I remember a thinking few years ago, before I really got into triathlon, that you had to be super-fit and strong to even consider doing one. Luckily that's not the case!
To make triathlon accessible to as many people as possible, there are 5 main distances of triathlon that we can race in, ranging from short and fast "Super-Sprint" to the crazy, are you out of you mind "Ironman"!
Let's take a closer look at .....
The 5 main different triathlon distances that you can do are:
Super-Sprint / Dash
Sprint
Olympic
Half-ironman (70.3)
Ironman (140.6)
Super-Sprint / Dash
As the name suggest, this is the shortest and quickest distance.
It's great for beginners and people who are looking to get a taste of triathlon and see if they enjoy this format.
Because it's short you don't need to spend a lot of money on equipment to take part and finish the race. A few basic items will be enough to see you through.
For anyone reading this in Bangkok, the monthly Tri Dash in Samut Prakan is an awesome race for you to try out. Go check it out here!
I've been doing that race for around 18 months. It's very well organised and the course is flat and comfortable. The big benefit is that the course is the same each time so you get to see real improvements (hopefully!)
The distance for the Tri Dash in Bangkok is:
On their own, not super long distances. But combining them together in the format of a triathlon is a bit different.
If you have a reasonable level of fitness from going to the gym and have the ability to complete these distances on their own, then this distance shouldn't be too difficult.
It's called a dash because you should be able to complete each leg at pretty much max effort as they are so short.
Sprint
The only real difference between a Sprint and Super-Sprint is the length of the swim.
It's worth noting that sprint distance races can vary slightly on the coure layout, but they won't be far off the standard distances.
The distances for a Sprint are:
This was the distance I chose to do when I signed up for my first triathlon, the Krabi International Triathlon back in 2017, before I quickly changed my mind and opted for the Olympic distance..... I wanted a bigger challenge!
As with the dash distance, this is a good starting point for someone who just wants to feel the experience of a triathlon without busting a gut!
Sometimes more experienced triathlete will do a sprint if they want to fine tune their transition and also to increase their top speed in each activity.
Olympic
When you hear the words "Olympic distance" you're probably thinking "woah that sounds long"!
This is the standard distance that is used in Olympic races for both men and women, and also in the International Triathlon Union World Cup, in which the Brownlee Alistair and Jonny, brothers compete.
The distances for an Olympic Triathlon are:
This was the distance I took part in for my first triathlon.
This is a solid distance to take part in with a reasonably standard level of training.
If you're regularly doing some training in each discipline, then you can complete this race without having to put too much extra time info your training.
Prior to my first Olympic, I was doing 50k - 60k bike rides on a weekly basis along with 12-15k runs, so I had a good base, plus a couple of shorter rides and runs to increase my VO2 max.
The hard part is putting it all together in one race!
Half-Ironman / Ironman 70.3
The word "Ironman" has become synonymous for any long triathlon - whereas in fact this is actually the name of the organisation that runs the Ironman race.
You can do 70.3 races that aren't called Half-Ironman or Ironman 70.3 as they aren't organised by the Ironman organisation. They may be called Half-Distance or Triathlon 70.3
The distances for a Ironman 70.3 are:
Obviously now we're getting into the big boys territory, and completing this race will need some serious training!
The run itself is the same length as a half-marathon!
The swim is at a distance where, if you're not at a good level, you'll be pretty tired after finishing it, and then you're straight out onto a 90k bike ride!
In November 2017, I competed in the Thailand Ironman 70.3 in Phuket.
Prior to this race, I did the Krabi International Olympic distance in July and then had around 3-4 months of training for the 70.3.
I set out a 12-week training plan which slowly built up the distances. The longest training sessions before the race was a 16k run, 110k bike and 2500m swim.
This race length is definitely a great challenge to take on, and don't do so lightly. Make sure you can commit time to training so you are in control of the race.
There is a big difference between finishing a race and enjoying a race!
Prior to the 2019 Thailand Ironman 70.3 in Bang Saen I had a few injuries and didn't have the best prep, and really paid for it during the race!
Full Ironman / Triathlon 140.6
The Full-Ironman distance is the cream of the crop. The Big Daddy. The ultimate test!
The distances for a Full Ironman are:
When you think that just the run leg is a full marathon, you're getting the idea of how long and tough this race is!
Sometimes even just the thought of it can send a shiver down our spines!
Can you imagine trying to run a marathon after a 3.8k swim (probably in the sea) and a 180k bike ride!
It's going to be practically impossible to complete unless you have a very high level of fitness and have done a solid 6 months of training leading up to the race.
It need full commitment over that time and you're looking at a good 12-15 hours training minimum per week!
Final Thoughts
As you can see there are some nice variations in the distances available.
If you're thinking of doing a triathlon, make sure you have a clear goal in mind.
Do you want to have some fun and not take it too seriously. Are you just interested in seeing that it's like do race swim, bike and run together. Or are you looking for a distance to really challenge yourself.
If you're starting out with a basic level of fitness and want to have the awesome fun experience of a triathlon then do a Sprint Distance.
If you have a solid level of fitness do an Olympic distance.
And if you're in very good shape, or have enough time to commit to training 10 hours over a 3-4 month period then do a Half-Ironman.
I won't even mention a full-Ironman coz they are just bonkers!
Hope that helps and we'll see you on a start line soon!
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