Swim Bike Run

Seeing snow everywhere and feeling temperatures that would make a bear run inside, most people would not think to engage in swimming, running or biking. However, the Decatur Multisport Club, or the Tri-Gators as it is lovingly known as, are starting the year by preparing for the new Triathlon season that is approaching.

The club is holding meeting to discuss issues surrounding membership, new training possibilities and in general kicking off the new triathlon training season. Quickly growing as a popular sport, the Triathlon consists of swimming, bicycling and running. It is governed by the USA Triathlon, which has seen four times as many members between 1999 and 2007, to a total of around 100 thousand. In 2007, in order to keep up, the Tri-Gators were formed.

The goal was to provide a common ground for triathletes (triathlon participants) to come together and train, all the while developing the bonds that help build the discipline and motivation needed to compete in the sport. In 2009, the club will partner with St. Mary’s Hospital’s AthletiCare in order to provide professional aide to fitness and training to the triathletes. This will include fitness assessments, avoiding injury while competing and practicing, and providing over all training plans to the club members. All to prepare for the new Triathlon season and provide the triathletes with the resources they need to succeed. Also expressing interest in aiding the effort is the Decatur Memorial Hospital.

What is boils down to is making sure that the athletes have access to the resources they need to build the habits and motivation that enables them to compete and live in a healthier way. The AthletiCare program has helped train student athletes in the past, providing sound advice and determining if injuries are severe enough to require rest or if they should work through it.

Many of the triathletes are hoping to enter three or four competitions this year. The Tri-Gators will provide the means to building friendships, support and providing the atmosphere for success in the efforts of its members in competing. The club has a mere $25 dollar member fee, with an additional $25 for the AthletiCare program. It plans to hold weekly meetings with training sessions, providing the environment where people support your efforts to succeed. It provides the same motivating environment that supports athletes through school and college.

The hope will be that triathletes will take full advantage of the Tri-Gator’s program in order to reach their desired fitness level and goals. The program offered will hopefully destroy those feelings of inability to compete and replace them with feelings of confidence and motivation. This will overcome the obstacle that many face in their road to fitness and whole body health.

It is hoped that the triathlon trend will continue, and that such programs as the Tri-Gators will spread into other areas of the US, and in the world. The benefit of competing on overall health and fitness is something that this country can use, and hopefully more will find the support they need to succeed.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2009-03-04 14:29:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

When it comes to triathlon competitions such as the Iron Man, fitness alone is not going to be guarantee enough that you are going to win. It is absolutely vital that you develop good nutrition habits as well. This is one of the most important parts of planning for the ironman. The bicycling section is one of the hardest parts of the ironman competition, and preparing nutritionally is vitally important to your success. Here are some triathlon nutrition tips that will steer you in the right direction toward success in your endeavor.

1 – Triathletes are aware of their maximum heart rate, their power output, their average speed and many other arbitrary numbers such as these, but for some reason they fail to address how many calories that they are going to require per hour during their bicycling. You need to know how many calories you need as well as how many calories will be provided by a gel or a bar. If you are falling behind in your calories, those calories will add up and you will suddenly find yourself running on fumes at the end of a long race.

2 – Another vital part of preparing yourself nutritionally is knowing and meeting your fluid requirements during the bicycling portion of the triathlon. The maximum amount of fluid that you will be capable of using efficiently during the race is going to be based upon your race. You must be aware of how you can use or consume fluids based on your body size, body type and weight. You are going to need 10ml of liquid per 1 kilo of your body weight. If you weigh 70 kg, for example, then you need 700 ml of fluid per hour. This means that you need to be prepared to have and use this kind of fluid. 20 ml of fluid is about one gulp, so how many gulps are you going to need to consume in a period of an hour in order to keep yourself properly hydrated? The best way for you to plan is to try sipping a 750 ml bottle to see how long it takes you. Can you reasonably drink this much fluid in an hour? This is vital because learning how to keep yourself properly hydrated is vitally important as part of training to succeed in a triathlon competition.

3 – You also need to be aware of your calorie needs at all times. How much are you consuming in the span of an hour? Putting these calories back into your body while you are cycling is vital. There are gels and bars that you can consume to make this happen. You need to make sure that you are planning and preparing yourself to burn and regain the calories that you need throughout the process in order to perform at your best possible level during your triathlon.

Photo Credits: kisekino01

Originally posted 2009-06-18 17:42:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter