Athletes who have trained for or completed marathons may feel like they are ready to take on any physical challenge or competition. At 26.2 miles, the marathon is the most commonly contested, long-distance running event. However, if they want more of a challenge, athletes can up the degree of difficulty by turning their attention to Ironman triathlons.
The Ironman challenges athletes to running a traditional 26-mile marathon, but only after they have completed a 2.4-mile swim and an intensive 112-mile cycling leg. Transitioning from marathon training to preparing for an Ironman may be more challenging than many athletes anticipate. Not only must they improve their cardio to account for the additional distance covered, but they will need to spend considerable time perfecting their form in athletic disciplines they might have little experience in. For example, poor cycling form will exacerbate any endurance issues a competitor is dealing with, exhausting their legs before the marathon has even started.
Athletes might consider a shorter triathlon as a transition between a marathon and Ironman. The half Ironman, for example, halves the distances of each of the three legs. Shorter triathlons, such as sprint triathlons, involve a half-mile swim followed by a 12.5-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run.
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