Triathlon

Triathlons are races with three parts: running, biking, and swimming. The length and difficulty of these races varies. Some races are appropriate for casual participation, while others can only be completed by elite endurance athletes. Shorter races can be completed in less than two hours, but longer races may take days to finish.

Many races offer interesting twists on the traditional triathlon. Some only include two of the three traditional sports, making the races accessible to a wider range of participants. Others conduct the entire race off-road, allowing for more scenic views and difficult terrain.

Background

The history of the triathlon can be traced to France in the 1920s. Athletes commonly participated in a race called "Les trois sports" in which participants took part in a long-distance bike ride, a run, and a swim across the Marne. The specific distances involved in the race changed over time.

While this particular race was popular in France, it did not spread to countries across the ocean for decades. The first organized triathlon, the Mission Bay Triathlon, took place on September 25, 1974, in San Diego, California. It featured an 8-kilometer bike ride, a 500-meter swim, and a 10-kilometer run. It had more than forty participants and quickly became a tradition.

In time, the triathlon grew into a sport that was popular throughout the world. Triathlons began being held throughout the United States and then in Europe and many other nations. In April 1989, almost fifteen years after the Mission Bay Triathlon, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) was founded in France. That same year, the first World Championship Triathlon was held in France. The ITU later moved its headquarters to Vancouver, Canada.

The most famous style of triathlon, the Ironman, began in Hawaii. It consisted of three events: the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon, the 2.4-mile Waikiki Rough Water Swim, and the 112-mile Oahu Bike Race. The first Ironman Triathlon was held in 1978, with just fifteen competitors—and only twelve finished the race. The 1980 Ironman Triathlon was filmed and broadcast by ABC, showing the race to the rest of the world. Since then, the Ironman Triathlon has become a popular but extremely difficult test for elite athletes. In 1981, the race was moved to the city of Kona on the Big Island, which had more space to better accommodate the events.

In 1999, the triathlon was granted full medal support at the Olympic Games. It debuted at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The first Olympic gold medalists in the triathlon were Simon Whitfield of Canada and Brigitte McMahon of Switzerland.

Overview

While most triathlons are similar, several variations of the multipart race are practiced throughout the world. Traditional triathlons are those that consist of biking, swimming, and running. Traditional triathlons can be broken down into several categories. Short-distance triathlons, often called sprint triathlons, are well suited for beginner triathletes. The running portion is less than 5 miles long, the biking portion is less than 15 miles long, and the swimming portion is less than one-quarter mile long. While still a substantial show of endurance and athleticism, sprint triathlons are far easier to complete than larger triathlons. They can usually be completed in only one or two hours.

Olympic triathlons, also called international triathlons, are the next step in triathlon difficulty. The swim portion is roughly 1 mile long, the biking portion is almost 25 miles long, and the running portion is 13 miles long. Olympic triathlons often take seasoned endurance athletes three to four hours to complete. Most athletes spend a year or more in intense training before attempting to complete an Olympic triathlon.

Half Ironman triathlons, and the more advanced triathlons beyond them, are reserved for extremely experienced, dedicated endurance athletes. Half Ironman triathlons include a 1.2-mile swim, a 13.1-mile run, and a grueling 56-mile bike race. They take experienced athletes four to six hours to complete. Full Ironman triathlons, the most famous style of marathon, feature a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a 26.2-mile run. They take elite endurance athletes eight to seventeen hours to complete.

Lastly, the Ultraman Triathlon, which first took place in 1983, is the most difficult variation of the traditional triathlon. This triathlon is tackled by some of the most dedicated endurance athletes in the world. It features a 6.2-mile swim through the open ocean, a 52.4-mile run, and a 251.4-mile cross-country bike race. The Ultraman Triathlon takes place over a period of three days on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Many private organizations host variations of the traditional triathlon. For example, some organizations offer entirely off-road triathlons. In these races, participants run and bike through scenic woodlands and difficult terrain. Other types of triathlons remove one of the three sports involved in traditional triathlons. Aquabike triathlons consist of only swimming and biking while Aquathlon triathlons consist of only swimming and running. Duathlons consist of only biking and running. Other triathlons replace the swimming portion of the race with kayaking, which puts a greater strain on participants' upper-body muscles. Finally, winter triathlons sometimes feature long-distance ice skating, skiing, and mountain biking.

Competing in triathlons requires the purchase and use of specialized equipment. Participants must purchase a pair of long-distance running shoes because most athletic or casual shoes do not provide enough support for long-distance running. Long-distance running shoes are designed to absorb the shock of repeated impacts with minimal strain on the foot. Many are also designed to weigh as little as possible, reducing muscle fatigue.

Triathlon participants also often purchase specialized bicycles. While traditional mountain or street bikes may be used in sprint triathlons, lightweight, aerodynamic designs are preferred for longer distances. Bikes should be paired with a comfortable yet protective helmet in case of crashes.

Some triathlon participants change outfits between every stage of the race. Clothing that is comfortable for running may not be comfortable for swimming or biking. However, other triathlon participants purchase a trisuit, which is a specialized outfit that is ideal for biking, swimming, and running. Trisuits are often very tight to reduce drag and lightweight to reduce muscle fatigue. They also dry quickly. In competitive triathlons, participants who wear trisuits do not need to waste time changing clothes, which reduces their overall time and increases their chance of winning.

Bibliography

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"About Ultraman." Ultraman World Championships Hawaii, 2017, ultramanlive.com/content/about/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Hatzis, Philip. “Triathlon Distances: Every Race Format Explained.” 220 Triathlon, 4 Oct. 2024, www.220triathlon.com/training/beginners/what-are-the-different-triathlon-distances. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

"The Ironman Story." Ironman, www.ironman.com/history. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

"Olympic History." World Triathlon, www.triathlon.org/olympics/history. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

"Triathlon." International Olympic Committee, www.olympic.org/triathlon-equipment-and-history. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

“Triathlon Distances: IRONMAN, Olympic, Sprint, Super Sprint & Super League.” Supertri, supertri.com/latest/triathlon-distances/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.