Announcement
April 10, 2024
A triathlon is a multi-sport endurance event that includes swimming, biking, and running. There are a variety of triathlon events from super sprint to Ironman, making it an accessible goal for people of varying fitness levels and ages. This August, The Bridge will host its first triathlon, consisting of youth, super sprint, and sprint events.
History of triathlons – Early triathlons can be traced back to France in the early 1900s. At that time, the three events were running, biking, and canoeing. Modern triathlons consisting of swimming, biking, and running became popular in the 1970s in San Diego, and in 2000, triathlons debuted at the Olympic Games. In 2017, over 4 million people in the United States competed in a triathlon.
Types of triathlons – The most common triathlon races are sprint, Olympic, half Ironman, and Ironman, though other options do exist. All these events include the same three sports but vary in distance. For example, a sprint triathlon consists of a 750M swim, 20k bike, and 5k run, whereas a full Ironman requires a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run.
Training for a triathlon – This depends on the event and the fitness level of the triathlete. Typically, shorter events take less time to prepare for than longer events, and new triathletes may have to train longer than seasoned triathletes. Most beginner training plans for sprint triathlons are about 8-12 weeks long.
Since it is a multi-sport event, triathlon requires participants to train for swimming, biking, and running. The majority of triathlon training plans call for one workout per day (swimming, biking, or running) rather than all three sports at once. Training plans also call for rest days, strength training, and “brick” workouts, which are workouts consisting of two of the three sports.
An important part of triathlon training that should not be overlooked is transitioning. This is the time spent switching between events. Many triathletes who do not practice this skill lose lots of time on race day swapping out gear for the next event. The aforementioned brick workouts provide triathletes an opportunity to practice transitioning for race day.
Am I too old for a triathlon? – The age distribution of triathletes is wide. In 2019, the average age of a triathlete was 43 years old. Currently, the Guinness World Record for oldest person to complete the Ironman World Championship is held by Hiromu Inada who was 85 years old when he set the record in October 2018.
The Weather the Storm Triathlon will take place August 3rd, 2024, featuring a pool swim, closed bike course, and trail run. Register here.
