Father’s Day 2014.
The 16-year old daughter had thought of the perfect gift.
Even though her father was a serious bike rider who had competed in at least 12 different triathlons, she had never even learned to ride a bike. At first, it was because she was a gymnast. She could not afford to get hurt and miss gymnastics practice. That excuse worked until she was 15, but then she had quit gymnastics, moved onto cross country running and distance running for the high school team. Now, the fact of the matter was she was scared. And old. Too old to learn how to ride a bike, that’s for sure.
With the help of some really good family friends, the 16-year old who knew everything about keeping her balance on a four inch wide beam, but nothing about balancing on a seat between two wheels, decided to conquer what most of her friends had learned by the time they were in kindergarten. Whenever the weather was nice enough she drove herself over to her friend’s house and worked on the bike riding. It had taken some time, but she was finally getting the hang of it. With two weeks left to practice, she was certain that she could achieve her goal.
On Father’s Day she asked her mom to serve her dad breakfast on the front porch. Some how she had managed to keep the secret from both of her parents, simply telling her mom that she would be going out first thing in the morning and would be coming back with a surprise. Her mom, of course, simply thought that her daughter had a gift that was too big to hide in the house so she was willing to play along.
the plan worked perfectly. The look on her parents’ faces, especially her dad’s, indicated that it was indeed the perfect gift.
Biking, Swimming and Running Are Passionate Sports That Provide Exercise and Adventure
Many people run. Many people Swim. And many people bike. The athletes that combine their love and endurance for all three of these sports, however, are often the most fit. Whether you are visiting a bike shop for the first time to get a beginning bike or you are comparing prices of the top new models at bike shops across town, the decision to mix biking into your training is a decision that will pay off for years.
Triathlon bikes come in a variety of price ranges and with a variety of features. Initially, even a used bike shop can provide a rider with a bike that will get them through recreational and family style competitions. If triathletes progress, however, they may want to revisit a bike shop and look at bikes that help the rider gain time and cut delays in the transition between stages.
While 41% of surveyed triathlon athletes said they tried out the sport for the first time because it “seemed fun,” many stick with the sport to improve both their fitness and their times. The endurance of a triathlon athlete is pretty impressive. The combination if swimming, biking, and running is an opportunity to work on strength, endurance, and muscle tone.
Triathlon Gear Continues to Improve and Attract Participants
While the swimming and running aspects of this endurance sport involve training, the bike is an essential piece of equipment that can make or break the riding part of the race. It is only natural that serious athletes want to have the best bike they can afford. Their performance and their final time will reflect the quality of the bike.
Current research indicates that more than 500,000 people now participate in multi-sport events every year. More specifically, 12% of the 18-year and older general population have participated in an endurance sport, which includes half-marathon, marathon, triathlon, Ironman or obstacle course competition. Of these endurance sports participants, 70% have participated in a half-marathon and 17% have participated in a triathlon. The triathlon requires and athlete to train in three separate sports so those numbers tend to be lower.
Do you have the equipment you need for your next race? If not, Father’s Day is just around the corner.