Triathlon, or powerlifting, is a relatively young discipline that combines swimming, cycling and time running, which was entered on the list of Olympic sports in 2000. Triathlon is demanding and versatile because it engages all muscle groups of the competitor. See what the triathlon is about and what distances competitors choose most often.

Triathlonis one of the most difficult sports, requiring comprehensive preparation. A triathlon participant must be in good shape and endurance. It is an ideal discipline for those who want to prove themselves in extreme conditions and prove what they can do.

Contents:

  1. Triathlon - competition
  2. Triathlon - rules
  3. Triathlon - swimming
  4. Triathlon - cycling
  5. Triathlon - running
  6. Triathlon - equipment
  7. Triathlon - distance
  8. Triathlon - variants

Triathlon - competition

Thetriathlonwas first held in 1974 in San Diego, California. 46 people took part in these 500 yards swimming, 5 miles cycling and 6 miles racing competitions.

Today, the most popular competition in the world (IronMan) is held every year in Hawaii, and the winner is awarded the title of the Iron Man. In Poland, the largest number of competitors take part in tournaments organized in Gdynia, Poznań and Susz, but each year new events are added to the calendar of triathlon events.

Popular triathlon competitions in Poland are:

  • 5150 Warsaw Triathlon
  • Enea Bydgoszcz Triathlon
  • Super League Triathlon Poznań
  • JBL Triathlon Sieraków
  • Enea Ironman Gdynia
  • Susz Triathlon

Triathlon - rules

Powerlifting, as the name suggests, consists of three stages:swimming ,cyclingandrunning . The winner is the competitor who covers the designated distance the fastest. Time is measured from the start to the finish line, including the minutes needed to change clothes between each leg.

In the transition zones, which are located on the route in the places ending individual stages, the competitors can prepare for the next discipline, i.e. replace the swimming cap with a bicycle helmetor wear running shoes. At this point, the players have to adapt to start the next stage.

The rules of participation in the triathlon are restrictive and it is easy to disqualify. From electronic devices, only watches are allowed, and at most distances it is forbidden to resort to team practices, such as draft, i.e. cycling in the air tunnel created by the rider in front.

Triathlon - swimming

The swimming stage takes place on open water bodies (river, ocean, lake, sea). The competitors swim along the route marked by the buoys. No swimming equipment, such as fins or tubes, is allowed at this stage. In cases where the water temperature drops below 25 degrees C, competitors may start wearing wetsuits.

Triathlon - cycling

The cycling section is the longest. At this stage, you start on road or triathlon bikes (so-called time trials), where you can ride faster, but are less safe, because the brake handles and gears are placed separately and cannot be used simultaneously. Speed ​​similar to riding a triathlon bike is achieved by mounting a lemond on the handlebars of a road bike. The disadvantage of this solution is the position of the body, which makes it difficult to breathe freely, which may cause a faster decline in strength. It is worth remembering, because the advantage of a more comfortable cycling position is an easier transition to the running part of the competition and obtaining better results later in the competition.

Triathlon - running

The last stage of the competition may be completed by the competitor running forward or backward. It is forbidden to travel without shoes.

Check:

  • Triathlon: 6-week training plan for beginner amateurs
  • Triathlon: 6-week training plan for amateur athletes
  • Triathlon: 6-week advanced training plan

Triathlon - equipment

When preparing for a triathlon, it is not only the appropriate training plan and discipline that count. It is also important to choose the right equipment, because in this sport the quality of the accessories used translates into the time in which the competitor is able to cover the distance.

The type of bike is the most important, because it is used for the most kilometers. It should be light and durable, ideally suited for time trial use, but it can also be road bike. The TT bike has the advantage over the road bike in that it requires less effort to maintain a high speed of 40 km / h. Unfortunately, bikes of this type are quite expensive - good-quality equipment can cost up to 30,000. zlotys. In addition, it is worth stocking up onspecially profiled helmet for the time trial and cycling shoes are obligatory.

  • Bicycle shoes - what should you pay attention to when buying?
  • Swimming goggles - which one to choose?
This will be useful to you

Triathlon - distance

  • Sprinterski: 0.75 km of swim / 20 km of bike ride / 5 km of run
  • Olympic (standard): 1.5 km swim / 40 km bike / 10 km run
  • Long distance: 3 km of swim / 80 km of bike ride / 20 km of run
  • International Triathlon Union (ITU) - long distance: 4 km swim / 130 km bike / 30 km run
  • Half-Ironman (Ironman 70.3): 1.9km swim / 90km run / 21km run
  • Ironman: 3.8 km swim / 180 km bike / 42 km run
  • Ultraman Triathlon: 10km swim / 421km bike / 84km run

Triathlon - variants

In addition to the traditional triathlon at various distances, the organizers also provide other versions of this sport. Do you know what aquathlon, duathlon and winter triathlon are all about?

Aquathlon- a variation of the triathlon in which competitors swim and run, or run, swim and run again. There are no fixed distances in aquathlon. An example distance is 2.5 km of running, 1 km of swimming and 2.5 km of running.

Duathlon- a variation of the triathlon in which competitors run, cycle and run again. The classic distance consists of 10 km running, 40 km cycling and 5 km running.

Winter Triathlon- a type of Traithlon in which competitors run, skate and cycle in snow and ice. There are no officially fixed distances in the winter triathlon.

This will be useful to you

Pasta party, i.e. a joint meal before the start

An event that gathers all participants the day before the competition. Pasta party is a key element of the pre-start menu. It is to give strength and energy to the starting competitors. At the pasta party, the organizers serve high-carbohydrate meals: pasta, rice, yeast dough and drinks.

Category:

Running