Triathlon training and competition fundamentals

Conditioning, Training and Participating in the Triathlon Athletic activity is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle for individuals of all ages permitting. Physical activeness benefits the body and mind, and is crucial in preventing obesity, hypertension, heart disease and other potentially fatal long-term conditions. The body of research on health, physical activity and habitual orientations is at a consensus regarding the values which are inherent to participation in organized sports, competitive athletic competition and a sporting lifestyle in general. This is a core premise underlying the competitive activity known as the triathlon. A sporting event created in the tradition of Ironman endurance competitions previously in practice in early 20th century France and, by the mid to late 20th century, American locales such as Southern California and Hawaii, the triathlon is a competitive engagement which tests stamina, conditioning and mental toughness and which requires the long-term dedication demanded of training and personal preparation. Here, we will consider the practical nature of the triathlon, the logistics concerning the feasibility of participation in a triathlon, physical attributes either possessed or acquired optimizing competition or participation in a triathlon and the proper training realities concerning competition or participation in a triathlon event. Additionally, we will touch upon the health benefits of triathlon participation and will consider some precautionary tips for engagement in the triathlon. Fundamentally, the triathlon is comprised of three different forms of physical competition, with no break in action in between segments. By definition, it is a "3-event endurance sport in which athletes compete sequentially in swimming, cycling and running. The primary determinant of success is the ability to sustain a high rate of energy expenditure for prolonged periods of time." (O'Toole & Douglas, 251) This is accomplished through steady conditions and refinement in certain aspects of physical activity. For participants, this means a long-term regimen by which common running routines are supplemented with intensive swim and cycle training. When the concept developed in a modern context through competition in the mid-1970s, it was most often pursued in the United States, where amateur Ironman events centered on competitive fun and recreational fitness. In the duration however, the triathalon has evolved to take on more serious implications, with its standardization in the Olympic context coming to reflect the most visible level of triathlon competition. In that framework, an endurance event which has often been variable based upon context and participants has evolved into an exclusively formidable rankings based sport. Thus, training revolves on a set distance and distribution of phases. Standing as current to date, "the standard "Olympic Distance" of 1.5/40/10k was created by long time triathlon race director, Jim Curl in the mid-80's after he and partner Carl Thomas successfully produced the U.S. Triathlon Series between 1982 and 1997. USTS, as it was known, did more to bring accessible triathlons to the masses than any other group." (Wikipedia, 1) Thus, quite interestingly, even as competition became more rigorous for the sport, its higher profile significantly improved the attention and level of participation seen to that point. This would be positive for the posterity of the sport, helping to bring a wider pool of athletes from a more diverse array of initial disciplines into the triathlete fold. This would not only help to raise the level of competition and the prospect for forming camaraderie within a specialized activity but it would raise the level of seriousness with which triathlon competitions have been taken by the world's of competitive sporting, fitness and medicine. The health implications of the triathlon competition have alone contributed immensely to the quality of competition, with refinement of training methodologies, of physical therapy techniques and of overall research on the improvement of stamina, endurance and additional factors to be considered here such as cardiovascular dexterity and lactate persistence. Outside of the Olympic context, it is still the case that triathlon races may be extremely variable in characteristic. Namely, there are only three necessarily constant characteristics needed to define a triathlon. Particularly, "triathlons (races involving consecutive swimming, bi cycling, and running) have become commonplace in the United States. These races may involve from 30 minutes to 36 hours of continuous exercise, usually in warm or hot environments." (Hiller et al, 163) So long as the event is constituted of the three athletic elements, the sequence in which they are executed, the length of distance required within each and the geographical terrain all are subject to the decisions of those holding and judging the race. Essentially, in this regard, anybody may participate in a triathlon. Outside of those which are held based on ranking and competitive seeding, eligibility will vary according to ability and experience. However, a great many triathlon events that are held in less formal terms allow the participation of all ages and levels of ability, dividing competitors according to age group and gender. (Wikipedia, 1) These divisions are therefore the only restraining factors in the informal triathlon where, according to Mora (1999), your goal should be quite simply to finish. The beginner triathlete will want to focus on pacing and conservation of energy, with experience being the only factor which can ultimately prepare one for the distribution of energy necessary to genuinely compete against others. To this point, an important point of introduction to competitive triathlon participation is the fact that this is not an engagement which can be entered into casually. Quite to the contrary, thet triathlon is a serious endurance event within which only athletes with the proper education, training and health conditions can compete. The length and magnitude of the triathlon is foreboding and the sport is thus reserved only for those with the willingness and capacity to take the proper conditioning and training precautions. Indeed, the consequences for competing in a triathlon while ill-prepared can be exceedingly severe and, with threats such as dehydration, exhaustion, heat stroke or coronary, even potentially fatal. Athletic competition always requires effective preparation, including the appropriate long-term conditioning, stretching, warm-ups and mid- competition pacing. With regard to triathlon participation this is all the more imperative, with the length and variation of the race placing heavy demands upon the body and mind. The participation in a triathlon will alone constitute an extraordinary expenditure of energy, even absent the pressures of attempting victory, Therefore, training and conditioning must precede the triathlon at a steady and longterm pace which begins with general fitness and segues into actual endurance training. Indeed, for the individual who is largely out of shape or who has engaged only occasionally, rarely or never in sporting activities could be no less than a year away from realistically considering participation in the triathlon. Again, though this activity is accessible to many who are in otherwise healthy condition (i.e. absent any chronic injuries, maladies or physical impairments), for many who lead a normal sedentary lifestyle the process of preparation may need to be extremely lengthy and, though not overly rigorous from a day to day basis, indicative of a true lifestyle change for the individual in question. And if one is to decide to tread this path, it is necessary to understand that even peak conditioned athletes and competitors are vulnerable to the strains of such a competition. To this end, in the research conducted by Hiller et al (1987), "medical records were kept and examined for all ath letes requiring treatment during a typical United States Triathlon Series (USTS) race in 1986 . . . The most common diagnoses at the USTS and IQ were dehydration and heat exhaustion. At the lronman, dehydration and heat problems were complicated by hyponatremia." (Hiller et al, 163) Endurance competition inherently carries with it the challenge of besting not just others but competing against personal walls put up by physical and mental limitations. The triathlon is, especially for the beginning competitor, inherently designed to test the limits of one's endurance. And as a matter of policy, it is absolutely imperative that the proper medical personnel and resources are immediately available to attend to the above noted conditions. Moreover, given the potential risks involved in this sport, life-saving and resuscitative equipment and personnel are necessary on the site of the triathlon competition as well. (Hiller et al, 164) Still, the practical participant will not rely on their presence but on a long-term training regimen which prepares the body for the duration and adrenaline related to event day. That said, a healthy training program can have a momentous impact on the health of the proposed triathlete. Indeed, according to our research, "when you engage in a well-balanced program of swimming, cycling and running-known as cross-training-you will burn an enormous amount of fat from every area of your body." (Haar, 2) this speaks to the positive argument in favor of engagement in the triathlon, which Haar (2003) contends helps to boost self-confidence, body image and even intellect. As our research demonstrates, there is a close correlation between participation in a total and engaging endurance training agenda and the improvement of mental clarity. According to Metzl (2003) the same part of the brain which is responsible for memory and recall is also stimulated to growth by physical activity, suggesting a direct relationship between aptitudes in both regards. (MRN, 1) This is to indicate that brain cells are more actively produced by physical activity, convincing neurological theorists that regular athletic orientation will improve one's academic capacity and intellectual clarity. Still, as with other beneficial aspects of an athlete's physical and intellectual growth, sporting activity must be pursued in at least some degree of moderation. For both the implications of what Metzl refers to as overuse and the consequences of an overly centralized focus on athletic activity, there may be real and long-term repercussions to failing to balance this emphasis with other healthy or meaningful activities. Especially concerning bone and joint injuries, overuse of specific parts of the body in a continuous and monotonous manner will result in chronic pains and ultimately, lifelong localized injuries. Therefore, especially when training for an endurance event, where sustained energy is crucial, in training moderation can be a key to the prevention of such injuries or the recovery there from. Moreover, our research finds that in addition to the increased risk of long- term injury which is likely to be produced through overuse, that the benefits spoken of here above from endurance training to intellectual development may be stunted. As Metzl's text intimates, excessive exercise can actually have the effect of mitigating some of its own positive attributes. The earlier discussion here on the brain-cell generation produced by healthy and regular athletic activity retains its veracity. However, "on the other hand, exaggerated exercise, when the body doesn't have a chance to recover, has a negative effect, with fewer brain cells as a result." (MRN, 1) This means that at a certain level of intensity and frequency, the positive neurological impact of endurance begins to plateau as does the positive physical impact. Here, we can deduce that a moderation of one's activity is important not just from a physical standpoint from an intellectual one as well. This justifies developing a clear understanding of how cross-training should be pursued, with the utmost of care and restraint. The literature on this subject brings us the recurrent summation that the object is not to over-extend one's self but to improve one's capacity for extension. With this in mind, there is an understanding available to us which stresses the physiological qualities acquired by those engaged in triathlon endurance training. Specific physical traits relating to the mode of participation appear in higher degrees in those excelling at triathlon competition. One crucial feature which is noted to be almost universally present in triathlon competitors is the capacity to endure through the buildup of lactic acid-or what White (2008) refers to as being at LT-in the muscles in order to reach a 'second wind.' The triathlete who has engaged proper conditions and training processes will be able to endure the pain and exhaustion which generally accompany this buildup and, instead of seeking release, will power through this period. Accordingly, "studies have shown that trained athletes can race at their LT for about one hour. By training at or just below your LT, you are training your body to work hard and remove the lactic acid from your blood, effectively increasing your LT. After training at this intensity level, you will be able to produce more power, and therefore more speed, at any given intensity below your LT." (White, 1) Constant conditioning is the only way to improve this threshold. As research points out with fairly universal outcomes, the persistence of the athlete in overcoming the pressure of lactic buildup can be a crucial obstacle to scale before long-range competitive involvement is feasible. This is also found to be true of the capacity of the individual to take in and utilize oxygen. A fundamental part of conditioning is training for breathing even as one trains to run, swim or cycle. According to a useful study by O'Toole & Douglas (1995) "aerobic capacity (measured as maximal oxygen uptake, VO2max), economy of motion (submaximal VO2) and fractional utilisation of maximal capacity (%VO2max) reflect the integrated responses of these physiological adaptations. Numerous studies have reported relatively high mean VO2max values for various groups of triathletes that are comparable to those reported for athletes in single- event endurance sports and clearly above those reported for untrained individuals" (O'Toole & Douglas, 251) This is to say that as a matter of the conditioning related to competitive participation in the triathalon, individuals with experience and training in this area will be more inherently economic in their intake and usage of oxygen. There is a high correlation between above-average respiratory strengths and success in endurance activities. It is for this reason that one of the core debates underlying the origin of the triathlon remains in circulation. Namely, it is oft-noted, and potentially by myth, that the original events of this nature which took place in early 20th century France emerged from the friendly boasting runners, swimmers and cyclists engaged against one another in a playful attempt to determine which was the most fit type of athlete. Today, many scientific examinations of the subject attempt to determine which of the three sports might best prepare for engagement in the others, thus directing a core course of training. With that in mind, our attention had been drawn to "studies [which] suggest that competitive swimmers have better swimming economy than triathletes. However, since many triathletes have previously been competitive swimmers this finding is questionable. The finding suggests that triathletes from nonswimming backgrounds would benefit from improving swimming technique rather than concentrating training workouts solely on distance." (O'Toole & Douglas, 251) Such is to say that most often the respiratory challenges which are magnified by swimming can present the greatest challenge to the evolving participant. And most especially, because the swimming competition today is standardized in most contexts to take place first, the approach here taken is certain to set the pace of available energy to the competitor thereafter. Ultimately our findings lead us to several key conclusions on this subject of pacing especially, noting that training must induce above all things a sense of scale as to what the body must be prepared for. The length and distance of the triathalon are indeed daunting and must be respected by the participant. Through the refinement of respiratory capacity, muscle stamina and muscle movement economy, even the average individual can work toward this peak level of athletic competitiveness. In many ways, the field of study on this subject is still rather young, with the degree of seriousness to which the field is treated evolving to this day. Therefore, we can expect a greater body of research on training methods, proper conditioning and pacing techniques that will further improve the quality of athlete and level of competition that is already extraordinarily high. Works Cited