When competing in a triathlon, competitors need to not only be in the best physical shape, but use the best possible equipment along the way. Between the swimming, running and cycling there is a variety of equipment that's used to ensure maximum performance. Using the right swimsuit and goggles can make the difference between gaining or losing precious seconds on fellow competitors, while wearing the best shoes while running can have quite an impact on one's feet during the run, which can sometimes be as much as 26 miles. However, when it comes to triathlon equipment the piece that comes to most people's minds is the bicycle. Riding sometimes up to 112 miles over rough terrain, having the right bike is critical to winning the race. As those of us who simply take our bikes out for a leisurely ride around the neighborhood know, having a comfortable seat can definitely mean the difference between enjoying the ride and not being able to get home fast enough. Bikes also need to be outfitted with the proper gears for the terrain they will be covering, so making sure everything is ready to go will make competing in a triathlon lots of fun.

Are you thinking about setting a goal for yourself to successfully complete a triathlon? If so, then you might want to start by not only setting a strict yet reasonable training schedule for yourself, but by also taking the time to go out and shop for the necessary triathlon equipment. For example, you will need a quality bike, pair of comfortable running shoes, a swimsuit, and a number of other accessories. By having the right gear, your race will be more comfortable and you will have better chances of success overall.

You may be wondering what kinds of shoes you should wear during your triathlon. After all, not only will you be running for a long period of time, but you will also be biking. Typically, the best thing that you can do is to be custom-fitted for a quality pair of athletic shoes. This way, you can ensure that they conform to your feet properly so as to provide you with the utmost support that you will need during your long triathlon.

So before you even begin training, be sure to head out to your local athletic shoe specialty shop so that you can be fitted for a great pair of shoes.

There is fast and then there is the ability to run fast after you have punished your body for nearly a mile in the water and another 20 - 100 miles on the bicycle. For triathlon runners the challenge is not being able to run a six minute mile, but being able to do it when you have no energy left and your body is on the verge of shutting down.

To name the fastest triathlon runner competing today is difficult due to all of the variables that go into a triathlon run. As the last event, the marathon, half-marathon or 10k is often not won by the man who typically runs the fastest, but rather it is won by the man who has been able to save enough of his energy in reserve to push to the finish line and live to race another day.

There is little doubt that triathlete runners are some of the most competitive in the world. When triathletes compete in strictly running events with no swimming or biking attached they historically perform very well. For those people that are used to competing in three sports, it is a relief to only focus on one!

Fitness is popular. Triathlons, in particular, have seen a dramatic increase in the number of events, as well as participants, according to the USTA (United States Triathlon Association). In just one year, the number of participants in USTA sanctioned triathlons increased from 1,481,000 in 2009 to 2,295,000 in 2010.

As the popularity of multi-sport events increases, so does the number, and diversity, of new events across the country. Triathlons are typically categorized as sprint distance, olympic distance or ironman. Sprint triathlons have seen the largest increase and are credited with bringing more people of all ages into the sport. Similar to the trends in running, the number of themed races, children's events, as well as off-road triathlons are expected to rise.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here.

With the dramatic growth in popularity, it is reasonable to expect advancements in the quality and selection of triathlon gear. In particular, look for continued developments in the area of compression gear, as well as gender and age specific equipment. Many newcomers to the sport hope that the gain in popularity will also stimulate more competition in the marketplace and thus more affordable gear options. Recent trends all point to an exciting year ahead for triathletes and organizers,as well as manufacturers.

While a number of the annual triathlon events have already taken place there still remain a number of events taking place this fall and will crown not only World Champions and Wordl Cup winners, but also winner of the grueling Ironman series.

September hosts a number of events including the including the 2012 Buffalo ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup and the dual WeiHai ASTC Long Distance Triathlon Asian Championships and the ITU LD Triathlon World Series Event. One of the tough Ironman Series qualifiers will take place in Wales this month as well.Get more information here. http://www.theprovince.com/sports/PentictonchangesIronmanmonikerChallengesponsorshipswitch/7135736/story.html

In October, the 2012 Barfoot and Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final Auckland will finish the series. This will crown the World Champions in Auckland, New Zealand. This is the finale for the ITU World Triathlon Series which began in Sydney, Australia in April.

The granddaddy of all triathlon competitive events also takes place this fall. On October 13, 2012 the Ironman World Championship will be held. Based on the island of Kona in the Hawaiian Islands, the Ironman will crown the top triathlon athletes in the world. The strictly timed event features a 2.45 mile swim, a 112 mile cycling course and a 26.2 mile marathon run.

Triathletes are arguably the greatest athletes in the world. To put your body through such a grueling test such as a triathlon one would have to be. So with that said let's take a look at the top 5 triathletes in history.
1. Bevan Docherty, who hails from New Zealand, has two Olympic medals as well as an ITU World Championship to his credit. Docherty has also started " The Docherty Dares Programme", which is designed to help his fellow countrymen achieve their personal goals.
2. Chris McCormack, who also goes by the name Macca, is from Australia. McCormack is a two time Ironman World Champion, an ITU World Cup Champion, as well as a Triathlon World Champion.
3. Dave Scott is a very successful U.S. born triathlete. Scott has won the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii six times. Scott came out of retirement in 1994 and very nearly won a record breaking 7th title.
4. Frederic Belaubre is a French triathlete. Belarubre has been the European Champion 3 times and the French champion twice. Belarubre also placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics and tenth at the 2008 Olympics.
5. Mark Allen is another successful U.S. triathlete. Allen is a six time Ironman World Champion.

The Triathlon may be the world's toughest sporting event both physically and mentally. The multistage competition requires competitors to complete three successive endurance challenges. The three parts are commonly cycling, running and swimming with transition areas between events.

There are hundreds of individual triathlon events held throughout the world each year, but only of few can draw the best athletes to compete against one another.

The Top Ten:

1. Ironman World Championship. Held on Kona, Hawaii with over 100 miles of cycling.

2. Enduroman Arch to Arc. 289 mile event from London's Marble Arch to Paris' Arc de
Triomphe.

3. Norseman Extreme Triathlon. Begins in the Hardangerfjord and ends at the peak of
Gaustatoppen Mountain.

4. Ironman France. Includes cycling distance of 120 km and running of 30 km.

5. St. Anthony's. Largest Olympic distance triathlon in the U.S.

6. Escape from Alcatraz. 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz Island with 18 mile cycle and
8 mile run in San Francisco.

7. Grand Prix de Triathlon. Consists of five separate triathlon events.

8. Wildflower. A half-Ironman distance with over 8,000 competitors.

9. Life Time Fitness. 5 individual Olympic distance events.

10. Triathlon EDF Alpe d'Huez. France's most famous single triathlon.

A triathlon is not just a psychical challenge, but it is also a mental one as well. While many people view a marathon as the ultimate test of strength, a triathlon doesn't just give you a certain distance to complete, it also gives you three disciplines that you have to master in order to finish it: swimming, biking and running. Whether you are doing an Iron Man which features a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run, or something that is significantly shorter, you need to make sure that you are both physically and mentally prepared for what you are going to put your body through.
The key to succeeding in a triathlon is to pace yourself. Those who win an Iron Man aren't the best in the water, on the bike AND during the run, they are just the one who is able to pace themselves the best. It is conceivable that the person who gets out of the water first is not going to even finish the race. The key to finishing, and winning, is knowing how to mentally envision the race and listening to your body as you go. You can have the physical strength to finish, but if you aren't smart about running the race you aren't going to succeed.