3 sports or 1?

I agree with Sis. Here's why.

If you train under the premise that triathlon is three distinct sports, you will have a hard time in
races. In training, you may be the fastest swimmer, fastest biker, and fastest runner, but remember,
you have two transitions, to consider. Swim to bike, and bike to run.

If you don't practice transitions, you will be left behind. If you kick to hard in the swim, your
legs will be tired for the bike and run. If you bike too hard, your legs will be dead on the run. If
you don't do transition runs going from bike to run in training, lead legs will kill you. If you
don't practice transition rides after swimming, you body will not get used to being in the forward
aero position after heavy upper body exertion in the water.

A lot of people make the mistake of training for three sports, and forget about the brick and other
combo workouts. Other comments please.

Jim

"Po Natacion" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3 sport
put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see that.
anyone else?

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You didn't mention whether either you or your sister actively compete in triathlons.

This is admittedly a generalization, but most of my experience has been that those who don't
participate think of them as 3 sports and those who do know differently.

My fiancée keeps telling me "I've seen you swim 2.4 miles, I know you've biked over 100 before, and
I know you can run over 20. What's the big deal? Why don't you go do that ironman next month?"

Yea, it's one sport - my legs and stomach tell me so.

John

Po Natacion said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3 sport
put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see that.
anyone else?

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forum will be propogated to usenet.

Po Natacion <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3 sport
put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see that.
anyone else?

Po, I think you lost. This is why:

There are elements of the triathlon rule book that are in conflict with the other three individual
sports' rule book(s).

The three disciplines are linked without interruption. This makes it different from
decathlon/heptathlon/biathlon, etc. Other multi-sports have a hard break in the action between the
disciplines.

Last, and politically, we do not share governing bodies with any of the other three sports; we
have our own.

rsquared

Po Natacion said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3 sport
put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see that.
anyone else?

Definately agree with your sister. Preparing for the three sports seperately is entirely
different than trying to put them all together to do one right after another.

1) You Probably won't train as hard in any single discipline as you woudl if it was a single event.

2) Swimming then biking then running is entirely differnet than simply doing one event. Push too
hard in any one of them and you may kill yourself for the other two.

3) Transitions aren't in any of the other single sports, but are included in the tri.

4) Learning how swimming effects your biking and or running and how biking effects your running is
an intergral part of a tri.

5) In order to be three seperate sports one leg wouldn't/shouldn't have any effect on the others.
This is obviously not true adn thus it must be considered as one event.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

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In article said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3 sport
put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see that.
anyone else?

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it's one sport composed of three disciplines. simple enough?

Cam

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Not every race can be a perfect experience, but every race can be a learning experience.

In article <[email hidden]>, onemarathon

Quoted message said:

In article said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3
sport put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see
that. anyone else?

--
This forum is a gateway to the rec.sport.triathlon usenet newsgroup. Any posts you make in this
forum will be propogated to usenet.

it's one sport composed of three disciplines. simple enough?

Cam

oh, i should have said *four* disciplines, since transition is a crucial part of the sport.

Cam

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Not every race can be a perfect experience, but every race can be a learning experience.

It's one sport... with 3 athletic endeavors that are mutually dependent. You can be a very good
runner, swimmer or biker... and get beat by an average triathlete.

The sport is one and should be trained for as such.

Joe M

Po Natacion <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

My sister and I have an ongoing debate about whether or not triathlon is its own sport or 3 sport
put together. I think its 3 separate sports but she insists its just one...not sure I see that.
anyone else?