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This weekend is overflowing with fantastic sporting events but none will be quite as demanding as the World Championship Ironman Triathlon taking place in Hawaii on Saturday.
Make no mistake this triathlon is not for the faint hearted and those of you who think you possess high endurance levels should take a look at the triathletes taking part in this.
The Ironman Triathlon really is a battle of the elites and those competing must negotiate a 2.4 mile open water swim, 112 mile bike race and a 26.2 mile marathon. I feel exhausted just trying to digest those distances but on top of this the triathletes will be racing in temperatures of up to 95 degrees in humidity as high as 90 percent. The swimming leg will be competed in the rough seas surrounding the island and the cycling route covers open areas which are susceptible to extremely strong cross winds. With this in mind it is not surprising that only 1800 are selected to race out of the 50,000+ hopefuls who compete in the qualifying stages.
It goes without saying that those who qualify spend an enormous amount of time training and conditioning themselves in preparation for the most gruelling challenge of their lives. As well as the standard swimming, cycling and running training a competitor will also look to complement these with other exercises.
One programme an Ironman hopeful may adopt is a strength and conditioning plan as this will not only reduce their risk of injury but increase the endurance levels of the leg muscles, allowing them to push for longer and harder. With the sheer distance that these triathletes will be forced to cover as well as the punishing conditions there will also be a strong emphasis on developing effective recovery and rehydration techniques. Above all the triathletes will need to be able to call upon the important internal energy force of motivation as this will play an integral role in battling through the conditions, particularly when their body is screaming to give up.
If you can successfully combine these factors you may have a chance of finishing the course but for real inspiration look no further than current course record holder Luc Van Lierde. The Belgiun superman completed the course in a breathtaking time of 8 hrs 4 mins 8 sec. For finishing first the winner receives a bounty of $100,000 as well as an immeasurable amount of respect, which is fully warranted seeing as they are unofficially the fittest sportsman on the planet. There is not a more demanding sporting event out there than the Ironman Traithlon!
Learn how you can become an Ironman with this Triathlon training report!
 | Author: | The Sports Nut (The Sports Nut's profile, The Sports Nut's blog) |
 | Posted On: | Thu, 2008-10-09 16:58 |
 | Tags: | sprinting, marathon training, triathlon, cycling, running, distance running, swimming, strength training, conditioning, psychology, training, exercise, fitness and coaching |
 | Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
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