why triathlon?

So why triathlon?

That can be a very hard question to answer, especially since I used to be known for my dislike of running, and let's face it; you can't finish a Tri without some kind of run.

As I wrote in a previous post, after reading "Born to Run," I actually enjoy running. Not treadmill running, but running outside, fresh air, cool breeze (even hot breeze!) sunshine, etc... although I enjoy the treadmill.. barefoot...

Maybe because it is multi-disciplinary; swim, bike, run. You can be a strong swimmer (I used to think I was, but I am seriously humbled by the times some of these athletes put up,) and lose your shirt in the bike or run. The majority of your time ends up being spent on the bike (on average,) so if you are a strong biker, you can improve a lot there. Then, strong runners can have an advantage, because by the time you get to the run, you are getting fatigued, and being a good runner really comes into play here.

So it is a host of things. It is an incredible feeling coming down the chute for the finish. 

Sprint Triathlon... 

Distances-- 

750 meter (0.47 mi) swim 

20 kilometer (12 mi) bike 

5 kilometer (3.1 mi) run

Let's face it, you can do this with a minimum of training. People run 5K races all the time; you just need to tack a swim and bike on to the front.

The swim is what gets most people. It is close to a half mile, true. Water is not that familiar a medium to large amounts of the population, and if you were never a swimmer when you were younger, it is intimidating to think of when you get older. I have coached a few of my friends to better swimming, and just generally being more comfortable in the water. 

Intermediate/Standard/Olympic distance--

1.5 kilometer (0.93 mi) swim

40 kilometer (25 mi) bike

10 kilometer (6.2 mi) run

Now we are starting to put up some real numbers. You are basically swimming a mile, a 25 mile bike most people could complete fairly easily, although it would take some time (most people seem to cruise about 10 mph, which would mean 2.5+ hours on the bike course...) and a 10K run is just two 5K runs back to back. Still, going to take some energy, and you'd best be training.

Long Course (1/2 Ironman)

1.2 mile (1.9 km) swim

56 mile (90 km) bike

13.1 mile (21.1 km) run

This is a serious length. Now you need to start planning for your nutrition needs as well. If you are not taking a little bit of salt, getting some energy, and drinking enough, you will have health problems. On average, as an amateur, you will be 'putting out' for a good 7+ hours. 

Ironman Length

2.4 mile (3.9 km) swim

112 miles(180 km) bike

and a full marathon: 26.2 miles (42.2 km) run

The Ironman is a specific race, copyrighted by the organizing body. Non-'branded' events are "Ironman Length" races.

This is a lu-lu. A 2 and 1/2 mile swim, a Century +, and a full marathon. For some people, just running a marathon is the goal that they have. Imagine running a marathon after an up to 2.4 hour swim and biking for 8 hours. Craziness... it's called "Going Long."