Triathlon Races for Beginners

So you think all triathlons are the same, right? Just swim, bike and run. Well they aren’t. Triathlons come in four different lengths. It’s important for the beginner triathlete to choose an appropriate length triathlon based on their experience and the amount of time that they can commit to training. Obviously longer races will require greater endurance, which in turn requires more commitment to a longer training program for beginner triathletes. Here are the four different types of triathlons explained.

Sprint Triathlon
The sprint distance triathlon is the shortest of the four triathlon types. The swim leg of the sprint triathlon race is usually between a quarter and a half of a mile, sometimes even shorter if it’s a race geared specifically toward beginners or if it takes place in a pool. If you think about this distance in terms of laps in a pool, it’s between nine and eighteen laps in a 25 yard pool. The bike portion of a sprint triathlon also can vary greatly between different sprint triathlons. The typical sprint triathlon bike leg is around twelve miles, but could vary between ten and eighteen miles for some races. The running leg of a sprint triathlon is just about always a 5k distance, or 3.1 miles, although some sprint triathlons will be an even 3 miles.

The sprint triathlon is a very manageable race for a beginner triathlete. And training programs for beginner triathletes will be more manageable because of the shorter distances involved. One thing to keep in mind is that relative to the swim and run legs of the race, the bike portion will be the longest in terms of time during the race. So if you are looking to be somewhat competitive in a sprint triathlon, it’s best to focus on improving your bike time. Be sure to compare different sprint race distances with each other, as there can be variances in the lengths of each swim, bike and run section of the race.

Olympic or International
The olympic distance triathlon is also sometimes referred to as the international distance triathlon. This race is a little bit longer than the sprint triathlon and does not vary as much in each of the discipline distances as the sprint race does. As you my have guessed, the olympic distance triathlon is the same distance that’s used in the Olympics as well as races that are part of the ITU, or International Triathlon Union competitions.

The swim portion of an olympic distance triathlon is 1.5k or 0.93 miles. This is a manageable distance for a beginner triathlete that feels comfortable with open water swimming and has a decent swim background. The bike section of an olympic triathlon is 40k, or 24.8 miles. And the running section of the race is 10k, or 6.2 miles.

For the beginner triathlete, training for an olympic distance triathlon is also a manageable task. There are many programs available that allow the beginner triathlete to comfortably finish an olympic distance triathlon in their first season.

Half-Ironman
The half-ironman distance is also known as the 70.3 distance or as a middle distance triathlon. This type of race requires a bit more commitment and experience for the first time triathlete. As this race can reach a time of six hours for the beginner, it can take a lot more endurance and a longer training period to reach the goal of finishing a half-ironman. A half-ironman distance triathlon is made up of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run, or a half marathon as some people refer to the run as. Beginner training programs for a half-ironman distance usually last about six months and even longer if you need to establish a base level of training first.

Ironman
Ironman distance triathlons are also referred to as long distance triathlons. These are the races that the common person thinks of when you talk to them about triathlons. These races aren’t for your typical beginner triathlete with very little athletic background. An ironman triathlon can last all day and into the early night for some competitors. For first time ironman racers, making it to the finish lines requires a real slow and steady approach to surviving all three legs of the race in combination. The distances for and ironman race are double that of a half-ironman race. The swim is 2.4 miles and the bike is 106 miles with a full marathon of 26.2 miles at the end. Training for an ironman race as your first beginner race is certainly possible, be requires a much more serious commitment in time, effort and sacrifice than the shorter triathlon distances.

So there you have it, all four triathlon distances explained. As a beginner triathlete it’s important to recognize the challenges unique to each distance and choose a race that best fits your fitness goals. The sprint distance triathlon is always a good start for those beginners that just want to try the sport or tell their friends that they’ve done a triathlon. The sprint distance can also be accomplished with an easier beginner triathlon training program then is needed for the longer races.