 The Ironman franchise is one of the most recognizable in the fitness world, with 88 events taking place in 22 countries across the globe.
A standard triathlon includes a 2.4 mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112 mile
(180.25 km) bicycle ride and a 26.2 mile (42.2 km) marathon run... all
this starting at 7:00am and continuing without a break until complete!
Now impose strict time limits for the swim (2 hours, 20 minutes), bike
(no later than 5:30pm) with the racers finishing before midnight, and
you have yourself an Ironman. These triathlons require complete mental and physical dedication, with the attendees vying for a place in the coveted World Championships in Hawaii. That being said, many will not make it to the World's, but do have the satisfaction of completing a triathlon. The feeling of accomplishment when finishing a triathlon is incredible, something many people will never experience. During the training phase athletes will often look toward fitness watches to help monitor their progress. The Garmin Forerunner 910XT, 310XT and SWIM models all offer useful tools for all aspects of triathlon use; lap times, stroke count, measuring heart rate with calorie counting, run/bike/swim distance and much more!
2005 saw the WTC (World Triathlon Corporation) introduce the first ever Ironman 70.3 race series, sometime called the Half Ironman due to the distance reductions. The same rules apply, with a number of qualifying races taking place worldwide, culminating in a grand finale at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, NV. The shorter, but still impressive Ironman 70.3 consists of; a 1.2 Mile (1.9 km) swim, 56 mile (90km) bike and 13.1 mile (21.1 km) run.
To find an event near you check out the Ironman Triathlon website!
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