how long is a regular triathlon?

There are different distance triathlons:

Sprint 750m swim, 20Km bike, 5Km run
Olympic 1.5Km swim, 40Km bike, 10Km run
1/2 Ironman 1.9m swim, 90Km bike, 21Km run

There are also different distances depending on weather conditions, whether it is open water or a pool swim, the roads available for closure for cycling and running, etc. For instance, I am doing a tri this weekend that has only a 500m swim leg but which has a 22.2Km bike leg to make up for it.

I always tell my friends when that puzzled look comes across their face that there are four flavors of triathlons.

Sprint: Swim is 200 meters to 1000 meters; Bike is 12 miles to 20 miles: Run is usually about a 5K ~ 3 miles
Olympic: (so-named because that is the length of the race at the Olympics...) 1500M swim, 40K Bike (~25 miles) and 10K run (6.2 miles)
Ironman: 2.4 mile Swim; 112 mile Bike; 26.2 mile run (full marathon)
Half-Ironman: Half of all the above distances.

Most triathlons that you will see are Sprint triathlons.

When I tell people that I'm going to do a tri, I love that puzzled look that comes over their faces as I tell them an Ironman Tri is 2.4/112/26.1M. Of course, only after they're in shock do I mention that I'm doing a sprint...

That's funny. When I told my brother about my tri, he knew the ironman distance, he thought I was nuts, till I told him the truth, I am doing a sprint.

all these years my brother thought I was doing IMs, when in fact they were mostly sprints. No wonder he kept blowing me off when I suggested we do one together.

Thanks everyone!
I guess I just wanted to know when I could consider myself a real triathlete.
I have no desire to do an Ironman, so I guess my goal will be an Olympic. But now I think that after I finish my first sprint I will feel comfortable saying that I am a triathlete. I just keep hearing myself tell people that I'm just doing a mini-tri and I want to stop belittling all the training I'm doing. But I guess that's really just my problem!

thanks again

It seems to me that if you refer to a sprint as a 'mini-tri', so as to separate the distance difference between a sprint, an Oly, and an IM (or 1/2 IM), you're doing a HUGE injustice to yourself and your training. Remember, the parent site is BEGINNERTRIATHLETE.COM. While there are some veterans here, a lot of use haven't competed yet. Whether or not we're out to do a sprint, or an IM, we're all here to learn, grow, share and enjoy.

Personally, I'm really enjoying tri-training. My swimming lacks endurance, I HATE running, and biking alone is boring. Training for a goal (sprint tri in Aug.) helps me forget those issues. I enjoy improving my run pace, and have recently built up to 10k distances continuously ('cept for this dang blister!). I can now bike and 'feel' when I need to change gears on hills. My swimming is slowly improving, but it IS improving. Both my girlfriend and I have noticed that I'm leaner, more muscular definition, etc. Who cares if it's 'only' a sprint; *I* am doing it, and there are lots of people who won't or can't. I wanna be a CAN!

a triathlon is a sporting event in which you swim, bike, and run. if you do all three in an event, you have done a triathlon and are a triathlete - regardless of the distances. it is not any less of a triathlon and you are not any less of a triathlete if it's a sprint and not an ironman.





Edited by debs 2004-05-21 2:02 PM

thanks for that kick in the pants!
You're right. I am proud of all the training I am doing. I'm proud that I even care to try. So no more "mini-tri" in my vocabulary!

Kudos to all of us triathletes!

Debs...you are awesome! Thanks for  boost. I can't wait to call myself a triathlete. Would it be crass to wear my first finisher's medal to bed?

|I can't wait to call myself a triathlete. Would it be crass to wear my first finisher's medal to bed?| To bed, I'm gonna wear mine to work for a week!

hah! not crass at all - my husband actually took the T-shirt for my first triathlon and wrote, in permanent marker, "Debra's First Triathlon" across the back.

and incidently this is something i tell myself often - and my husband reminds me ever so often. he is doing his third ironman distance race this year and when he does do sprint races he's a top finisher (placing generally in the top 5 overall). i have a tendency to get down on myself because i don't do those distances and i don't even finish in the top half of a sprint race. fortunately, he doesn't let me, and he's the one telling me that a triathlon is a triathlon, and that i really am a triathlete.

and you will be soon enough...