5 Reasons You Can Do a Triathlon

Seven years ago I made the decision to sign up for my very first triathlon. Guided by my sister and mom who were already in love with the sport I swam, biked and ran my way to completing my first race. From there I just kept slowly increasing my distance over years until this past summer when I completed my very first Ironman-distance.

Over the years I’ve talked to many friends and acquaintances who have told me how much they would love to do a triathlon but they just don’t think they would be able to. If that’s the case for you, I’m here to tell you that you can, and more importantly, you should give triathlon a “tri” (see what I did there? Haha!)

1. You can start as small as you like

When someone asks me how long a triathlon I have coming up will take and the answer is many many hours, I can understand why that makes it seem impossible. But you don’t have to start at a crazy long distance — you can start as small as you like! That’s what I love about triathlon — it is truly such an inclusive sport.

You can start your triathlon journey with a Tri-a-Tri-distance which is a 375m swim, a 10km bike and a 2.5km run. (That doesn’t sound so bad, now does it?) From there, the distance doubles to a Sprint distance (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run), doubles again to an Olympic (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run), does a sort-of double again to a half-Ironman (1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run) and a final double to the Ironman distance (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run).

Sure, it would be intimidating to go straight for that last distance. But starting with a Tri-a-Tri is something that with a bit of hard work and training almost anyone can do. I certainly didn’t start where I ended up. I did a couple of summers of Sprint triathlons, then a couple of summers of Olympics, then a couple of summers of half-Ironman-distances, and then finally took the plunge and did my first full Ironman. But you certainly don’t have to! Just training for a Tri-a-Tri or a Sprint is an incredible accomplishment. So if it’s something you want to do — get out there and do it!

2. You don’t need a super-fancy $5,000+ bike

One of the big deterrents I’ve heard people say holds them back from triathlon is having to buy an expensive bike. But believe me, you do not have to! Sure, an expensive bike might help you score a better time — but I really think when you’re just starting out (and for me, this stays true to this day) it’s really just about finishing, having fun and enjoying the motivation to train and get stronger in the build-up to the race. If you’re doing a Tri-a-Tri or Sprint distance, there will be plenty of other people there with regular bikes. So don’t let a bike keep you from attempting your first triathlon!

3. Your body is capable of a lot more than you think it is

From my very first Sprint-distance triathlon to my first Ironman — I always woke up the morning of the race thinking “will I be able to finish this?” And so far the answer I’ve always found by the end of the day has been “yes!” By the time race day comes along you’ve already been doing months of training, so although you may hit a few hiccups along the way, chances are by the end of the day you’ll be able to officially call yourself a triathlete.

When I first started out I NEVER thought I’d be able to do an Ironman (or even an Olympic distance!) but as they say, you’ll never know until you try. And if you’re willing to put the time into slowly building up your distance during training, before you know it you’ll be swimming, biking and running further and faster than you ever thought possible!

4. It doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think

Unlike running races which are super accessible (just buy a good pair of shoes and get jogging) triathlons can seem like they have a lot more barriers. You have to find somewhere to swim, you may have to get a bike, you have to pay a steeper race-fee, and on the list goes.

If you see triathletes training you may be thinking you need to go out immediately and buy neon spandex bike shirt-and-shorts sets, clip-in bike shoes, a tri suit, a wetsuit, aerodynamic handlebars and more before you can even get started. Here’s a secret: you don’t. I did my entire first triathlon in a cotton sports bra and shorts (I swam in this as well. This is not advisable. But it can be done.) and I was too scared to change my bike gears so did an incredibly hilly course in one set of gears which many would say would be impossible but I didn’t know any better so I just got out there and did it. I had an average bike and a terribly-conceived race outfit but a whole lot of determination.

Seven years ago I started with a used $900 road bike that I still use to this day. Over the years, I slowly built up all the extra gear I needed mostly by birthday and Christmas gifts. I fit in my swims mainly at various public pools around the city for just a couple of bucks a visit. I will admit races (especially the longer distances) can be expensive. But the way I look at it is rather than spending $50 a month on a gym membership, I’m spending $300 to keep me active and training for 4-5 months. So ultimately, if training for a race will keep you motivated to work out it can be quite a deal.

5. Because you can. Period.

It’s hard to put into words how supportive the athletes and spectators at a race can be. Athletes cheer each other on, spectators put clever slogans on posters — it’s an incredible atmosphere that will keep you trucking on even when you think you can’t anymore. And the fact is, if you need to take a breather and do some back stroke on the swim, you can. If you need to take it easy on the bike, you can. If you need to walk the run, you can. This is your race. And you can finish it however you like. You have the power to finish it. And you will!

Feeling inspired?

I hope these tips will help inspire you to tackle your first triathlon. If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!