Duathlon - Triathlon
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Do you know about the IronMan stuff?
O.k., here comes some info on the down-graded versions of it, for the rest of us - so to say.
Well, Triathlon consists of swimming, bicycling and running - all in a row without a break. The single distances depend on what you personally can stand. I like 750 meters - 20 kilometers - 5 km best. Swimming is especially popular in summer, when the water is warm enough to spend 10 to 15 minutes in it. The off-season for Triathlon is right now and to get around this, smart guys invented Duathlon which is basically running - bicycling - running. Because there are alway people who need even more fun there comes Cross Duathlon - the cross-country version of it.
Last October there was this year's special event in Güstrow in North East Germany considered to be the "Hardest in the North". And this is what happened: The event is organised by local Tri-Fun Güstrow and consists of 5 km cross-country running, 26 km mountain biking and another 5 km cross-country on the same lap. Northern Germany is generally supposed not to have any mountains but that's wrong! At least in Güstrow there are enough to make it a really hard race. Probably for that reason only 40 people came to give it a try. The oldest was 60+! The weather was wonderful as opposed to the race of 97 when there was much snow.
The cross-country lap began with steep hills which showed everybody that the attribute "hardest" is neither an ad-trick nor a joke. So, I took this round to warm up and concentrated myself on the mountain biking: four rounds of 6.5 km each all up and down the hills and 100 % in a forest. To be serious: I really asked myself after half of the race was done: 'Why do I do this kind of stuff? Is it really that fun to struggle with sand and hills? Wouldn't it be sufficient fun to watch this kind of sports in television?' When I was really filled with by the fight the final cross country lap made me dragging my tired legs through the forrest counting down the kilometers: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, FINISH!
I liked the tea, bananas and cookies they handed out for the finishers.
Believe it or not, half an hour later I was convinced to come back next year. It is really fun to manage to finish such a hard race and to feel: I can do it! I am strong enough to move without car or other motor driven vehicles. The number of my years is increasing but I can still leave younger folks behind me.
After all, a fourth rank in my class and 29th out of 40 isn't that bad, is it?
O.k., here comes some info on the down-graded versions of it, for the rest of us - so to say.
Well, Triathlon consists of swimming, bicycling and running - all in a row without a break. The single distances depend on what you personally can stand. I like 750 meters - 20 kilometers - 5 km best. Swimming is especially popular in summer, when the water is warm enough to spend 10 to 15 minutes in it. The off-season for Triathlon is right now and to get around this, smart guys invented Duathlon which is basically running - bicycling - running. Because there are alway people who need even more fun there comes Cross Duathlon - the cross-country version of it.
Last October there was this year's special event in Güstrow in North East Germany considered to be the "Hardest in the North". And this is what happened: The event is organised by local Tri-Fun Güstrow and consists of 5 km cross-country running, 26 km mountain biking and another 5 km cross-country on the same lap. Northern Germany is generally supposed not to have any mountains but that's wrong! At least in Güstrow there are enough to make it a really hard race. Probably for that reason only 40 people came to give it a try. The oldest was 60+! The weather was wonderful as opposed to the race of 97 when there was much snow.
The cross-country lap began with steep hills which showed everybody that the attribute "hardest" is neither an ad-trick nor a joke. So, I took this round to warm up and concentrated myself on the mountain biking: four rounds of 6.5 km each all up and down the hills and 100 % in a forest. To be serious: I really asked myself after half of the race was done: 'Why do I do this kind of stuff? Is it really that fun to struggle with sand and hills? Wouldn't it be sufficient fun to watch this kind of sports in television?' When I was really filled with by the fight the final cross country lap made me dragging my tired legs through the forrest counting down the kilometers: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, FINISH!
I liked the tea, bananas and cookies they handed out for the finishers.
Believe it or not, half an hour later I was convinced to come back next year. It is really fun to manage to finish such a hard race and to feel: I can do it! I am strong enough to move without car or other motor driven vehicles. The number of my years is increasing but I can still leave younger folks behind me.
After all, a fourth rank in my class and 29th out of 40 isn't that bad, is it?
