What Type of Bike to Get for a Triathlon

tribikeThere are a number of really important considerations to make when it comes to preparing yourself for your triathlon. Fitness and strength are two of the most important factors that are going to influence your performance as a triathlete, but the next important area where improvements are capable of being made is your triathlon equipment. You are obviously going to complete your race a lot faster when you have a bicycle that is specialized for your triathlon. If you want to go faster and move further, no matter what your level of expertise is, a triathlon specific type of bicycle is going to benefit you significantly.

When it comes to money, you need to understand that a triathlon bike is going to require a larger investment from you. In general on average, the power that is produced in order to pedal a bike on a flat road will involve 60 percent worth of rider drag. This is a place where you can gain some truly awesome performance gains. If you are really serious about performing in a triathlon, then you are going to need to choose the right type of equipment, which should be the best and the most efficient and effective equipment that you can possibly afford for the purpose of your triathlon cycling needs.

Road bikes or road bicycles are typically going to be designed to allow for comfort for cyclists that want to compete over longer distances. The triathlon bicycle on the other hand is generally designed to suit other distances that are relatively shorter in nature, meaning that comfort is capable of being compromised in exchange for an increase in speed. This is one of the most fundamental differences that exists between bikes intended for triathlons and those that are intended for the road.

The shorter that the distance of the triathlon is, the more aerodynamics and weight will come into play. For a sprint triathlon, for example, or a 20k, comfort is going to be far less of a factor than if you are dealing with an Ironman which is significantly longer in terms of distance. When it comes to an Ironman triathlon, comfort is going to become significantly more important to offering you continual high quality performance over a longer period of time.

When you are looking for a bicycle to serve your triathlon needs, you should be considering the distances that you are going to be competing for and then correlate this number with the budget that you think you have available for this purpose. It is highly recommended that you consider purchasing a used bike for your triathlon needs if your budget is tight. You can choose a higher quality bike and buy it used, and get it for a much better deal. If you scrimp on a new bike you may end up with a bad choice, and a bike that simply is not meeting your needs on the course.

Photo Credits: jimmyharris

Originally posted 2009-09-03 03:46:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Attain Victory with the Right Triathlon Gear pt 1

triathlonThroughout our existence, one of the deciding factors in who survives and who doesn’t has been technology. It is the innovation of technology that has allowed us to push ourselves to new horizons along the way. In all aspects of our life, having the right gear and equipment is absolutely essential in guaranteeing our success in many ways. If we want to meet goals, meet deadlines, get up on time, go to bed on time, achieve the requirements of our jobs and stay healthy and happy in lives, we need to make use of the newest and best gadgets and technology. In triathlon training, this is also true, because we can attain victory when we utilize the right triathlon gear. This is so true that it can be said that having the right gear will literally be what makes or breaks your ability to do well in a triathlon competition because it will improve your ability to train and your ability to succeed during the actual competition as well.

In 1912, the world’s fastest man was a gentleman named Don Lippincott, who ran the 100 meter dash in a total of 10.6 seconds. Now that nearly one hundred years have passed, the same distance can be run in 9.69 seconds by Usain Bolt, and he hardly broke a sweat as he tore through the previous world record. So what is the difference between these two men? They are obviously both hardworking, hard training men, so what made them unique from one another? In all honesty, the only thing that separates these two men from one another is the progresses in technology.

The same technologies capable of separating and shaping entire nations and their histories is also more than capable of determining which athletes have a competitive edge in championships and tournaments and competitions such as the Ironman or even the Tour De France. Modern runners are benefiting from fine-tuned running shoes that provide the optimum level of stiffness for optimizing their unique mechanical energy produced by the ankle, creating a faster print and more spring in the step for example.

Cyclists on the other hand are benefiting from finely tuned road bikes that are durable and yet extremely light as a result of construction from cutting edge metal alloys that allow for them to ride faster and faster still, breaking more and more records for speed as they go along. The merging between science and sports has birthed an insane amount of new products that create incredible athletic performance. For those who are not incorporating brand new technologies into their competition, this could potentially mean the distinction between making history and becoming history.

Triathlon athletes that really want to be competitive need to go out and buy equipment that is triathlon specific such as a bike specifically for triathlons, which offer altered geometric configurations in comparison to typical or traditional road bikes.

Photo Credits: Dawn – Pink Chick

Originally posted 2009-08-25 03:32:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Triathlon Terms part 2

Here is a brief glossary of terms used in triathlon training and triathlon racing.

Bonk – This describes a situation where you suddenly begin to lose energy and a level of fatigue sets in. This is typically caused by depleted glycogen stores within the liver and the muscles, and it commonly results in a major drop in performance. Another term used to describe this situation is “hitting the wall”.

BOP – This is an acronym used to refer to Back of the Pack.

BPM - This is an acronym used to refer to Beats Per Minute.

Brick – This is a combination type of workout including a bike and a run that are back to back. This can also describe any combination of triathlon events where there is less than a total of ten minutes between each of the sports.

Cadence - This is another word used to refer to RPM.

CD – This is an acronym used to refer to Cool Down.

Century – This is a term that is used to refer to a bike ride for a total of 100 miles.

Chain Suck – This is a term that describes a situation where the chain does not disengage from the front chain ring’s bottom teeth. The teeth snag on the chain, carrying it up and around the ring so that it winds back on itself, jamming in the process.

Chamois Butter – This is a clean lubricant that is used with cycling shorts to make bike riding more comfortable while reducing the chance of getting saddle sores.

Crit – This is another word that is used to refer to Criterium.

Criterium – This is a kind of bike race held on a course of less than 3 miles that is often run on city center streets that have been closed off. The length for the race is either determined by a total time or a number of laps.

Deca – This describes a 10x Ironman distance, which is a 24 mile swim, a 1120 mile bike and a 262 mile run. There have also been 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 15x and 20x distances which have been raced in the past.

DFL - This is another word used to refer to Dead (Expletive) Last

DNF – This is another word used to refer to “Did Not Finish”.

DNR - This is another word used to refer to “Did Not Race”

DNS - This is another word used to refer to “Did Not Start”

Dolphin Dive - This is a technique that is used for getting through shallow water when it is more efficient than attempting to wade. It involves doing shallow, short drives, then standing up, and continuing this process until you reach water that is deep enough to swim in.

Dolphin Kick - This involves beating the legs together in unison while swimming with the face down, and it is used primarily with the butterfly.

Originally posted 2009-11-26 03:54:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Good Advice on Running for Beginners

Running is a sport which is easy to get in to. You do not need a lot of specialized equipment to get started. Running for beginners only requires a good pair of shoes and some good advice. This way you can get started off the right way. The most important things to remember is to start slow, keep things interesting and to always stretch before you run. By following this advice, you will not only be running next week, you will be running years from now as well.

The Right Pair of Shoes

Just because you are just getting started doesn’t mean to go out and buy just any running shoe. Even running for beginners can be taxing on one’s feet. The wrong pair of shoes will make things just that much harder. This still does not mean you have to break the bank. It is a good idea to have your feet looked at. You can be told which parts of your feet need more support than others. This way you can buy a shoe which will offer the correct amount of support. You will also be able to buy the shoe which will be the right size and width.

Starting Out Slow

Too many people want to get started running a mile a day. This is a mistake because it will cause you to get discouraged. Running for beginners should start off by walking with a little running thrown in. Walk for about a half hour and run for maybe a third of the time. Over the next month, you can increase the amount of time you are running and decrease the amount of time you are walking. By the end of a month you may be able to be running the entire thirty minutes. If it takes longer, that is okay just keep at it.

Keeping Things Interesting

The best way running for beginners can be kept interesting is to find new challenges for yourself. This can include signing up for a short race. You don’t have to sign up for the first ironman you see, but consider a short race for such a thing as a charitable event. This way there will not be a lot of pressure for you to perform. It will be more about completing the training and doing your best in the race. This way you will be running every day with a purpose.

Always Stretch

The best advice in running for beginners is that you should always stretch. No matter how good you get at running or how long you run for, your muscles will never reach a point where they are impervious to strains, tears or pulls. The best way to stretch is to warm up your muscles with a little walking or with a small jog. Once the muscles are warm, do some toe reaches and other stretches which will concentrate on stretching the hamstring, quads and calf muscles. This way you can avoid injury.

Photo Credits: keone

Originally posted 2010-03-16 03:34:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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