What Exactly Is Triathlon? Distances – Gear – Races – Challenge

Triathlon, as we know it today, is a sequence of a swim, a bike, and a run event, including the transitions where gear is changed. The winner is the person who records the best overall time across all three disciplines, including transition time, often called the "fourth discipline." The order always remains the same: swimming first, then cycling, followed by the run. In some modern, arguably more marketable professional race formats, there are also triathlons where these three disciplines are repeated multiple times in the same order, back to back. 

While the order of disciplines in triathlon has traditionally remained the same, a variety of distances are now available for both amateur and professional racers. This includes not just the well-known long-distance format that, among other things, earns you the title "Ironman" in Hawaii. The original English term is strictly protected by trademark and cannot be used in connection with triathlons. By the way, female triathletes also earn the Ironman title.

Side Note: The Origins of Triathlon

Multisport endurance competitions already existed at the beginning of the 20th century—cycling and running were practically standard, and in some cases, canoeing even replaced swimming. However, the true birth of the triathlon as we know it today did not occur until 1977 in Hawaii—and it began with an argument among fellow athletes.

At the awards ceremony for a running race on Oahu, endurance athletes debated which athletes were probably the fittest: swimmers, cyclists, or runners. Navy officer John Collins floated the idea of combining the island’s three toughest endurance races into a single competition to settle once and for all who was the fittest athlete. Together with his wife, Judy Collins—who, as one of the driving forces behind the concept, is often underappreciated—he fleshed out the idea: the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (3.8 km), the race around the island of Oahu (originally about 180 km), and the Honolulu Marathon (42.195 km) were to be completed one right after the other—without a break in between. It was also Judy who adjusted the distances so that they could be completed in a single day.

On February 18, 1978, 15 pioneers took the starting line; twelve reached the finish. Gordon Haller won in 11 hours, 46 minutes, and 58 seconds—becoming the first to make triathlon history.

It is precisely these three original distances that continue to define long-distance triathlon today: 3.8 – 180 – 42.195 km. In addition, other official competitions with shorter distances have become established, though these may vary slightly depending on local conditions and the organizer.

Super Sprint

Sprint / Popular Distance

Olympic / Short Distance

T100

Middle Distance / 70.3

Long Distance

The sprint distance is the shortest official race length. However, organizers of amateur and "popular" triathlons can create introductory courses or youth races however they choose. These courses are designed to motivate people without competitive goals to try triathlon and typically include no more than 250–400 meters of swimming, 10 km of cycling, and less than 2 km of running. 

Also popular among beginners, though not as hyped as a full triathlon, are easier-to-organize events like the duathlon (run, bike, run again). In the "aquabike," the two-discipline event ends after the bike leg, and in "swim and run," organizers don't need to close off a bike course at all.

There's no definitive answer to this, and it essentially circles back to the original question that prompted the creation of the long-distance triathlon in the first place. But among traditional competitions, long-distance events are generally regarded as the premier discipline in endurance sports. Within this category, there are also easier races with flat courses and calm water swims, while the most challenging course, the World Championship in Hawaii (which was briefly also held in Nice), is considered significantly tougher due to major elevation gain, open-water swimming, and typically scorching heat, even though it covers the same distances. 

Arguably the toughest challenge is the Norseman in Norway. It begins before sunrise in a fjord with water temperatures in the single digits. The wetsuit requirements and full swim bans listed below do not apply here! After swimming 3.8 kilometers, there's a bike stage with approximately 4,000 meters of elevation gain across a remote, barren high plateau. The run starts out mild but then concludes with a brutal climb on poorly maintained or unmaintained trails to the summit of Gaustatoppen at 1,850 meters. Only the first 160 athletes are allowed to attempt this trail section, and there is also a time cutoff—everyone else’s race ends at the foot of the climb. The fastest man so far is Norwegian Jon Sæverås Breivold with a time of 09:09:57, and the fastest woman is German athlete Julia Skala with a record time of 11:00:23. This is well above typical winning times and demonstrates just how tough this triathlon is!

The rules regarding bikes in triathlon are much more relaxed than, for example, those for licensed road cycling races. According to the German Triathlon Federation (DTU), the following rules apply to bike equipment during the cycling segment. 

• Only "bio-bikes" are permitted — solely human-powered. 
• Helmets are mandatory from the very first mile; the chin strap must stay fastened at the bike rack and can only be unfastened there upon return. 
• Both wheels must be the same size. Whether 26, 28, or 32 inches in the future, isn't specified. 
• At minimum, one independently operable brake on the front and one on the rear wheel are required. Disc brakes are permitted. 
• Riders must keep an upright riding position; reclining is not allowed. Usually, there are no limits on the length of aerobar extensions or the bike's frame geometry. 
• Fairings that aren't part of the load-bearing structure are not allowed, but toolboxes are permitted. 
• Rear disc wheels aren't completely banned but can be restricted by the organizer during challenging wind conditions. 
• Reasonable limits apply to add-ons like hydration systems, bottle cages, snack bags, and toolboxes regarding width, height, length, and distance from reference points on the bike. Bottles or other containers must not be breakable. 
• The bike must be in roadworthy condition; homemade bikes are strictly prohibited! 
• In races where drafting is permitted, aerobar extensions must not extend beyond the standard brake levers. 

What Is Bike Check-In?

Before a triathlon, the race bike must be checked in. This usually happens the day before the race or very early in the morning. Typically, you arrive at the entrance to the swim-to-bike transition area (which is often the same as the bike-to-run transition, but not always) with your bike and helmet, and an official inspects your equipment. The helmet must be worn and fastened during this inspection. Afterward, you rack your bike and helmet in the transition zone, where they will stay until race time. Don't worry—transition zones are fully secured and monitored at all times. After the race, you can retrieve your bike during designated times. It is only handed back in exchange for your timing chip or upon showing your participant wristband or other identification.

Road Bike or Time Trial Bike for a Triathlon?

There generally are no rules dictating bike type. In amateur racing, especially on sprint distances, you'll even see trekking bikes on the course. In triathlons where drafting isn't allowed, requiring at least 12 meters of distance from the rider ahead and passing with sufficient lateral clearance in under 25 seconds, time trial bikes have become the standard. With no draft from other riders to worry about, the aerodynamic advantage of the riding position and specially shaped frames outweighs the somewhat more challenging handling and control of these specialized bikes. 

Important: pain and/or numbness on time trial bikes and triathlon machines shouldn't be ignored. Recent years have shown that aerodynamics aren't the only important factor. Comfort and ergonomics also play a vital role in a successful bike setup. A riding position tailored to your body and capabilities, comfortable arm pads, and especially an individually chosen bike saddle won't necessarily make you faster, but they help maintain physical performance and morale, which is crucial in races lasting 8 to 17 hours.

The Proper Saddle for Triathlon

The deep, forward-leaning torso position and the far-forward seating position toward the nose of the saddle are hard to maintain over many hours on a traditional road bike saddle. That's why Ergon designed a range of models specifically for the triathlon position. These have been proven successful numerous times by world champions like Laura Philipp, Patrick Lange, and Jan Frodeno, the latter of whom was closely involved in the development process. Jonas Deichmann's world record of completing 120 long-distance triathlons in 120 consecutive days was also set on an Ergon SR Tri.

SR Tri Lineup by Gender and Preferred Riding Position:

Short Distances on a Road Bike?

Especially on distances where the bike leg is 40 kilometers or shorter, a traditional road bike is a very practical option. This is especially true when the course has many turns, a large group of cyclists is packed into a small space, and the athlete isn't highly experienced at handling a bike from the aerobars. In these situations, a road bike can actually be the faster choice because you don't have to keep switching from the aero extensions to the brake levers in tight corners or when passing several riders side by side. Instead, you maintain secure control of the bike using the drop bars.

What Other Gear Matters in Triathlon?

Aside from the bike and wetsuit, there are few regulations regarding gear. One important rule: you may not be bare-chested while cycling or running. This has gotten more than one athlete, including female triathletes, in trouble when they pulled their race suit down over their shoulders for a bathroom break. Not required but helpful is a race number belt. Except while in the water, you must always wear your race number visibly: facing backward on the bike, facing forward on the run. That's essentially only doable with an elastic belt that has attachments for the number.

Triathlon greatly attracts interest due to the mythology surrounding the renowned pro race in Hawaii. However, the amateur field has now become so large that spots in major triathlons sell out within minutes or are allocated by lottery. For the main event in Hawaii, you even need to earn a spot, called a slot, by achieving a strong result in one of the qualifying races. 

For hobbyist athletes, the appeal of the endurance triathlon lies in the variety of disciplines that each person enjoys to different extents. Every triathlete has a weaker leg, which makes training diverse. You can focus more on your weaknesses or emphasize your strengths. Interestingly, there is surprisingly little crossover benefit between disciplines. Someone who runs a lot won't automatically become faster on the bike, even though the muscles involved are nearly identical. This means you need to be strategic about how you allocate your training time to improve in all three disciplines, and one effective method for that is brick training, where two disciplines are practiced back-to-back. Example: 

Brick session: 4 hours of cycling, including 3 x 20 minutes at 95% FTP, followed by 1 hour of running—first 10 minutes at race pace, then Zone 2. 

The benefit here is that you start the run already tired, which helps you adapt physically and mentally to the load without needing to do a taxing 3+ hour run.

Transitions also require practice. Not only does cycling feel different when you're chilled from the swim, and the first kilometers of running after the bike leg can seem like clumsy stomping, but the entire process of changing clothes, fueling, and handling gear in the transition zone needs practice too, so you don't lose time there. 

Because of this variety, triathlon is one of the most engaging disciplines in endurance sports, even though it does increase overall training volume. Pros often complete 10 to 12 training sessions per week, which puts the winners' prize money into perspective. Speaking of pros: not only do they not have to pay entry fees, which can run into four figures, but they also skip the daily license fees by holding a start pass from the triathlon federation. Anyone who's a member of a triathlon club can obtain this racing license, which, among other things, provides insurance coverage for race-related injuries. At roughly three or more middle- or long-distance starts per year, the start pass becomes cheaper than paying for individual day licenses. 

Splitting the load among three disciplines in triathlon also enables race distances that only truly exceptional athletes could complete in pure running or swimming. A long-distance triathlon takes elite pros just 7:21 hours to finish. Age-group amateurs sometimes need up to 17 hours, beyond which they are no longer classified as finishers. Efforts of this length require not only strong fitness but also an even stronger mind, in other words, mental toughness.

Mental toughness against oneself, in both training and competition, is probably the key factor that sets top triathletes apart. Anyone choosing to attempt a long-distance race should keep that in mind. Such a race requires focused preparation of at least six months for well-trained athletes and a full year for more casual athletes. Crossing the finish line of a long-distance triathlon while staying mentally strong until the very end is one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment in endurance sports.