On Saturday, roughly 2,000 elite athletes from more than 60 countries will convene on Hawaii's Big Island for the Ironman World Championship -- perhaps the most grueling and prestigious triathlon in the world. Whether you hate all exercise, are vaguely familiar with a gym, or are an Ironman yourself, here's what you need to know to appreciate the physical stamina and mental willpower on display this weekend.


Each participant had to qualify in other sanctioned international triathlons just to enter the World Championship -- in other words, it's uber elite.


You can watch the whole race from the comfort of your own couch on www.ironmanworldchampionship.com. (It begins at 6:30am HST, which is 12:30pm EST.)


The first leg is a 2.4 mile swim that begins and ends at Kailua Pier. Swimmers will be on the lookout after two competitors were bit earlier this week[1] by a presumptuous and curious monk seal while training.


Next up, racers do a 112-mile bike ride alongside the "dark-and-rugged lava fields[2] lining the South Kohala Coast." In other words, it'll be hot. Like really, really hot.


Competitors then run a full marathon (26.2 miles) in the Kailua-Kona area to the Ironman finish line. Last year’s top finisher, Australian Pete Jacobs, completed the full course in 8 hours, 18 minutes and 37 seconds.


Notable competitors racing their first Ironman Triathlon World Championship this year will include celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. Regarding his training in the Hawaii waters, Ramsey said, "When I was swimming all I could think about was lunch -- those fish looked gorgeous[3] ."


Craig Alexander, a legendary Australian triathlete, is hoping to make history this weekend[4] as the first 40-year-old to win the Ironman World Championship. Alexander, who is already the oldest men's champion, has won the race three times and is the race record holder with a time of 8 hours, 3 minutes, 56 seconds.


Race organizers have "subtly" increased security[5] at this year's event because of the Boston Marathon bombing earlier this year. Spectators will receive flyers with information about what to watch for, including suspicious packages, behaviors and odors, and how to reach officials if needed.


Every year, two days before the big event, athletes "break the ice" and get out pre-race jitters by stripping down and participating in a 1.2 mile Underpants Run.


Expect to see lots of interesting tattoos on the toned bodies. Tattoos are so ingrained in the culture that the Ironman website has a whole section called "Ink of the Week."


The inaugural Ironman triathlon was conceptualized by athletes in Hawaii who were trying to settle the debate of who are the most fit athletes: swimmers, runners or cyclists?


While anyone who finishes the race on Saturday will be a winner in our books, there can only be one, true Iron Man.





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  • Improved Attention And Focus


    A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that kids with ADHD were <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18725656?ordinalpos=6&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum" target="_hplink">able to concentrate better after a 20-minute walk in a park</a> rather than a walk through city or neighborhood streets. "What this particular study tells us is that <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/a-dose-of-nature-for-attention-problems/" target="_hplink">the physical environment matters</a>," Frances E. Kuo, director of the university's Landscape and Human Health Laboratory and one of the study's co-authors told <em>The New York Times</em>. "We don't know what it is about the park, exactly -- the greenness or lack of buildings -- that seems to improve attention." <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/quacktaculous/3143079032/" target="_hplink">quacktaculous</a></em>




  • Greater Likelihood To Keep Exercising


    While every little bit of exercise counts, let's be honest: most of us could probably afford to do a little bit <em>more</em>. The <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html" target="_hplink">2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans</a> recommend the average adult get two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio every week, plus two or more sessions of strength training. It's all too easy to skimp on workouts. However, a 2011 survey found that exercising outdoors is a reinforcing behavior -- the study found that outdoor exercisers "declared a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21291246" target="_hplink">greater intent to repeat the activity</a> at a later date" than gym-goers.




  • Lower Risk Of Being Overweight


    The fresh air, the sunlight, the scenery, the open space -- there's a lot about being outside that can inspire more activity, especially when contrasted to the beckoning couches and screens of indoor spaces. And the extra movement adds up. A 2008 study found that rates of overweight among children who spent more time outside were <a href="http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v32/n11/full/ijo2008171a.html" target="_hplink">27 to 41 percent lower than in kids who spent more time indoors</a>.




  • More Energy


    Exercise itself is sure to reinvigorate you when you're feeling sluggish, but fresh air can up the effect. A 2009 study from the University of Rochester found that <a href="http://www.intrinsicmotivation.net/SDT/documents/2010_RyanWeinstenEtAl_JEVP.pdf" target="_hplink">just 20 minutes outside</a> can rev you up <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7803320/20-minutes-outdoors-as-good-as-cup-of-coffee.html" target="_hplink">as much as a cup of coffee</a>, <em>The Telegraph</em> reported.

    "Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but this suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature," lead author <a href="http://www.psych.rochester.edu/faculty/ryan/" target="_hplink">Richard M. Ryan, Ph.D.</a>, a professor of psychology at the university told the publication.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/galant/688642298/" target="_hplink">thebittenword.com</a></em>




  • Faster Healing And Less Pain


    A 2005 study of spinal surgery patients found that patients staying on the sunny side of the hospital reported <a href="http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/67/1/156.abstract" target="_hplink">less pain, less stress and needed less medication</a> for pain than patients housed on the shady side of the building.

    Of course, recovering from a surgery will temporarily put a damper on most fitness plans, but if sunlight is the key ingredient, an outdoor workout may just boast some of the same benefits for more minor injuries.




  • Higher Vitamin D Levels


    Taking your workout outside is a great (and free!) way to soak up some additional vitamin D. A 2011 study that found vigorous exercisers had higher levels of vitamin suggested that <a href="http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/exercise/story/2011-10-04/Vigorous-exercise-boosts-vitamin-D-while-lowering-heart-risk/50660716/1" target="_hplink">outdoor exercise may be the reason why</a>, <em>USA Today</em> reported.

    It may be especially helpful for people with a few pounds to lose, according to Everyday Health, since overweight people are almost <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/outdoor-exercise-benefits.aspx" target="_hplink">twice as likely to not get enough vitamin D</a>.

    <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/4775285017/" target="_hplink">Wonderlane</a></em>




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