Veteran Steve Attwell is gearing up for his 30th Isuzu Ironman 70.3 event in Mossel Bay this Sunday! While some might think you need to be slightly mad to participate in an Ironman, Attwell insists it's simply a lifestyle. He faces the challenge of a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride, and a half marathon with enthusiasm.
Attwell, the coach and founder of Embark and the Atlantic Triathlon Club, reports that preparations have been excellent. He's confident that his athletes are ready to push their physical limits. "Preparations have gone brilliantly. We had a six-month training programme most athletes joined and they worked hard," he said. "The level when you start is not that high, and most people who started training with us six months ago are in good condition."
The training regimen focused on gradually building up the swim, bike, and run distances. Attwell explained, "We started slowly by building up the swim, bike and run over time. It is hard in the first week and hard in the last week because you are increasing the distance all the time."
The Appeal of Triathlon
Attwell highlights the variety that triathlon offers as a key factor in its growing popularity. "The beauty of triathlon is that one day you bike, the next you swim, and the last you run," he said. "It’s not a repetitive sport such as running or swimming where you do the same thing over and over again. It’s nice to break it up and it is good on the body."
He further explained the benefits of cross-training, stating, "Swimming helps the upper body and running and cycling help the lower body part. Cycling is non-impact, so you can use it as recovery if you are running."
Strategy and Skill
Interestingly, Attwell points out that you don't need to excel in all three disciplines to be competitive in a triathlon. "The nice thing about a triathlon is that it is a bit of a leveller. You could come from a good running background and be fast, but your biking is not that good. If you’re average in all three, you can be a good triathlete, but you don’t have to be good at all three."
As a seasoned veteran of the sport, Attwell is eager to see what this year's Ironman 70.3 in Mossel Bay will bring. Good luck to Steve and all the participants!