The Ironman is a competition which is reserved for only the most in shape individuals. People aspire to be able to compete the competition, but do not believe they have the level of fitness required to complete the challenge. This is why the half Ironman triathlon has been growing in popularity. You do not have to use an entire day to complete the race. You also do not have to go nearly as far with the half triathlon. This allows more people to step up to the race which is as close to the full Ironman as they are comfortable competing in.
The Distance of the Half Ironman
As you can imagine the distances for the half Ironman triathlon is about half of what the regular Ironman is. You will have to complete a 1.2 mile swimming leg, a 56 mile cycling leg and a 13.1 running leg. This is still longer than the average triathlon which means you will have to dedicate a lot of time and energy to your training.
The Trademark of the Name
For those looking to compete in a half Ironman triathlon, keep in mind that not all competitions will be called this. The reason why is because the name is something which is owned by the Timex corporation. Many organizers will get around this rule by calling their race a half iron length triathlon or something similar. This may be confusing for some people looking for this challenging competition. Fear not, as long as the legs of the competition are the right length you will find the challenge you are looking for. Most major cities will have at least a few of these length competitions every year no matter what name they go by and who sponsors them.
Training for the Race
Due to the fact the half Ironman triathlon is longer than the average triathlon, there is a lot of training which is involved in getting ready to complete the race. The important part of the training is to give yourself an ample amount of time to train. It is recommended to train for at least a year before competition. This way you will be able to slowly and steadily work up to the distances you will have to compete at. If you try to train at the level without the right period of time, you can easily injure yourself.
It is important to make sure when training for the half Ironman triathlon that you rest enough. Your body will become fatigued easier if you do not take at least one day off every week. Your muscles need time to recuperate between workouts. This will allow your endurance level to shoot through the roof as well as make it possible for you to train without injuring yourself. Make sure to also vary the training you are completing between the different legs of the race. This will allow you to get the right amount of training for every section.
Photo Credits: iamarkus
Originally posted 2010-03-18 03:45:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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