced that he will make the start this weekend at Ironman Regensburg, but will take his time and donate a certain amount of money to charity for each athlete that finishes ahead of him. Regardless, simply crossing the finish line in Regensburg will give Andreas his Kona spot. The most notable name missing from the list is defending Ironman world champion Chris McCormack. McCormack is going after a spot on Australia’s 2012 London Olympic Team and has no intention of making the start in Kona.
Because both McCormack and Andreas Raelert failed to validate their spots with an Ironman race and Craig Alexander gets an automatic qualifier spot thanks to his Kona wins in 2008 and 2009 (and the fact that he validated his spot with a finish at Ironman Coeur d’Alene), the slots rolled down to Australia’s Matthew White in the 43rd position.
With only 25 women earning spots, there are quite a few notable names missing from the qualifying list. Germany’s Diana Riesler, New Zealand’s Joanna Lawn, Australia’s Belinda Granger and the United States’ Desiree Ficker, Hillary Biscay, Meredith Kessler and Mary Beth Ellis all failed to make the cutoff. Despite two Ironman wins during the qualifying period, three-time Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington is also outside of the top 25 but will earn a spot because she has won the Kona race within the last five years. Because defending champion Mirinda Carfrae of Australia is an automatic qualifier (and validated her spot with a finish at Ironman New Zealand), the 26th woman on the list, Samantha Warriner of New Zealand, earned the final spot.
The athletes have until Aug. 7th to accept their slots and then they will be rolled down to the next qualified athletes. Additionally, 10 more men and five more women will be offered slots as the final qualifiers on Aug. 31.
See the complete rankings below:
Men (Ranking Name Country Points)
Al-Sultan propelled himself up the rankings with his win at the Ironman European Championship. Photo provided by Abu Dhabi Triathlon Team. 1. Timothy O’Donnell USA 7520
2. Raynard Tissink ZAF 7240
3. Eneko Llanos ESP 7100
4. Faris Al-sultan DEU 7060
5. Marino Vanhoenacker BEL 6900
6. Jan Raphael DEU 6800
7. Luke Bell AUS 6515
8. Eduardo Sturla ARG 6380
9. Timo Bracht DEU 6300
10. Craig Alexander AUS 6190 (an automatic qualifier who does not count towards the 40 slots)
11. Jozsef Major HUN 6120
12. Chris Mccormack AUS 6000 (has not completed the necessary Ironman)
13. Andreas Raelert DEU 5900 (has not completed the necessary Ironman)
14. Peter Jacobs AUS 5650
15. Cameron Brown NZL 5380
16. Frederik Van Lierde BEL 5290
17. Petr Vabrousek CZE 5200
18. Ronnie Schildknecht CHE 5165
19. Maik Twelsiek DEU 5070
20. Luke Mckenzie AUS 4965
21. Mathias Hecht CHE 4925
22. Ben Hoffman USA 4910
23. Michael Weiss AUT 4905
24. Tj Tollakson USA 4870
25. Patrick Vernay FRA 4790
26. Axel Zeebroek BEL 4710
27. Chris Lieto USA 4680
28. Andy Potts 4400
29. Balazs Csoke HUN 4360
30. Patrick Evoe USA 4345
31. Sergio Marques PRT 4200
32. James Cunnama ZAF 4160
33. Dirk Bockel LUX 4100
34. Rasmus Henning DNK 4020
35. Michael Goehner DEU 3890
36. Tom Lowe GBR 3790
37. Mike Schifferle CHE 3760
38. Michael Lovato USA 3650
39. Joe Gambles AUS 3535
40. Cyril Viennot FRA 3500
41. Paul Amey GBR 3380
42. Daniel Fontana ITA 3200
43. Matthew White AUS 3115
Women (Ranking Name Country Points)
Mirinda Carfrae and Chrissie Wellington are automatic qualifiers because they've won the Ironman World Championship within the last five years. Photo: Delly Carr 1. Caroline Steffen CHE 12650
2. Yvonne Van Vlerken NLD 9070
3. Mirinda Carfrae AUS 8965 (an automatic qualifier who does not count towards the 25 slots)
4. Karin Thuerig CHE 7710
5. Tyler Stewart USA 7480
6. Leanda Cave GBR 7470
7. Julie Dibens GBR 7400
8. Heleen Bij De Vaate NLD 7180
9. Kelly Williamson USA 7030
10. Amy Marsh USA 6920
11. Rachel Joyce GBR 6760
12. Sonja Tajsich DEU 6275
13. Catriona Morrison GBR 6250
14. Silvia Felt DEU 6170
15. Heather Wurtele CAN 6165
16. Erika Csomor HUN 6120
17. Virginia Berasategui ESP 6050
18. Tine Deckers BEL 5870
19. Lucie Zelenkova CZE 5805
20. Sofie Goos BEL 5630
21. Kate Bevilaqua AUS 5525
22. Kim Loeffler USA 5410
23. Caitlin Snow USA 5305
24. Linsey Corbin USA 5245
25. Amanda Stevens USA 5160
26. Samantha Warriner NZL 5035
Click here to read the complete Ironman World Championship pro qualifying rules.
With temperatures reaching into the 90s, athletes had anything but easy conditions in today’s Ironman 70.3 Boulder, where fiery performances in both the men’s and women’s professional races made for a powerful show.
Written by: Holly Bennett
Defending men’s champion Andy Potts (USA) took a predictable early lead on the swim, exiting the water in 22:27, a minute and a half ahead of Fraser Cartmell (GBR) and a fast-following pack including Joe Umphenour (USA), Bryan Rhodes (USA) and Paul Ambrose (AUS). It was Cartmell and Trek/K-Swiss teammate Joe Gambles (AUS) who would fight to the front early in the bike leg, however, reaching T2 with a 2:18 lead on the rest of the men and running stride for stride through the transition area prior to swapping shoes and hitting the run course. Gambles was all business on the run, carving out a quick lead, his perfect running form and pace propelling him to an eventual course record (3:45:35) and more than a six-minute margin of victory over second place Raynard Tissink (RSA). Potts was forced to withdraw early in the run after difficulty on the bike hampered his usual leg speed.
“I felt good going in,” said Boulder resident Gambles, “But you never know with a field like that. I just had good running legs today, so I was lucky.”
Gambles posted the fastest bike and run splits of the day. Photo: Nick Salazar In reaction to breaking Potts’ previous course record of 3:46:51, Gambles admitted, “I’m a bit of a stats person, so I know Potts went 3:46 last year. It was in the back of my mind.”
Gambles’ win today will certainly give him added confidence as he prepares for his Hawaii Ironman race debut in October. But the ever-humble Aussie is taking nothing for granted.
“I’m nervous. Excited. Apprehensive,” he said. “You’ve got to be careful with that one. It will chew you up and spit you out pretty easily, that race. You see some of the best guys go there in the shape of their lives and then walk home. It’s my first year, so I’m just going to enjoy the moment.”
In the women’s race, 2011 Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake and 2011 Ironman 70.3 San Juan champion Kelly Williamson (USA) was first out of the water, with a 2:15 lead over California’s Caroline Gregory (USA), in town for a taste of high altitude training. Next up was Canadian Angela Naeth (CAN), who quickly moved to the front of the field with her usual cycling dominance. Naeth’s lead into T2 was more than six minutes, and despite a hard-charging Williamson who managed to gain back two thirds of that time, Naeth claimed her first Ironman 70.3 victory with a final time of 4:10:31. Williamson earned second place in 4:12:42, and hometown favorite Amanda Lovato (USA) claimed third in 4:23:55.
Overcome by emotion at the finish, Naeth was obviously elated after being a 70.3 bridesmaid more than a dozen times.
“It’s my first! I’ve been trying for over three years to win one of these!” exclaimed the women’s champion.
In a nod to the locals lining the racecourse, a beaming third-place finisher Amanda Lovato said, “I love this race. It’s awesome having all of my friends out here. I must have heard, ‘Go Amanda!’ fifty million times. How awesome is that?”
Anna Scott Kube (Drew's mom), Drew Scott & Dave Scott (proud papa!). Photo: Holly Bennett In the amateur ranks, 20-year-old Drew Scott – son of six-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott – placed second overall in a time of 4:05:53. Scott will also make his Kona racing debut this October, having qualified at the Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake. He shared the sentiment of men’s pro champion Gambles as he anticipated racing on the Big Island.
“I’m excited,” said the junior Scott, “and at the same time a little nervous to step up to the full distance. But I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a big race with so much history – I’m excited to give it a shot and see how it goes. Today’s race was a big step forward for me, especially on the run. I was able to run much better, so hopefully I’m starting to figure it out. I’ve definitely gotten some good pointers from my coach!”
Ironman 70.3 Boulder
Boulder, Colo. – Aug. 7, 2011
1.2-mile swim, 56-mile swim, 13.1-mile run
Men
Naeth was emotional at the finish line. Photo: Nick Salazar 1. Joe Gambles (AUS) 3:45:35
2. Raynard Tissink (RSA) 3:51:41
3. Paul Ambrose (AUS) 3:53:01
4. Joe Umphenour (USA) 3:54:03
5. Matthew Russell (USA) 3:55:44
Women
1. Angela Naeth (CAN) 4:10:31
2. Kelly Williamson (USA) 4:12:42
3. Amanda Lovato (USA) 4:23:55
4. Whitney Garcia (USA) 4:26:10
5. Uli Bromme (GER) 4:27:16
Germany’s Michael Raelert has announced he will not compete in the 2011 Ironman World Championship race due to an injury. Raelert not only lacks the points necessary to qualify for the race, he also hasn’t completed the necessary Ironman. Raelert had planned on racing in the Ironman European Championships back on July 24, but didn’t make the start due to a hip injury that has plagued him on and off throughout the season. Raelert says he will still make the start to defend his Ironman World Championship 70.3 title in Las Vegas, Nev.
Raelert posted the following statement on the website he shares with his brother Andreas (translated from German using Google Translate):
Michael Raelert has had an injury-plagued season. Photo: Steve Godwin“Even two weeks after the injury-related cancellation of Michael Raelert in his Ironman debut in Frankfurt, his health is still not well enough to make a start at the 70.3 Ironman Championship in Wiesbaden without risk. Based on medical advice, a start at the 2011 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii is not realistic, as the risks of long-term damage in the muscular area are too great for him.
‘For these reasons, Andreas and I decided to not go to Hawaii this year to join forces in the startup and to move our dream to 2012. Instead, I will highlight this season at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship on September 11 in Las Vegas and choose to try to defend my title from last year successfully,’ said the reigning European champion and double world champion over the Ironman 70.3 distance.”
RELATED CONTENT:
- Photo Gallery: Raelerts Aboard BMC In The Canary Islands
- The Raelert Brothers’ New Ride?
- Michael Raelert Withdraws From Ironman European Championships
- Exclusive Video: Inside the Raelert Brothers’ Spring Training Camp
- Triathlete.com Exclusive: Raelert Brothers Training In Canary Islands
- Video: Andreas Raelert Receives Support From Brother Michael
- Video: Michael Raelert To Race Ironman European Championships
In the same race that Marino Vanhoenacker’s 7:45:58 broke Luc Van Lierde’s Ironman world record, Austrian pro and super-cyclist Michael “Michi” Weiss broke the eight-hour mark at Ironman Austria, finishing in 7:57:39. The 2010 Ironman St. George champion, who finished 13th at the Ironman World Championship last year, has a busy few months ahead of him. He shared with Triathlete.com about his upcoming wedding as well as racing three world championships back-to-back this year.
Triathlete.com: You were the runner-up after Marino Vanhoenacker at Ironman Austria,?finishing under eight hours as well—what did it feel like to finish under 8:00 in?your home country?
Weiss finished 13th in Kona in 2010. MW: As my home race, Ironman Austria is a very special competition for me. Finishing in 7:57 on a day when the world record was broken after so many years made it even more memorable.
Triathlete.com: Your wedding is this weekend—how are the plans coming along?
MW: Rachel and I have been on the East Coast now for over two weeks. We came over early to support her dad in his first Ironman, Lake Placid. Since then we have just been finalizing the small details, and we’re really looking forward to bringing our friends and family together for the Kennebunkport [Maine] wedding.
Triathlete.com: Any plans for a honeymoon before Las Vegas in September?
MW: We will spend much of October in Hawaii for the Ironman World Championships and always enjoy the amazing island, people and energy there. Rachel and I met there in 2009 so Kona holds a very special place in our hearts (we also named our dog Kona).
Triathlete.com: Since you’re racing the Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Vegas, the Ironman World Championship in Kona and the Xterra World Championship in Maui, is there one that’s a priority for you? Or are they all pretty equal?
MW: Kona is the biggest race of the year for me. My training is built around Kona, but I will give my very best in Las Vegas and Maui as well.
Triathlete.com: How do you plan to train in preparation for those three championships?
MW: I won’t taper too long for Las Vegas, and will try to get in another two weeks of solid training in Colorado for Kona. After that it will be all about getting fresh as a Hawaiian pineapple!
Triathlete.com: Do you plan to get in some mountain bike training before Maui?
MW: I love riding my mountain bike in Colorado and am usually on the trails at least once a week. It is a perfect way to break the “routine.”
PHOTOS: Xterra World Championship Course
Triathlete.com: With Xterra being the third of the three world championships, how do you plan to recover in time for that after racing in Kona?
MW: Mental recovery is the most important after Kona. Ironman is not only a physical challenge; it takes a lot out of the mind and spirit as well. In the two weeks leading up to Maui I [will] just try to relax and rest. I [will] take advantage of the islands’ beauty and nature to help in my recovery.
Triathlete.com: You improved quite a bit in Kona last year—what will it take for you to break into the top 10 this year?
MW: Finishing top 10 in Kona requires an athlete to have a nearly “perfect” day. You have to be rested, healthy and prepared mentally to take on the Kona battle. I have worked very hard to improve my swim and run so combined with a perfect day I could have the key to a top-10 finish.
You can follow Michi on Twitter @michi_weiss or on his website, www.michaelweiss.cc.
Photo: Team CommerzbankAccording to Ironman.com, the only German to win the Ford Ironman World Championship twice, Normann Stadler, 38, has announced his retirement.
Stadler underwent heart surgery in Germany at the University of Heidelberg in early July to fix a failing heart valve and a nearby aortic aneurysm.
Check back to Triathlete.com as we continue to follow this developing story.
There are many challenges for triathletes when it come to swimming in open water. Here are five tips to remember for your next triathlon training session or race:
1. Practice swimming in a pool with crowded lanes. Find some workout buddies who are willing to practice this, because the crowded beginning of a triathlon swim can be panic-inducing to swimmers not used to the crowded aspect. The more comfortable you are with a crowded swim, the more likely you are to stay calm on race day.
2. Make sure you practice swimming in open water with your goggles. What works well in the pool often doesn't provide enough visibility on race day, and you want to be able to see as much as possible in the ocean, river, or lake. Practice ahead of time and make sure your goggles work both in open water and in the pool so you have no surprises on race day.
3. Work on high elbow recovery. If your elbows are high enough, they won't be affected as much by chop and waves on race day, and your stroke won't be as affected.
4. When you start your race, stay to the outside to avoid that chaotic start. Focus more on finding your own water and don't worry about the extra work it might take you to get to the first buoy. You'll use less energy fighting the crowd and recovering from physical contact!
5. Use landmarks instead of buoys for sighting, since water conditions on race day might make it difficult to see buoys from farther away, and landmarks like houses, docked or anchored boats, and hotels near the water will be more visible and will help you keep on track.
For 4 free online swim sessions and more free tips, sign up for the Tri Swim Coach Newsletter!
Kevin Koskella is a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here.
A triathlon ninja is smart and sleek, and sometimes wears a sexy black compression bandana under their bike helmet*
A triathlon ninja is calm and cool under pressure, and can do impressive things like count how many gels they've had in the past 2 hours.
A triathlon ninja sneaks up barely noticed, usually late in the race when everyone else is fading, and whoosh! turns up the heat and burns streaks of speed in the pavement.
*performance enhancing benefits not proven by research.
Are you a triathlon ninja? Do you want to be one?
In this article, you'll learn five race day mental tactics that allow you to become a triathlon ninja, and use your ninja superpowers to push your body outside your comfort zone, physically beyond what you believe to be possible, and into a new level of personal achievement. Sweet. Are you ready grasshopper?
Triathlon Ninja Race Day Mental Tactic #1: Break Up.
While your subconscious mind can grasp the concept continuously swimming, cycling and running from point A to point B, or even of traversing 140.6 miles in a single day, your conscious mind (the part that actually dictates your race day decisions) is easily distracted.
For a triathlon ninja, this distraction can be a good thing, because you can feed your conscious mind tiny intermediate goals to break things up. Rather than having to making it to the finish line, you convince your body to make it to the next buoy, the next telephone pole, or the next aid station.
I personally divide most triathlons into much more than 3 separate events (swim, bike, run) and instead typically categorize 6-12 separate "sections" of the race on paper, then study that paper going into the race.
Got it? OK, you've got Step 1 of 5 (see you're already learning how to break things up).
Triathlon Ninja Race Day Mental Tactic #2: Dig Deep.
There's very little you'll experience in a race that you haven't already experienced in training. You just have to remember to dig deep enough during the race to call on those times in training when you headed out the door to run in torrential rain, rode your bike 30 miles on half-inflated tires, or finished off 1500 meters of a swim while resisting the compelling urge to rush to the bathroom and take a dump.
During a race, the slight discomfort that we put up with in training can sometimes mentally or physically derail us. So when the going gets tough, think back to the hardest part of your training, including somehow getting your heart rate near maximum at 5am in the morning, and draw on those episodes during the race.
Want practice? Compare getting through this article to reading Moby Dick in high school and you¹re well on your way to become a triathlon ninja.
Triathlon Ninja Race Day Mental Tactic #3: Ask Why
A triathlon ninja knows their motivation for doing triathlons.
Some people do triathlons to live a long time so they can see their grandkids.
Some people do triathlons because they were never any good at sports and this lets them be an athlete.
Some people do triathlons because it makes them look good naked.
Regardless of what your motivation is, you need to identify it and know why you do triathlon.
Then, when you're riding up the steepest hill of the race, ready to fall off your bike and puke, you can remember that the whole reason you're doing this is so that you look sexy for your tropical vacation in 2 weeks. Or whatever motivates your ninja heart.
Triathlon Ninja Race Day Mental Tactic #4: Harness Energy
You've probably seen the video game or movie where the superhuman being clutches two hands to their chest, creates a giant ball of fiery energy then releases the burning orb into a crowd of fierce opponents, dispersing the enemy like rag dolls.
A triathlon ninja has those same superpowers.
When you go running up the beach from the swim, harness the energy of the screaming crowds. Feel it. Use it.
When you ride through the aid station, feel the positive energy emanating from the generous volunteers, and use that too.
And as you run, try to smile. This smiling strategy helps significantly, because people smile right back at you and cheer you on (whereas nobody really claps much for the triathlete who looks like they're on Planet Hell).
So yes, I'm the guy at the race who's doing the rock star pump-up-the-crowd hand waving as I ride out of transition and yes, that's kinda hard to do when your heart is pumping out your throat, but it's worth the effort when you ride back into transition and those same people give you that energy right back.
Triathlon Ninja Race Day Mental Tactic #5: See Success
Close your eyes.
Can you imagine the feel of the water in your hand during the swim, the air blowing by your cheeks on the bike, and the slap of your foot against the pavement on the run?
If not, you may need triathlon ninja practice.
The best athletes on the planet regularly engage in visualization, in which they close their eyes and imagine everything happening perfectly. This takes practice and imagination, but your mind can be trained to visualize powerfully.
Start with small things, like closing your eyes and feeling the sand on the beach under your feet before the race starts.
Then progress to more complex visualization, such as seeing and feeling yourself successfully snag a water bottle as you fly by an aid station on your bike. If you're really good, you can imagine yourself brining that aid station water bottle to your mouth and feeling the cool water refresh you. And you know you need a little more practice, or an Alzheimer's screening, if you're having a hard time mentally recalling what an aid station actually looks like.
So what do you think? Can you be a triathlon ninja? You bet you can. Remember!
Break up.
Dig deep.
Ask why.
Harness energy.
See success.
I'll see you at the races. I'll be the guy with the compression bandana.
Get even more information on this hot topic over at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/, where you can grab a free book from author Ben Greenfield, jam-packed with over 75 pages of fitness, nutrition and human performance content. You'll also get instant access to a free weekly audio podcast, videos, free iPhone app and more!
Whoo boy. It's early spring and I'm already feeling the need to do something other than swim, bike and run.
It happens about once a week. I head out for a workout and just don't really feel like staring at the bottom of a pool, spending hours in a bike saddle, or pounding the pavement. Especially when I walk by all the guys playing noon ball on my way into the pool.
How about you? Are you feeling like a hamster on a wheel on some days? Maybe stuck in a rut? Yearning after a sport that involves either A) a ball or B) the ability to get involved in shoving matches?
Don't feel bad cross training in a different sport is still training. You won't be wasting your time if you decide to pick up some kind of cross training once or twice a week. Sports other than swimming, cycling and running allow your body to move in new directions and experience different fitness stimuli.
Oh yeah, cross training can also force you to be social. Just remember to take your.mp3 player headphones out of your ears before you try these cross training modes.
Cross Training Sport #1 - Soccer:
Soccer requires quick, explosive efforts, but each effort is followed by active recovery, rather than complete rest. As a result, muscular endurance and the ability to buffer lactic acid can be vastly improved by playing soccer. Although a similar muscular endurance effect can be achieved with cross country or skate skiing, soccer has the advantage of being biomechanically identical to a specific triathlon skill running. Therefore, the muscular endurance can be enhanced with better leg turnover and stride length.
In addition, triathletes are notoriously weak in side-to-side motion, resulting in a higher risk of injury to overtrained front-to-back motion muscles. The frequent changes of direction and lateral movement in soccer can address this weakness.
Compared to triathlon, you'll find some sports to be relatively dirt cheap, and soccer is a perfect example, simply requiring a stable pair of shoes (cleats are optional), and possibly a ball. Check with your local sports and rec department for a soccer league, and if you have difficulty finding a soccer game to join, try an ultimate Frisbee league instead which will give you a similar cross training effect.
Cross Training Sport #2 - Basketball:
Similar to soccer, basketball improves muscular endurance with explosive efforts followed by active recovery, and can also improve stride turnover and length. However, the arm jostling and pushing, shooting and passing in basketball are good upper body training, while the frequent jumping and landing are perfect lower body plyometrics, which have been shown to improve running economy in distance runners.
Like soccer, basketball requires minimal equipment: shoes and a ball. You'll be able to find pick-up games on the schedule of your local health club or gym. If you find yourself on a busy court, the weakness of basketball for exercise-obsessed triathletes is the requirement to stand around between games as you wait your turn to play. But by jumping rope, shooting or jogging and dribbling between games, you can turn an hour of basketball into pure fitness.
Check our local gym, especially at noon time, to get into a cross training bout of basketball.
Cross Training Sport #3 - Tennis:
As an ex-collegiate tennis player, I can honestly say that the only sport during which I have ever puked due to extreme fatigue was tennis. With frequent start-stop and lateral motions, torso, and upper body and lower body power requirements, and long time spent "on your feet", a rigorous game of tennis can be highly effective cardiovascular and muscular training.
Tennis offers many of the same training effects soccer and basketball, but also requires a high degree of torso and shoulder rotation, stability and power, resulting in good cross-over for the core stability required for distance running and swimming.
A tennis skirt or white polo is entirely optional, and for tennis, you simply need access to a public court, a tennis racquet and a can of balls and of course, somebody to play tennis with. Check your local sports and rec department, or the USA Triathlon website, to find a partner.
Cross Training Sport #4 - Golf:
I gotta be kidding, right?
Surely the sport of golf is far too sedentary relative to triathlon for any possible cross training effect. But not only does the golf swing provide similar torso and core rotational power stimulation as tennis, but also similar enhanced shoulder and upper body power. In addition, the long walking required during 18 holes of non-cart golf is perfect for an injured triathlete who has been forced into low-impact aerobic cardio due to knee or foot injuries, and for that injured athlete, golf can be a welcome break from simply hiking, going on a long walk, or staring at a TV on a treadmill.
Don't worry, there is no need to join an expensive country club - most metropolitan areas have a range of public courses that offer hitting lessons, affordable golf, and even club rentals.
There are certainly other forms of cross training other than the 4 mentioned here - such as volleyball, water polo, Frisbee golf, badminton, cricket, rugby, and other sports that I've probably never heard of. But as long as you're swimming, cycling and running consistently, cross training will not simply suck away time that you could be getting better at triathlon, but will instead enhance your fitness and give you a mentally refreshing way to exercise.
For more information on this hot triathlon topic, along with 12 totally free audio teleseminars from the world's leading triathlon experts, visit http://www.rockstartriathleteacademy.com/. Grab our free newsletter and you'll be ready to rock your race, no matter what level triathlete you are!
There are a ton of triathlon training schedules. Some are good, some are bad, and some are nice to look at when you need to fall asleep quickly and don't have any sleeping pills nearby.
But regardless of which triathlon training schedule you use, there are 10 crucial time-saving elements you need to be looking for, if you don't want to waste time training when you could be kissing up to your boss, wasting time on YouTube, or teaching your kids how to make offensive sounds with their armpits.
So in no particular order of importance (except that the first one is about food, which I find myself thinking about a lot as a self-admitted food junkie), here are your 10 triathlon training schedule time savers:
10. Eat Lunch Fast. Taking 5 minutes to eat your lunch will leave, in most cases, 55 extra minutes in your triathlon training schedule. So what takes a long time to eat? Salads, casseroles, dinner leftovers - and pretty much anything that requires cutlery. Choose these instead: wraps, sandwiches, smoothies and shakes. And yes, I am that guy riding my bicycle down the road as I finish up a turkey-avocado wrap that I've wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed down my bike jersey.
9. Quality Over Quantity. Most triathletes, especially the Ironman ones, swim 140% too much, bike 200% too much and run 170% too much - mostly because there is too little hard fast training and too much long slow training. I personally use a ton of high intensity interval training workouts (HIIT), and that means I get to watch movies with my kids at night. So what's an example of HIIT? Rather than going on a 45 minute run, I'll do 10 treadmill 30-60 second sprints on the highest incline I can possibly manage, and then do my core workout between each sprint.
8. Commute. Ride your bike to work. Put your clothes in a backpack, and pack baby wipes or Actionwipes to wipe yourself down. If you're like me, you can even go so far as to wash your hair in the sink. If this doesn't work for your triathlon training schedule you can also: A) run to the grocery store for small items (I run hard there, and then easy back while I'm carrying stuff like bananas); B) do errands on your bike (not recommended for anything that involves your hair looking nice); or C) ride or run to social events, like parties, and then drive home with your friends or family.
7. Family Training Tools. As soon as my wife and I found out we were pregnant with twins (actually she was, I just helped, which was the fun part), we equipped our garage with a double bike trailer and a double jogger. The bike trailer always has two little bike helmets and a bunch of books and toys inside (you'd be surprised at how long a Batman action figure will keep a little boy entertained on a long bike ride). My wife uses the jogger to take the kids on little nature field-trips, or to soccer, swimming, and even the gym (speaking of the gym, try to join one that has free kid care, like the YMCA, so you and your spouse can exercise together). Some triathlon training schedule advice is to do "Invisible Training", which is done early in the morning or late at night when your training is "invisible" to your family, but I encourage you, at least once a week, to set a good example and make family a part of your training.
6. Indoor Training. It sounds a bit blah, but if you want to free up time in your triathlon training schedule, you can save many, many minutes by hopping on an indoor trainer or treadmill rather than getting dressed for weather conditions, going outside, and fighting stop signs, stop lights, traffic and Grandma's on rollerblades with their 8 grandchildren and 2 schnozzle dogs. You'll even find me sometimes skipping my swim to do an indoor workout.
5. Eat Right. If you're eating calories that don't have high nutritional value, a good part of your triathlon training schedule is going to be spent simply A) trying not to get fat and/or B) fighting against the recovery and fitness reducing effect that "empty calories" have on your body. Anything process, refined or packaged should comprise only a very small part of your diet, and everything else should come from whole, raw, real food. And yes, the local coffeeshop bakery case falls into the latter category, even the cookies with the pink frosting that say "Fat-Free". I also recommend that just about everybody take the bare minimum supplementation protocol: Vitamin D, Magnesium, Fish Oil and Greens.
4. Communication. You, your spouse, your family, your friends, your co-workers and your boss should be aware of your triathlon training schedule when you have a 5 hour bike ride planned for the weekend, or you decide to disappear to the gym for an extra hour on Wednesday morning. We keep a big calendar by our front door where we write down workouts, family events, races, and sometimes the ever-present reminder for me to "mow the lawn already". If you and your spouse are geeks, you could certainly use something like Google calendar or the "Remember The Milk" phone app - but we go old-school paper calendar at the Greenfield house. I'm also very open to friends and co-workers when I can't hang out. Don't be embarrassed to wear your triathlon training schedule on your sleeve - most people will respect you for being committed to fitness.
3. Friday Night Fuddy-Duddy. Speaking of friends, I don't recommend you engage in heavy drinking or late night social activities on Friday night - primarily because Saturday is such valuable time for getting in your triathlon training scheduled workouts. Save the tom-foolery for Saturday nights or Sunday afternoons, when you've gotten your high quality training out of the way. My wife and I will often stay in on Friday night, grab a movie (the last good one was "Due Date", but I digress), have a date night, hit the sack by 10pm, and be fresh and ready to get started into workouts or training on Saturday.
2. Cross-Train. Lately, many of my social relationships are now formed from playing tennis with a group of guys. For me, that's my social outlet that keeps me from being an isolated triathlon geek who has lost the skill to communicate with the general population and mostly just stares off into space and utters phrases like "Oily Cassette Blurby Blah-Blah". You're not "wasting time" when you cross-train in your triathlon training schedule - instead, there is often a very good training effect upon your triathlon fitness. While the social sports of golf, softball and baseball may not be the best cardiovascular cross-training activities, look into group activities like soccer, basketball, tennis, or if you are an international reader, cricket (I know nothing about cricket, but I threw that in there to make this a globally relevant article and to appease any Eastern hemisphere readers).
1. Non-Triathlon Post-Race Festivities. If you've got a family, the last thing you want is your family to regret you taking them to the big race in your triathlon training schedule. By all means, do not arrive at your race 5-7 days before the race with your family for a "vacation", spend the entire vacation fretting about racing and tweaking your bicycle, and then fly home the night of the race or the morning after. Instead, go to the race later in the week, like 3 or 4 days early (you're not a professional athlete, for crying out loud, so why skip out on life just to acclimate?) and then stay 2-3 days after the race to engage in non-triathlon post-race festivities with your family, like theme parks, scenic attractions, wine tasting, or if you'll really up for an adventure, wine tasting at theme parks. I take no responsibility for injuries incurred during that last activity.
If you're trying to prepare for a triathlon without neglecting your friends, family or career, then these time-saving tips should be good additions to your triathlon training schedule. If you want more advice just like this, then you'll want to visit http://www.triathlondominator.com, where I've got more techniques for Half-Ironman and Ironman triathletes to get maximum results with minimum training time. See you there!
Get even more information on this hot topic over at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/, where you can grab a free book from author Ben Greenfield, jam-packed with over 75 pages of fitness, nutrition and human performance content. You'll also get instant access to a free weekly audio podcast, videos, free iPhone app and more!
You have probably tried countless different sports gels, drinks, jelly beans, chews, and bars. They all do roughly the same thing, but it's tempting to think that the next one we try will do something better than all the ones that came before it. The marketing machine behind sports nutrition products is very strong, and their claims about what separates one product from another can create a situation where athletes believe (and fear) that a sports nutrition product can make or break their race.
The truth is, it can't. Your training makes or breaks your race. What you do day after day, week after week, month after month, makes your race what it is. Sports nutrition plays a supporting role in allowing you to tap into your full capacity. But what makes a good nutrition product? One thing: it works for YOU.
Here are a few simple pointers to consider when choosing a product:
1. Complex carbs are not necessarily better than simple carbs. Don't pay extra for sustained energy or long-lasting energy claims.
2. You don't need to use your sports fuel every day. In fact, you probably only need it once a week at the most. Start out with none and see how you feel. Don't be afraid to bonk in training in the name of learning more about your body. Add sports nutrition in incremental doses until you get to the point where you are eating enough to sustain energy but not so much that you get stomach upset or consume more than you burn.
3. Consider convenience. If you are training for a long race and will need a supply of nutrition over the course of many months, consider how widely available your preferred nutrition is. Do you have to order it online or can you find it at a gas station?
4. Start simple and cheap and add more price or complexity if the simple and cheap doesn't work. Simple and cheap might mean a bag of skittles, a handful of raisins, or a banana. More complex might mean sports gels or bars with caffeine, protein, or amino acids.
5. Taste. If you like the taste, you will eat it.
Remember, sports nutrition cannot perform miracles - and you don't need it to. Your body is capable of performing an amazing amount of work without these highly processed supplements. Let your body show you what it can do before you look for supplements.
FTP Coaching can help you reach your full training potential with custom training plans, strength training plans for triathletes, and weight loss plans for triathletes. Visit us at http://www.ftpcoaching.com/ or http://www.hardcoretriathlete.com/
Whether you're looking to improve your swimming, cycling, running or just your mental ability we're sure you'll find our tips, drills and information indispensable.
Here's a few of our favorite tips to make sure your race is not only more pleasant, but more memorable:
Realistic Practice
This really goes without saying for most people, but we couldn't help but include it. You need to get as much realistic practice as possible, so that means if your Triathlon involves an open water swim - practice in the open water! Or if its a sprint - practice a sprint Triathlon.
You want your training sessions to be as realistic as possible, so try and find somewhere where you can actually practice a Triathlon rather than only a single swim, run or cycle, obviously open water places will suit this better. Furthermore the really prepared athletes will track down the race map and often do a trial race beforehand, if this option is open to you we highly recommend it.
Equipment
While having the most expensive trainers, bike and swimming cap aren't necessary, having the best trainers, bike and cap for YOU will make a massive difference. Remember you will be absolutely dependent on your equipment to actually enable you to make it through the race, so you should visit a local retailer and actually try these out before you buy.
Don't over train
Finding your training times are hitting a plateau? Perhaps your over training, or simply not resting and eating enough. Your body needs to rest and be catered for so make sure you feed yourself with good food and you get enough rest for your body to totally repair.
Body Glide:
Your bike seat can be an enemy when it comes to the cycle section, especially in half and full Ironmans, make sure to not only wear cycle shorts, but invest in body glide.
Don't let your testosterone get the better of you
In a race (particularly your first few) its easy to let your cave man attitude get the better of you, as you take it personally when the pack sails past you at the beginning. Remember your training and keep your target times in mind, not beating the guy in yellow...
Prepare before hand
I know everyone thinks they have this sorted, but ensure you write a list with everything you need come race day at least week prior to the race. And the night before collect everything and put it in front of your door so you don't forget a thing!
If you practice an actual triathlon beforehand, this will come naturally but it's interesting how much time can be saved through practicing transitions. Do this and you'll be thank-full come race day.
Do you know how to fix a puncture? Well! You should certainly learn how as this can happen and you don't want to give up just because of a punctured tire. Remember your only as strong as your weakest link.
Conclusion
To conclude you need to:
Practice, Practice, PracticeInvest in good equipmentRest & FoodLook after your thighs!Don't get race testosteroneMake sure to remember ALL of your equipmentGo through your transitionsWhat happens if your bike goes wrong?Enjoy your dayRemember out of all the people that would love to complete their first Triathlon most will end up not doing it, commit to your triathlon and make race day your day. Enjoy it, you deserved it.
To prepare yourself even more visit the original article by heading over to Triathlon Tips or visit our page on how to train for a Beginner Triathlon.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Contributed by Tom
One of the most important things to consider as a beginning triathlete is an appropriate training schedule for your current level of development, the race you're planning to run, and the amount of time you have to prepare (both the total time remaining before race day, and the amount of time you can devote to training on a weekly basis).
Your Current Level of Development
The best place to start when laying out your triathlon training schedule is by doing an honest assessment of your current fitness level and preparedness to compete in each separate event. This is one place where it can be extremely helpful to get some outside help: an experienced competitor may be better able to objectively assess your fitness and preparedness levels than you; it's hard to be objective about our own performance.
You may even want to book a session or two with a professional triathlon or endurance training coach; there's really no substitute for having a realistic baseline assessment before you set out to train for your first triathlon (or even your first several events).
The Race
Once you know where you are, you need to know where you're going; what are the challenges facing you in the race you're preparing for? What's the distance of the swim? Is it going to happen in a pool or in open water? If open water, is it going to take place in a lake, or in the ocean? Plan to do as much of your training as possible in conditions as close as you can make them to the actual conditions you'll be competing under.
What about the bike and running courses? Are they hilly or pretty flat? If it's winter now and the race is in the summer, you may want to at least drive the bike and running courses (if you can); doing this can be a great help in visualizing and mentally preparing for what you'll be up against in the actual race.
Time
All races are races against time, and your training is no different: today is whatever day today is, and the race is on whatever day the race is on; the difference between those two dates is the total time you have to prepare.
Also, if you're like most triathletes, you have a day job, and maybe a family, and maybe other social obligations, and yet somewhere in all of that, you have to find time to train, consistently, every week. This can be a whole different level of challenge. You may need to give up some things you're used to doing to make time for training (and for recovery from training), so be prepared for that.
Be Prepared
The bottom line is, know where you're at, know where you're going, and be prepared to do the work and make the sacrifices you'll need to make along the way. One way to make sure you're prepared is to read as much as you can about the process, so you know what to expect.
I've been putting together a series of "lenses" on Squidoo that deal with these issues; one of them is titled "Triathlon Training Schedule for Beginners" - you might like to have a look at that lens, and the others I've also done (they're all linked together; look for the block near the bottom of the lens).
It is important that you know what you are doing when you are doing a triathlon training program for a triathlon, as there are 3 events and you should schedule your programs according to the events. The benefits of these kinds of triathlon training programs will help you to complete the event at a faster duration. If you want to finish faster at Olympic distance, improving bilateral breathing is a good way to start implementing in your triathlon training programs, as it will improve your swimming skills by utilizing both sides when breathing.
Training for a Triathlon
If you are new to triathlon, there are three types of triathlons, which you have to take note. The three are sprint distance, which is best for beginners who want to try their first triathlon. The Olympic distance which is a stage higher than sprint distance and a more common race distance especially among elite triathletes. Lastly is the Iron man distance, it's an event for an athlete who wants to push their bodies and minds to their limits.
When you are planning for a triathlon training program, make sure you plan your training sessions well. Do perform your training specifically to the event that you are participating for. When it comes to training, the important aspect that you should take note of is your progression. Our body will become used to the training workouts if we did not put in some variations in it. Give your body some challenge and plan a proper schedule.
Benefits of Triathlon Training Program
The best advantage of a triathlon training program is that it is not only for beginner triathletes but also for someone who is just beginning to start exercising. Normally, triathlon training programs consists of utilizing the bike for cardiovascular exercise and moderate strength training for low impact training, which is especially good if you want to shed off some weight.
Before you set off for any triathlon training programs, do have a thorough check with your local doctor and see if you are healthy enough to take on these types of exercise routines. But not to worry, these training routines will be gentle on your joints while strengthening muscles, bones and cardiovascular systems.
Tips for Finishing Faster at Olympic Distance
In order for you to finish faster at Olympic distance, you have to train your body to run well even though if your body is tired. What you can do is implement workouts in your triathlon training program that works on your running fitness. For a start, you can try with brick sessions. Brick sessions are a type of training session that replicates race conditions. Doing pure run sessions do help a lot too as it will teach you to run fast even when you are tired.
The brick sessions are a real strength endurance session, as you have to do 10 miles on the bike at 10-mile time trial pace. Do set up a little transition area and then run two miles at threshold running pace. Repeat this two or three times. It is recommended that you perform it 3 times if you are training for the Olympic distance.
How to Improve Bilateral Breathing?
Bilateral breathing is when a swimmer requires changing breathing sides after each stroke cycle. Triathlons usually require you to swim, run and cycle and equipping yourself with proper bilateral breathing methods will eliminate neck and shoulder fatigue and promotes better balance and body alignment. It is also an essential navigational skill in open water therefore it is a must to include this in your triathlon training programs.
What can you do to improve bilateral breathing is by breathing on your weaker side. It means that you are breathing on the side that you are not used to. Although it will be tough and most swimmers hated that training regime, it will greatly help by making you versatile to breath on your both sides while swimming.
All the basic that you should know about triathlon training have been outlined for you above. By taking the necessary measures, the progression you will make will greatly help you to improve yourself to be a better triathlete. These kinds of triathlon training will not only help you for events but also will keep you fit and focused on personal levels.
Triathlon wetsuit is a rubber garment. It is made using foamed neoprene. Divers, surfers, canoeists and windsurfers use wetsuits to get warmth and protection when swimming in water. It offers necessary buoyancy, abrasion resistance and thermal insulation to the people who participate in water sports. Gas bubbles are inserted in the rubber material to minimize heat conduction and to provide required buoyancy. Wetsuits were unveiled during early part of 1950s. It was made using foamed neoprene. It was very delicate. It was modified later with thin sheets of nylon. In order to make it waterproof, wetsuit joints were glued and stitched. The wetsuits were further modified with improved seals at wrists, neck and ankles.
With innovative technologies and materials, wetsuits have evolved over time. Wetsuit wearers now experience new functionality and improved production processes in addition to various accessories. Triathlon wetsuit uses light materials to allow quick drying. The quick drying property of the wetsuit allows athletes to continue to the next event of competition without having to worry about drying of the wetsuit. The wetsuits get dried quickly in few minutes. It allows athletes to save time during competition.
Heating panels with rechargeable batteries have been inserted in the wetsuits to provide protection for surfers from water and at the same time offer necessary heat. Surfers can heat their body during surfing with such wetsuits. The wetsuits are developed in such a way that electric panels do not cause electric shock to the surfers while surfing.
Modular triathlon wetsuit has been developed to address overlaying gluing and blind stitching methods. This enables manufacture of wetsuits for various body sizes and shapes. Issues such as blind stitching and overlaying gluing techniques, with adaptable fitting options have been addressed in the design of modular wetsuits.
Basically Triathlon is a multi-sport activity, which includes swimming, cycling and running. Triathlon wetsuits were developed for tri-athletes. Many types of wetsuits including pullover bibjohn, shortcut, full-cut and sleeveless are available in the market. You can use a suitable this depending on temperature of water. You can swim faster with increased buoyancy using a wetsuit.
Triathlon wetsuit provides protection to the athlete from chilly cold water shock. It allows the athlete to utilize valuable time to win the race. You can also use a triathlon wetsuit for scuba diving. Various types of wetsuits are available for women, men and children to allow them to participate in water sports.
Athletes across the world use Triathlon Wetsuit to take part in various water sports and get protection from cold water. Triathlon wetsuits for water sports have been developed using neoprene as in the case of a traditional wetsuit.
The Melbourne race will offer one of the highest prize purses on the Ironman circuit.
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) and the Premier of Victoria announced today that the inaugural Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship will take place in Melbourne, Australia, on March 25, 2012. This race will be the first-ever Ironman triathlon competition to be held in the Melbourne metropolitan area.
Athletes will compete for a professional prize purse of $100,000 USD and 75 age group qualifying slots to the 2012 Ironman World Championship, more than any other race in the Asia-Pacific region.
Read more: Ironman.com
Filed under : Ironman • News
Read more about :Ironman Asia Pacific, WTC
Price: $20.72
GU Energy Gel is a unique, high-energy, highly concentrated energy gel that digests easily. Each box of GU Energy Gel contains 24, 1.1 ounce packages, delivering 100, fat free calories that provide high energy and improve recovery time Nutritional details: Carbohydrates: 25g; Potassium: 30mg; Sodium: 40mg Flavors: Orange, Triberry, Chocolate Outrage, Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Banana and Variety packPrice: $20.72
GU Energy Gel is a unique, high-energy, highly concentrated energy gel that digests easily. Each box of GU Energy Gel contains 24, 1.1 ounce packages, delivering 100, fat free calories that provide high energy and improve recovery time Nutritional details: Carbohydrates: 25g; Potassium: 30mg; Sodium: 40mg Flavors: Orange, Triberry, Chocolate Outrage, Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Banana and Variety packPrice: $8.10
As a rider, you know how hard it is to find a way to balance your bike. This bike stand avoids the need to balance your bike by leaning it against cars, walls, or rough surfaces. It also makes it easy to change a wheel, pump up a tire, lube a chain, or clean your bike. This bike stand is engineered to be stable and durable. The spoke-saving technology holds the bike by the tire without touching the bike spokes, providing extra protection for your bike. With the turn of a knob, adjust the stand to custom fit your road, triathlon, cyclocross, tandem, recumbent, or mountain bike. This bike stand expands to 2.75 inches and weighs a little over 5 pounds, making it especially sturdy, yet light enough to be easily transported. Dimensions are 18 inches (length) x 12 inches (width) x 8 inches (height).
Small replacement electrodes for your Globus Premium Sport or Fitness Muscle Stimulator. 2" x 2", 4 each.Electrodes are reuseable however they will periodically need to be replaced as they eventually start to fray or lose their adhesive properties. Most individuals get 1, 2 or even 3 months out of a set of electrodes but these statistics vary widely based on a number of factors including the frequency of use, the oiliness of your skin, sweat levels, and skin inpurities. It's a good idea to keep an extra set on hand to ensure you don't end up skipping a treatment or two until you can get some more.Price: $20.00
A triathlon wetsuit rental is a great option for beginners and other athletes who cannot afford to buy a decent quality triathlon wetsuit. The rent rates are usually affordable and the suits are typically of good quality. You are allowed to keep the suits for the whole season, which means that you will be able to train in the rental suits and can, thus, get comfortable wearing the suit. In fact, a triathlon wetsuit rental is the best option for those athletes who want to take part in an event just to try it out as an experience factor and do not mean to use a wetsuit again for ages.
So what all do you need to know before going for a triathlon wetsuit rental? Well, you would need to do your research on the types and categories of triathlon wetsuits, of course. You need to know that you could have either full sleeved or sleeveless triathlon suits, the full sleeved providing more buoyancy and warmth and the sleeveless being better in warm conditions or when you need to get in and out of the suit more easily. The categories are based on the quality of the wetsuits, the best being category 4, which are the most expensive kind with the most technological and design innovations. Category 2 and 3 are decent quality suits and give considerable amount of hydrodynamicity and flexibility at a reasonable cost, while category 1 gives you the basic functionality at a basic cost. You could get most types and categories at a triathlon wetsuit rental.
There are some things to be kept in mind when you go for a triathlon wetsuit rental. First of all, understand that fitting is important (very important), if you want your wetsuit to serve its purpose (that is provide you speed and flexibility). Hence, wear the suits and see. Make sure that they are a snug fit, so that water cannot get in and cause drag (which will reduce your speed). There should not be any wrinkles or portions that hang over. Also, try getting in and out of the suit a few times both to ensure the suit's quality and to make sure that you are comfortable with it. Make sure the neoprene is in good condition (look for tears and such), since the previous user could've been careless.
The best folks to approach for a Triathlon Wetsuit Rental would be the people who organize the triathlon events. Major races usually provide the renting options and these suits are typically good quality. Other independent triathlon gear shops with good records are also reasonable options.
In modern day sports, a Triathlon Wetsuit is one of the hottest pieces of sports equipment available. A triathlon is generally held in the category of swimming, biking and running. It is a very physically enduring sport and the true mettle of a sportsman is tested here. Many serious sportsmen nowadays use wetsuits while swimming to gain an edge.
But regardless of the debate caused by critics of the Triathlon Wetsuit, it is increasingly becoming popular among seasoned and novice sportsmen. In the initial years, these wetsuits were only used for cold water events, usually while scuba diving or for other diving adventure sports. But now, these wetsuits are being used for sports such as speed swimming, and since then, they are now being used for during major swimming events.
The modern day Triathlon Wetsuit is made from better material. With technological advancements in the field of making sports gear, wetsuits are also becoming more flexible and buoyant, with better hydro-dynamic exterior and better panelling inside the suits. There are bodies, like the International Triathlon Union and USA Triathlon, which set standards for the kind of materials to be used in a Triathlon Wetsuit, so that sportsmen get uniform and qualitative wetsuits to use while sporting.
In triathlons held in colder climates, the Triathlon Wetsuit makes it possible for swimmers to compete without difficulty of having to face the freezing temperatures. The suit protects the wearer against hypothermia, which affects the metabolism and bodily functioning of the swimmer, leading even to death at times. The wetsuit helps in insulation by trapping a layer of water in the surface of the suit, which is warmed up by the wearer's body heat, and thus, serves as a warm shield against the surrounding pool water.
Depending on one's requirements, there are many top brands of wetsuits, for beginners, brands like- 2XU T: 0 Team Triathlon Wetsuit and Aqua Sphere Unisex Pursuit Full Sleeve Wetsuit are good options. For seasoned swimmers, brands like Blue Seventy Reaction FS Wetsuit and Orca Equip Full Sleeve Wetsuit are quite popular. For swimmers looking for the newest innovations, brands like Zoot Zenith 2.0 Wetsuit, 2XU V: 1 Velocity Wetsuit and Blue Seventy Helix FS Wetsuit are the best brands available.
So, depending on one's preferences and requirements, swimmers can make a decision and purchase their Triathlon Wetsuit.
The Tristar Sports event group has recently teamed up with the Federation of Kitts and Nevis to put together an International long distance sporting event called the Tristar 111 Nevis Triathlon last week. Competitive athletes attended the event from various areas of the globe. The event included individual competitors and relay teams.
As the name suggests, the Triathlon comprised of three major sections. These included the swim course, the biking course, and a running course. The event proceeded respectively with only a small transition area where the athletes changed gears and proceeded to the next portion of the competition.
The Swimming Section
The swimming course began in downtown Charlestown in Gallows bay. The athletes began from the beach and swam through the course marked by buoys. The first buoy was located beyond the ferry pier and was aligned with Hunkins Drive. They swam right around this buoy and headed towards the second buoy. At this point they headed back towards the finish line marked by the dinghy dock.
Once the athletes completed this portion of the event, they gathered the biking gear and transition out of their swimming gear in the designated area by the main car park. After this they ran over the bike course.
The Biking Section
Once on the bikes, the athletes began what is to be four laps around the island. The distance was about 20 miles, or 32 kilometers around the island. They began on Hunkins Drive and continued along the main road through Charlestown, which would mark the coming laps. They headed from Charleston to Pond hill, and then headed to the right in the direction of Montpelier. They continued through the village, heading back to the main island road where they would continue to circle the island, and repeated this three times. Once the laps were completed, the competitors turned on Hunkins Drive once more and gathered their running gear.
The Running Section
The athletes had parked the bikes, transition into their running gear, and began the next course. The running course led towards Bath Village, near the port on the right, and then on the old road on the outer ring. They ran through Bath Village and entered Fort Thomas. Then they ran along the beach at gallows bay, which completed the first lap, which was repeated once more. After completing this segment they headed to the finish line on Hunkins Drive.
The Rules
The racers could not bring MP3 players, cell phones or other types of electronic devices to the race. They needed to be properly dressed for each portion of the event, and they should have checked their bags of gear that were to be used for transitioning in advance, prior to the Triathlon by the deadline. Drafting, escorting, and littering were strictly prohibited and violators would be disqualified. All racers were expected to smile and have a good attitude from the beginning of the race to the end.
Participating in the Triathlon or just visiting the island to watch is a great opportunity to check out Nevis real estate.
For further details, please visit: nevisstylerealty.com
Here is a quick guide outlining key considerations to take into account when you are purchasing a triathlon wetsuit. This guide features triathlon wetsuit material right through to the manufacturer's warranty.
The most common material is neoprene, which comes in different levels depending on your price range. Top brands coat their more expensive wetsuits with a silicon coating skin (SCS) that cuts quicker through water helping with propulsion and glide through the water. The "nano" coating on some wetsuits helps trap air between the silicon and the suit to increase buoyancy. It's important to look for a wetsuit that has different levels of thickness with the shoulder panels and arms thinner than the chest and legs. The thicker material around the torso and upper legs will help with floatation and the thinner panels help with easier movement and flexibility.
Correct fit and wetsuit constructionThe wetsuit needs to fit snuggly and it should not let in any water flow. This means the wrists, ankles and neck should have a comfortable firm seal. The wetsuit construction itself should have a mixture of stitching and glue between the panels to increase the life of your wetsuit. The wetsuit will initially feel tight and hot when you first try it on out of the water. Once you enter the water it will start to feel more comfortable. Choose the correct size by using the height and weight size guides found on most online retail websites. As a rule of thumb if your body type is tall and thin then be guided more by the height and with short and wide body types go with the weight size guides.
Make sure the zipper draws all the way down the back, so the end is level with your hips. This makes it easier to put the wetsuit on and ensures an easier transition when taking off your wetsuit from the water exit. You can also use a water-soluble lubricant around your ankles to make it even easier to take off your wetsuit.
Propulsion panels and speed strakesRubber panels on the bottom side of the forearms act as a paddles when swimming. This helps the pull stroke and creates faster propulsion through the water. Another new feature for top of the range wetsuits include speed strakes along the chest panels and the legs. The strakes help hydrodynamic stability in choppy water and it also helps you keep a straight line in the flat, outdoor water.
If you are buying online, always check that the retailer has a warranty and exchange policy in place. Buying a wetsuit is an expensive investment, so it's important to have piece of mind if it is damaged due to manufacturing error.
For more information on a wide range of wetsuits from entry to high performance, please visit Triathlon Wetsuits.
Mike Kirkman,
Helping you achieve your triathlon goals
http://www.triathlon2win.com/
Without a doubt you could spend more money on triathlon bikes than any other bit of triathlon gear.
So it helps if you know what you need, what to look for and what your options are before you set out to part with your cash. Before spending money on a triathlon bike, read on to find out everything you need to know about how to choose the right one.
If you are just starting out in triathlon, then any bike will do so long as it has two wheels and brakes that work!
Even a mountain bike will do, but generally people will compete on traditional-style racing bikes with drop handlebars.
There are many things to consider when choosing a bike, from the type of riding you do to the distances you will cover. Other things to add into the mix for you to think about are gears, wheels, bars, pedals, shows, saddles, tyres. And then once you've decided on all that, you need to make sure you get a bike that fits.
The more you pay, the lighter the bike becomes due to better quality (lighter and stronger) components.
How Much Difference Does The Cost Make?
This depends on how competitive you are. Generally the more expensive the bike, the lighter it is. If you're serious about improving times then a lighter bike will help.
A more expensive bike will last longer because of the higher quality components. This becomes more relevant the more you plan to ride your bike. Even a cheaper bike will last a long time if you look after it and don't ride it for hours every day!
How To Choose A Bike
The best way to choose the right bike is to go to a reputable bike shop and get advice.
The sort of questions they should be asking you, or information you should be giving them are:
What are you wanting to do on your bike (ie race fast vs complete course, race Ironman vs sprint triathlons)What distances will you coverHow much training do you plan to doWhat type of riding will you do - hilly or flatWhat is your budgetDo you have any back problems (this might restrict your mobility and therefore a smaller/shorter bike would suit you better so that you are more upright).Our general advice is to buy at the upper end of your budget because you will notice the difference in quality.
Carbon Frame or Aluminium?
Carbon fibre is generally lighter, but cheaper carbons offer no advantage over a similarly priced aluminium frame and may even be heavier.
What you choose comes down to personal preference: do you like the look, and does it fit well are more important that whether the frame is carbon or aluminium.
Generally we would advise you go for an aluminium if you are going for the cheaper end of the price range. This is because when a carbon frame get damaged it is harder to spot because the damage is often internal. Also, if they fail they tend to fail spectacularly. If an aluminium frame gets damaged it is usually easy to spot.
Wheels
You could easily spend more on wheels than the rest of the bike in total. Once you have a bike that fits, the thing that will make the biggest difference to your performance is the wheels.
If you want to spend money on something, then spend it on wheels and tyres rather than an expensive carbon fibre seat post or static components.
Losing rotating mass (weight) on a bike makes a significant difference to performance So anywhere you can lose weight of things that rotate (so mainly the wheels, bit also the chain set) the better or faster you will go.
If you want your wheels to be multi-purpose - in other words you are going to use them every day and are going to be doing a variety of riding, both hilly and flat then you don't want anything to deep section (depth of the rim).
This is because the wind affects the wheels if they have deep rims, and they are also generally heavier, although expensive ones can still be light.
We would generally recommend aluminium wheels unless you have a lot of money to spend. Carbon wheels are expensive, and GOOD carbon wheels are VERY expensive.
Carbon wheels are also less reliable. They are more prone to fractures and control is less predictable in the wet than aluminium wheels.
If you just want a good set of racing wheels and can afford it then go for carbon ones.
So the bottom line is, spend as much as you can on wheels!
Tyres
Good quality tyres are a worthwhile investment. Better quality material gives you longer lasting tyres that are more puncture resistant and lighter than lower quality tyres.
A wheel is designed to have either clincher or tubular ('tubs') tyres. You can't change from clincher to tubs without changing the wheel. It is possible to change the rim of the wheel to enable you to change tyres but this is complicated and if you want to do this speak to a bike shop!
Clinchers are the most conventional tyres. They have a bead that hooks onto the rim of the wheel, with an inner tube inside.
Tubulars has an inner tube that is sewn into the tyre and then glued to the rim of the wheel. So you don't have a separate inner tube and tyre.
Once upon a time tubs were faster because they were lighter and better quality than clinchers. However advances in clinchers over the last 10 years means that there is now no real difference between the two types.
Clinchers tend to be much more convenient for most people. If you have top-end carbon wheels then tubs are better because the way the rims of the wheels are constructed means that the wheel can be lighter and stronger.
As with other bike parts, there are lots of different brands of both clinchers and tubs. Generally the more you pay the better the tyres are for their purpose.
If you only buy one set then don't get the lightest or the heaviest, choose something in the middle. This means you get the best for performance in terms of puncture resistance, weight, grip and rolling resistance.
Top Tips For Choosing A Triathlon Bike
Got to a specialist shopThe more you pay the better the quality bike you will getSpending money on good quality wheels and tyres can make all the difference to a cheaper bike frameTry the bike before you buy it to make sure it is the right size and get it set up to fit you properlyMy name is Rhona Pearce.
I have a degree and postgraduate degree in sports science and exercise physiology, and 10 years experience of providing sports science support to triathletes. My husband is a triathlon coach for the British Olympic programme and together we have developed this website: http://www.intelligent-triathlon-training.com/
Visit it for lots of practical information and advice about all aspects of triathlon training, nutrition, triathlon gear, injury prevention and recovery.
Triathlon is a multi-sport that usually includes swimming, cycling and running. These tasks should be completed in order to win the race. It is a sport that requires the athlete to have a good stamina, endurance and strength. It is not only the men who can join this event but also ladies who are now welcome to join a triathlon. This also requires the female athletes to wear ladies triathlon wetsuit for a more comfortable and convenient way to survive the race.
A ladies triathlon wetsuit is produced and widely distributed by a lot of famous brands. This wetsuit will give the athlete an edge and advantages that will help an individual win and get through all the tasks that need to be done without any hassle. You just don't buy a triathlon wetsuit or just pick something off the rack and proceed to the counter. You also have to check the wetsuit. What do you need to check for in a ladies wetsuit to ensure that it is the best?
- The ladies triathlon wetsuit should properly fit you. Yes, you have to try it on first before purchasing it to ensure that it fits you well. Some wetsuits will be loose while some others will be very tight and it will be impossible to you to move freely. It shouldn't limit your shoulder or arm reach. It should also be comfortable from the shoulder to the crotch.
- Check the layout material of the ladies triathlon wetsuit. A balance between thickness and thinness at all the right parts should be present. Thickness all over the wetsuit will not let you move freely and thinness on the parts like the arms and legs where movement usually take place will be good. A balance between the two should be present in the material layout.
- Check the neck and wrist seals. It should not let the water flow in and out and the water should not be held inside the wetsuit. This will add pound to your weight and can make you move slower.
- The ease of exit should be considered. You don't want a ladies triathlon wetsuit that will be very difficult for you to take out. But it should be rightly zipped in the back, wrist and ankles. Not too tight, but just the right kind of tightness that can easily be taken off.
Once you have the above checklist in place and everything is in order, you can be satisfied that you have found the best Ladies Triathlon Wetsuit.
BRAND NEW sticker is made of highest quality vinyl with up to 5 year outdoor guarantee. Sticker is die cut around the contour and easily removable. It will not leave behind residue or damage the surface when removed. Sticker can be applied to multiple surfaces, including bumpers, car windows, lockers, mirrors, metal, wood, or any other flat surface. All stickers ship within 24 hours of payment clearance.Price:
Garmin 010-11430-00 Vehicle Mount 010-11430-00 842
EMMANUEL'S GIFT - DVD Movie
EASY FREESTYLE SWIMMING BY TERRY LAUG - DVD Movie