hulaman

Triathlons can be inexpensive and fun!

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to find out what it’s like to finish
a triathlon. You’ll need a swim suit, shorts and top, any ol’ bike and a helmet.
You might already own good running shoes and some goggles and if not, you’ll need to get
them. Voila! Other than the entry fee, you should be able to finish a sprint distance
triathlon with minimal cost and less training than you might think.

On the other hand, you can spend thousands on a bicycle, new running shoes
at $135.00, and get the latest, greatest sunglasses for $150.00. Not to mention the travel,
accommodations and entry fees for an International Ironman event can add up. But with some
planning, savvy and determination even a poor guy like me can complete a half Ironman
distance triathlon. I took the Greyhound bus, camped out and hitch-hiked a ride back
home (with the bike). It was a blast!

There are as many reasons for doing a triathlon as there are triathletes.
Many people participate in triathlons because they reach a peak in their sport
of origin and want a new challenge. Others like myself kept getting injured
and needed another activity to stay in shape while healing. It’s been said
the triathlon is a sport of the discontented. Others realize the excellent
opportunities cross-training affords them.

I have a race application which reads:

The IRONMAN is a display of human
endurance, mettle and triumph. It receives
extensive worldwide media coverage. Your
participation in this event will enable you
to strive to achieve your personal best and
become one of the truly elite in the sports
world.

With some determined effort a few times a week most people are able to complete
a sprint or Olympic distance triathlon in as little as one month. If you are at the
point where it’s hard to run more than 3 blocks, find it difficult to swim the length
of a pool, or get a sore butt on the bike, don’t fret. We have all been there. Start
slowly and before you know it, you’ll be in the kind of shape most people only dream of.

If you slowly incorporate one hour of swimming 3 days per week with 5 days of a
running workout and 2 days with a bike ride, you can be finishing a half Ironman
distance triathlon in as little as 3-6 months depending on your prior fitness.

It’s not hard to imagine that some people are born with what it takes to win
races. I was able to finish my first 1/2 Ironman distance triathlon comfortably
with a training schedule that consisted of one long ride per week of 35-70 miles,
one long run of 10-18 miles, 3 days swimming, and recovery runs the other days.
I always took one day a week off for rest. I never worked hard in two sports
on the same day.

“I have a family and work full time, how can I train for an Ironman?”

The answer lies partly in making time when you thought there wasn’t. The more important
answer is to make triathlon training a priority. Most people think it has to do
with discipline but if the priority is there, it won’t take as much discipline because
you will want to do it. I found getting up early and using my lunch hour helped.
The time spent training actually reaped more energy for me, so I was able to get more
done during the remainder of the day.

The key to successful training lies in doing just enough to stress your muscles,
and let them rest in order to rebuild stronger. So rest becomes just as important as
exercise. Alternating days of different sports becomes the best way for beginners to
lowly work up to training everyday. And even after you get in terrific shape you don’t
want to work hard in all three sports everyday.

Balance and moderation play an important part in optimizing your time/training
equation. You can’t just train all day expecting to get stronger and stronger.
Especially at the cost of family and job responsibilities. When I was a child,
I would spend my summers running, bicycling and swimming as much as I could. It had
nothing to do with being an athlete, but just doing what a young boy growing up on
the coast of Maine would do. As an adult it’s all too easy to forget that we are
supposed to stay active by keeping that child alive and not drive three blocks
to the store.

Twenty years ago I smoked 3 packs of Marlboros a day, drank and did drugs obsessively.
Now I found a lifestyle that no longer requires those things. So this site is dedicated
to the couch potato in all of us, that we may be the best we can possibly be,
achieve the unbelievable, and more. This site is a testimonial that if I can do The
Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, then your wildest dreams can come true as well!

So whether your goals are a sprint distance or Ironman distance triathlon,
I hope these free triathlon training tips will help you realize your fullest potential.

Happy Triathlon Training!