This is not a book about how to train for an Ironman, the kit you need or anything that could actually prove to be useful. If there is anything useful in this book then that's purely by accident. If you are looking for some genuine training tips on Ironman then please get one of the decent training books - not the 55,000 words of illiterate drivel this represents. This is a simply a story about someone (fat northerner in the shape of Darren) deciding to do something as stupid as Ironman and the things you encounter on the way. Such as the psychotic geese, paperless portaloos, the mind games and the doomsday feeling that no matter how much training you do it's never enough. Darren is fat, bald, ugly and lives in the North West of England with his wife Amy and daughter Lilly-Mae where he continues to try to be a triathlete.

It's race day and you have your quick-closure running shoes, sleek suits, bikes, goggles, and watches, but if you haven't been training with the proper nutrition, you'll be left in the dust in the third mile. Enter Swim, Bike, Run---Eat to guide you through day one of training to the finish line and help your body perform at the peak of fitness. In this book, an ideal companion to author Tom Holland's The 12-Week Triathlete, he will join sports dietitian Amy Goodson covering race-day essentials, food choices to complement your training regimen, as well as recovery nutrition. Learn how to determine what to eat; what to drink; how many calories to consume each day; whether or not to carry snacks while training; the difference between taking in calories from solid foods, semi-solids, and liquids; and whether or not to take electrolyte or salt tablets. Casual and core triathletes alike require a nutrition guide that is easy to understand with expert advice that is easy to implement. Look no further and get ready to take your triathlon to a new, healthier level.

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? revisits some of the most extraordinary moments from the history of endurance sports to show how mental strength allows some athletes to perform at a level way beyond their physical limits - to will their body to do what was previously thought biologically impossible. Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research it suggests concrete habits and tactics we can use to cultivate our own mental strength, whilst providing thrilling accounts of some of the most inspiring and astonishing feats in sporting history. In 2010 Sammy Wanjiru entered the Boston Marathon suffering from injuries to his knee and his lower back, a stomach virus that prevented him from training and a lifestyle that meant he spent more time in nightclubs than on the track. He shouldn't have even been able to finish the race, and at times he seemed as if he literally had nothing left to give, yet in an epic battle he crossed the finishing line first. How did he manage it? HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? describes a new 'psychobiological' model of endurance performance connecting the mind, body and brain. Compelling accounts from triathlon, cycling, running, rowing and swimming are viewed through the lens of this model shedding new light on what science has to say about mental fortitude in sports. Featured athletes include: Sammy Wanjiru, Jenny Barringer, Greg LeMond, Willie Stewart, Cadel Evans, Joseph Sullivan, Paula Newby-Fraser, Ryan Vail, Thomas Voeckler, Ned Overend, Steve Prefontaine

Are you a triathlete, runner, cyclist, swimmer, cross-country skier, or other athlete seeking greater endurance? The Endurance Handbook teaches athletes how to stay healthy, achieve optimal athletic potential, and be injury-free for many productive years. Dr. Philip Maffetone's approach to endurance offers a truly "individualized" outlook and unique system that he has refined over three decades of training and treating athletes, ranging from world champions to weekend warriors. Maffetone's training and racing philosophy emphasizes building a strong aerobic base for increased fat burning, weight loss, sustained energy, and a healthy immune system. Good nutrition and stress reduction are also key to this common-sense, big-picture approach. Dr. Maffetone also dispels many of the commonly held myths that linger in participatory sports and which adversely impact performance and explains the "truths" about endurance, such as: The need to train slower to race faster will enable your aerobic system to improve endurance Why expensive running shoes can actually cause foot and leg injuries The fact that refined carbohydrates actually reduce endurance energy and disrupt hormone balance How overtraining can be avoided in its earliest stages And much more! If you are looking to increase your endurance and maximize your athletic potential, The Endurance Handbook is your one-stop guide to training and racing effectively. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Just as George Plimpton had his proverbial cup of coffee in the NFL as the un-recruited and certainly unwanted fourth-string quarterback for the Detroit Lions, so, too, did Will McGough immerse himself in a sport he had no business trying. Like Plimpton, whose football folly turned into the bestselling Paper Lion, travel and outdoor writer McGough writes of his participation in, around, and over the course of one of the world's premier triathlons, the annual 140.6-mile Ironman in Tempe, Arizona. McGough chronicles the Ironman's history, his unorthodox training, the pageantry of the race weekend, and his attempt to finish the epic event. The narrative follows not just his race but also explores the cult and habits of the triathlete community, beginning with the first Ironman competition in Hawaii in 1978. This is a light-hearted, self-deprecating, and at times hilarious look at one man's attempt to conquer the ultimate endurance sport, with a conclusion that will surprise and delight both dedicated triathletes as well as strangers to the sport.

Triathlons - three separate and gruelling tests of endurance in their own right, all rolled into on epic test of mind, body, and determination. Comprised of long distance running, swimming, and cycling, triathlons are the pinnacle of human endurance, taken on by men and women with a burning ambition to push themselves to the very limit. In the pages that follow you will discover inspirational quotes and words of wisdom that will make you smile and reach for your running shoes/swimming gear/cycling helmet with renewed vigour, learn need-to-know stuff, history, and tips from the experts. It might also become your passion, as you discover what it really takes to become a triathlete. The Little Book of Triathlon is a journey on to a path that is less trodden, but rich in fulfilment, self-discovery, and everything in-between. On your marks, set... and on we go.

Present-day female students most likely do not remember a time without Title IX. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects students from sex-based discrimination and exclusion in education programs or activities. Title IX benefits all women, especially female athletes, and protects women from not having equal access to the opportunities their male counterparts have. These two memoirs recount the lives of Celeste Callahan and Dottie Dorion who were athletes before Title IX was passed. Callahan and Dorion were runners and triathletes who constantly battled gender norms and stereotypes. The memoirs of the two athletes consist of oral and written accounts stitched together to form their journey through sport against societal standards and pressures.

A breakthrough program for triathletes -- beginner, intermediate, and advanced -- showing how to balance training intensity to maximize performance -- from a fitness expert and elite coach. Cutting-edge research has proven that triathletes and other endurance athletes experience their greatest performance when they do 80 percent of their training at low intensity and the remaining 20 percent at moderate to high intensity. But the vast majority of recreational triathletes are caught in the so-called moderate-intensity rut, spending almost half of their time training too hard--harder than the pros. Training harder isn't smarter; it actually results in low-grade chronic fatigue that prevents recreational athletes from getting the best results. In 80/20 Triathlon, Matt Fitzgerald and David Warden lay out the real-world and scientific evidence, offering concrete tips and strategies, along with complete training plans for every distance--Sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman, and Ironman--to help athletes implement the 80/20 rule of intensity balance. Benefits include reduced fatigue and injury risk, improved fitness, increased motivation, and better race results.

Redemption: From Iron Bars to Ironman is the fascinating, frightening and inspirational autobiography of former career criminal, now world-record holder and endurance athlete John McAvoy. Born into a notorious London crime family, his uncle Micky was one of the key players in the legendary Brinks-Mat gold bullion caper. John bought his first gun at 16 and carved out a lucrative career in armed robbery. At one point he was one of Britain's most-wanted men. It took two spells in prison and the death of a friend on a botched heist to change his path. During his second stint in jail he discovered a miraculous natural talent while serving life in the Belmarsh high security unit - where fellow inmates included Abu Hamza, the hook-handed extremist cleric, and the 7/7 bombers. John broke three world rowing records while still an inmate and since his release has become one of the UK's leading Ironman competitors. Redemption is the ultimate story of sporting salvation.

Triathlons, such as the famously arduous Ironman Triathlon, and ""extreme"" mountain biking - hair-raising events held over exceedingly dangerous terrain - are prime examples of the new ""lifestyle sports"" that have grown in recent years from oddball pursuits, practiced by a handful of characters, into multi-million-dollar industries. In Why Would Anyone Do That? sociologist Stephen C. Poulson offers a fascinating exploration of these new and physically demanding sports, shedding light on why some people find them so compelling. Drawing on interviews with lifestyle sport competitors, on his own experience as a participant, on advertising for lifestyle sport equipment, and on editorial content of adventure sport magazines, Poulson addresses a wide range of issues. He notes that these sports are often described as ""authentic"" challenges which help keep athletes sane given the demands they confront in their day-to-day lives. But is it really beneficial to ""work"" so hard at ""play?"" Is the discipline required to do these sports really an expression of freedom, or do these sports actually impose extraordinary degrees of conformity upon these athletes? Why Would Anyone Do That? grapples with these questions, and more generally with whether lifestyle sport should always be considered ""good"" for people. Poulson also looks at what happens when a sport becomes a commodity - even a sport that may have begun as a reaction against corporate and professional sport - arguing that commodification inevitably plays a role in determining who plays, and also how and why the sport is played. It can even help provide the meaning that athletes assign to their participation in the sport. Finally, the book explores the intersections of race, class, and gender with respect to participation in lifestyle and endurance sports, noting in particular that there is a near complete absence of people of color in most of these contests. In addition, Poulson examines how concepts of masculinity in triathlons have changed as women's roles in this sport increase.

At the age of thirty-one, Lucy Fry was pretty certain she knew her limits. And here's how she felt about the component parts of triathlon: swimming - fairly terrifying, especially in open water. Cycling - brilliant when done on a stationary bike, indoors. Running - sometimes fantastic, sometimes hideous. But as increasing numbers of her female friends continued to sign up to tri, Lucy couldn't help wondering: what was it about this exhausting pursuit that women seemed to find so magical, so transformative? The time had come to find out. Over one year, five triathlons and hundreds of training hours, Lucy uncovers the ins and outs of women's triathlon: how to wear a sports bra under a wetsuit, the competition and camaraderie, whether getting over 'jelly legs' makes you a more resilient human being - and finds that maybe she doesn't know her limits after all... Funny, warm and engaging, Run, Ride, Sink or Swim is for both the tri-curious and the dedicated tri-hard, and for any woman looking for inspiration to make the transition from sofa to start line.

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Grinding poverty...aching personal tragedy...withering discrimination...life-threatening disease...Jackie Joyner-Kersee has confronted them all-and triumphed...A Kind Of Grace

Jackie is known throughout the world as the best female athlete ever-the winner of six Olympic medals, three of them gold; the current world record holder in the heptathlon (the women's version of the male decathlon); the one-time world record holder in the long jump; and an All-America basketball player. Until now, few have known of the chronic affliction that has nearly killed her three times, or the grueling sacrifices that have vaulted her to heights never before seen.

She grew up in East St. Louis in a house "little more than wallpaper and sticks." Her parents were poor teenagers when they married. She made her first long-jump pit in her backyard from borrowed playground sand. One of her first performances went unrecorded because of the color of her skin. Yet Jackie not only had an innate ability to conquer speed and distance, she possessed an irrepressible personality and a deep, unshakable love of sport.

As she harnessed her talents, Jackie began an amazing string of multisport successes. In the midst of it all, she would try to hold her family together after her mother's tragic early death (Mary was only 37), and face her own devastating grief. As she climbed the dizzying heights of international and Olympic competition, she would face relentless media attention that escalated when she married Bob Kersee, her enormously successful-and controversial-coach. As she reached her profession's peak, she would battle life-threatening asthma, unfounded accusations of drug-induced performance enhancement, and recurring injuries. Ultimately, she would unite her experience and determination to achieve the most meaningful victories of all-those that shape and build lives beyond the field.

Written with honesty and humor, A Kind Of Grace is a profoundly moving story of barriers overcome, wisdom gained-and steadfast "hope-in-progress." Few recent books-of any kind-have testified so eloquently to the power of following one's dreams.

"I see elegance and beauty in every female athlete. I don't think being an athlete is unfeminine. I think of it as a kind of grace."

-Jackie Joyner-Kersee

"A Kind Of Grace is a kind of courage and a kind of strength and a kind of beauty and a kind of hope...and a great deal of grace."

-Frank Deford

"Powerful, evocative...a world-class effort."

-Armen Keteyian, ABC News

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Chrissie Wellington is the world's No 1 female Ironman triathlete, a four times World Champion, having recently won the her fourth title in October 2011 and the World Record holder. In 2009 she was voted 'Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year' and in 2010 was awarded the MBE. She is the undefeated champion of Triathlon, having won thirteen Ironman titles from thirteen races. She set a new World Record of 8 hours19:13 at Quelle Roth Germany in 2010, which slashed over 14 minutes from the previous record and where she was only beaten by six men. She went on to improve this time by another minute in the 2011 race. She also set a new world record for the fastest ever Ironman sanctioned event at Ironman South Africa in April 2011. Chrissie has displayed unprecedented levels of stamina, strength and competitiveness in becoming Ironman World Champion in only her second event at Ironman level. Her victory in Kona, Hawaii in 2007 finishing five minutes ahead of her nearest rival was described as the 'biggest upset in Ironman history' and 'a remarkable feat, deemed to be near impossible task for any athlete racing as a rookie at their first Ironman World Championships'. She defended her World title in Hawaii in 2008 and again in 2009. However a bout of severe sickness on the eve of the 2010 event meant she was unable to make the start line to defend her title. She bounced back in 2011 to retain her title in her most fiercely competitive race to date, which adds another fantastic chaper to her extraordinary sporting career. This is the remarkable story of how a Norfolk girl - a 'sporty kid, swimming, playing hockey, running, but never excelling and always more interested in the social side of the sports scene' - became a world champion.

Providing exactly what the fastest growing segment of the triathlon world yearns for, Melanie and Don Fink have created a complete training guide for women triathletes with highly efficient, easy-to-follow, multi-distance training programs. Women encounter all the same challenges as men in their triathlon training and racing, but there are a host of issues unique to them, issues about which most men don't have a clue. From the stay-at-home mom to the professional woman, female triathletes face societal expectations, and unique physical and emotional concerns. Until now, there has been never been a go-to source of information and guidance. "IronFit Triathlon Training for Women "arms the woman triathlete with everything she needs to know to persevere and lays out exact step-by-step training programs to help her to achieve her goals. This book includes three training programs designed for women at the Sprint/Standard (a/k/a "Olympic") Distance, Half Iron-Distance, and Full Iron-Distance. Each program is presented at three levels: Competitive, Intermediate, and "Just-Finish." The reader can select the program for the race distance she wants to train for and the exact level, based on her individual competitiveness, experience, and available training time.

Triathlon - a demanding combination of swimming, cycling and running - is by definition, more complicated that a single sport. How do you train for three activities at once, and remain injury free while you're doing it? Where can you practise swimming in open water? Should you focus on your strongest discipline, or your weakest? And then there's the race itself. Not only the physical challenge, but also the practicalities of getting out of a wetsuit and on to a bike against the clock, of riding a bike in close proximity to others and staying fuelled up throughout the race. This book takes the trial out of triathlon and ensures your first race experiences are fun, foolproof and successful.

Why is the Half Iron-Distance the most popular triathlon distance? Because it is the perfect length for busy athletes with demanding career and family responsibilities. Full Iron-Distance races require such painstaking planning and sacrifice that it's difficult to keep life in balance. The Half Iron-Distance is accessible, while remaining challenging. Also known as the "70.3" for the sum of its 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run, the half-iron triathlon is not simply a race for which an athlete can use a full-iron training regimen chopped in half. Doing so would in no way approach maximizing an athlete's performance. The races are performed at completely different intensity levels, with completely different approaches. As a result, the training is completely different. "IronFit Secrets to Half Iron-Distance Triathlon Success "does for the half-iron what "Be IronFit" has done for the full-iron. It provides three sixteen-week training programs--Competitive, Intermediate, and "Just Finish"--and details everything an athlete needs to know to successfully prepare for and maximize performance at this racing distance. In as little as four months, any athlete can be physically and mentally ready for the world's most popular triathlon challenge.

Every triathlete wants to be leaner, faster, and more successful. But for most athletes, training is not enough. You need to focus on diet as well as training volume to achieve your optimal weight. Weight Management for Triathletes provides detailed and practical information and the tools that can help frustrated triathletes to improve their body composition for performance and aesthetics. This book is aimed to help triathletes competing on every level and distance from sprint to Olympic and longer distances. Well researched and insightful, this book offers easy-to-follow strategies for various diets, describes the importance of low body fat, and shows how to use body fat data in order to implement a weight control program for the long haul. You will find the motivation and encouragement to lose weight, and with a leaner and fitter body, and an understanding of proper nutrition you will quickly perform better in races.

Triathlon is more than the sum of its parts. You can swim, cycle, and run but you need more to become a triathlete. If you want to prepare for your first triathlon, this easy-to-understand introduction to the sport is what you need. Roch Frey and Paul Huddle, two of the most respected names in multisport coaching, cover all the bases to get you to the starting line and help you finish your first race. The book contains information on everything from weight training to flexibility up to nutrition. It also contains detailed workout schedules for the sprint and Olympic distances to guide you through your training period. Triathlon: Starting Out is an easy-to-use training book that will help you visualize the race and make it to the finish line. With Roch and Paul at your side, anyone can do a triathlon!

The third edition of the best Ironman triathlon training book in the market, this updated volume contains time-efficient training methods that have been honed over the years and have been proved to aid anyone in achieving their athletic dreams-from beginners to experienced competitors. This edition contains all new training plans, new swim sessions, new athlete profiles, and state-of-the-art flexibility and core strength regimens. Be Iron Fit contains: * The essential workouts with exercise photography * The training cycle * Core training * 30-week training programs * Effective time management * The principle of gradual adaptation * Effective heart-rate training * Proper technique * Equipment tips * Race and pre-race strategies * Mental training * Effective goal setting and race selection * Nutrition * And much more.

For those who have ever thought they were too old or too unfit to compete in a triathlon, From Couch Potato to Endurance Athlete will prove that it is never too late to compete! This is a story about overcoming life's obstacles-from injury and business trouble to grief and loss and everything in between. Hilary Topper was a 48-year-old working mother who once upon a time had practically failed high school gym class. She was working 60-plus hours a week, running a small business. Her focus was on others-her children, her aging parents, and her staff. In the meantime, her weight kept increasing, and she was unhappy with the way her life was going. She needed a change. To turn things around, she joined a gym for the first time in her life. This book will take the reader on Hilary's decade-long journey as she trains for and runs her first 5K, swims the aqua-blue waters of the Caribbean, cycles a hilly course in Milwaukee, learns how to run-walk her way through the New York City Marathon, and competes in her first triathlon in Sanibel, Florida. The reader will be right with Hilary as she narrates each experience-even a 5-mile swim in the murky waters of Long Island. Hilary's story will move, motivate, and inspire readers. They will laugh and cry as they follow her on her journey.