Triathlon is a high-intensity endurance competition, and it is a sport that tests the physical strength and will of athletes the most.The competition consists of natural water swimming, road cycling, and road long-distance running in order. The athletes need to work hard to complete the race.
It is such a new type of sports that challenges nature and overcomes oneself. With the official launch of the Ironman Triathlon in San Diego in 1974, "Triathlon" quickly became popular in Europe, America and around the world, and is loved by more and more people. .
So is the threshold for "Tie-XNUMX" high?What is the experience of a newcomer participating in a triathlon?What problems should we pay attention to?
In fact, although the "triathlon" is a severe test of skills and endurance, its competition venue can be adapted to local conditions, flexible, long or short distances, three or two project settings, and various forms of design are available for promotion. ; And the youngest athletes who can complete the "Triathlon" Olympic standard distance competition are only 8 years old, and the oldest is 94 years old.In the competition grouping, there are professional excellent groups and amateur age groups, so that the competition not only has the competition of outstanding professional athletes, but also meets the preference of the majority of amateurs to challenge the limit, which is very extensive.Therefore, triathlon has been rated as one of the ten most attractive and commercial sports in the world today.
So what should newcomers pay attention to when they want to participate in relevant competitions after basic training?First of all, the contestants must have confidence in themselves. It is not impossible to complete the triathlon. Novices can participate in the "Sprint-Distance" first, including swimming 750 meters, cycling 20 kilometers, and long-distance running 5 kilometers.This time, the Toyota Legacy Triathlon held by Toyota and Team USA in Long Beach is Sprint-Distance; after the relevant competition experience, you can go to challenge the "standard iron Olympic-Distance" including swimming 1.5 kilometers, cycling 40 kilometers, long-distance running 10 kilometers, and there is also the "Ironman", which really makes the "Triathlon" enthusiasts fascinated, including swimming 3.8 kilometers, cycling 180 kilometers, and long-distance running 42.195 kilometers.
Let's talk about what preparations should be done before the game.First, training needs to be reduced.Too much practice during the competition week will increase the risk of injury. Proper rest will allow the body to relax from the exhausting training. Second, do not temporarily change your diet menu and habits.This may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, but you can choose a light and low-fat diet appropriately; third, ensure adequate sleep to ensure that you are in the best condition; fourth, remember to check the competition items, and a systematic combing before the competition can not only divert attention It can help relieve the pressure of competition and help you build up your self-confidence.Finally, it is recommended to go to the competition venue to train and be familiar with the relevant environment and conditions, so as to make corresponding preparations or adjustments.
Be sure to prepare all the equipment in advance the night before the competition. Except for the wristbands, electronic sensors, swimming caps (Age-Group), tattoo stickers for the entry number, helmets and bicycles required for the competition, it is full of sports. Drinks or water bottles, CLIF's energy bars, Chargel's energy jelly, and GU's energy gels are all important supplements when changing stations during the competition.I also have Nathan's fanny pack (highly recommended!) to hold my energy gels so I can always recharge while the game is in progress.
On the day of the competition, what should the novice pay attention to? First of all, the check-in and departure times of different groups of players are different. It is necessary to listen to the competition broadcast or arrange by the staff to collect swimming caps, timing anklets and other items.Secondly, the contestants need to enter the "change area" within the specified time to store bicycles and other competition items.Each contestant has a change area corresponding to his/her entry number.
Swimming is the first of the three events, and official competitions are held in "open water".On the "standard iron" field, which is more suitable for beginners, it is difficult for players to swim 750 meters accurately. Most of them will "detour" and swim tens or even hundreds of meters more.Therefore, it is recommended that the novice swim along the buoy on the track, which can minimize the swimming distance and save physical strength.
Moreover, the water temperature in the open water is generally lower than that of the swimming pool. Coupled with external factors such as wind, waves, and collision of underwater limbs between competitors, it is relatively difficult.Therefore, it is also recommended that novices wear relevant underwater life-saving supplies. In the event of choking or unable to continue the race, they can ensure their own safety and wait for rescue.In addition, if the water temperature during the competition is lower than a certain temperature, players can wear a cold-proof gel coat (Wetsuit). Novices can choose to wear or not to wear them according to their degree of cold resistance.
After swimming, the runners should quickly run to the change area to change the equipment required for the cycling event, but don't be in a hurry when starting the water, give the body a few seconds to adapt to the process.The time for changing items is also recorded in the total score. Improving your speed of changing items is also a good way to improve your performance. Therefore, it is best to store your items for changing items before the competition. Many people choose to wear Trisuits, which can save money on changing items loading time.In addition, bibs must be worn when cycling and running, otherwise the results will be invalid.
In the 20-kilometer cycling stage, runners can ride road bikes, triathlons, mountain bikes, and folding bikes, but they must all wear helmets.If the car is equipped with a support frame or luggage rack, it must be removed before the race, otherwise it will not be able to participate in the race.The bicycle's brakes, shifting systems, tire pressure, etc. should also be adjusted before the race.Beginners can change to lock shoes and change the bicycle to lock pedals to improve the pedaling efficiency of the bicycle.If a tire puncture occurs in the bicycle stage, you should immediately withdraw from the track and then go to the maintenance area to repair the tire.When a crash occurs, if the injury is minor, you should withdraw from the track by yourself, and if the injury is more serious, you should withdraw from the track with the assistance of the staff to avoid a series of crash accidents and aggravate the injury.In addition, riding with a car is a particularly dangerous behavior. If the referee decides that he is following the car, the contestant will be punished with extra time or withdrawal depending on the situation.
Finally, change the running shoes and enter the running track. The runners have to complete the last 5 kilometers of running.At the beginning of running, a novice can slow down the discomfort before the slow pace, and then slowly speed up to regain his normal running rhythm, or use the time of changing items to eat some high-energy food to replenish physical strength.
In addition to the regular season and the elite competition, what I am most looking forward to is the Paratriathlon National Championships held on the second day of the event. Depending on the physical disability of the disabled athletes, the specific form of the competition also has various changes.For example, for the PT1 group of athletes who have lost the ability of lower limb movement, they use hand-cranked bicycles instead of road bicycles, and use special wheelchairs instead of running; while PT2, PT3, PT4 groups of athletes can be equipped with prosthetics or other device for normal cycling and running (PT2/3/4 groups differ only in the degree of disability, with 2 being the heaviest and 4 the lightest); for PT5 groups who are blind or have severe visual impairment For other runners, they need to complete the race under the guidance of the same gender guide athlete, using a two-seater bicycle for the cycling phase, and using a leash for running to contact the guide.
Female PT5 leader and visually disabled athlete on the bike
PT1 amputee on a hand-cranked bike
PT2 players running on one foot
Iron people prove to us with their actions - physical disabilities can't defeat us, and life's hardships can't defeat us either
Different life, different exchange items
Finally, I would like to express my homage to the Paralympic Iron Man with a quote from Italian blind artist Andrea Bocelli:
even if your arms are strong
Even if your legs are faster than the wind
Even if you have trapeze bounce
Even if you swim better than dolphins
Even if you are more sensitive than a cat
even if you have it all
It doesn't prove your greatness
unless you understand
The heart is the strongest part of the body
(For me, this is the soul of the Olympics!)
If you could have the arms of Hercules.
Legs as swift as the wind.
If you could leap shoulder-high above the rim.
Have the kick of a dolphin.
The reflexes of a cat.
If you could have all this,
you would have the body,
you would have the tools.
But you will not have greatness.
Until you understand that the strongest muscle is the heart
The above are some suggestions for beginners to participate in the triathlon. I hope that while this sport is more and more popular, more and more people can achieve excellent results.
Finally, let me introduce to you some of the necessities of my competition this time:
I believe that most of the runners have been in contact with energy gel to some extent. Energy gel is a kind of thick semi-colloidal food with high calorie content that can quickly replenish the energy and minerals needed by the human body under heavy exercise. .Most gels also contain electrolytes and minerals, which help maintain chemical balance in the body.Energy Gel helps you in hard running, replenishing a lot of burned sugar and calories, so that your sports performance will not be affected by low blood sugar, but it is not very efficient, nor is it a simple direct supplement.Therefore, the timing and frequency of using the energy gel is the key. GU is a leader among many brands, offering us a variety of doses and flavors to choose from!
Clif Bar is also a very common energy bar brand in the United States. The packaging is very delicate. The energy bar materials include 70% organic ingredients, such as organic oats, dried fruits, nuts, etc., and are rich in carbohydrate sources. One energy bar has 9g of protein. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals that give us long-lasting energy whether enjoyed before, during or after exercise.
Chargel is an energy jelly drink launched by Morinaga Company of Japan. It is specially designed for people who pay attention to health and regular fitness. It is rich in a variety of vitamins and nutrients, which can recharge the body in time when exercising or busy.There are three flavors of strawberry, white grape and green apple.
Nathan Sports' sports belt bag, the fabric is also very good, it is waterproof, smooth to the touch, but also very soft, worn on the waist, it fits very well, when running, it is like a part of the body, natural flow, storage function It is very powerful, mobile phones, wallets, ID cards, keys, etc., all can be installed.
GEL-KAYANO is ASICS's prestigious series of running shoes. Looking at the industry, there are very few that can launch new works for 28 consecutive years.This summer, the ASICS GEL-KAYANO series brings a new generation of upgrades. The newly launched GEL-KAYANO 28 follows the series' iconic stability performance and improves the cushioning performance.
Thanks to the brand:
