November 2008 Archives

It’s that time of the year again!

With Christmas just around the corner, a lot of people are thinking about the perfect gift for the special triathlete(s) in their lives.

It’s also that time when people may be asking you, “What do you want for Christmas?”

What follows are some gift ideas for triathletes, including suggestions you might offer others who want to give you a meaningful gift.

Since a lot or triathlon gear and accessories are cheaper to purchase online, you’ll want to get started ASAP!

It’s about energy management.

The longer the distance of your triathlon, the more crucial it becomes that you waste as little energy as possible.

Every triathlete has a love-hate relationship with air. You have to breathe it, but it’s an obstacle otherwise -- especially on the bike, which is the longest portion of every triathlon. Catch the air like a kite, and you are in trouble; slip through the air like a knife, and you have mastered an essential element for triathlon performance.

I was recently invited to join iAmTri.com, a social networking site for triathletes.

I am already a member of AthleteFocus.com and Fastloop.com, as well as a few triathlon groups on Facebook, and one triathlon group on CouchSurfing.com.

Which raises the question, what is the value of these kinds of social networking sites for triathletes?

Here are a few benefits of these types of social networking sites for triathletes...

We’ve all heard the phrase “practice makes perfect.” But it's not necessarily true.

If your technique is flawed, all that “practice” does is reinforce something that ultimately is going to prevent progress and performance.

Here’s one of those little triathlon “secrets” that takes an amateur awhile to get in their head. Your success and performance as a triathlete will be limited more by your skills than what we typically think of as “fitness.”

Case in point: Derek Clayton. Until 1981, Clayton held the world record for marathon – 2:08:34. Surprisingly, his VO2 max paled in comparison to his rival competitors. None of these runners came close to Clayton’s time, despite having superior cardiovascular engines. How did Clayton do it? Economy. He simply wasted less energy when he ran than did his competitors. Clayton had perfected a highly economical running technique.

So, here’s my advice: FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE! Get it right, give it attention regularly, and incorporate technique work as a non-negotiable component of your triathlon training plan.

There is no place where the issue of technique comes up for the triathlete more than in swimming.

With so many winter and early spring marathons these days, it’s a perfect way for the off-season triathlete to build and maintain aerobic endurance for the next season.

Even for those who haven’t ventured beyond the sprint or Olympic distance triathlon, training for and completing a marathon this winter or spring will pay great dividends in your long-term conditioning. Marathon training will establish a solid running base, which is necessary anyway in the typical year-round triathlon training plan.

Completing a marathon (as well as biking a century) is especially helpful for triathletes aspiring to complete in an Ironman triathlon. These long-distance running and cycling events help familiarize you with the demands of the Ironman distances. If you can’t run a marathon or bike a century, how do you expect to do both of them together after a long swim?

So, let’s start first with completing in a marathon. How can a triathlete best train for a marathon?

So, you’re relatively new to the sport of triathlon. You’ve met other triathletes, perhaps become involved in a triathlon group or club, and you search out triathlon information on the Internet.

You have more or less figured out the main pieces involved in triathlon training and competition, but there are a few things that are still a little foggy. Like VO2 max. You’ve heard the term, but it’s all Greek to you.

Let me help. Here's everything you want to know about measuring and testing VO2 max...

The fastest growing segment of people entering the sport of triathlon is men and women over the age of 40. The designation “triathlete” is no longer just the college student or 20-something single, but includes dads and moms in the thick of their careers and raising 2 or 3 kids.

Balancing the time and energy demands of the sport of triathlon with family life can be a challenge.

One way triathletes are doing this is by specifically choosing triathlon events that can be turned into a family vacation.

What follows are some tips for turning your next triathlon event into a family vacation.