It comes as no surprise that athletes take their bodies through unbelievable amounts of stress and energy when they train for specific sports. To prove themselves to be one of the best out there, they go through tons of training and conditioning to prepare themselves both physically and mentally for competitions.
One of the most physically stressful and demanding sports in the Olympics will be the triathlon. This is a kind of event that uses three different types of sports and combines them into one, hence the name triathlon. There are a lot of triathletes here in the United States, and all of them along with other people around the world are extremely talented at what they do.
Triathlons are exciting and interesting to watch. It is for this reason that we at Olympics Game 2021 have decided to open our website for the first time and help other people learn more about the Olympic games and how it can be an excellent way to support aspiring athletes and maybe even become one yourself!
In the coming sections, you will find that triathlons have a lot of different facets to them, and every single one of them is exciting to follow. Learn more about it below!
What are triathlons and how does the event work?
As the name suggests, a triathlon is a single event that is comprised of three different activities. The first one is swimming, the second is cycling and the last one is running. Lots of different athletes have to undergo all three of these events and the first one to reach the finish line will be hailed as the champion.
One of the reasons why this event is incredibly tiring is because it can take a toll on one’s body. Much like other sports such as weightlifting and gymnastics, those who participate in a sport like a triathlon will be subjected to a lot of physical stress. To learn more about it, take a look at the section below:
Swimming
When it comes to Olympic triathlons, swimming is one of the first that must be completed. All of the athletes have to complete a 1.5-kilometre swim on their own. This feat is not easy to do, so it takes months or even years of preparation for some people to be able to swim that far without getting too tired.
Remember that this is only the first out of three legs of the competition. You will first have to complete this to move on to the next one. Just the training in itself can take a long time and only the best of the best can complete a swim for that long while trying to race against others at the same time.
Cycling
The next step of the triathlon process is cycling. After the athletes have completed their 1.5k swim, they will then move on to their respective bikes and cycle for 40 kilometres. At first, this distance might be considerably easy especially since they are on bikes, but it still requires a lot of strength and agility.
Aside from swimming, athletes also have to cycle for months on end to prepare for this part of the triathlon. Your legs will feel like jelly by the end of the track, especially with the different terrain that can be expected ahead.
Running
Last but not least, the final part of the triathlon comes in the form of running. Once all of the participants are done with their 1.5-kilometre swim and 40-kilometre cycling trail, it is time to move on to good old-fashioned running. The athletes will ditch their bikes and follow a brand new trail to complete the triathlon.
The last leg of the triathlon will require the athletes to run 10 kilometres up until the finish line. By this point, a lot of the athletes will have less stamina compared to when they started, and it’s time to conserve that energy to make it to the end of the competition.
So, now that you have learned more about the inner workings of triathlon in the Olympics, it’s time to see it all for yourself and maybe watch a few matches. It can be incredibly thrilling and entertaining at the same time to see these athletes push their bodies to the limit, amazingly swimming, cycling and running incredible distances.
What do triathletes go through during the Olympics?
There is no doubt that all of the athletes that participate in the Olympics have to go through an unbelievable amount of physical stress. While they have been training for months or even years in advance, it can still be difficult to anticipate what will be happening on the actual day of the competition.
Sometimes, no form of preparation can help you get ready for when the day comes. The most that athletes can do is to condition their bodies to prepare for each portion of the competition and hope that all of their training will eventually pay out. For some athletes, the process can be easy while others will find it difficult.
In reality, the experiences of each triathlete are different. From the moment they start training for the Olympics to the time that they officially pass the finish line, it’s an incredible experience that people oftentimes only get once in their lives.
So, if you consider yourself to be someone who is trying to be an Olympic athlete, then try to learn the inner workings of the sport and eventually learn how to ease into it on your own! You will find some of the essential tips in the coming section to help you get started on your triathlete journey.
Tips for aspiring triathletes
Now that you have a better idea of what it takes to be a triathlete, you should consider trying it for yourself! Not only does it have a lot of benefits, but you can also support fitness and discipline among other players and potential athletes who want to try it out. To get a better idea, see some of the tips we have for you in the section below:
Ease into the process of each event
One of the first things that people have to remember when it comes to triathlon is easing into the process of each event. Since there are three different events in a triathlon, it can be difficult to start the process and get into the procedure of each event.
This is because there are various kinds of things that you must look out for while participating in a triathlon. For example, swimming requires breath control and paddling skills while running and cycling focus more on leg power. Remember to ease into the process and take each event as it goes to get used to it!
Train regularly every week
Next up, another tip that you should consider when training for a triathlon is practising as often as possible. You will never be prepared for an event if you do not put in the time and effort needed. Some aspiring triathletes train 5 days a week for several hours to get into fighting shape. Take the time needed to prepare and it will pay off!
Work on transitions
Since there are three different types of events in a triathlon, it can be understandable that the transitions can be hard to execute. You will feel tired after swimming, so the transition to cycling is essential to execute. The same thing can be said for those moving from the cycling event to the running event.
So, be sure to work on your transitions during training. This is essential for you to avoid unnecessary problems while you are moving from one event to the other so you can pace yourself and make the most of every round.
Pacing is essential
Next up, remember that pacing is another important part of the triathlon process. For example, if you exert all of your energy to get ahead in the swimming portion, then you will no longer have enough to help you get ahead in the cycling and running portion. Pace yourself properly and you will see that speed isn’t everything when it comes to triathlons.
Work with the right equipment and coaches
Last but not least, it is important to always work with the right coaches and have the equipment that you need. This is because you have to consider the quality of your training leading up to the actual event. The better your training and equipment are, the better you will be when the day of the competition comes!
About Olympics Game 2021
We consider it to be our job here at Olympics Game 2021 in the United States to ensure that all of our clients will be able to enjoy content and updates about all things related to the Olympics. Whether you are interested in triathlons or weightlifting, you can learn all about it here and so much more!