"Triathlon – it's not about finding your limits. It's about finding out what lies just beyond them." – Anonymous
Triathlon is a multi-discipline sport comprised of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathlon races are gruelling tests of endurance, strength, and speed that are enjoyed worldwide, with competitions taking place year-round in almost every climate.
📜 Triathlon History
Historians can trace triathlon's beginnings back to early 20th century France, known at the time as “Les Trois Sports” (The Three Sports). This variation of the triathlon consisted of a running, cycling, and canoeing segment. By 1921, swimming replaced canoeing and the triathlon format we know today was born.
Such events continued to spread around the country, but it was not until 1974 that the first modern triathlon was considered to be held. It was created by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan, 2 members of the San Diego Track Club. Johnstone wanted to add a swimming and running race to the club calendar, while Shanahan suggested the addition of a cycling leg. The pair – who were not aware of the prior events in France – settled on the triathlon name in the same vein as other multisport events such as pentathlon, heptathlon, and decathlon.
Judy and John Collins, who participated in the inaugural race, would go on to found the Ironman triathlon competition 4 years later, bringing the sport to the international stage. In 2000, the event joined the Olympic Games.
💯 Triathlon Format & Scoring
Triathlon events are comprised of swimming, cycling, and running sections – in that order – combined into a single race. Triathletes compete for the quickest overall finish time, racing each portion of the event sequentially with the time transitioning between the sports included.
The distances of each segment vary from event to event. Ironman events are considered to be “full distance,” with a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, a 112-mile (180 km) bike ride, and a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) marathon run, while Olympics triathlon events measure in at 0.93 miles (1.5 km), 25 miles (40 km), and 6.2 miles (10 km), respectively.
