Today we talk about Triathlon
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TRIATHLON
Today we want to tell you about those splendid young people who do triathlon and whose sculpted physiques and defined muscles we often envy.
Let's start by saying that it is not a sport for everyone. I know, it's a shame to stop dreaming before you even start, but it's only right to face reality.
First of all, anyone who does triathlon needs time. It is a truly precious resource and a necessary one for practising this sport. Just think that triathlon is a multidisciplinary activity combining swimming, cycling and running. Three disciplines in a single race!
As you can easily imagine, performing well and training properly takes time to devote to each activity, and it is not so easy to find it between family, work and a thousand other everyday commitments. To give you a benchmark, preparing for an Olympic-distance triathlon takes at least 6-7 months.
What's more, the activities involved are endurance sports, meaning they are not short, so they require a lot of time: at least a few hours per session.
This multidisciplinary aspect is really difficult to manage mentally too: it is not easy to stay focused and motivated all the time, but in triathlon you have to, because the training sessions dedicated to each activity are fewer than for those who practise the individual disciplines, so you need to make the most of your time to make training truly productive.
At the same time, it is also an aspect of the sport that many athletes appreciate, because it allows them to vary their training and break the monotony that can often affect athletes who practise a single discipline assiduously.
Training for a triathlon, however, must also include combined sessions, where you train in two disciplines on the same day. This is a fundamental and essential element for simulating the conditions you will then face in the race.
HOW DOES A TRIATHLON RACE WORK?
Competitors race against each other across the three disciplines, without any break.
It starts with the swim, where after a short run you dive into the water and the battle begins, with plenty of kicking, shoving and confusion.
Yes, that's what happens at the start of the race when all the competitors are close together. But don't be discouraged: with a bit of experience you learn to choose the best lines according to your own pace and preferences. A small tip: if you want to save energy, it is advisable to draft at a distance of no more than 50 cm behind the swimmer in front.
Pay attention to where you are swimming: a lake or the sea is not a pool, visibility is different (or even non-existent under water in lakes), you have to swim while sighting the buoys to know where to turn and which course to follow, and the water is churned up by the other competitors. In short, swimming in the pool during training is not exactly the same thing.
In "classic" triathlon (i.e. the Olympic distance), the swimming distance is 1500 metres.
Once the first leg is over, it's time for the bike , so after running out of the water you take off your wetsuit (often worn, where allowed, partly because it provides greater buoyancy and therefore greater speed) and pick up your bike. Be careful to follow the rules: you cannot get on the bike in the transition area but must wait for the marked mount line. Once on, it's shoes, helmet, a supply of salts and gels or energy bars, and off you go flat out.
If you manage to find a group to ride with, you can help each other by drafting and saving precious energy (when the rules allow it).
The "classic" bike distance is 40 km.
Finally, all that remains is the last leg: the run. You leave the bike, change your shoes and off you go.
In the classic version you run 10 km to the finish line.
These are the general dynamics, which do not change from race to race. What can change are the distances: in recent years, races have appeared where, for example, the run includes climbing and may therefore be shorter, or where a mountain bike is used instead of a road bike.
Here is a brief summary of the triathlon races you can take on:
WHICH SUPPLEMENTS WE RECOMMEND
Given the multidisciplinary nature and the length of the race, it is important to have a good muscular base, so protein is definitely recommended during the preparation and recovery periods. Mineral salts, energy gels and energy bars are a must, on the other hand, during training or the race.
Today we want to tell you about those splendid young people who do triathlon and whose sculpted physiques and defined muscles we often envy.
Let's start by saying that it is not a sport for everyone. I know, it's a shame to stop dreaming before you even start, but it's only right to face reality.
First of all, anyone who does triathlon needs time. It is a truly precious resource and a necessary one for practising this sport. Just think that triathlon is a multidisciplinary activity combining swimming, cycling and running. Three disciplines in a single race!
As you can easily imagine, performing well and training properly takes time to devote to each activity, and it is not so easy to find it between family, work and a thousand other everyday commitments. To give you a benchmark, preparing for an Olympic-distance triathlon takes at least 6-7 months.
What's more, the activities involved are endurance sports, meaning they are not short, so they require a lot of time: at least a few hours per session.
This multidisciplinary aspect is really difficult to manage mentally too: it is not easy to stay focused and motivated all the time, but in triathlon you have to, because the training sessions dedicated to each activity are fewer than for those who practise the individual disciplines, so you need to make the most of your time to make training truly productive.
At the same time, it is also an aspect of the sport that many athletes appreciate, because it allows them to vary their training and break the monotony that can often affect athletes who practise a single discipline assiduously.
Training for a triathlon, however, must also include combined sessions, where you train in two disciplines on the same day. This is a fundamental and essential element for simulating the conditions you will then face in the race.
HOW DOES A TRIATHLON RACE WORK?
Competitors race against each other across the three disciplines, without any break.
It starts with the swim, where after a short run you dive into the water and the battle begins, with plenty of kicking, shoving and confusion.
Yes, that's what happens at the start of the race when all the competitors are close together. But don't be discouraged: with a bit of experience you learn to choose the best lines according to your own pace and preferences. A small tip: if you want to save energy, it is advisable to draft at a distance of no more than 50 cm behind the swimmer in front.
Pay attention to where you are swimming: a lake or the sea is not a pool, visibility is different (or even non-existent under water in lakes), you have to swim while sighting the buoys to know where to turn and which course to follow, and the water is churned up by the other competitors. In short, swimming in the pool during training is not exactly the same thing.
In "classic" triathlon (i.e. the Olympic distance), the swimming distance is 1500 metres.
Once the first leg is over, it's time for the bike , so after running out of the water you take off your wetsuit (often worn, where allowed, partly because it provides greater buoyancy and therefore greater speed) and pick up your bike. Be careful to follow the rules: you cannot get on the bike in the transition area but must wait for the marked mount line. Once on, it's shoes, helmet, a supply of salts and gels or energy bars, and off you go flat out.
If you manage to find a group to ride with, you can help each other by drafting and saving precious energy (when the rules allow it).
The "classic" bike distance is 40 km.
Finally, all that remains is the last leg: the run. You leave the bike, change your shoes and off you go.
In the classic version you run 10 km to the finish line.
These are the general dynamics, which do not change from race to race. What can change are the distances: in recent years, races have appeared where, for example, the run includes climbing and may therefore be shorter, or where a mountain bike is used instead of a road bike.
Here is a brief summary of the triathlon races you can take on:
- Super Long: 3.8 km swim - 180 km bike - 42.195 km run
- Long: 4 km swim - 120 km bike - 30 km run
- Middle: 1.9 km swim - 90 km bike - 21 km run
- Olympic: 1.5 km swim - 40 km bike - 10 km run
- Sprint: 750 m swim - 20 km bike - 5 km run
- Super Sprint: 400 m swim - 10 km bike - 2.5 km run
WHICH SUPPLEMENTS WE RECOMMEND
Given the multidisciplinary nature and the length of the race, it is important to have a good muscular base, so protein is definitely recommended during the preparation and recovery periods. Mineral salts, energy gels and energy bars are a must, on the other hand, during training or the race.
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