About Triathlon
Triathlon is an endurance sports event consisting of swimming, cycling and running over various distances. In most modern triathlons, these events are placed back-to-back in immediate sequence and a competitor's official time includes the time required to "transition" between the individual legs of the race, including any time necessary for changing clothes and shoes. As a result, proficiency in swimming, cycling, and running alone is not sufficient to guarantee a triathlete a competitive time: trained triathletes have learned to race each stage in a way that preserves their energy and endurance for subsequent stages.
In modern triathlon there is an event for all ages, fitness and levels to participate in:
Standard race distances
| name |
swim |
cycle |
run |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids of Steel |
100 - 500m | 5-15 km | 1-5 km | Distances vary with age of athlete. See: Ironkids |
| Super Sprint |
400m [0.25 mi] |
10km [6.2 mi] |
2.5 km [1.55mi] |
Distances vary, but this is a standard Super Sprint course. |
| Sprint |
750m [0.5 mi] |
20km [12.4mi] |
5km [3.1 mi] |
A 500 m swim is also common. |
| Olympic |
1.5km [0.93 mi] |
40km [24.8mi] |
10km [6.2 mi] |
Also known as "international distance", "standard course", or "short course". |
| ITU-Long Distance | 3.0 km [1.86mi] |
80km [49.6mi] |
20km [12.4mi] |
Shortened in 2006 |
| Half Ironman |
1.9 km [1.2 mi] |
90km [56mi] |
21.09km [13.1mi] |
Also called "medium distance" or 70.3. |
| Full Ironman |
3.8km [2.4 mi] |
180km [112mi] |
42.19km [26.2mi] |
Also known as "long distance" or "Ironman". |
For more information see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triathlon



