Different people have different ways of losing weight - while some go for diet pills others opt for certain restrictions in the diet. But, running is perhaps one of the safest ways to get those extra pounds off your body. And if you want to pursue running as a professional does, nothing works for you as well as triathlon running does.

Most starters obviously have the drawback of not having any prior training but all professionals would tell you that they have had to go through rigorous training to ensure perfection in the sport.

Apart from some primary training, starters also need to see to it that some basic aspects are taken care of including the proper fit of the running shoes, avoiding running on concrete or any extra-hard surface (running on concrete or asphalt increases the chances and actual occurrences of injuries), creating a warm up session comprising five minutes of walking and stretching (this ensures proper flow of blood to the muscles which, again means injuries will occur less) etc. But that is not all. An amateur runner also needs to formulate a correct cool- down routine so that the body gets ample time to recover after heavy workout.

For everyone who has now got interested in triathlons, here is a quick take on what triathlon events are all about. While participating in a triathlon event you will have to do three things at one go- swim, cycle and also run.

There are certain standard distances measured at triathlons- Enticer: where you need to swim 250 meters, run 2.5 kilometers and cycle for another 10 kilometers; Sprint: Where you need to swim 500 meters, run 5 kilometers and cycle for 10 kilometers. Apart from this, you will have a tougher time with Olympic, Half- Ironman and Ironman events where you need to do all three activities, each for a longer distance. From this you can get a clear picture of what you need to do before being a part of such an event.

Most professionals are of the opinion that swimming is actually the hardest part in an entire triathlon event. And it is in this aspect that people from cycling and running backgrounds have a drawback.

But the good news for starters is that if you are technically sound in swimming after the initial fifteen minutes the challenge will seem to be a lesser burden. During the training period a beginner needs to perform really well in the sphere of swimming, which means if he is supposed to appear for a 500 meter race, in the training session he has to perform with the intensity of a 1000 meter competition.

Cycling is comparatively easy for everyone but in this case, too, beginners need to gear up right from the start of the training session. Running is quite difficult for most people in a triathlon event because it comes at the end, after you have swum and cycled for long. You tend to have a feeling that your legs are giving away and the best way to ensure that you stay ahead is to create a style of your own and follow certain techniques.

Doing triathlons is a great way to lose weight, stay in shape, have fun and meet some pretty awesome people. I have done 3 IronMan triathlons in the past 2 years and I am doing 2 more this year in November. Its been alot of fun and made some great friends. Of course consult with you Doctor before you decide to take something like this on. Train hard and train smart.

Hope to see you out there.

Learn more about this author, Frank Cardia.
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