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Book Review
The novice triathlete will quickly discover
the huge volume of information about multisport competitions. Some of the
information is basic, some ultra-technical, and some just plain difficult
to comprehend. Triathlon 101 is one of the best books available that gives
the reader a gradual introduction to a sport that is not as simple as it
may seem.
Besides the novelty of the book’s cover model sporting a Mrs. T's race
number and the fact that the author, Jim Mora, was born in Chicago and
lives in nearby Plainfield, Triathlon 101 is a great read for anyone
attempting to learn about triathlons in Chicago or abroad. Mora began
triathlons in his late thirties, battled his childhood fear of swimming,
and went on to compete in a number of races. What he learned as a newbie
to the sport serves this book well: Mora provides a substantial amount of
baseline information and avoids delving too deeply into subject matter
that only more advanced athletes could grasp.
Part 1 of the book brings the reader into the basics of the sport and its
rewards. Part 2 focuses on the training involved for each of the three
sports—swim, bike, and run—and nicely ties all three activities together
in a summary chapter. Part 3 takes on various topics such as nutrition,
rest/recovery, transition skills, and getting ready for the day of the big
race.
While Triathlon 101 does not go into great detail on any one subject, the
book does lay a solid foundation for the novice triathlete. Using this
text, newbies can educate themselves on the basics of the sport, form
relevant questions that will progress learning, and then begin focusing on
the finer details of triathlon competitions through more advanced
references such as The Triathlete’s Training Bible.
Review by
Randy Burgess -
wrburgess@triathlete.com
Book
Outline
Part 1: Getting Ready to Tri
Chapter 1 - So You Wanna Tri (Intro to the Sport)
Chapter 2 - Planning to Race
Chapter 3 - Getting the Right Stuff (All About the Gear)
Part 2: Triathlon Training Basics
Chapter 4 - Swim Training
Chapter 5 - Bike Training
Chapter 6 - Run Training
Chapter 7 - Training for All Three
Part 3: Tri-ing Your Best
Chapter 8 - Fueling Up (Nutrition)
Chapter 9 - Staying Healthy (Rest & Recovery)
Chapter 10 - Peaking to Race (Preparing for the Race)
Chapter 11 - Tri, Tri Again (Winning, Finishing & Competing)
Additional:
Blank Training Guide
Tri-Jargon Glossary
References Section
Pros
Easy to read, written from a novice
perspective, well indexed and referenced.
Cons
Details are not in abundance, truly for beginners.
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