It is necessary to discern the physiological response and requirements during competition to optimize training and recovery, and to identify factors associated with performance. The total competition time of the OD race ranged from about 1 h 50 min to 2 h 40 min, with swimming accounting for 16%–19% (20–30 min), cycling of about 50%–55% (60–80 min), and running around 29%–31% (30–50 min). Scientific interest in the triathlon has significantly increased since the introduction of the 51.5-km race in the 2000 Summer Olympics, held in Sydney. The most common distances include the sprint (25.75 km, ~1 h), half-Ironman (113 km, ~4–5 h), and Ironman (226 km, ~8–17 h), and the most popular is the so-called Olympic distance (OD), consisting of standard distances for swimming (1.5 km), cycling (40 km), and running (10 km), for a total of 51.5 km. Triathlon is a multidisciplinary endurance sport consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over a variety of distances. In conclusion, well-trained male triathletes performed at very high intensity throughout a nondraft legal, Olympic-distance triathlon race, and sustaining higher intensity during running might play a role in the success of these athletes. In the running leg, the faster group spent relatively more time above HR at anaerobic threshold (AnT) and between workload at AnT and maximal workload.
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The mean percentage of HR max and intensity distributions during the swimming and cycling legs were similar between groups. The mean percentages of HR max in the swimming, cycling, and running legs were 89.8% ± 3.7%, 91.1% ± 4.4%, and 90.7% ± 5.1%, respectively, for all participants. The subjects were then assigned to a fast or slow group based on the total race time (range, 2 h 07 min–2 h 41 min).
![goldencheetah 1 min max for activity goldencheetah 1 min max for activity](https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1*_X_MjDfsgf5h5lBGk06iMQ.jpeg)
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The intensity distributions in three HR zones for each discipline and five workload zones in cycling and running were quantified. HR and workload were monitored throughout the race. Heart rate (HR) and workload corresponding to aerobic and anaerobic thresholds, maximal workloads, and maximal HR (HR max) in each exercise mode were analyzed. Seventeen male triathletes completed incremental swimming, cycling, and running tests to exhaustion. The aim of this study was to examine the exercise intensity during the swimming, cycling, and running legs of nondraft legal, Olympic-distance triathlons in well-trained, age-group triathletes.