Photo: David SunHolly Bennett shares her race report from the iron-distance Challenge Taiwan triathlon. I stood at the swim start at Flowing Lake in Taitung, Taiwan and only one thought filled my head: How lucky! I get to do this for the next 12 hours at least! Trust me, that’s the best way to start an iron-distance race–grateful, eager and not too serious. As you may know from this previous post, I chose to race Challenge Taiwan last-minute, relying on mental strength over physical preparation. I went into the race significantly undertrained, a great benefit of which was avoiding any opportunity for burnout. I had zero expectations aside from finishing, enjoying the experience and staying mentally tough and on track. And best of all, I wasn’t the least bit stressed or nervous. In fact, when I received an email from Linsey Corbin–always one of my greatest cheerleaders–a few days before the race asking how I was feeling, I responded, “I’ve barely even thought about the actual race!” I...

Even some of the world’s best athletes learn from the IRONMAN experience.

Brant Garvey, a celebrated wheelchair athlete, hadn’t ridden a bike before 2013 and had hardly run more than a few steps without falling. But on the strength of a new carbon fibre leg, and newfound ambition, he powered first through an ITU triathlon before finishing an ironman.

Avoid neglecting your upper body for better form and improved posture when running. Photo: ShutterstockA bulky upper body haunts the dreams of runners nearly as much as a forced mid-race porta-potty stop. Extra weight up top brings visions of slower race times and reduced flexibility, which leads to runners neglecting their upper body in the weight room. Not only does this neglect a major component of running form, but it also sets runners up for injuries down the road. Believe it or not, the upper body plays a huge role in endurance performance. The arms are responsible for maintaining a rhythmic motion in tune with the lower body. The shoulders should be properly positioned and flexible enough to allow the diaphragm to expand unimpeded and provide proper airflow. Most importantly, the torso must have a stable foundation to prevent excess rotation during the running motion. While running looks like a simple forward and backward motion, it’s actually a complex motion that involves both...

Earlier this month IRONMAN announced that it had chosen Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria to host the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlon. The championship race is scheduled for August 30, 2015 and marks the first time that the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship will be held in Europe. In a recent interview with Triathlete Magazine, Andrew Messick stated: "We're going to rebalance all the slots--that's the first thing. Starting with the 2015 qualifying cycle, which starts in April 2014, virtually all North American races will have fewer slots and all European races will have more slots. We're very much anticipating--and engineering in the process--that there will be more qualifying opportunities in Europe for the 2015 world championships than there were in 2014. I would expect--and this is broadly speaking--if it's going to be a 2,500-athlete race, we'll have 1,000 North Americans, 1,000 Europeans, and 500 from Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific. Roughly...

Photo: Dan Holz / TandemstockFollow these techniques to build a rock-solid foundation. Want to avoid injury this year? We do, too. So we enlisted the help of Kyle Herrig, a USAT-certified coach, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and owner of Triplex Training in Tempe, Ariz., to give us tips that would keep us training healthy. 1. Do a functional strength-training program in and out of season. “Runners and triathletes seem to think that with all the swim/bike/run work that they’re putting in that they are getting stronger every day,” Herrig says. “But while running is good for building strength, our body just goes through a limited range of motion—there is not a real deep knee bend or a lot of hip flexion involved. It’s important for our bodies to move through greater ranges of motion not only to maintain flexibility, but to continue to fire and recruit more muscle fibers.” RELATED: Injury Prevention Advice For Triathletes 2. Move in all planes. Triathletes move in a...

All triathlon bikes are not made equal. What’s more, price or technological advancements do not always mean you are getting the best bike for you. We’re taking a look at four different triathlon bikes, each boasting different technologies and at different price points. So far we have examined the Orbea Ordu M30, the Cervelo P3 Dura-Ace. Today it is the turn of the Cannondale Slice 5 105. Techie upgrades can help squeeze the last few drops of speed from a well-trained athlete, but cycling performance ultimately comes down to human ability. This bike has all the attributes needed to exploit a rider’s fitness, and the sticker price is reasonable. Transcendent handling gives the bike a seemingly innate sense of the rider’s intentions. A luxuriously appointed machine this is not, but the components can be upgraded to match the frame’s prowess. Ride Feel free to push the boundaries during a technical de- scent on this bike. It can sweep through broad curves without ever feeling...

IRONMAN Wales have today announced that proposals to relocate the Athlete Village have been approved, which in turn enables the event to accommodate 100 more athletes in what had been a sold out event. These additional entries for IRONMAN Wales, which takes place on Sunday 14th September 2014, will go on general sale at 9am next Wednesday 30th April, via www.ironmanwales.com. For those athletes hoping to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona Hawaii, IRONMAN Wales is a great opportunity to qualify early for 2015, with 50 qualifying places on offer. IRONMAN Wales is continually looking to enhance the course and athlete experience. While the transition and post race Athlete Recovery area remain in the Rectory Car Park, a key improvement for 2014 is the relocation of the Registration and Expo to the nearby Five Arches Car Park. This change of venue not only enables the event to cater for further entries, but it’s position on the bike and run course offers better spectator...

Leafy greens are chock full of essential vitamins and nutrients — that’s a no-brainer — but you might be surprised by how tasty they can also be with some creative prep. Spring greens Loaded with fibre, spring greens are known for their cholesterol-lowering abilities. Raw spring leaves can be chopped and tossed into salad with berries and creamy goat cheese to counter the slightly bitter taste of the leaves. Or chop the leaves, ribs and stems and sauté with onion, garlic and white wine and toss with pasta or ravioli. Also try blending into your favourite pesto or bean dip recipe. Dandelion greens This bone-building green with a fresh and zesty flavour is loaded with significant amounts of vitamin K (which helps keep calcium in bones) and calcium. Blend dandelion greens into a smoothie, sauté into a stir-fry or toss fresh in a salad. Kale This popular super green is loaded with vitamins (A and C most prominently) and minerals calcium and magnesium, and contains many anti-cancer...

IRONMAN Wales is excited to announce that proposals to relocate the Athlete Village have been approved, which in turn enables the event to accommodate 100 more athletes in what had been a sold out event. These additional entries for IRONMAN Wales, which takes place on Sunday 14th September 2014, will go on general sale at 9am next Wednesday 30th April, via www.ironmanwales.com. For those athletes hoping to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona Hawaii, IRONMAN Wales is a great opportunity to qualify early for 2015, with 50 qualifying places on offer. IRONMAN Wales is continually looking to enhance the course and athlete experience. While the transition and post race Athlete Recovery area remain in the Rectory Car Park, a key improvement for 2014 is the relocation of the Registration and Expo to the nearby Five Arches Car Park. This change of venue not only enables the event to cater for further entries, but it’s position on the bike and run course offers better...