Beginner Triathlete (2024)

FAQs

What is a good triathlon time for a beginner? ›

For a beginner, a good time to aim for over the super sprint distance would be anything under an hour. That equates to taking just under 10 minutes for the swim (2 minutes 30 secs per 100m), 30 minutes for the bike (20km/hour) and completing the run in under 20 minutes (8 mins per km).

Both men and women peak while in the 30-34 age group (12:04 and 12:54, respectively), although women in the 25-29 group are only four minutes behind. After that peak, both men and women slow down by about 2.5% every 5 years.

As a triathlon beginner, we recommend starting with a sprint triathlon (generally a 500-meter swim, a 20K bike, and a 5K run), but if you're interested in longer distances you can learn more about what those entail here.

The toughest part of a triathlon depends on your unique strengths and weaknesses. Someone who comes from a running background will find the swim or bike segment hardest. Likewise, someone who already has experience with bike workouts will find the run or swim harder.

Training, racing, and – most importantly – thriving through your 50s and beyond is far from a lofty goal. Just look at the 50+ age groups at your next race and you'll realize how many athletes are successfully doing just that.

Typically, biking is the easiest during the race. To get a sense of proportion, some typical lengths of triathlons are: Sprint (1–1.5hr): 500m swim, 8 mile bike, 5k run. Olympic (3–4hr): 1500m swim, 24 mile bike, 10k run.

Triathlon is primarily a recreational sport. That means a person can participate at any age.

Maintain the swim with two-three swims per week, and by this point running should be up to speed at three times per week. The runs should consist of one longer run (2:00), one tempo style run, and maybe one brick.

Height. “The mean body height of elite male and female triathletes is typically around 71 inches (180 cm) and 67 inches (170 cm), respectively,” they write. For comparison, double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee is 176 cm tall and Olympic Gold medallist Nicola Spirig is 166 cm.

Can you make a living as a triathlete? ›

Part-time work - Most pro triathletes will generate income from sources outside of racing, including from part-time work. The most common job seems to be triathlon coaching - it's flexible, offers decent money, and it's something you can transition into once your racing career is over.

The order of a triathlon starts with swimming, followed by cycling and finally running. This order is designed to give athletes an opportunity to build up their energy levels before starting each activity and ensure that they have enough energy to finish the race.

You don't have to be an elite athlete

Anybody, even a regular person, can participate in a triathlon. The goal is to complete the training and get to the start line healthy, hopefully bettering yourself along the way. Everyone has different abilities and strengths that will come into play during each race.

If you have some experience with running, cycling and swimming, usually eight to 12 weeks is a good time frame from the start of training to race day. Remember, it's important to master the fundamentals and ace your drills before adding in extra workouts, so be sure to take the time you need for that.

The average triathlete will complete an Olympic triathlon in 2:45-3:10hrs, requiring around 32 minutes to finish the swim, 1:30hrs to finish the bike, and 50 minutes to finish the run.

While novice triathlons are not a formal category and so can vary between event organisers, they are usually the same distance as a super-sprint event: 400m swim, 10K bike ride, 2.5K run.