Beyond the marathon

More athletes are looking to push themselves further -- and into triathlons.
By Jeannine Stein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 4, 2008
» Discuss Article    (10 Comments)

TRIATHLONS are the new marathons.

Not content with running a mere 26.2 miles, today's athletes-in-need-of-a-goal are signing up for swim/cycle/run combinations. Although the Ironman format (a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a marathon) is familiar to most, other races offer a variety of distances. They include the sprint (half-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run), the Olympic (0.93-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike ride and 6.2-mile run), and the half-Ironman (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run).

 
"People are looking for the next thing -- they're reaching, trying new things," says Paul Ruggiero, head triathlon coach for the Greater Los Angeles chapter of Team in Training, a training group sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "Go to a race," he adds, "and you'll see different body types and a huge range of socioeconomic backgrounds."

But training for a triathlon can be a daunting task. Becoming proficient in three sports, learning how to swim in open water, finding the right bicycle, carving out additional time to work out -- these can befuddle those adept at doing just one, or even two, things well.

Here's what coaches and triathletes say about getting started, nutrition, gear, training -- and the event itself.

jeannine.stein@latimes.com




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Share a training tip -- or ask a training question. One caveat: you'll have to rely on your fellow readers to respond. Experienced coaches are not standing by...
 
1. Here's another helpful and funny article from EveryMan Tri aimed at beginners. "Top Ten Newbie Mistakes" 10) Wearing a black swim cap. On the face of it this one might seem a bit silly but true. "You are not gonna wear that black swim cap," the guy standing in the water next to me at the start solemnly said. "I was planning on it" I replied a bit confused. "You don't want to do that," he added with a knowing nod. "Why" I said a bit wide eyed? "Because they won't see go down when you drown," he added and swam away. Check it out at http://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2005/08/news_from_the_b_1.html
Submitted by: mbeck (Times staff)
10:39 AM PST, Feb 8, 2008
 
2. As a SPIN Instructor, I always say to my students, "Connect, commit, and communicate". You need to connect to a group and make the commitment to stay active in that group... and then become a part of the group - be open to communicate your ideas. When training for a triathlon - Wildflower on May 4, 2008 will be my first - I looked to join a group to train with (looking for people online), so I joined SoCal Triathlete (SCT) at www.meetup.com. I invite you to do the same if you are thinking of starting the journey towards this humbling race called a triathlon. Here's to your health!
Submitted by: llaver (SoCal Triathlete, meetup.com)
8:37 AM PST, Feb 6, 2008
 
3. Thinking about trying a triathlon? Here's another good source of information, http://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/ And here's a blog article the author wrote that's especially germane to the subject at hand: http://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2007/10/the-everyman-2n.html
Submitted by: mbeck (Times staff)
4:58 PM PST, Feb 5, 2008
 
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