I’ve already published a few photos from my sessions at the national swim arena Eriksdalsbadet in Stockholm, where Marcus trains together with his triathlon club, but I’ve never shown you the ones that were taken under the surface. So here we go, let’s jump in, get wet and see how it looks like when you kick some water.

When swimming it doesn’t matter how strong you are or how big muscles you have, it’s all about the technique. Marcus might have fine tuned muscles but that’s not why he can crawl faster than you. He might not live in the water as much as an elite swimmer, but he has still spent so many hours in it that I would classify him as a fish. It’s time consuming and to be honest, you don’t gain that much in time compared to someone that is slightly slower, but when doing competitions on the Ironman distances you can’t afford to loose any minutes.

I have spent several hours in swimming pools too, but I’ve never actually been thinking of how you look like when lying there throwing your arms and legs in a desperate attempt to get to the other edge faster than the one behind you. So it was with a huge interested eye that I dipped my camera in the water to have a look on how the life as a triathlete is, under the surface. I found it hard to capture the actual motion, but I still think that the power is quite obvious in some of the shots. Enjoy!

Under the surface
All photos are also available on Flickr, click here.

Marcus Hultgren’s goal for the triathlon season of 2009 was to be among the fastest top ten Swedish males on the Ironman distance at Kalmar Triathlon 2009. A tough mission that would force him to cross the finish line after an estimated 9 hours. I’ve been following Marcus for the last months so this was not only his big weekend, but also mine, since this embarked the peak of my photo project.

First of all: Marcus ended up on 14th place (among Swedish triathletes in the same age group) with a finish time of 9.30:24. I could’ve forced you to read the entire text before telling you the result, but now I’ve spoiled it all so let’s just get along and focus on the interesting part.

I know many of you readers, including myself, have no idea what an Ironman means and especially not Marcus’ goal. So let’s put it all into perspective: no more than about 20 Swedish males have ever done an Ironman under 9 hours (according to ironmanstatistik.se). So if you already thought that swimming 3.8 km, cycling 180 km and running 42.2 km was hard enough you now understand that doing this on 9 hours is bad-ass tough.

You might think that 14th place is a huge loss when your goal was to be among the first ten. Well, if you just read the numbers it’s hard to argue against; 14 instead of 10 is a miscalculation with 40 %. And the time this year was only 2 minutes better than last year (finish time 2008: 9.32:46). Marcus had about 200 more training hours before this years Kalmar Triathlon, compared to last year, and a more dedicated schedule overall – how come the results were not any better?

The answer is both simple and complex, but to summarize it all in one word it would be: human. Yes it’s just as simple as that. You train forever and ever and put all your energy and focus on one single race and when the day comes and you stand there facing your biggest challenge it’s all up to your mind and body and nothing else. You can’t do anything else than just push yourself as hard as you can (and a bit longer, harder, faster) and hope it’s enough. If you have a really good day you’ll crack all your expectations and if you have a plain good day you’ll run in on a time that would fill most triathletes envy. The line between these days is very thin and the side you land on is most often up to your own mind. Motivation is a key factor to success on elite level and even though Marcus wasn’t fighting for the podium he still needs a mind as hard as his muscles.

Of course I got disappointed when I during the race realized that I wasn’t able to reach my goal. I really gave 100 % the whole time and I was simply not able to push it any harder. It feels strange when you know you have it in you but it’s impossible to bring it out. The only thing I can feel pleased with is that I gave it all.

Training is of course the most important thing, no doubt, but I guess that is something everyone understands. Was there maybe something in Marcus’ training that could have been better planned?

I had this mad ‘boost week’ exactly one month before Kalmar Triathlon and I don’t say that it wasn’t smart to push my body for 40 hours during that week, but if I’m doing it again next year I’m scheduling it one week earlier. The “rest period” between the boost week and the actual race should also have included some quality training with higher speed.

But let’s get back to the actual race which took place on August 1st 2009. The preparations for this specific day had been going on for weeks and even months and as the sun started to rise over Kalmar it all went very smoothly and quickly. Breakfast, pumping the tires with a correct amount of air and then grabbing the already packed IKEA plastic bag in one arm and the bike in the other. It wasn’t much talking the first hour, but I guess that was a combination of time (we got up at 4.30 am) and a lot of things spinning around in everyones mind. In one way the race had already begun, even though it was two hours until the hoot would mark the start.

The social part of Marcus woke when we got the transition area. Talking to all friends and competitors at the same time as he prepared his spot seemed like something he had done his entire life. The clock quickly ticked down to race start and I guess I was more concerned about the time on the watch then Marcus, he seemed utterly cool and calm. And why would he be nervous? This was just another competition and it was just to go on routine. Myself, I had thousands of things to think about: where to stand during the transitions, where not to stand, did I have all my memory cards for the camera with me, did I remember to empty them, which lens to use when, how to spot Marcus in the water when they all wear the same head caps? I could go on forever, but I guess you understand my situation. Even though I had followed Marcus on several triathlon races during the past weeks I still felt a bit uneasy about the whole situation. There were simply not any room for failure.

As a whole I was very pleased with the day. The swim start happened so fast I almost missed it, but the low placed sun was perfect for some epic photos of the triathletes as they swam out into the open water. Transition 1 (from swim to bike) was over in a blink and I really had to use my legs to keep up with Marcus as he ran towards his transition spot. Each leg of the cycle course was 60 km, which mean the athletes rode it three times making it perfect with at least two photo opportunities. And if T1 was over in a blink T2 was even faster, which made it hard to get any good photos of Marcus as he parked his bike and put on his running shoes. The marathon course was also divided in three parts and it was a “pleasure” to see them all get more tired for every lap. Yes of course I wanted them all to be tired, that is what makes a good photo.

So what happens now Marcus? Is the season over for this year? An Ironman next year too? What about a trip to Kona, Hawaii?

I’ve now had a month of recovery but the training for season 2010 actually just started. Being a triathlete means more than just one single race for me, it’s a lifestyle. Doing an Ironman is not as important as everything else around it, but yes I would definitely not say no to a slot for the ‘real’ Ironman on Hawaii. My plan right now is to have a middle season next year where the main focus is to have fun and then during 2011 go to Frankfurt to compete for a Hawaii slot the same autumn.

Marcus’ performance was really outstanding and it was a true pleasure to be a part of his journey from the start at 7 a.m. until the last steps over the finish line 9.30 hours later. With all photos in front of me it’s hard to pick out just a few so I hope all of you will enjoy this bombastic slideshow.

But do not think that this project is over only because Marcus season of 2009 is. I still have a few photos to show you and I’m in full planning of an exhibition in the near future. Stay tuned for some more sweaty and powerful photos.

Competition: Kalmar Triathlon (Ironman) 2009, July 30th
All photos are also available on Flickr, click here.

Competition: Kalmar Triathlon (Ironman) 2009, July 31st
All photos are also available on Flickr, click here.

Competition: Kalmar Triathlon (Ironman) 2009, August 1st
All photos are also available on Flickr, click here.

When I started this documentary (to follow Marcus Hultgren towards Kalmar Triathlon 2009) it was May, but his preparation didn’t start there, obviously. If you are really into “when, where, how” it all started when he first tried triathlon a few years ago, but we shall not take it that far back. The season of 2009 is now and to reach his high set goal Marcus not only needs to train a lot (swimming, cycling, running) but also compete in a few triathlon events.

Every single triathlete out there knows that it’s not just about swimming real fast, riding the bike like the wind and running faster than the rest, but also to transition. The transition between each and every “leg” is what a triathlete usually call “the fourth leg”. And to be amongst the best you really get the transition going. Just imagine yourself coming up from the water, all the blood rushes down from your head to your lower body when you stand up and you get dizzy, but you still have to keep up the pace and try to run straight to the transition area to find your bike. And as if that wasn’t enough, you also have to get that wetsuit off and the best practice is to do this while running. Yeah I told you, it sure isn’t easy and it needs lots and lots of training.

Training the transitions (between swim/bicycle and bicycle/run) can be done by yourself, of course, and also together with your triathlon club. Stockholm City Triathlon (Marcus’ mother club) organizes shorter triathlon events (super sprint distance) every now and then so all the members can get the feeling of doing a transition before a real competition. But to be honest, it’s like with all sports you practice, doing it for real is always best. It is during a real race, with a heavily beating heart pumping adrenalin through your veins, that you understand the complexity of doing a proper transition.

Marcus has competed in quite a few triathlon events so his experience is huge. This does not however means that he wont learn anything new. Before attending the Ironman distance event “Järnmannen” in Kalmar, Marcus will have competed in 6 different events.

• » Borås Triathlon (Olympic) *
• » Göteborg (Hindås) Triathlon (Olympic) *
• » Säter Triathlon (Olympic) *
• » Örserum Triathlon (Olympic) *
• » Sövde (Half Ironman) -
• » Hallstahammar (Sprint) -

Scroll down this page to see a number of selected photos from some of the events above.

Every runner does it and it’s a must to keep those legs and the lung capacity in good shape. It’s quite easy: you run fast and then rest, repeat. I’m talking about intervals.

Marcus has a few good running spots not long from home. One is a 2,5 km gravel course with a few hills. The ups and downs makes a perfect challenge to keep the pace and build up a lot of lactic in the muscles. What you want to do is of course to learn those legs to get rid of all that lactic as fast as possible. If you get a hang of it you have a huge advantage during a race when can keep on pushing up a hill even though it might hurt, since you know it will go away immediately when you’re at the top.

Running on a course with a few ups and downs is one alternative, but there are quite a few more. Doing intervals on racing tracks (elipse formed ones used on arenas) is great too, since you usually know the exact distance. You should always listen to your body and take it from there, but running the exakt same track and distance is good to track your progress.

One other muscle builder is hill running. It is exactly what it sounds like: you run up a hill and back down again. This might be very tough, especially for your calfs and you should only start doing it when you’ve been running for a while, to avoid any unwanted injuries. The result you get of running in hills is so good that every runner should do it every now and then.

To be able to handle the lactic is of course not only the only goal and advantage when training intervals. You also get a bigger and stronger heart that can pump around more blood per beat. This means that you get a lower resting pulse that results in a body that can be pushed a bit harder when needed.

I followed Marcus during three different interval sets: gravel course, racing track and hill running. The photo shoot from the cycle intervals might have been sweatier, but this was not easier by any means. And I guess you will agree when you have a look at the photos.

You might have asked yourself who the main character of this documentary is. I guess you know his name by now, but the rest? I asked myself the same question a while ago and decided to sit down with him, without a camera in front of my face, to try to get inside the person I’m building all this around. This is what I found out…

Even though the view of 29 year-old Marcus Hultgren seems to be all about sports and triathlon, it hasn’t always been like that. Born and raised on Södermalm in Stockholm, Marcus still lives in the very same area with his girlfriend Linda. As a true “söderkis” he has never even thought of living somewhere else, except for maybe in a warmer country. His father lives just a few blocks away from where he and Linda have their two roomer and that apartment is also where was raised. At his spare time (yes he has some) he enjoys hanging out at the marina where his boat has its’ home. Being raised on the water from age six, Marcus loves the bare thought of knowing that a boat can take him out in archipelago. And yes of course, the marina is also on Södermalm.

As a youth Marcus tried almost every sport (from soccer to martial arts) and if you would check old member lists at Stockholm clubs you would find his name everywhere, even at bowling clubs. But nothing really kept him hooked, except for taekwondo that he trained for several years. Like almost every youngster getting closer to the adult world he got other interests where sports didn’t fit in. Marcus refers to his years between 18 and 25 as the “black period”, but it wasn’t of course as dark and horrible as it may sound. He did his military duty up in the northern part of Sweden and decided to extend his time within the army by joining the Swedish UN forces in former Yugoslavia. About a year later Marcus returned home, but not for very long. He started to work during the summer and saved enough money to be able to travel during the colder period, mainly to Asia. During the last two trips east he had company with his girlfriend Linda. Marcus never told me this, but since his “black period” ends right here it can only be thanks to Linda. So Linda, thank you.

But lets get back to the sports and triathlon. What about the first triathlon event? Marcus gladly shares this story with me:

It was a triathlon event in Ågesta (sprint distance). I was such a newbie knowing nothing that I had to call the event supervisor to check how to complete a triathlon. I brought my mountain bike and put in place as everyone else did. The swimming was done with a lovely combination of head above water and breast strokes. But when I finally got up of the water to do the first transition I got a huge shock – I had locked my bike! I ran to Linda that stood at “bike out” and emptied the bag inside out. Finally I found the key and ran back to my bike and got away. Maybe my longest T1 ever…

This did not however scare Marcus and during the last visit to Asia in 2005 both he and Linda decided to take aim at triathlon. Marcus even bought a bike over there (to bring home) so he could start training as soon as they got back. And the rest is as obvious as you could imagine yourself: Marcus put 120 % focus into the sport that has kept him going ever since.

I can’t help but wonder how Marcus’ social life must have suffered when he started with triathlon. Even though he has his girlfriend Linda on the same train, what about friends?

My friends gave some hard nudges at first and of course it was a big difference for both them and me. You know how it is at that age; your main social life is with friends 24/7 so when I had made up my mind I had to work hard on keeping a good balance between keeping friends but still focus on training. I have 2-3 friends that have been close to me ever since I was two years old and you don’t want to loose them just because you get a hang-up on triathlon. It was really, really tough, I have to admit that but the response nowadays is almost the opposite; they know how much I love this. When I show up they enjoy it even more and if I leave after two beers no one gives me the evil eye.

What exactly is it that you love about this sport, compared to everything else that you have tried?

I’ve always had a hard time with group sports, that’s why I didn’t have a longer career with soccer. If you are not the “weakest link”, someone else is, and it’s so easy to blame this faulty third leg. If someone wants to go out drinking three days in a row before a game he/she ruins the entire team, but this doesn’t apply for triathlon, taekwondo or any other sport where you’re on your own. Drinking and sports is of course not a combination I’m in favor of, but you get the point.

Marcus is very much involved in his mother club – Stockholm City Triathlon (SCT). He organizes the club’s participation in various triathlon events and also welcomes new members.

I like being a part of an organization like SCT, especially the work I get to do with all newcomers. Even though I’m experienced and know what to do I get inspired by their interest for triathlon and I get to share my knowledge and insights at the same time. And to sum it up I usually tell them that no one never thanks them for getting to training when sick, which is quite common when training as a team. And this is again the biggest difference with triathlon that I love so much – you train together as the best team in the world but when it’s time to compete we all stand as pure individuals.

And I can only agree to what Marcus just said. The biggest advantage with triathlon is that all people can participate in both training and competitions, regardless of their level. This is the biggest difference between a team and individual sport.

Marcus keeps on coming back to one point all the time when we talk: harmony. If you’re not happy on one level it’s hard or impossible to enjoy the other. This can be applied on everything you do and when you think of it it’s quite obvious. If your social life gets a thorn because of total focus on training you will some day come to a point where you get depressed. Since you are training so much you might think it’s because you’re not good enough, but instead of finding problems there you should take a step back and look at your whole life. Perhaps hanging out with your friends every now and then is enough to get you up on a level where life feels better, making training a lot easier too. It’s all these small thing that makes it, Marcus keeps on saying.

Just take this last year I had. Instead of giving it all during winter, like I did the season before that, I have tried another approach. I have in fact trained less if you count the actual hours but my focus has been so much better that I have gained a lot on all levels – both physically and mentally. Of course I ask myself if it was a good decision. Did I train too little? Could I’ve done something better? But when I step back and look at myself I can both see and feel that I’ve done the right choice. This is my year.

When Marcus worked full-time he still trained a lot. And with “a lot” we talk about 20 hours a week. Is that really human?

Instead of following your written plan you should listen to your body. Why force yourself to sleep at 10 pm to be able to get up for that really early swim training at 6 am if your body is not with you? Maybe that training didn’t do you any good anyway, and following your body’s will to sleep your normal time and get 8 hours of sleep could have been better in the long run. Don’t get me wrong though – of course you should train and have routines, otherwise you don’t reach your goals, but sometimes you just have to listen to your inner voice. Harmony, did I tell you about that?

Nowadays Marcus study full-time and of course it takes a lot of time and energy, but compared to working he has a better chance of planning and he doesn’t feel as stressed as when working. The lack of stress in life is mostly a positive reaction of his open will to listen to his body and mind. If you would calculate his training time you would get an average of 15 hours per week. This of course goes up and down depending on the training plan, so a harder a week would be around 20 hours and the rest period lands on not more than 10.

And then we have this hilarious “boost week” but that’s of course something…special.

Getting this far is however nothing Marcus has managed to do himself. His girlfriend Linda is an active triathlete herself and without her understanding and encouragement I doubt that he would have gone this far. Just imagine yourself living with someone that puts all his time and energy into one specific hobby – you need to be a part of it to both enjoy and love. There’s also one more person that has big place in Marcus’ heart.

Without my buddy and club mate Christoffer Wikman I would have never ever been able to gone this far. He is not only a good friend but also the one I discuss my training with, all the time. He is in fact the one that have set my schedule for last months in preparation “Järnmannen” in Kalmar and every time I get worried about training too much or little I give him a call. He’s the one that I will give all kudos to when I run through the finish line in Kalmar.

The triathlon event “Järnmannen” in Kalmar (Ironman distance) is Marcus’ big goal this year. His mission is to be among the top 10 Swedish male triathletes when the day is over. To reach this he believes a time around 9 hours or less is a must. He has completed 2 Ironman distances so far – both in Kalmar. First one in 2007 ended on 10:30 hours and last year he managed to cut that with one hour, even though he had bad luck with a puncture. The difference this year however, compared to his two last races, is that the goal is so much higher.

Both 2007 and 2008 I managed to crush my initial goals. This year I aim for something that I know is very, very tough, but it triggers me to show both myself and everyone else that I can do it.

I ask Marcus about his best triathlon memory. Surely there must be a handful that he has in mind.

Except for the one in Ågesta, which must classify as the “funniest” one ever, I have to put Örserum 2007 as the one with best feeling. SCT had the club championship there and I managed to win. The last lap during running was really overwhelming when I realized that this was my day. But other than that I have to say that I really love the feeling after running over the finish line and being able to stand beside the course to cheer on all the ones I know – that feeling is unbeatable. That is also why I love to travel around Sweden with the whole club. Of course I love to get a good finish time myself but to share the joy when others run the last lap in Kalmar is bigger, much bigger.

But August 1st, when you stand there in Kalmar 5 minutes before the start with all the other athletes, wont that be a huge moment?

Yes, no doubt. That will be the moment I have been dreaming of for the last six months. It will be nervous but nothing compared to the joy when I finally get enter the water and go for my goal. And the last lap at running, yes I’m really looking forward to that.

Me too Marcus, me too.

It’s Friday afternoon and it’s hot outside, I would guess around 26-27 degrees. The Swedish summer has hit us with its’ might and the days to come doesn’t seem to let us down either. When most of us would enjoy a summer day like this by the water, eating an ice-cream, finding a free chair at the nicest bar or at least just be outside, others do the opposite.

Regardless of the situation outside, Marcus has to keep focused and do his thing. Today is bicycle time. Intervals. At home. “Inside?” you may ask. Yes inside. In fact, the best place for his bike is in the kitchen. Sweat will drip down on the plastic floor instead of the wooden dito in the living room and the view from the kitchen is also a little more teasing since he can see the world outside. Today it’s hot, but it could of course also be the opposite. Just imagine the view 6 months ago when he was fighting the pain while seeing falling snow. But when he sits there, pushing and pulling the pedals at 100 rpm, does he really care about the weather? I’m not so sure… His head may be pointing towards the window and the green trees outside, but his vision is definitely somewhere else.

But why the heck train inside during summer when you can be outside feeling the warm wind against your newly shaved legs? Marcus explains and even though I wouldn’t do it myself I undersand how his mind works.

I use my trainer all year around. Most people move it away as soon as the snow is gone, but for me it’s so much easier to do my intervals right here in my kitchen. I don’t have to care about what I wear, or ride my bike to a decent road where I can push the limits. There’s also no red lights, cars or other disturbances that may take away my focus. Doing my 40 minute intervals here at home feels so much ‘easier’ and then I also have time over for something else when I’m done.

The intervals he does are based on his pulse. He pushes himself real hard for four minutes and when the time is up he stops pedaling to enter a four minute rest period, where he waits for the pulse to go down to 100 bpm. When the pulse is low enough he starts pedaling in normal pace and when the rest is over he starts all over again. This whole procedure is done 4 times and even though you usually never get real high pulse peaks during cycling (as you do when running) you get the same effect: fill your muscles with lactic and train your body to push it away as fast as possible.

After about 45 minutes Marcus hops off his bike and starts the stove at the same time. When the bike has been stored away (by hanging it up on the wall) he goes back to the kitchen to spend even more time there, but this time to do dinner. He opens the refrigerator and asks me if I want a cold beer. If I want a beer? How could I not want one? I mean, it’s hot outside but even hotter inside.

I guess this is where the line between an athlete and elite is drawn.

The event of the year (“Järnmannen”) is just 32 days away. Marcus has been training for this specific day for a long, long time. But this week is a bit special compared to a normal one. He will be training all the separate events (swimming, cycling and running), just as he does every week, but just a little bit more.

Try to visualize the words “boost week”. Did you see anything? Maybe not? Okey, I’ll give you a hint: if you would go to work for 8 hours for a whole week you would end up with around 40 hours. And that’s exactly how much training a “boost week” is about – between 40 and 50 hours.

A “boost week” is done to wake the body up and give it a damn good push to what it’s expected to deliver one month later. This much training is of course extremely rough and your body will be almost knocked down by the intensity. The challenge is to keep yourself on the right side of the line, not pushing it too much. When the week is over, so is your body. This is when the magic happens – your body will start to heal and also try yo compensate so the next time this happens it will be better prepared. And it will happen again, in about four weeks.

Why this madness you might ask yourself. The answer is in fact quite simple: Marcus has a goal and to reach it he has to be more dedicated and well prepared than his competitors.

The “boost week” is carefully planned around these three blocks:
    » speed (85-95% of capacity)
    » distance (75-85%)
    » endurance (65-75%)

Sunday
Block: speed
    » Triathlon event: Olympic distance (1.500 meters swim, 40 km bicycle, 10 km run)

Monday
Block: distance
    » Open water swim: 2-3 x 1.500 meters
    » Cycling: 3-4 hours
    » Running: 90 minutes
    » Swim training with the triathlon club: 90 minutes

Tuesday
Block: endurance
    » Open water swim: 4.500 meters non-stop
    » Cycling: 6-7 hours
    » Running: 150-210 minutes

Wednesday (same as Tuesday)
Block: endurance
    » Open water swim: 4.500 meters non-stop
    » Cycling: 6-7 hours
    » Running: 150-210 minutes
    » Swim training with the triathlon club: 90 minutes

Thursday
Block: speed
    » Open water swim: 2-3 x 1.500 meters
    » Transition training with the club: mini triathlon event (200 m swim, 3 km bicycle, 800 m run) which is done 5-6 times. One race takes about 11-12 minutes and you start every 30th minute.

Friday
Block: distance
    » Open water swim: 2-3 x 1.500 meters
    » Cycling: 3-4 hours
    » Running: 90 minutes

Saturday
Block: speed
    » Triathlon event: Olympic distance (1.500 meters swim, 40 km bicycle, 10 km run)

Sunday
    » This is when the recovery phase starts…

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If you would ask a random person to explain triathlon they would most likely say something like “Ironman, yeah I’ve heard about it” or “people doing that dedicate their whole life”. Well, it’s true that Ironman is a part of the triathlon concept, but not all triathletes will ever do a full length Ironman or even dedicate their whole life to the sport. But let’s take it from the beginning.

The history
Triathlon was first heard of in France in the 1920’s where some competitions involving swimming, bicycling and running took place (but not necessary in that specific order). The modern version of triathlon started in San Diego (California) in 1974 and has expanded as a recognized sport throughout the world ever since. Triathlon is since 2000 on the Olympic program and the distance is called, not totally surprisingly, Olympic distance. The first Swedish triathlon event was held in Uppsala in 1983.

The Ironman
Ironman was first organized in 1978 on Hawaii after a long-run debate between runners and swimmers about what athlete that were more fit. After reading an article that said that a Belgian cyclist had the highest ever recorded maximum oxygen uptake ever registered amongst any athlete, they decided to organize an event so they would get an answer to their biggest question. A combination of Waikiki Roughwater Swim (3 800 meters), Oahu Around the Island Bike Race (180 km) and Honolulu Marathon (42 km) created the foundation of the first ever Ironman. The 15 people that started got a short note from Commander John Collins, one of the organizers:

Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag the rest of your life!

And to tie it all together Collins also was believed to had said:

Whoever finishes first, we’ll call him the Ironman.

The true Ironman competition is held on Hawaii ever autumn and to be amongst the “lucky” athletes you need to get a ticket by competing in a selected race around the world. These races have a certain number of slots (for Hawaii) available, so it’s very important to be among the top winners in your age group to get a ticket. Even though Ironman is a distance it’s also a trademark, which means you can not organize a competition called Ironman without the sanction from the World Triathlon Corporation. In Sweden there’s a triathlon event every year called Järnmannen. This name is a direct translation of Ironman, which comes from the fact that this is not a sanctioned Ironman competition. It is never the less the true adventure for every Swedish triathlete seeking to finish an Ironman distance without the hassle of getting a slot to Hawaii.

The distances
But as I wrote, not all triathletes will ever complete a full length Ironman. The variety of distances makes this sport perfect for all types of people looking for a worthy challenge. The Olympic distance is today one of the most common at triathlon events. It’s done in roughly 120-180 minutes, depending on your capacity and the course, and makes it perfect for both the top elites as well as everyday people looking for a decent challenge. Not all competitions are however the same. Larger triathlon events may have bigger transition areas, making the run from the water to the bike a bit longer than if you would attend a race with fewer athletes. And some bike roads and running tracks may be tougher than other, which means that comparing times from two different races with the same distance a bit hard. But one thing is however certain – if you win, you win.

The most common triathlon distances are:

	Swim	Bike	Run
Super Sprint	400 m	10 km	2.5 km
Sprint	750 m	20 km	5 km
Olympic	1 500 m	40 km	10 km
Half Ironman	1 900 m	90 km	21.09 km
Full Ironman	3 800 m	180 km	42.2 km

The rules
I wont write an essay about the entire set of rules (please see the Triathlon article on Wikipedia for more in-depth information) but this is basically how it works:

1. Every athlete starts together by swimming. Wearing a wetsuit is common (in Sweden often mandatory due to the colder weather).
2. When the swimming distance has been completed you run up from the water, while getting off your wetsuit at the same time, and head for the transition area to get your bike – this is called T1 (transition 1).
3. The cycling is as in any other cycle race, with the difference that “drafting” is often not permitted. This is when you lie close behind another cyclist to optimize the aerodynamics of not having all the wind in your chest.
4. When you’re back at the transition area you start T2 (transition 2), which involves finding back to your spot to leave your bike and putting on the running shoes for the last part of the race.
5. Now you try to get your legs working for the last part which usually is the toughest one. Even a decent runner could have a hard time getting those legs up to speed after a tough bicycle race.

The time from the beginning of the swim to the end when you pass the finish line after the run is your total time. The person with the lowest time, wins. After the race you usually also get the times for all individual parts, which also includes T1 and T2 but these are often not very important since all triathlon events have their own distance to and from the transition area.

The gadgets
Even though it’s quite easy to begin your triathlon career it can be expensive when you find all the fun gadgets. The most expensive part is the cycling, but getting a cycle for around $500-$700 is often enough to get you started. Then you also need a swimsuit and a pair of running shoes. That’s basically it and you’re ready to enter a competition. When you get more experienced it’s very, very easy to put all your savings into this sport. For example: a complete carbon fitted bicycle with all the latest gadgets and nifties can hook you up on $10,000, easy.

Not just crazy people
Even though some triathletes dedicate their whole life to the sport and everything around it, you shouldn’t be scared away. Triathlon is one of the best sports for an everyday person. Just think of being able to choose what to train – swimming, cycling or running. Your body also gets an all round exercise making it stronger on all parts and more resistant against injuries.

Read more about triathlon
Here are some links to pages where you can read more about triathlon:

Svenska Triathlonförbundet (only in Swedish)

Wikipedia

World Triathlon Corporation

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