What makes a Triathlon
Triathlons really are one of the very best sporting competitions someone can take on.  Made up of three different disciplines and ask for substantial levels of conditioning along with great quantities of staying power and resistence.  In regular triathlons the three different disciplines or stages are comprised of swimming, cycling, and running.  Although this is the most common format of a competition it is not uncommon to come across modifications on this including windsurfing, paddle boarding or other corresponding but distinct stages.  There is no down time in between stages and being able to transition from one stage to the next speedily and successfully is an fundamental skill.  This is due to the inescapable fact that all of these transitions is timed and recorded in your total time and the victor is the person who does the contest in the lowest amount of time.

Triathlon Variations
While there is no set distance for triathlons there are four main types that you are possible to find if you spend any time near the sport.   They are referred to as the Sprint distance, the Intermediate or Standard or Olympic distance, the Long Course and the Ultra Distance which is also referred to as the Ironman triathlon.  Each of these four categories grows in distance and difficulty ranging from the moderately brief Sprint triathlon contest which is comprised of a 750 meter swim, a 20 km bike stage which is then rounded off with a 5 km run.  The Ironman or Ultra Distance consists of of a 3.8 km swim, then a 180 km bike ride which is then followed instantly by 21.1 km run.  The alternative two variations lie someplace in between however you are able to come across races that do not match these four types.

Changing between Stages
In between stages the competitors are timed as they transition from one stage to the subsequent one.  These types of changeover zones are labeled T1 which sits in between the swimming and the cycling stages and T2 which is located in between the cycling and running stages.  At these transition stages you will come across all of the accessories you have to have for the next level no matter whether that is a triathlon wetsuit , running outfit or your triathlon bicycle.  Being confident enough to do a quick changeover can easily really make or break your results so it is almost always a advantageous idea to practice in advance and ensure you are accustomed to your triathlon related equipment and know the best ways to remove your triathlon wetsuits or your cycling stuff and dress yourself in your running shoes.

How to Get Ready for a Triathlon
To be a superior triathlete you need to be skillful in all of the three (or more) stages that make up the triathlon you will be taking part in.  Some individuals prefer to exercise for a set number of days or weeks in one sport then start on the next whilst others choose to shake it up more and change from swimming, running and cycling on a day-to-day basis.  It's obvious that substantial amounts of fitness are a necessity for any one thinking of signing up for a triathlon.

Inventing the Triathlon
It is unclear when the first triathlon or three staged sporting event occurred.  Some people remember the date at around the year 1920 with a competition that took place in France and was comprised of three portions.  Other people refer to an event in 1902 which was made up of three steps that are related to the typical races that one finds today other than a canoeing stage in place of the swimming phase.  Though the correct source of the triathlon is heatedly disputed it is safe to say the sport is close to 100 years old.  These early tournaments were not called triathlons though and it wasn’t up until 1974 that the term was first applied.  This tournament in 1974 strongly resembled the races of these days as it comprised of three stages which were swimming, running and cycling taking place took place in San Diego, California.