October 23, 2013 - Triatheletes

[CaliforniaMama]

If you can swim, bike, and run, then you can compete in a triathlon.

Caroline Steffen celebrates after winning the 12th edition of the Datev Challenge Roth Triathlon in Roth, southern Germany, on July 14. Around 3,000 individual participants and 650 relay teams from 62 nations took part in the 3.8km swim in the Main-Donau-Canal, and continued with a 180km bike race and the final 42km marathon run. (Daniel Karmann/European Pressphoto Agency)

A swimmer passes a temporary floating sculpture as he trains on the Serpentine Lake at Hyde Park in London on Sept. 11. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

The first triathlon was held when a group of athletes wanted to determine who was the fittest in the three disciplines.

Recently, the 35th anniversary of the Ironman World Championship was held in Kona, Hawaii, where top athletes had to:

• swim 2.4 miles
• bike 112 miles
• run a full marathon
• In less than 17 hours

Makes me tired just thinking about it!

Via The Big Picture at Boston.com