|
Triathlon is a sports event consisting of a swimming, cycling and a running leg (in this particular order) over various distances. These events are placed back-to-back in immediate sequence and a competitor's official time includes the time required in "transition" or change in between the individual legs of the race. The change over or transition takes place in an enclosed area where gear is collected and left. This includes swim caps and goggles, wetsuits, bicycles, cycling shoes, cycling helmets, running shoes, caps/visors, sunglasses. The transition from swim to cycle is known as T1 and the transition from cycle to run as T2, normally in the same venue.
Proficiency in swimming, cycling, or running alone is not sufficient to guarantee a triathlon athlete a competitive time; trained triathlon athletes have learned to race each stage in a way that preserves their energy and endurance for subsequent stages.
Duathlon and Aquathlon fits in under the umbrella of triathlon:
Duathlons are most similar to triathlons, with the key difference being the lack of a swimming leg. The format is made up of running, cycling and a second running leg. There are a variety of Duathlon race distances. A triathlon can be switched over to a duathlon in format, should the water conditions be deemed a safety risk.
Aquathlons are most similar to triathlons, with the key difference being the lack of a cycling leg. The format is, running, cycling, running. At the World triathlon champs held at Lausanne in 2006, the Aquathlon format was 2.5k run - 1k swim - 2.5 k run. This format is not promoted to any degree
|
|
According to triathlon historian, author, and former Ironman World Champ, Scott Tinley, the origin of triathlon is anecdotally attributed to a race in France during the 1920s-1930s that was called variously "Les trois sports", "La Course des Débrouillards", and "La course des Touche à Tout".
Nowadays, this race is held every year in France near Joinville le Pont. In 1920, the French newspaper "L´Auto" reported on a competition called "Les Trois Sports" with a 3 km run, 12 km bike, and a swim across the channel Marne.
Those three parts were done without any break. There are also articles in French newspapers about a race in Marseille in 1927. There is a 1934 article about "Les Trois Sports" (the three sports) in the city of La Rochelle, a race with: (1) a channel crossing (c. 200 m), (2) a bike competition (10 km) around the harbor of La Rochelle and the parc Laleu, and (3) a run (1200 m) in the stadium André-Barbeau.
In the modern era, on another continent, triathlons were held as off-beat training exercises for runners. The first known swim/bike/run triathlons were held at San Diego, California’s Mission Bay in 1974. Organized by members of the San Diego Track Club, the events were held on summer evenings and were intended as no more than light-hearted breaks in the normal grind of training for marathons and 10Ks.
This occurrence is well-documented and was not based on the French events. Amongst them were runners, swimmers and cyclists and before long training sessions turned into informal races. Directed and conceived by Jack Johnston and Don Shanahan, the first Mission Bay Triathlon was held on September 25, 1974 and welcomed 46 athletes. This date is celebrated as the day modern triathlon began.
|
