Adventure Sport Racing, the Tests Athletes’ Physical Conditioning
July 11th, 2008 — dodoI doubt many people would argue that triathlons are not grueling tests of an athlete’s physical conditioning and mental toughness. For the unfamiliar, triathlons are events where competitors face off in a combination of swimming, biking, and a running race. Triathlons vary considerably from venue to venue. The original triathlon and the triathlon most deserving of the word extreme is the Ironman, an event that draws the world’s top triathletes from 75 countries to Hawaii each year in October.
What makes the ironman the most extreme triathlon is not its distance—many world class triathlons have similar distances—it is the weather. Temperatures, with highs averaging 88°F (31°C) and humidity Levels between 40-85 per cent, are sometimes accompanied by 60 mph (97 kph) winds. Athletes can expect to endure conditions that make this one event more torturous than most. Read the rest of this entry »