Triathlons are more popular today than ever before, but for many the idea of training for a triathlon can seem daunting. In this completely updated, revised edition, triathlon champion Eric Harr shows you how to eat healthfully and effectively train for a triathlon in just 4 hours a week over the course of 6 weeks. Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week includes four separate training programs to accommodate every fitness level; a comprehensive gear guide; a complete menu plan including nutritional options for vegan, paleo, and gluten-free athletes; strategies to stay motivated; and a guide to race day. With clear, concise language and easy-to-follow, step-by-step photography, Triathlon Training in 4 Hours a Week is the ultimate resource for time-crunched would-be triathletes looking to reap the rewards of this challenging sport. Eric Harr began his career as an out-of-shape legal clerk living in the US Virgin Islands. After training by commuting on his mountain bike, he competed in his first athletic event, the St. Croix Triathlon. Only one year after he waddled across the finish line, Harr was ranked sixth in the world and was named Rookie of the Year. To date, he has won 30 amateur and pro events in 23 countries and has represented the United States in multiple World Championship events. He lives in Marin County, CA. 20 GREAT REASONS TO DO A TRIATHLON "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." --HENRY DAVID THOREAU P eople are motivated to "take the plunge" and do a triathlon for reasons that are as varied as those setting out on this mission. Some are obvious: "to lose weight fast!" Others are personal: "to boost my self-confidence and feel good about myself." Others are spiritual: "to find more meaning in my exercise" or "to live more fully." A few are social: "to brag to everyone in the office that I did a triathlon." And some are inspirational: "to serve as a model for others and show what is truly possible in life." Although the reasons people do a triathlon differ, the benefits are universal. That's what this chapter is about--it outlines the 20 benefits you can reap from training for and completing a triathlon. The bottom line is that this process is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do in your life, not just physically but also mentally, spiritually, and socially. Ask anyone who has done a triathlon and they will tell you the same thing. But for all its power to change your life, training for a triathlon isn't going to consume your life. The training program set forth in this book is designed to blend seamlessly into your busy schedule and requires four hours a week for six weeks--a total of just 24 hours. The payoffs, however, are timeless: You will lose loads of weight, feel better than ever, and gain self-confidence that will last a lifetime. Lofty promises, indeed. Can doing a triathlon really deliver? Follow the advice in this book and, yes, without a doubt it can. It has for hundreds of thousands of other triathletes, and it will for you, too. PHYSICAL BENEFIT For you to consider training for and completing a triathlon, there have to be some serious, long-lasting benefits, right? Well, here they are--20 of them. Let's start with the most observable payoffs: what will happen to your body. YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT The first thing you'll probably notice as a Triathlete-in-Training is that your clothes will become too big. That's because training for a three-sport event will make you as fit and healthy as you have ever been in your life. When you engage in a well-balanced program of swimming, cycling, and running--known as cross-training--you will burn an enormous amount of fat from every area of your body. Better yet, the weight will come off as a natural consequence of your passion-driven quest to complete a triathlon, rather than from a guilt-induced diet, a boring exercise plan, or a bizarre fitness implement. FEEL GOOD AT ANY WEIGHT Losing weight is a goal coveted by many, and you certainly stand to shed the £ds on this program. But it's also important to accept and enjoy how you look here and now--and every step of the way. Over the past few decades, the American media has perpetuated an almost hysterical level of irrational obsessive-compulsion with looking thin. That has wreaked havoc on our sense of perspective and our self-esteem, making it virtually impossible for us to enjoy how we look. The problem is that when you fail to appreciate your body, in this moment, you postpone life enjoyment. It's saying: "I will appreciate my body when . . ." Unfortunately, "when" rarely arrives. But a Triathlete-in-Training is different: Although you're always striving for a better quality of life, and perhaps a better body, you're genuinely satisfied with, and grateful for, the here and now. That way, you can celebrate the destination of a fitter you while having enjoyed your triathlon journey along the way. The principles and