Complete Triathlon Book: The Training, Diet, Health, Equipment, and Safety Tips You Need to Do Your Best

For those ambitious enough to voluntarily agree to swim, bike and run their way through a triathlon, Triathlete contributor Fitzgerald proposes this impressive, wide-ranging guide. Triathlon training is fairly standardized, says the author, with established principles and proven methods. Among the rules are""train for endurance"" (even the shortest triathlons take at least an hour for the fastest athletes to compete),""train specifically"" (compartmentalize to become efficient) and""rest and recover sufficiently"" (after a body system's been overloaded, it needs to return to a state of balance). Fitzgerald follows these conventions with chapters on equipment, including hydrodynamic swimsuits and road bikes with clip-on aerobars; swim training, with in-depth explanations of freestyle techniques; maintaining a healthy lifestyle, describing various stretches and how to deal with injuries; and more. He even discusses mental training, reminding readers to keep a playful attitude. They'll need it, especially in the grueling final stretches.