Endurance sports are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people make the leap towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether it’s running half or full marathons, competing in Iron Man competitions, or training and competing in triathlons, people competing in these endurance sports need to take care to properly train.
One way athletes can prepare for endurance sports is by following a consistent training schedule, eat right, and ensure they have the proper equipment for their respective sports. For instance, triathlons consist of a biking part, meaning that triathletes will want to make sure to have a good, reliable bike in their arsenal. Mountain bikes and road bikes are the most popular types of bikes. In fact, mountain bikes make up about 24% of all bikes sold, while road bikes make up about 20% of all bikes sold. This is good news for bike shops, who are experiencing good sales as the interest for competing in triathlons increases.
One of the most popular endurance sport at the moment is the triathlon. Infact, the USA Triathlon reports that participation in U.S. triathlons is at an all time high. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, the number of triathlon participants rose a whopping 59% from 2008 to 2011! Why the sudden popularity surrounding triathlons? It’s simple, many triathlon athletes, about 41%, compete because they’re fun. And for an event that typically takes an average person 4-6 hours to complete a triathlon, having fun would seem a requirement to make it through such an ordeal!
The allure of endurance sports isn’t showing any signs of slowing, either. More people are beginning to adopt healthy lifestyles, bike shops and other sporting good stores are staying busy, and more and more people are staying active. All around, the rise of endurance sports is a good thing. Today, more than 500,000 people take part in multi-sport events each year, and about 12% of the overall U.S. population has participated in an endurance sport. So for those looking for a fun challenge, perhaps endurance sports would a good idea!
