Triathlon became an official Olympic sport in 2000 at the Sydney Games,
but it has been steadily growing in popularity for three decades. For competitors,
triathlon offers the ultimate challenge: swimming, biking and running,
competing against other athletes and the clock, and challenging their own
personal limits.
The sport consists of three legs: swimming, biking and running, in that
order, according to the rules set by the International Triathlon Union.
Race distances can vary, but most triathlons use the Olympic standards,
which are a 1.5 kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride and a 10-kilometer
run.
The first triathlons were informal races organized by a group of athletes
in Southern California, many of them marathon runners, who were looking
for a break from the routine of their grueling training regimens. These
competitions evolved into more official events, and the
first true triathlon was held in 1974.
From that beginning, the sport has grown to include thousands of triathlons
held every year, in locations around the world. Triathlon has become
a popular sport for a growing number of competitors, says Marilyn
Franzen, Life Time Fitness athletic events director. They
are appealing events because the average person has some experience
in either
biking, swimming or running.
Although the sport requires dedication and training, you dont have
to be a professional athlete to compete. Triathlons are great for
people looking for a challenge, said professional Triathlete Becky
Gibbs Lavelle. Whether an athlete looking for a new challenge or
a weekend warrior, its a great way to reach your physical goals,
while executing a steady workout plan with everyday life.
Life Time Fitness has produced and hosted an annual triathlon since 2002;
it features the largest cash purse in the history of the sport, at
$500,000. It also features a unique timing system called the Equalizer
that pits
the worlds best professional triathletes, women and men, against
one another for the first place prize of $250,000.
The Life Time Fitness triathlon features two race distances. The professional
division competes on the Olympic course under the Equalizer timing format.
Amateurs also may compete. Individuals may participate on the Olympic or
Short distance courses, or as part of a relay team. The event also offers
a Corporate Challenge division for interested corporate participants.
New this year are the Clydesdale and Athena divisions, for male athletes
weighing more than 200 pounds and female athletes weighing more than 150
pounds. Top finishers will qualify for the 2004 Team Clydesdale World Games
in Chicago.
Set in Minneapolis, the 2004 Life Time Fitness Triathlon takes place in
a beautiful urban landscape and is shown nationally on NBC Sports. Life
Time Fitness is a healthy way of life company, and the triathlon celebrates
well-rounded athletes at their peak of training, said Franzen. This
years event takes place on July 17 and will feature many professionals
who will go on to compete in the Olympic Games in Athens just a few
weeks later.
Catch the event on NBC nationally this July 17, from 2 to 3 p.m. EST.
But watch out, you just may become yet another of the thousands of thriathletes
participating in this growing sport.
For more information, visit www.lifetimefitness.com.