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cent in the last three years,<br />
according to the Outdoor<br />
Foundation’s latest sport<br />
participation report.<br />
Multisport events are drawing<br />
both novice racers and<br />
elite athletes because of “the<br />
idea that they can achieve<br />
something they never thought<br />
they could,” says Alfred Olivetti,<br />
owner of Go Tri Sports, a specialty<br />
running and triathlon<br />
store in Hilton Head Island,<br />
South Carolina, that organizes<br />
such races. And he doesn’t see<br />
the trend dying down anytime<br />
soon—people will keep coming<br />
back for the boost of confidence<br />
they get after finishing<br />
a race and the self-discovery<br />
that goes along with it. “No<br />
matter what shape you’re in or<br />
level you’re at, you can expect<br />
to feel that endorphin rush,<br />
because at some point a course<br />
is going to get hard,” Olivetti<br />
says. “It’s how you push through<br />
those challenges and come out<br />
on the other side that shows<br />
you what you’re really made of.”<br />
Ready to break down your<br />
boundaries and blow your<br />
mind with a big drink of nature?<br />
Check out a few more major<br />
benefits of multis—both mind<br />
and body—that will spark you<br />
to cross new finish lines.<br />
GET YOUR<br />
FEET WET<br />
If the race allows,<br />
sign up as a team,<br />
and suddenly<br />
your first multisport<br />
race will<br />
seem a little less<br />
intimidating,<br />
Olivetti says. Or<br />
ask about training<br />
clubs at your<br />
local running<br />
or triathlon store.<br />
A refreshing<br />
change of<br />
perspective<br />
Many newer tris are trading the<br />
usual roadway courses for fresh<br />
terrain that pumps up the scenery.<br />
Instead of riding and running<br />
on city streets, you might<br />
find yourself biking on dirt trails<br />
through the woods and running<br />
along a shoreline. In the Atlantic<br />
Community Bank Beach Bum<br />
Triathlon in Hilton Head Island,<br />
South Carolina, participants<br />
complete a 500-meter swim<br />
before hitting the sand for a<br />
6-mile bike ride and a 3-mile<br />
run. You can also get down and<br />
dirty with Xterra’s off-road<br />
events (xterraplanet.com for<br />
dates and locations), which<br />
include mountain biking and<br />
trail running. “Exercising out in<br />
nature—and I mean really out<br />
there—is extremely mentally<br />
beneficial,” says Suzie Snyder,<br />
reigning Xterra <strong>USA</strong> Champion.<br />
“In a way, the stillness of the<br />
trail balances out the intensity<br />
of a hard physical effort.”<br />
Level up<br />
your training<br />
Let’s not forget that prepping for<br />
and participating in these events<br />
can be great exercise. Rotating<br />
Top: Whit Richardson/Gallery Stock. Bottom: Gallery Stock<br />
74 JULY/AUGUST <strong>2017</strong> SHAPE.COM
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