Another poster got me thinking... What would your perfect race distance be??

Think I was the poster LOL. Too lazy to post.....actually out riding my bike for once. Mine (designed to maximize my enjoyment as well as chances of getting on the podium) would be an Ironman length swim, preferably in tropical ocean with no wetsuits, or a nice blue lake with temps of about 70 and wetsuits. Then an Oly-length bike, all uphill after the first 2-3 miles. No downhills or flats. (Plus it's best if we start at a modest altitude to begin with.)  Then a half-marathon up at the top with stunning mountain scenery. Trails and rolling hills fine. Perfect for me--love swimming and running; only bike talent is climbing hills. Altitude animal, not fast but tough. 

This seems to bear some resemblance to the Alpe de Huez Triathlon, except that the bike leg there is actually longer than standard distance. If anyone knows of a race like this, let me know!

I think the Olympic distance may be my sweet spot. We'll find out when I do one someday.  

I would like to swim a mile, bike 30ish miles, and run 3-6 miles ideally I think.

I'm a short distance girl myself. After 3 years of running  and 1 of tris I've figured out that I'm at my best at the shorter distances - I've done 2 super sprints.

That being said, a longer swim and bike would probably be to my advantage. So I'd like a kind of hybrid between super sprint and sprint. 750m swim - 20k bike - 3k run. That way, I'd be able to get ahead over the swim and the bike and hopefully not lose (too much) ground on the run.

150M swim, 15-mile bike, 2-mile run. That's the distances of a local race, and the only one I posted a top-10 finish in. Heavy emphasis on the bike but enough swim and run to keep the pure cyclists out.

^ This

I loved the distances in the Abu Dhabi Tri we did this year and they are perfect for a good biker like me.

You could choose between:

750m/50km/5km

1500m/100km/10km

3000m/200km/20km

But even better for me would be 1000m/100K/5K but I probably never find a TRI like that

2 mile swim
40 mile ride
8 mile run

= 50 miles, and the effort level between events seems more balanced

1 mile swim

50 mile bike

10 mile run

Just a little shorter then the HIM. That would be the best for me.

I'm thinking an Oly XTERRA with a mismeasured long rough-water swim would be great ... very good in the water, good on tough/technical bike courses, and while the run is comparatively weakest, on the incredibly crappy non-roads around my house I've gotten quite good.

For long course, 10K swim (not in very rough waters, thank you, flat to moderate wind/waves/chop), 120K bike, 30K run should all take me very roughly the same amount of time (bike's a bit long), and be good and long enough to really test the distance but not so long that any one should kill me.

200 Meter Swim. Downstream & Downhill if possible !

40 Mile Bike

10 Mile Run

50.2 Perfect !!

To have an actual chance at the podium, I'd love a race that's...

1 mile swim

10 mile bike

100 yard dash run

I'd probably only win because nobody else would sign up for such a dumb race.

I want in on this race as well. I Likey.

200m swim (short enough to do minimal damage, but enough to keep out those duathletes who don't swim)

40k bike with lots of climbing, and entirely non-technical descents (I'm hopeless on all but the easiest descents)

10k run

I like the Oly distance, but there's that pesky part in the water to deal with at the start.