Late beginners – Triathlon: “We can train for a lifetime”

Mr. Unger, I’m 53 and reasonably fit: Am I still at an age when you should still get into triathlon training?

Triathlon is a link between the popular sports swimming, cycling and running and thus one of the healthiest sports that exists. Swimming and cycling completely decouple our orthopedic apparatus, running is our natural locomotion. In terms of fitness, there is a certain transfer between the individual disciplines. Our cardiovascular system doesn’t matter whether I swim or do anything else. It wants to be trained. The ideal works in the triathlon.

Does that apply to all ages?

Yes. Of course, the maximum performance in triathlon over the Olympic distance is not 40 or 50, but at 28 to 34 years. But even if someone starts to train with 50, they will get better and better. This is something that many do not know: we can train for a lifetime.

Is triathlon possibly even particularly suitable for older ones?

Yes, the cyclical movements in endurance sports are an advantage over, for example, football or tennis with many uncontrolled movements: Not much happens in endurance sports, you can control everything much better. For people in the second half of life, this is a very good sporty path.

Which cardinal error should I avoid as a triathlon beginner?

The basic rule applies: frequency against intensity! Or in other words: train as often as possible, always pay attention to the long run! The intensity comes at the very end. Many people do that wrong. They train too intensely, they think, training has to hurt. But the consistency is more important. Training for two or three days over several weeks is good, in the end every half an hour, especially if there is a fourth or fifth training during the week.

What else does it matter? What about the equipment?

At first it doesn’t need that much. Reasonable shoes with decent damping are a prerequisite, but even the bike does not have to be a high-end device. You should sit well on it, the angles should all fit, then you can get started. A swimming trunks are of course also good.

Do you still remember your first triathlon?

Yes, it was a long time ago. It was in 1990 when I was twelve. I got there with my normal mountain bike, with a protective sheet, light and stand. I swam in the swimming trunks and ran in the T-shirt. Since then I’ve been there, this adventure captivated me 35 years ago.

That competition in 1990 was the start of her career, in which they brought it to the world champion. What are your goals today?

I have been a coach at the federal base for six years now, from September something new will start for me: I will become a national coach in Australia and prepare the triathletes for the games in Brisbane 2032. I go over with the whole family, they put together a nice overall package for us! A great adventure that also came about through sport.

Do you love your sport?

He fascinates me. On the one hand, he brings so many different people together, on the other hand he gives such adventures, and if you are lucky, he also gives me unforgettable experiences as they happened to me in my extraordinary career. The training camps, the competitions, are, how should I say, a kind of pillar in life.

Triathletes are considered obsessed. Does the sport make you addicted?

So if you can get people to sniff in, many stay in it and then develop a passion as the professionals. For me it is really nice to see. Even if things are a little different in the high -performance world.

What are triathletes for a variety?

Of course there are very different characters. But what connects the top people is this endeavor to reach their own limits and the hardness with themselves. What I see with everyone and all women is a certain lifestyle: with themselves and the world into pure coming through sport. You develop mindfulness towards your body, a love for your body, you understand it better. And sport gives some life a structure: it gives the people of highlights. And new goals that you can work towards.