Triathlon: Going the Distance
Since it’s inception in southern California during the mid 70s, the sport of triathlon has flourished for over 3 decades, growing in popularity throughout the United States and around the world.
Today, multisport races come in all shapes and sizes, catering to virtually every demographic. Competitors from all walks of life have come to enjoy the sport, which challenges each athlete to their personal limit in an atmosphere of friendly, supportive competition.
Novice triathletes can take the sport for a ‘test-spin’ at one of many ultra-sprint events held around the world every year. The tagline for Emeryville, California’s ‘Shortest Triathlon Ever,’ featuring a 100 yard swim, a 2.5 mile bike and a 2.1 mile run, is ‘This race is so short, ANYONE can do it!’
Though distances do vary between multisport events, most are formed around one of the four core distances listed below.
Sprint Distance - The fastest growing format in the United States today is the ‘sprint’ triathlon. With a race distance totaling just under 17 miles (28K) and with finishing times between 1 and 2 hours, sprint events appeal to every aspiring triathlete. If you’re a beginner, or can only spare 5 to 10 hours per week to train, then the sprint distance may be for you. These events provide all of the excitement the sport has to offer without the time commitment necessary to build the endurance required for longer distance events.
Olympic Distance – With a total race distance of just under 32 miles (52K) and with finishing times between 2 and 4 hours, the ‘olympic’ distance has become the international standard used for triathlon during the Olympic Games. Novice to intermediate triathletes who’ve completed one or more sprint distance events and are ready for a bigger challenge will usually graduate to the olympic distance. Athletes who aspire to race in longer events will frequently compete in olympic triathlons as a stepping stone to the ‘long-course’ distance, of which the olympic is approximately half the total length. Provided you have trained consistently for several months and have established a moderate fitness base, you should plan for between 8 and 15 hours of training per week to compete in an olympic distance event.
Long Course (Half Iron) Distance - A weekly training commitment of 10 to 20 hours is only the beginning, as triathletes consider competition at the 70.3 mile (112.5K) ’long-course’ triathlon distance. This is where training volume begins to significantly affect one’s life-balance and where sacrifices often have to be made with regard to career, to family and to other personal interests. A solid training base must be established prior to taking on the increased training volume necessary to compete in long-course events. A full year of consistent training and racing at shorter distances is a good prerequisite for triathletes who want to get serious about long-course triathlon. On race day, competitors strive for finishing times between 4 and 8 hours, often pushing themselves beyond previously realized limits and discovering new personal thresholds for performance (and tolerance of pain.) Long-course triathlons are roughly twice the length of an olympic event and half the length of an ultra, making them a popular transition between the two, as athletes train to compete in even longer distance events.
Ultra (Ironman) Distance – The ‘ultra’ consists of a total of 140.6 miles (226.3K) and is considered by most triathletes to be the ‘summit’ of the sport. Finishing times for these events vary dramatically, ranging between 8 and 17 hours, with official cut-off times (beyond which athletes are disqualified mid-race) for each stage. Only the most committed and experienced athletes should consider competing in an ultra-distance triathlon. Training for this distance requires between 15 and 30 hours per week and should only be undertaken following years of base-building and participation in several shorter, long-course distance events. Over the last three decades, the “Ironman Triathlon,’ World Triathlon Corporation’s branded ultra-distance event, has become the symbol of endurance in America and around the world. Athletes compete in one of 23 Ironman events held annually in hopes of finishing at the top of their age groups, thus qualifying for one of the coveted ‘Kona slots’ which allow entry into the World Championship held each October on Hawaii’s big island.
It is hard for most people to imagine multisport distances beyond 140.6 miles. And yet there are athletes, perpetually fueled by their desire to reach their personal best, who set out to find (or in some cases to create) even greater challenges.
On May 10, 2010, in an effort to raise funds and awareness for their ‘Never Stop Foundation,’ Jason Lester and Richard Roll, both elite triathletes, set out to conquer 5 ultra distance events on 5 Hawaiian islands in 5 days. In the end, they completed all 5 events on May 11, 2010.
Only 7 athletes have ever achieved a solo finish at the ‘Enduroman Arch to Arc,’ a 289 mile (465K) triathlon from London England’s Marble Arch to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris France. After running 87 miles (140K) from London to Dover, athletes swim the English Channel (22 miles, 35.5K) and then bicycle 181 miles (291K) from Calais to Paris! Eddie Ette, elite ultra athlete and Enduroman’s current director, holds the record for this event, a staggering 81 hours and 5 minutes.
Today, a triathlon longer than 289 miles seems inconceivable. But keep in mind that, a mere 30 years ago, it would have been hard for any of us to imagine the 2.4 mile swim, the 112 mile bike and the 26.2 mile run required to complete an official Ironman event. It is this imagination, combined with our belief in (and a desire to push ourselves toward) our own human potential, that has given birth to the thousands of triathlons and other multisport events that are being held around the world today.
