Peak Condition
Run, swim and bike your way through sport’s toughest challenge
When it comes to boardroom bragging rights, no sport is more impressive than the triathlon. Kevin Braddock sizes up its appeal so you can prepare before the next London event in August
YOU DON’T HAVE to be aweekend warrior to enjoy triathlon, but it probably would help. Because while the sport, which is a nonstop succession of swimming, cycling and running, is said to be among the fastestgrowing
leisure activities in the UK, it’s also proving popular among all echelons of the business world, from the junior ranks to the boardroom.
Pre-eminent amid the ongoing boom in endurance fitness and multisport, triathlon has grown massively since being recognised as an Olympic discipline in the 2000 Sydney games. Around 10,000 competitors enter the annual London Triathlon, the world’s single biggest openentry mass participation race.
And judging by the shininess of the bicycles found in the ‘transition zone’ where competitors transfer from one discipline to the other – emerging from the swim leg and on to the bike course, before getting off to finish the event on foot – you’d be correct in suspecting that they’re generally a well-remunerated bunch. The current most fetishised ride on the racing circuit is the carbon-fibre Cervélo P3, which when fully upgraded with Zipp 808 wheels won’t leave much change from £6,000.
Add to that the cost of a wetsuit (from £100 upwards), training apparel, coaching fees and the cost of race entry, typically around £50, and triathlon very quickly looks like an expensive and conspicuously middle-class pursuit.
It goes without saying that this occasionally Nietzschean sport requires a bit of mettle to excel at, and triathletes are apt to think of themselves as ‘challengers’ – individuals who are driven to achieve and conquer in the workplace and beyond. Notable participants include hotel magnate Sir Rocco Forte, former Betfair boss Stephen Hill and the spin doctor Alastair Campbell, who told the FT: “Running the marathon was harder, but after I did my first triathlon I felt a real sense of achievement.” Other alpha male triathletes include F1 driver Jenson Button, Olympic rower James Cracknell and the chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.
Meanwhile the sport increasingly attracts alpha females too: last year no less a winner than actress Jennifer Lopez completed her first ‘sprint’ distance race, which combines a 750m swim followed by a 20km cycle and 5km run.
“These people all love challenge, hard work and problems,” says Olympic triathlon coach Bill Black. “They get a kick and buzz out of hitting targets. Plus they’re switched on to values and to using their intelligence – they know that sitting in a pub drinking and smoking is a thing of the past.”
Part of triathlon’s appeal is that it demands strength, endurance and technique across three disciplines. Yet ability in one doesn’t transfer into another – a world-class swimmer, for example, could come unstuck on a fast bike course, while a Tour de France cyclist could flounder while swimming the length of a pool. The running section, which comes at the end of every race, is a great leveller.
Consequently, most competitors have a weakness. “They’re basic skills most of us have practised in life,” explains Black. “We’ve all ran and ridden bikes, and most people can swim, though probably not to their fullest capacity, so that will usually be the biggest challenge.”
Typically, rookie triathletes enter a sprint distance race, aiming to just finish the course rather than beat rivals. “It’s highly competitive but you shouldn’t really be competing against other people because it isn’t a level playing field,” Black adds. Once they’re bitten – triathlon is notorious for being an addictive sport – most first-timers graduate within a season or two to the Olympic distance and eventually on to the much longer Ironman race, which incorporates a 3,800m swim, a 180km cycle and culminating in a 42km run (a marathon in other words).
“When it started there were probably only five races a month, and now there are five races every weekend,” Black says. “Along with the health benefits and camaraderie of training, there’s a lot of variety to the challenges.”
For a sport that requires plenty of huff and puff, triathlon is also proving surprisingly popular among corporate execs whose most athletic years are behind them. It’s not uncommon to see forty-, fifty- and even sixty-something competitors thundering round the London Triathlon course in Lycra all-in-ones.
“I absolutely enjoy the challenge,” says Steve Jelliss, 53, aftersales director for Mazda UK. “I always had a strong sporting bent and did a marathon in 1982, dabbled with mountain-biking and orienteering, andkept a reasonable level of fitness. Triathlon was the logical step for me.”
Jelliss completed the Blenheim Triathlon last year in just under 1 hour 30 minutes and is now in training for the UK Ironman 70.3, an event covering 1,900m swim, 90km bike and 21km run. “It’s patently mad,” he jokes, adding that his wife has now come to terms with his obsession.
In common with many other participants, Jelliss says the training volumes required for a respectable performance are a challenge in themselves. He estimates putting in around six hours per week, including swims before work, runs and bike sessions in the evening with longer stints at the weekend.
“Weekdays are the problem: getting up before 6am for a 45-minute swim, then straight into business, then a half-hour run in the evening,” Jelliss notes. “But I love it. There’s no question that exercise has a beneficial impact on your health, appearance and attitude to life.”
Like many other executives, Jelliss came to triathlon through his employer, which sponsors events and athletes while encouraging participation among staff and clients. “Triathlon resonates with what we’re like as a brand and as people in the organisation,” he says. “Mazda is a dynamic and youthful organisation – three directors participated in Blenheim last year, and about 15 to 20 percent of the organisation participate.” This year, Mazda’s team are attempting Ironman 70.3.
In an increasingly competitive world, both individuals and institutions need to demonstrate their willingness to take on challenges, so it should be no surprise that triathlon is fast becoming the executive stressbuster of choice. Could golf’s days be numbered?
The next London Triathlon will be held 1&2 August. For full listings and information, visit www.britishtriathlon.org
CHOOSE A DISTANCE
 |
 |
 |
|
| SWIM | BIKE | RUN | |
| SUPER SPRINT | 400m | 10km | 2.5km (varies) |
| SPRINT | 750m | 20km | 5km |
| OLYMPIC | 1,500m | 40km | 10km |
| MEDIUM DISTANCE (OR IRONMAN 70.3) |
1,900m | 90km | 21km |
| LONG DISTANCE
(IRONMAN) |
3,800m | 180km | 42km |
GETTING STARTED
“Find a triathlon club and get a qualified coach,” says Bill Black. “They will save you money in the long run and make training worthwhile and challenging. Work on your weaknesses and set yourself goals and aims. And remember to keep things in balance: triathlon is supposed to be fun.”
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
A bike: any with gears and brakes will qualify. Most athletes use a road bike or time-trial machine.
Helmet: compulsory in races.
Wetsuit: tri-specific suits have thinner neoprene on the arms and shoulders to help swim stroke. Most triathletes use front crawl or breaststroke.
Running shoes: self-explanatory, but worth going to a specialist sports shop to get them to check your running style.
Three months prep: elite coach Richard Allen advises three months training before your first race.
