Anybody can ‘Tri’
Special to The Gazette, Sam Tovar
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The sport of modern triathlon first appeared in the 1980s in southern California. Triathlon as an Olympic sport debuted in 2001 in Sydney, Australia. According to USA triathlon, there are more than 100,000 annual members. The largest group is the 30-39 year ages. Females comprise about 36 percent of the total.
Q So what is a triathlon?
A Triathlons incorporate three segments of racing into one continuous race. The race traditionally starts with the swim, then bike and ends with a run.
Q How long are the races?
A Most triathlons have two race distances. The shorter distance is called a sprint triathlon. Every race is tailored to the course, so the distances from short to long and from race to race, can be variable. The Emporia tri is a 400-meter pool swim, 20K bike, and 5K run.
Q Do you need special equipment?
A No. Most competitors wear swim jammers that are fast drying and have a small amount of padding for the bike (called a tri-short). Then just put on a shirt and your running shoes. You will need a bike helmet.
Q How much does it cost to enter a race?
A Each race will set its own entry fees, usually costing around $50 to $100. Entering early saves you money and the entry fees are usually nonrefundable. Race fees include food and drink along the course, refreshments and food after and a T-shirt.
Q I can’t swim.
A If you really can’t swim most of the big city triathlons have an optional race called a duathlon. The course mirrors the bike and run portion of the exam, but instead of starting with a swim, the athletes start with a run. The format is then run-bike-run.
Q Do you need one of those fancy bikes?
A No. You are certainly welcome to use your mountain bike or hybrid. I would advise swapping out the knobby tires with a tire with a smoother tread.
Q How much does a road bike cost?
A A new entry-level road bike costs around $500. The prices just keep going up from there.
Q Where can train for the bike?
A In the winter, I bike inside on a bike trainer or an upright stationary bike. In good weather I bike anywhere that’s safe. I usually bike on old U.S. Highway 50 heading east from Emporia to Lebo. Be safe, visible and aware of your surrounding when biking outdoors, and always wear a helmet.
Q How much should I train?
A Training volume is variable to your personal level of fitness and the race distance you are trying to do. There are free and for-a-fee Internet resources available that give you a week-to-week workout schedule based on your level of fitness and your race distance goal. Try www.beginnertriathlete.com. Generally speaking, for a sprint tri, you can train as little as 3-5 hours per week.
Q Can you win prizes?
A Racers compete for medals against other racers in their gender and age group. Age groups are split into 5-year increments. In the Emporia Spring Migration Triathlon on April 19, you can compete for the fastest Emporia finisher.
Q Where can I find triathlons to do?
A Outdoor triathlon season in Kansas begins with the Emporia Spring Migration Triathlon on April 19. A complete list can be found on the Web site www.trifind.com. Most larger towns in Kansas host a triathlon. The last Kansas triathlon is usually in September.
Q Is it hard to do?
A If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it, and what fun is that? This sport is for people who like a challenge.
Q What about the Ironman Triathlon?
A This race is always 2.4 miles swim, 112 miles cycling and ends with a full marathon — 26.1 miles. This distance is offered throughout the US. For the more casual serious athlete, there is a half-iron distance. Lawrence will host Ironman Kansas this June (a half-iron event). Half-iron is exactly half of a full-iron distance, 70.3 miles total. I have raced and finished this distance.
Q Are you crazy or what?
A Yes, but just a little. After all, I am holding a dialogue with myself.
Shape Up, Emporia! is a weekly fitness and health column aimed at readers of all ages to get off the couch and get into shape. Each week will feature a fitness, health or nutrition professional from around the area who will share some friendly tips on how to improve your overall health. Our goal is to make getting in shape fun and easy to fit into your existing lifestyle and daily routine.