How driven do you have to be to compete in a triathlon?
The football season is coming to an end, England has underperformed again in the Six Nations and the cricket team’s been thrashed in the West Indies, but British sports fans still have plenty to be excited about. The season is just about to start for the UK’s coolest sport: triathlon. But what drives thousands of people to take up the swim/bike/run challenge every year?
Triathlon is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports and, for once, the UK is at the centre of the action. The world’s biggest triathlon with 13,000 participants takes place in London, while in the last three years we’ve had World Champions and junior World Champions at Olympic distance (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run) and at the gruelling IronMan distance (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42km run).
In 2000 it was added to the Olympic programme in Sydney and since then participation has doubled in the UK. This summer will see a test event for the London 2012 Olympic triathlon in London’s Hyde Park. Last year in the UK alone there were 650 registered races and 100,000 entrants. Why are so many ordinary people taking up such an extraordinary challenge?
A series of case studies conducted by Triathlon Plus, the new magazine from Future, the special-interest media group, have revealed that triathletes are extremely driven, focused and competitive individuals.
One triathlete completed nine events in one year, competing in two races a month during the season between May and September. He trains for a total of eight to 12 hours per week, fitting it around his job and five children.
Doug Hall, an elite triathlete and coach, revealed that he trains for 20 hours a week and goes through six pairs of trainers in a year. “You need to be driven to push yourself further and faster if you’re truly competitive,” said Doug, “but you really need to feel the love to complete three sports in a row and still be enjoying it.”
Michelle Dillon, former British and European triathlon champion, world duathlon champion and double-Olympian said:
“Triathlon is one of the most exhilarating sports you can compete in; the challenge of having to train and excel in three different disciplines means you’re constantly challenged and stretched as an athlete. The energy and excitement of the sport is second to none, with most people coming to triathlon after succeeding in one discipline, and then wanting to challenge themselves further. People are looking to get and stay fit without grinding out laborious gym work, and triathlon is successful because the different disciplines can be fitted around people’s increasingly hectic lifestyles.
“It’s a very social sport that lends itself to a real feeling of teamwork both in training and competing. And even in the large events, there is a real glamour element, you get to ride some brilliant bikes, wear all the hot kit and convert your body so you look fantastic!”
Triathlon Plus comes from Future, the world’s leading cycling publisher, and publisher of Cycling Plus, Procycling, What Mountain Bike, Mountain Biking UK, and the world’s most visited cycling website network, which includes www.bikeradar.com and www.cyclingnews.com. The first issue of Triathlon Plus goes on sale on the 7th April, priced at £3.99.
Ends
Did you know?
- The number of members of British Triathlon’s Home Nation Associations has doubled since 2000, increasing by an average of 10% a year.
- Triathlon gained Olympic status faster than any other sport – under 30 years.
- There were 650 events registered in the UK governing bodies in 2008, although it’s estimated that there were 800 events in total.
*Source – TGI Q2 2008 / Guardian Newspaper
For more information please contact:
Jen Campbell, Communications Executive on 01225 732269 or jen.campbell@futurenet.com
About Future
Future plc is an international special-interest media group that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR). Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today we have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events for people who are passionate about their interests. We hold strong market positions in games, film, music, technology, cycling, automotive and crafts. Our biggest-selling magazines include T3, Total Film, Digital Camera, Fast Car, Classic Rock, Guitar World, Official Xbox Magazine, Official Playstation Magazine, Nintendo Power, Maximum PC and MacLife. Our websites include gamesradar.com, bikeradar.com, techradar.com, and musicradar.com. Future produces over 4 million magazines each month; we attract more than 18 million unique visitors to our websites; and we host 25 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports, syndicates or licenses its publications to 90 countries internationally, making us the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines
