3 Inspiring Triathlon Books To Kick Off 2016

Published January 15, 2016 03:43PM

Triathlon! A Tribute to the World’s Greatest Triathletes, Races and Gear

Read it: For a coffee table-worthy collection of profiles on the sport’s top athletes (both past and present), photos and stories from the best races around the globe and a guide to the evolution of triathlon technology and gear.

Snapshot: “Triathlon may have a short history compared to its single-discipline components of swim, bike and run, but the sport has already packed a treasure trove of iconic moments, athletes, races and kit into its four-decade lifespan. It reached its 40th birthday in 2014, and we felt now was the time to celebrate triathlon in all its grueling, gritty and grandstanding glory.”

The Women’s Guide to Triathlon

Read it: For both a guide for women just getting into the sport and also a female-specific approach to everything from injury prevention to hormone fluctuations for the elite-level triathlete. It contains advice on gear, life balance, racing and fueling from more from 20 experts, including Siri Lindley, Sarah Haskins and Gale Bernhardt.

Snapshot: “Besides the obvious differences, women have a physiology that is different from men’s. Until very recently, most of the studies regarding nutrition and training were conducted on men. That’s great for the guys, but women have a menstrual cycle that prevents generalizing, that is, concluding that what’s good for a man must be good for a woman.”

Racing the Sunset: How Athletes Survive, Thrive, or Fail in Life After Sport

Read it: For a mostly first-person glimpse into how professional athletes transition into life after sport from a two-time Ironman Hawaii winner. He befriended Bill Walton, Greg LeMond and Tony Gwynn in his research, and draws some surprising parallels between athlete retirement and other life transitions.

Snapshot: “When I climbed those steps to the plane that would carry me home, tired, sore, more than a bit confused, I carried with me a growing resolution to understand not so much what the hell my life had been for 20 years, but what it would be for the next 20, should I live that long. And through it all, what role would physical movement play.”