Triathlon

Are there any pro triathletes who could be pro runners?

Pro triathletes excel in running, but may not be the fastest pro runners.

Absolutely whether or not they would be the best pro Runners. That's a different story but they could definitely like make it as a pro Runner. So somebody like Alex ye Hayden wild even Morgan Pearson. You actually did run professionally before Triathlon so these athletes and like even floor defi at the Olympics Beth Potter Georgia, Taylor Brown like these athletes that are just running insane times could all be professional runners but They wouldn't be the best in individual running. So being in Triathlon is perfect for them because they're world-class obviously in all three and while like, Alex and Haden can run sub 1335 case which is insanely fast for Triathlon, it's kind of not the fastest, you know, that you'd be looking for and professional running where you'd need to be like 13 flat to be competitive in 5K. But yeah for sure triathletes don't get enough credit. I don't think for how Fast. They truly are same thing with like being a professional cyclist as a triathlete. Probably none could be a professional swimmer. I would say but there are some athletes who are capable of being a professional cyclist as well as professional runners on this on the circuit.

triathletes like Alex, Hayden and Morgan Pearson could be professional runners but may not be the best in individual running. There are also triathletes who are capable of being professional cyclists and swimmers.

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Absolutely, there are pro triathletes who could also be pro runners. While they may not necessarily be the best pro runners, they have the potential to compete at a professional level. Athletes like Alex Yee, Hayden Wilde, Morgan Pearson, and even Flore Duffy have the ability to excel as professional runners. It's worth noting that some of these athletes, like Morgan Pearson, have a background in professional running before transitioning to triathlon.

Although these triathletes can run impressive times, such as sub 13:35 for a 5K, it may not be the fastest in the realm of individual running. To be competitive in professional running, one would typically need to run around 13 minutes flat for a 5K. However, triathletes deserve more credit for their speed and abilities. Similarly, some triathletes could potentially be professional cyclists as well, but it's unlikely that they could compete at a professional level in swimming.

In summary, while pro triathletes may not be the absolute best in individual running, they have the talent and potential to succeed as professional runners, showcasing their versatility and athleticism across multiple disciplines.

How do you describe what talent in a triathlete looks like?

Unveiling the Full Package: The Key Components of Triathlon Talent

So this is a great question, because my role at USA Triathlon is to find the next generation of talented, Olympian triathletes and talent can look very different across the board. So you can have athletes, who were just naturally talented at multiple different disciplines. You can have athletes who are talented at one discipline, who just worked super hard at the other two to complete the package to be a talented triathlete, but it's not just your sporting physical capabilities. It's also your mental capacity, how to handle stress, how to react to your training, how to change your training, your yeah? Mental toughness. How you interact with making decisions during a race especially tactical races being able to think right away. Quickly in a high-stress environment also is included in that. So you have to have the whole package and Triathlon because not only do you have to be physically talented at, Three different sports. You also have to be talented at working hard, and working smart, and, and having a good attitude and decision-making and all kinds of stuff. So it's a very tough thing to figure out, and find out that. Yeah, I would describe Talent as having the full package of not just physical capabilities, but also the mental capacity

Talent in triathlon requires athletes to not only be physically talented in three different sports, but also have the mental capacity to handle stress, make quick decisions, and work hard. It requires the full package.

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Describing talent in a triathlete is a complex task. As someone involved in identifying talented triathletes for USA Triathlon, I can say that talent can manifest in various ways. Some athletes may naturally excel in multiple disciplines, while others may have exceptional talent in one discipline and work hard to develop the other two.

However, talent in triathlon goes beyond physical capabilities. It also encompasses mental capacity, such as handling stress, adapting to training, and making quick decisions in high-pressure situations. Mental toughness and tactical thinking during races are crucial aspects of talent in triathlon.

Being a talented triathlete means having the complete package. It requires not only physical talent in three different sports but also the ability to work hard, work smart, maintain a positive attitude, and make sound decisions. It's a challenging task to identify and assess talent in triathlon due to the multifaceted nature of the sport.

In summary, talent in a triathlete involves possessing a combination of physical capabilities and mental capacity, making them well-rounded and capable of excelling in all aspects of the sport.

How has your sport changed since you retired?

Triathlon's Evolution: World-class athleticism now essential

That's the cool thing about Triathlon is that it is constantly changing constantly getting better and stronger and people are just figuring out like how to get better every single day. And so the sport since I quote, retired in 2020, I guess even though the last two years the bike and World Triathlon draft legal racing, has just become such a game changer. These spikes that athletes are doing out of Corners which is like over 1,000 Watts every single Time and then being able to run like 30 minutes or 29 minutes even off the bike off. These huge numbers. You really need to be Top Notch like world class like almost World Tour. Cycling numbers to be able to properly function as a draft legal triathlete at the top end of the sport and before it did not used to be like that you could get away with being like pretty strong and pretty technical. But now you have to be world class.

Triathlon has changed a lot since 2020, with athletes now doing huge numbers and needing to be world class in cycling for draft-legal triathlons.

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The sport of Triathlon has undergone significant changes since my retirement in 2020. One notable change is the emergence of draft legal racing in World Triathlon events, particularly in the biking segment. Athletes are now utilizing spikes of over 1,000 Watts coming out of corners, enabling them to achieve incredibly fast running times off the bike. To excel in this aspect of the sport, athletes need to possess top-notch, world-class cycling abilities comparable to those seen in the World Tour. Previously, being strong and technically proficient was often sufficient, but now, being at a world-class level is essential. It's exciting to witness the constant evolution and improvement in Triathlon as athletes continue to push the boundaries and strive for excellence.

What pro triathlete do you think is the best cyclist?

Taylor Nib: The Unmatched Queen of Triathlon Cycling

Right now, Taylor nib is currently the best cyclist in Triathlon, non draft side, draft legal side, doesn't matter she's just blowing doors on people. And on the men's side, I don't think there's anybody equivalent to what she can do in terms of her skills on the bike and strength on the bike. So yeah, Taylor nib.

Taylor Nib is currently the best cyclist in Triathlon, dominating both the non-draft legal and draft legal events.

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In my opinion, Taylor Nib is currently the best cyclist in the world of triathlon. Whether it's non-draft or draft-legal races, she consistently outperforms her competitors. Her skills and strength on the bike are unmatched. On the men's side, I don't believe there is anyone who can match her abilities. So, without a doubt, Taylor Nib stands out as the top cyclist in the pro triathlete world.

What professional triathlete do you think works the smartest?

Triathlete Gustav Eden's smart training secrets.

Definitely Gustav Eden. He's like so in tune with his body and what he needs and not getting caught up with like racing or like doing what other people are doing. He's just is knows when to push himself knows when to back off knows when to go harder knows when to go easier, just like all the time, just knows exactly what he needs. He definitely is the smartest Draenor.

Gustav Eden is the smartest Draenor because he knows exactly what his body needs and when to push himself.

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In my opinion, Gustav Eden is the professional triathlete who works the smartest. He possesses a remarkable understanding of his body and its needs, avoiding the distractions of racing or following what others are doing. Gustav has a keen sense of when to push himself, when to back off, when to increase intensity, and when to take it easier. His ability to consistently make the right decisions for his training and performance sets him apart as the smartest triathlete in my eyes.

How has Triathlon photography changed over the years with the use of social media?

The Social Media Revolution: How Triathlon Photography has Evolved

Yeah. Triathlon photography has changed drastically over the years, with the use of social media. Because social media is such a huge part. Now, of Storytelling and people's careers and having access to what professional athletes are doing all the time. And so it's not just in training, but like, at races races are using all the photography to promote the event, athletes are using it to promote how their race went, or what's coming up or their race from last year. Whatever it is so photography that used to be just used afterwards. Maybe one time is now utilize, you know, three four, five times. And people even use images from a specific race about A different race and just having access to that content to use on their website to be able to create, yeah, connections with new sponsors and Market themselves and yeah, help Market, the sport and everything. It's become extremely important. So yeah, it's kind of booming right now. A lot of people are trying to get in on the action obviously. It's a lot more fun than shooting a single sport because yeah you have the dynamic changes of swimming cycling and running plus transition. Plus the crowds and different unique courses, different places around the world. It's not just like one same stadium, or like basketball court, or whatever. It's just like constantly changing. And there's yeah, unlimited options of creativity that you can have. So yeah, thanks to social media. You obviously have to be doing something different and something better that people actually want to look at and And time checking out rather than just, like, scrolling scrolling scrolling, so that brings another dynamic in terms of creating a better photographer because you have to think outside the box, and you have to come up with something that nobody else is doing in. Yeah, sport. That is you could have ten photographers shooting. Exactly. The same thing or you could be that one photographer who's going somewhere else, shooting something different. And so, if you're scrolling through social media, you see, 10 of the same shot and then one different one, you're going to look at the different ones. So yeah, makes everyone up their game.

Triathlon photography has changed drastically due to social media, allowing athletes and events to market themselves and the sport more effectively. This has increased the demand for better and more creative photography, as people are more likely to look at something different than what everyone else is doing.

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Triathlon photography has undergone significant changes with the advent of social media. Social media has become a crucial platform for storytelling, showcasing athletes' careers, and providing access to the lives of professional athletes. Previously, photography was primarily used after races, but now it is utilized multiple times for various purposes. Races use photography to promote their events, athletes use it to share their race experiences, and images from one race may be used to promote another or create connections with sponsors.

The importance of photography in triathlon has skyrocketed due to its role in marketing the sport, creating connections, and enhancing athletes' personal branding. This has led to a surge in interest in triathlon photography, as it offers more dynamic and diverse opportunities compared to shooting a single sport. The combination of swimming, cycling, running, transitions, crowds, and unique courses around the world provides endless possibilities for creativity.

However, the rise of social media also means photographers need to stand out and offer something different and better than others. With countless images flooding social media feeds, photographers must think outside the box and capture shots that are unique and captivating. Being able to provide a fresh perspective and offer something that others are not doing becomes crucial in grabbing viewers' attention. This dynamic pushes photographers to constantly improve their skills and creativity.

In summary, social media has revolutionized triathlon photography, making it an integral part of the sport's promotion and athletes' personal branding. It has opened up new opportunities for photographers to showcase their unique perspectives and creativity, while also challenging them to up their game in order to stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

Tommy Zaferes answers your Triathlon questions. See all the advice Tommy Zaferes has and get answers to your own Triathlon questions.

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Pro photog for World Triathlon, SLT, & PTO. Pro triathlete training partner. Husband of Katie Zaferes.