What is a Triathlon?!
So now that I’ve publicly announced to everyone that I’m going to do a triathlon, my next step was finding out what that actually entails. As the name triathlon suggests, events are made up of 3 disciplines - swimming, cycling and running, in that order. There are a number of different race distances that cater for many fitness levels, from absolute beginners like myself, to maniacal endurance athletes who willingly spend 10-14 hours (at a time) racing over tremendous distances.
The shortest distance triathlon is called a Super Sprint Triathlon, and makes an ideal starting point for those starting out, or those who love competing in short, sharp bursts. The super sprint distance usually involves a 400m swim, a 10km cycle and a 2.5km run.
A Sprint Triathlon is the next shortest, with a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run. This distance is becoming ever more popular as more and more people get into triathlons, without the prior need to be a seasoned athlete.
The Olympic Triathlon is the most common race distance, and therefore is often described as a “standard” triathlon. Olympic triathletes complete a 1.5km swim, a 40km cycle and a 10km run, giving a total race distance of 51.5km - no mean feat!
For those looking for even tougher tests, there are the Ironman and Half Ironman races, which are gruelling challenges covering 226 and 113km respectively. A full Ironman triathlon is made up of a 3.8km swim, a 180km cycle and a marathon run of 42.2km, which, to give this colossal distance some perspective, would take you from the MyTriathlon HQ in Cheshire all the way to Scotland. Please don’t take this route, though, as the police wouldn’t take too kindly to someone cycling up the M6!
I have decided that my first foray into triathlons will be at the Sprint distance, at a race that my friends completed in 2023 and which they assured me is a pleasant, simple to follow, flat course. It involves slightly different distances to a regular sprint, however, with a shorter 400m swim compensated for by a 24.2km cycle and a 6.3km run. As someone who hasn’t run in nearly 10 years, I’m wondering if an extra 5.5km over the cycle and run is a bit of an overkill to make up for a measly 350m shorter swim!
I’ve committed though and, excitingly, this last week started my first true triathlon training! My good friend Kalvin, who is an avid and very knowledgeable cyclist, guided me with some great advice when buying a new bike. This included ensuring that it was the right size frame, considering my body position in relation to the seat, handlebars and pedals, and checking that it was in good condition with some expert wiggling, wobbling and prodding. He then, however, promptly forgot that this was the very start of my training as he led me through a 43km loop through South Manchester into Cheshire on a very fresh (read “bitterly cold, but thankfully dry”) Sunday morning. I was incredibly surprised at my own ability to cover almost double the distance I’d need to for my triathlon, and I suppose this can only show that this is all very doable with the right mindset and support!
Posted by Alex Carmichael and Ally Wall on 26th Jan 2024
So now that I’ve publicly announced to everyone that I’m going to do a triathlon, my next step was finding out what that actually entails...
