Ironman Christmas Toys

Kevin Mackinnon has a first look at some Ironman presents athletes will covet this holiday.

With 18 days to go before good ol' Saint Nicholas sweeps down through the chimney, all of us here at Ironman.com have completely finished our gift buying for the holidays ... Yeah, right! In the land of Ironman racing, 18 days is plenty of time for a good taper, and an eternity when it comes to buying the latest equipment. Besides, training typically takes a back seat during the month of December, which gives us lots of time to find the right toy ... sorry, training tool ... for the Ironman competitor in the house.

Today we bring you the first of three stories in our "Christmas Toys" series. In this instalment we're going to focus on some "bigger-ticket" items that might require a bit more planning, and much more stealth, to get into the house by the 25th.

You will never go wrong if you purchase a CompuTrainer (www.computrainer.com) for the triathlete in your life. OK, you might not see him or her from December 25^th through the end of March, which may or may not be a good thing, but for those last few minutes you see them before next spring the look of pure joy on their face will be worth it.

Be prepared, though. There will come months of grunting and heavy breathing from the basement as your triathlete takes on Ironman courses from around the world, competing against a pacer, an old performance, or someone else over virtually any course around the world on the CompuTrainer. During all of this they can test their power, spinning efficiency and aerobic fitness to measure improvement.

It’s a training tool that will take indoor training to a whole new level, not only simulating the outdoor riding experience, but enhancing it.

It doesn’t hurt to have two CompuTrainers in the house, either. There’s nothing like the Christmas competitive spirit that pits a husband and wife, or brother and sister, against each other over a hilly course on Christmas day! (Really, that never happens in the Mackinnon household … well, at least not until after lunch, anyway.)

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Hmmm … now that we’re talking about biking, it might be worth pointing out that there isn’t a triathlete on the planet who doesn’t covet a new bike every year. Cannondale (www.cannondale.com) has just the answer for you – the Ironman six13 Slice. If it’s good enough for 2005 Ford Ironman World Champion Faris Al-Sultan, you know it’s likely to do the job for the triathlete in your life.

Cannondale developed a unique design for combining aluminum and carbon in the frame of the Ironman six13 Slice. The top and down tubes of the six13 frames are carbon fiber, while the rest of the frame is aluminum. This provides the shock absorbing properties of a carbon fiber frame with the responsiveness of an aluminum model. In addition to the innovative frame design, the seat post on the six13 Slice allows the position can be set up to be more relaxed, or steeper (up to 78 degrees). There are a variety of models available with different components and wheels.

We genuinely loved the bike when we reviewed it here at Ironman.com, so we’re pretty confident the triathlete in your life will like it, too. (If you’re worried that no one is going to buy one for you, feel free to treat yourself this holiday … you won’t regret it.)

Still hearing and seeing too much of your Ironman addict? They can’t tell you about that 75-second-quarter if their head’s under water, can they? An Endless Pool (www.endlesspools.com/12921) might be the answer.

An Endless Pool is a counter-current swimming and exercise machine that has been called the “treadmill for swimmers.” It allows you to swim indoors or out in your own home, and won’t cost as much as a traditional pool. While training in an Endless Pool, athletes can monitor stroke mechanics, improve technique and increase stamina by gradually adjusting the current intensity.

Endless Pools can be set up inside or out, and, thanks to the adjustable current, provide enough of a challenge for even the most competitive of Ironman participants. They are simple to maintain and economical to run, too.

If you already have a pool, but it’s not big enough for lengths, the company also offers the “Fastlane,” which allows you to swim in place in your existing pool. It installs easily into almost any traditional pool.

OK, so now you have 18 days to think about all this and get yourself organized! Our next “Christmas Toys” story will focus on some smaller training toys … sorry, training tools … for the Ironman competitor in your life.