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.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson is a British heptathlete and won gold in the 2019 World Championships with a British record of 6,981 points. After making her Olympic debut in 2012, Katarina has suffered many disappointments, heartbreaks and frustrations, but she has never let it stop her. Now a World Champion, she is ready to take on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

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.

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.

You're 43, cruising through life when suddenly you're diagnosed with cancer. What do you do next? When Paul Smith found himself facing that question he decided to swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 more and then run a marathon. There are tears and laughter in this brutally honest, good-humoured and intensely personal account of Paul's inspiring journey from being at death's door to conquering a triathlon. Join him on a life-affirming mission encompassing exhilarating highs and painful lows. After his devastatingly rare one-in-a-million bowel cancer diagnosis and his time in hospital confronting an operation ominously dubbed the 'Mother of all Surgeries', Paul has just ten months to train his broken body to peak fitness and fulfil his dream of completing one of the world's toughest and most intimidating triathlons, Ironman Wales. Paul lays bare his physical and mental battles in vivid detail. If you think completing an ironman triathlon is an impossible dream, read this truly inspirational story and think again.

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.

Swim. Bike. Run. If the combination of those three words gets you excited, then you need Train to Tri: Your First Triathlon. Written by experts with USA Triathlon (USAT), the largest multisport organization in the world, this book provides proven strategies, secrets, and advice to gear up for your first sprint-distance or standard-distance event. This is not another one-size-fits-all program. Train to Tri is designed so you can focus on the training you need most. You'll establish a baseline in each of the three phases: running, cycling, and swimming. You'll find bronze, silver, or gold levels of training for each phase, which can be combined and customized to your needs, your goals, and your lifestyle. Train to Tri is more than just training. It's total preparation. Featuring expert advice on selecting gear, staying motivated, overcoming challenges, preventing burnout, determining nutritional needs, and achieving recovery, it's a multifaceted plan for multisport success. If you're ready to go from athlete to triathlete, let Train to Tri and the experts at USAT lead the way.

Your First Half-Distance Triathlon will guide any triathlete who wished to finish his or her first half-distance triathlon from the beginning of the preparation until race day. The half-distance triathlon consists of a 1.2-mile swim, 56 miles of cycling and a 13.1-mile run. It is anything but an easy option, but it represents a fascinating challenge for any well-trained endurance athlete. Considered a Long Course it covers more miles than the Olympic distance and provides the perfect stepping stone to the ITU Long Distance races and even the Ultra Distance Ironman triathlon. This book offers a great amount of detailed training plans. There are in-depth examples of core and peripheral training and heart-rate dependent pace levels T1-T8, which help to illustrate the year-round training recommendations. It also features advice on swimming, cycling, and running training, cross training, equipment, strengthening and stretching, typical training errors, recovery, self-motivating performance testing and motivation tips, as well as anecdotes and emotional stories from competitions. With this guide, anyone can finish their first half-distance triathlon.

Serious triathletes may be the most tech-savvy of all athletes. You have the latest devices and know that data to improve your performance are at hand, but putting it all together can be a daunting, confusing task. Triathlete, coach, researcher, and author Jim Vance maintains that, despite access to the relevant information, most triathletes start a race undertrained or overtrained. That's why he's developed Triathlon 2.0: Data-Driven Performance Training, the first program to take advantage of the latest science and technology. Triathlon 2.0 examines the sport's most popular devices, including cycling power meters, GPS trackers, and heart rate monitors. Capture the most accurate readings, learn what they mean, and, just as important, what they don't. Then, put the numbers to work for you, translating your data into a comprehensive program based on your performance needs and triathlon goals. With Triathlon 2.0, you will learn these skills: * Establish and identify optimal aerobic fitness base. * Determine the exact number of intervals for the most effective training and quickest recovery. * Identify performance markers to track training results. * Develop a tapering plan for peak performance. * Monitor pace and progress in real time. If you're serious about maximizing performance, then turn to the only program built around your personal performance data. With Triathlon 2.0, the power and plan are in your hands.

Triathlon Swimming reveals the rewarding and rigorous Tower 26 program for mastering open-water swimming by the world's leading open-water swimming coach Gerry Rodrigues and former pro triathlete Emma-Kate Lidbury. Triathlon swimming is unique in its challenges and physical and mental limits. Over his lifetime of over 100 open-water swim race wins and over 30 years of coaching, Rodrigues has perfected the art and science of open-water swimming. His famed Tower 26 swimming program trains athletes in both the pool and in rough open water conditions, making triathletes and swimmers skilled, confident, capable, and fast in any condition. In Triathlon Swimming, Rodrigues and Lidbury break down open-water swimming technique and show how triathlon swimming requires different form. From kicking to sighting, Triathlon Swimming describes the best technique for swimming in open water. This guide shares the best gear for open-water swimming, shows how to create your own effective open-water swim workouts, and shares a plan for race prep and taper. Tower 26 offers the best open-water swimming technique. With Rodrigues' coaching approach and Lidbury's first-hand experience and insight, Triathlon Swimming can help you become a master open-water swimmer for faster, fearless racing.

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.

This book is both a lesson in true grit and determination, but its goal is one that is attainable. Andy isn't a sporting superstar, he holds down a 9-5 job and all the pressures that go with it; he isn't blessed with speed and talent; there are no multi-million pound sponsorship deals; yet this remarkable "common man" is inspiring in a way that some of today's sporting superstars have forgotten how to be. You wouldn't recognize Andy in the street, yet his story provides valuable lessons to us all: "Never give up" and "Anything is possible." "Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run" follows Andy Holgate's epic journey from being an overweight librarian to an Ironman triathlete. Before he could even begin the rollercoaster ride which amassed more punctures than Andy cares to remember, this would-be Superman had first to buy a second-hand bike and take swimming lessons. Along the way, he ended up in hospital, dealt with family crises, encountered crocodiles and deadly amoebas, and persuaded his friends that doing an Ironman event is what normal people do on their stag weekend. This is the inspirational, amusing and moving story of how one normal bloke learnt how to fall off a bike and not injure himself, to run a marathon despite two dodgy knees, and most importantly how not to drown.

Are you thinking about getting into triathlon or doing your first race? Have you finished a couple of races and are keen to improve your time?

Do you find the whole sport daunting and confusing? Are you a little intimidated by everybody else who looks like they know what they are doing?

This easy to understand and insightful book is packed with practical ways you can improve and it will help you:

Understand the sport of triathlon "what is triathlon and how does it work?"

Develop a training plan together that simplifies your season

Train effectively so you minimise the risk of getting injured

Stop you making the mistakes which cost a lot of time and money

Make you feel confident when you are on the start line

Decide what race length is best for you from sprint to Ironman

Buy the right triathlon kit to suit your ability and your aspirations

A personal note from the author:

"This book is gathered from years of training and racing but not only from my triathlon experience but from the experience of champions. I have trained with and raced with elite athletes and winners from all over the world but I started not knowing what I was doing and was scared to death when I did my first race. I wish I had this book when I started out. I would have saved myself a lot of heart ache and stress I wrote this to help all triathlon rookies get over their nerves and enjoy this fantastic sport."

"Triathlon for beginners" is the start to finish complete guide which covers all the areas of training and racing including:

Where to start - types of races, what you need to know and where to begin

Jargon buster - helping you understand the terms of the sport so you can understand what people are talking about when they say "T1" or "Brick"

Training rules and techniques

Swimming technique and etiquette

Running technique and how to prevent injury and run faster

Cycling in a pack what to do and what not to do

Transition - how to lay it out, what to bring and how to be effective

Understanding nutrition and why it is key, how best to manage your nutrition and what is best to eat for triathlon training and racing

Race day - what to look out for, how to prepare and what to expect

This guide takes you from start to finish so you can feel confident and comfortable when you train and race.

Here are some of the comments we have had from readers...

I loved this book

I have completed a few triathlons- sprint and Olympic distance. This book really simplified what is important to focus on. There is so much to know and learn that sometimes you feel overwhelmed. It is an easy, entertaining read but packed with good knowledge that made a big difference to my racing.

Charlotte Campbell, World Games triathlon gold medallist

I wish this was around before

I did a number of Triathlons over the last few years. When I first took it up I had to ask people's advice which at best was disjointed and worst, confusing. I also read some very good stuff on the internet, however this was also disjointed and incomplete. This book would have been ideal, as it puts it all together clearly and concisely.

Liam Harrington; sprint triathlete

Susan and Carlos were unlikely friends. She was a young, overweight college professor and a bit of a trainwreck—juggling a divorce, a pack-a-day habit, and hiding empty boxes of wine under her bed. He was her boss, an Ironman triathlete, with life figured out. She was a whiner, he was a hard-ass. He had his shit together, she most assuredly did not. Trash-talking workouts, breakdowns, a devastating diagnosis—this heartwarming story of training buddies reveals a deep and abiding friendship that traversed life, sport, and everything in between. Their journey reveals the inspiring power of sports and friendship to change lives forever. Amusing and poignant, Life’s Too Short To Go So F*cking Slow is about running and triathlon, growth and heartbreak, and an epic friendship that went the distance.

Never a Bad Day is a compilation of Bob Babbitt's best and funniest editorials from Competitor Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. In 1987, Bob Babbitt started Competitor Magazine. One of the features of the publication was his editorial that ran at the front of the publication. This book is a collection of his favorite editorials from both Competitor Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. Bob Babbitt's stories bring out the human side of running, cycling and triathlon in a way that no one else ever has. Through humor and inspiration, this book will become a must-have for the hundreds of thousands of endurance athletes who have made these sports not just their hobbies, but an integral part of their lives.

What would you do if half your town caught triathlon mania? If you're like Alicia DiFabio-a minivan-driving, harried mother of four small children whose daily look features stained yoga pants, a messy ponytail, and a big diaper bag-you would shrug your shoulders and try to hold on for that after-bedtime glass of wine. It was to her utter surprise that this middle-aged, out-of-shape mother found herself on the starting line of a triathlon. In Women Who Tri, DiFabio explores the triathlon phenomenon that has gripped her town and swept the nation. Her memoir is both inspiring and informative as it explores the popularity, psychology, subculture, and transformative power of triathlons among "ordinary" women. Set in a small New Jersey town that now hosts America's largest women-only triathlon club, Women Who Tri weaves together the insights of a psychologist, the research of a journalist, and the deep insecurities of a daunted newbie. DiFabio shares her journey from nervous newcomer to triathlon finisher as she investigates one of the world's most challenging and inspiring sports. She profiles women who have overcome challenges to become athletes and tri for themselves and to help others. Women Who Tri will entertain, enlighten, and inspire any triathlon enthusiast, from tri-addicts to the tri-curious.

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.

The Complete Book of Triathlon Training is for any athlete who wants to improve in, or convert to the fascinating sport of triathlon. Learn how to develop a training program and how to approach a competition. The book is an encyclopedic reference that covers all aspects of triathlon training. The triathlete and aspiring triathlete will have one reference with everything they need to know about triathlon, whether an endurance sport novice or an accomplished athlete in another sport. It tells you how to get started, what equipment to buy, the diet you will need, how to devise a training routine and how to arrange your busy life in order to accommodate it, and then explains how to finish a race, as well as how to recover from it. The Complete Book of Triathlon Training will tell you how to be the best that you can be in triathlon; not necessarily by training harder, but by training smarter. Every aspect of your life has the potential to affect your mental and physical performance, and you need to take this into account when devising your training in order to avoid both over-training and under-training. Marks system for monitoring training-stress levels which he has been successfully using for many years is unique to him but is revealed in this book. Use it and you can achieve your optimum performance

The Brave Athlete solves the 13 most common mental conundrums athletes face in their everyday training and in races. You don’t have one brain—you have three; your ancient Chimp brain that keeps you alive, your modern Professor brain that navigates the civilized world, and your Computer brain that accesses your memories and runs your habits (good and bad). They fight for control all the time and that’s when bad things happen; you get crazy nervous before a race, you choke under pressure, you quit when the going gets tough, you make dumb mistakes, you worry about how you look. What if you could stop the thoughts and feelings you don’t want? What if you could feel confident, suffer like a hero, and handle any stress? You can. The Brave Athlete from Dr. Simon Marshall and Lesley Paterson will help you take control of your brain so you can train harder, race faster, and better enjoy your sport. Dr. Marshall is a sport psychology expert who trains the brains of elite professional athletes. Paterson is a three-time world champion triathlete and coach. Together, they offer this innovative, brain training guide that is the first to draw from both clinical science and real-world experience with athletes. That means you won’t find outdated “positive self-talk” or visualization gimmicks here. No, the set of cutting-edge mental skills revealed in The Brave Athlete actually work because they challenge the source of the thoughts and feelings you don’t want. The Brave Athlete is packed with practical, evidence-based solutions to the most common mental challenges athletes face. Which of these sound like you? · Why do I have thoughts and feelings I don’t want? · I wish I felt more like an athlete. · I don’t think I can. · I don’t achieve my goals. · Other athletes seem tougher, happier, and more badass than me. · I feel fat. · I don’t cope well with injury. · People are worried about how much I exercise. · I don’t like leaving my comfort zone. · When the going gets tough, the tough leave me behind. · I need to harden the f*ck up. · I keep screwing up. · I don’t handle pressure well. With The Brave Athlete: Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion, you can solve these problems to become mentally strong and make your brain your most powerful asset.

Triathletes spend a lot of time and money making sure they have the right gear, optimizing their training plans, and selecting their races. And part of that preparation for big race days is taking care of diet to be sure the body is properly fed to maximize athletic performance. Enter "The Complete Nutrition Guide for Triathletes, a" thorough nutritional guidebook tailored specifically for the three-sport athlete to reach his triathlon goals and to cross the finish line with the best nutrition plan possible. Dr. Jamie A. Cooper brings to the book her expert knowledge about nutrition and exercise combined with her extensive experience as an active triathlete. The book covers each essential nutrient, offers up tailored nutritional plans for Sprint, Olympic, and Ironman races, and troubleshoots nutrition-related issues specifically concerning the triathlete.

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.

Swim, Bike, Run - The ultimate guide to triathlon by Olympics heroes Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee A Number One Bestseller This is the story of how two skinny lads from west Yorkshire became the best triathletes in the world. Meet the Brownlees: Olympic Champion Alistair, World Champion Jonny. Brothers, training partners, rivals. They have obliterated the competition and set new standards for swimming, biking and running. In this revealing, often very funny book they take us inside their world. It's both a riveting story of the races, the success and the brotherly rivalry, as well as a guide to triathlon with sections on how to swim, bike and run and packed with advice on nutrition, injury, and mental approach. This book will appeal to readers of cycling and running books like Mark Cavendish's Boy Racer and Running with the Kenyans, as well as fans of Chrissie Wellington's A Life Without Limits and Andy Beckett's Can't Swim, Can't Bike, Can't Run. 'Sport has two new heroes: a couple of nice lads from Yorkshire' The Times Alistair Brownlee, 24, is a British triathlete from Yorkshire. He is the reigning Olympic champion, a back-to-back European champion and a two-time World champion. Jonathan Brownlee, 22, is also a British triathlete from Yorkshire. He is the reigning World Champion, a two-time World Sprint champion and an Olympic bronze medalist.

Joe Friel is the world's most trusted triathlon coach and his friendly guide, Your First Triathlon, will get you ready for your first sprint or Olympic triathlon feeling strong, confident, and ready for the challenge. Friel has helped hundreds of thousands of people to enjoy the challenges of triathlon with his clear and comprehensive TrainingBible method. Your First Triathlon simplifies all the principles of Friel's training approach for newcomers who want a simple, no-nonsense way to train for triathlon. The practical triathlon training plans in Your First Triathlon take fewer than 5 hours a week and will build the fitness and confidence you need to enjoy your first event. Your First Triathlon offers a 12-week training plan for total beginners as well as custom plans for athletes who have some experience in running, cycling, or swimming. Each triathlon training schedule includes realistic swimming, biking, and running workouts with options to add strength workouts. These simple plans will build anyone into a triathlete. Friel simplifies your triathlon race day with smart tips to navigate your race packet pickup, set up your transition area, fuel for your race, finish your swim without stress or fear, and ensure your race goes smoothly from the moment you wake up until you cross the finish line. Triathlon is a fun and challenging sport that can help you get fit, healthy, and feeling great. Your First Triathlon will help you get off to a great start in the swim-bike-run sport.