Maybe you’re already a triathlete
BUT YOU JUST HAVEN’T REALIZED IT By Geordie McConnell
are hoping they still have enough in the tank to make it to the finish. Off their bikes and onto the run, heavy legs slowly find the goal pace till at last they dive into the cool water and swim towards the raft in the middle of the river. There, the endurance test is complete and these eight-year-olds can now enjoy playing around in the sun counting the remaining days of summer vacation. Many of us share memories such
H
as this. We didn’t call ourselves “Triathletes,” we called ourselves kids. In 1974, some adults in California decided to do the same thing over set distances and click a stop watch at the start. That’s when the term Triathlete was born. If you have three hours a week
for exercise, you can become a triathlete again and relive your childhood. I use the words “become a triathlete” because, apparently, it
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
AMMERING UP THE legendary Mill Street climb, the break-away of cyclists
holds some kind of cachet in our community or culture. At pre- race talks, tongue firmly in cheek, I always recommend that when the athlete marks their body with their race number in magic marker (part of the strange culture that is triathlon) they put it on dark and thick so that it’s still visible at work the next week. When they then tell inquisitive co-workers that they were in a triathlon, their office cred skyrockets because the only association their colleagues have with triathlon is the Hawaii Ironman; they don’t know about the shorter stuff. There are triathlons that feature distances as short as a 100-metre swim, 10-kilometre bike and 2.5-kilometre walk/run. For some, this is their Ironman, and that is the beauty of the sport. Triathlon offers a suitable challenge for a very wide range of individuals. Finding the right race distance
for you is a simple process. How much time each week do you have available for exercise while
maintaining a balanced lifestyle with family, friends, work and other priorities? If you can fit in 360 minutes of exercise a week, a Super Sprint or even sprint triathlon is within your reach, depending on your starting fitness. If you have 10 hours plus available each week, an Ironman is not out of the question. Personally, I have five to six hours a week for exercise. I have done many Olympic distance triathlons but now find that the shorter Sprint distance is perfect for life with a young family, work and community involvement. Life was very different for me back in 1997 though, and my lifestyle at that time supported my Ironman year. Everyone can enjoy triathlon as
part of their balanced lifestyle. To paraphrase a friend: Get in the best shape of your life, but keep your life in good shape at the same time. We did it when we were kids so let’s get out and play again this summer. «oo
~ Geordie McConnell is head coach of the Ottawa Triathlon Club
ottawaoutdoors 5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51