Triathlon Distances Guide: Every Type Of Triathlon Explained

0 44 9 minutes read

One of the features of triathlon is the range of options in terms of distances which are available to competitors. Whatever your strengths, motivations or degree of training time available, there will almost certainly be a format and distance to fit with your personal goals.

Indeed, while we will outline below some of the more common formats and distances within the sport, ultimately there are no restrictions at all in terms of distances or in some cases, which order those disciplines are held.

Many long-standing events, both local and international, do not fit directly into any of these boxes, utilizing their natural surroundings rather than trying to ‘fit’ into a predetermined format. Variety truly is the spice of life!

Equality is also one of the principles of the sport – men and women will compete over the same format and distances – and for professional athletes, in almost every instance, this will be for equal prize money too.

Triathlon Distance Adjustments

You will have to set your training plan according to the triathlon distance and your fitness level. But one thing that is often overlooked is the location of your triathlon.

The distances don’t always take into account the area’s topography and weather conditions. But some triathlon organizers will modify their triathlon distances to account for how hilly the local geography is.

If you train at sea level, on flat ground, and your race is in the mountains, you will notice a considerable difference in the effort required. Therefore, you need to adjust your training to ensure you can complete the distance in an unfamiliar landscape.

Super Sprint Triathlon

Sprint distance

Swim: 750m
Bike: 20km
Run: 5km

For many, the Sprint distance is the first entry point into triathlon and at a domestic level is perhaps the most popular format of triathlon racing. As above, there is a degree of flexibility as to what might be referenced as a ‘Sprint’ distance, but conventionally at least, it is half of the Olympic/Standard distance format.

One common alteration to the Sprint distance – especially in pool-based events – is that the swim might be reduced to 400m. This can allow organizers to increase the number of athletes in their events, while also providing an even more attractive option for beginners to the sport, who perhaps fear the swim discipline the most.

While the best athletes in the sport will complete a Sprint distance race in well under an hour, even first-time triathletes, with a reasonable level of preparation, will often be able to complete the distance in well under two hours. That makes it a great way to start your triathlon journey.

If you are new to multisport races, a super sprint triathlon is a great one to start with. This is the shortest of the triathlon distances and is considered an entry-level race. A super sprint triathlon starts with a 400m swim, followed by a 10km bike ride and a 2.5km run.

As a super sprint has short distances, they usually take place in and around a swimming pool. The swim will be 16 lengths of a 25m swimming pool, followed by a set bike and running course.

The super sprint distance is good for beginners, as it is an excellent introduction to triathlon. As the swim is in a pool, you don’t need a wetsuit or have to worry about open-water swimming, which can be intimidating.

If you are not ready to cover the distances of a sprint triathlon, you can build up to it. For example, if you have a couple of willing friends, you can do your triathlon as a relay race. Therefore, you only have to do one leg each. Alternatively, you can start with a duathlon, which is usually a bike and a run.

Sprint Triathlon

Sprint distance

Swim: 750m
Bike: 20km
Run: 5km

Another entry-level triathlon distance is the sprint. This distance is for slightly fitter people who want to do a longer race than a super sprint. The sprint is often the most popular of the triathlon distances, but you won’t find a sprint option in long-course events, such as an Ironman competition.

A standard sprint triathlon starts with a 0.5-mile swim (750m), a 12.4-mile bike ride (20km), and a 3.1-mile (5km) run. But sometimes, the sprint triathlon distances are adjusted to suit the local roads and terrain.

Olympic Triathlon

Olympic distance

Swim: 1.5km
Bike: 40km
Run: 10km

Also known as the Standard distance, the Olympic distance is – as the name suggests – the race format used for the individual events at the Olympic Games Triathlon.

Olympic-distance events are typically also the most common format of events in the top tier of Elite racing – the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) – the winners of which earn the title of World Triathlon Champion.

New athletes coming into the sport without a particular background in any of the three disciplines may well initially be closer to three hours.

An Olympic Triathlon can sound very intimidating, but it is an excellent event to keep you focused on your fitness.

Olympic triathlon distances are double the length of sprint triathlons. So your swim will be 0.93 miles (1,5km), the ride 24.8 miles (40km), and the run is 6.2 miles (10km).

The official Olympic triathlon distance was formalized at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. However, these long distances were around for a very long time before this.

If you are new to triathlons, Olympic triathlon distances are a considerable jump up from a sprint. Sprint triathlons can be completed within an hour or two. But most people take over three hours to complete an Olympic triathlon.

To ensure you can complete an Olympic triathlon, you need to be highly dedicated to your training. You obviously need to work on the best techniques for the three sports. But you also need to improve your speed, strength, and endurance to reduce your likelihood of injury.

70.3 Triathlon

Half Ironman / Middle Distance

Swim: 1.2 miles (1.9km)
Bike: 56 miles (90km)
Run: 13.1 miles (21.1km)

While Ironman and iron-distance events gain the headlines, the most popular long-distance races within triathlon are actually over half of the distance.

While still a significant challenge, for many the training requirements for that format are more compatible with a balanced working and family life. In addition, the recovery time from completing the shorter distance is less, which allows athletes to race more frequently.

Middle-distance races are also ideal preparation for athletes looking to race over the full distance. Many athletes will target an event over the half distance approx 4-6 weeks before their long-distance target, to test out equipment, nutrition and pacing before ‘the big one’.

The next longest of the triathlon distances is the half-ironman. This is also known as the 70.3 events, as this is the total distance in km covered during a race.

A half-ironman starts off with a 1.2-mile (1.9km) swim, followed by a 56-mile (90km) cycle and a 13.1-mile (21.09km) run. The run is actually a half marathon distance to put it into perspective.

Many people consider the 70.3 as the perfect triathlon distance. This is because they are not as arduous as a full Ironman, but they are still great tests of speed, endurance, and willpower.

However, half-ironman triathlon distances are a great stepping stone, and preparation, for a full Ironman. But you need to significantly increase your training to ensure you are fit enough to go for the big one.

Ironman Triathlon

Ironman distance

Swim: 2.4 miles / 3.8km
Bike: 112 miles / 180km
Run: 26.2 miles / 42.2km

Ironman is perhaps the most famous event in the sport of triathlon, and completing an Iron-distance race is often a lifetime goal for many athletes. By contrast, some newcomers to the sport have started with an Ironman. That, for most, is not something that we would typically recommend!

The origins of Ironman date back to the late ’70s, when three existing events on the island of Oahu in Hawaii – the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, the Around Oahu Bike Race and the Honolulu Marathon were combined, back-to-back, to determine who were the greatest endurance athletes, swimmers, cyclists or runners. Who knew that what started with just a few athletes would develop into a worldwide series.

IRONMAN is the largest organizer of long-distance triathlon events, providing a global series from which athletes – Pro and Age-Group – can qualify to race in the IRONMAN World Championship, normally held in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.

For most iron-distance triathlon races, there is a strict cutoff in place to finish, which is usually 17 hours. That said, the very best in the sport can cover the distances in less than half that time.

In addition to overall times, most events will also have cutoff points for the swim, the bike and perhaps during the run stage too. Miss those, and you will not be allowed to continue.

A full Ironman is regarded as the ultimate of all the triathlon distances. Many triathletes aspire to be able to complete an ironman, let alone be competitive.

The first Ironman took place in Hawaii in 1975, and it has continued to evolve ever since. Now it is an iconic event held in various locations around the world.

But the world ironman championships are still held in Kona, Hawaii, every October. To make it to Kona, you need to qualify in your age group, but it is regarded as one of the most challenging triathlon courses in the world.

Ironman triathlon distances start with a 2.4-mile (3.8km) swim, a 112-mile (180km) ride, and a 26.3-mile (42,195) run. Yes, you need to run a full marathon to finish your full Ironman.

Over the years, some Ironman events have added extensions to the triathlon distances. An example of this is Ultraman, which also takes place on Kona. However, not everyone can enter the Ultraman, as the field is limited to 40 competitors.

Mixed Relay

Swim: 300m
Bike: 7.2km
Run: 2km

The Mixed Relay format of triathlon has gained increasing interest in recent years, especially from the casual viewer, culminating with the debut of the event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where Great Britain earned the gold medal in a thrilling race.

The Mixed Team Relay format is held in Female-Male-Female-Male order, with each athlete completing a short swim-bike-run effort, before tagging their team-mate. Exact distances may vary slightly between events.

Super League Triathlon

At the start of this feature, we mentioned how there are no real restrictions on formats and distances in triathlon – and the Super League Triathlon series is evidence of that!

Primarily a ‘made for TV’ format, Super League Triathlon races are held over short distances – typically 300m swim, 4km bike, 1.6km run – but in a range of formats.

In the Triple Mix, for example, athletes will race three separate races with limited recovery time – but the order or the disciplines in each race will be changed. In the Enduro, while swim-bike-run is the order athletes have to do that three times, with no break.

Ultra Triathlon

If an Ironman is not enough, don’t worry, there’s always something longer or more challenging available. While most athletes are content with trying to get their racing done in one day, for a select few there are opportunities to go even longer.

These could be in multiples of ‘iron’ – double, triple and beyond – or in multi-day ‘stage’ races such as the Ultraman Triathlon, which holds an annual World Championship in Hawaii.

If it is challenging terrain you are looking for, then Extreme (or ‘Xtreme’) triathlon racing could be for you. While often held over distances of, or close to, the iron distance, these events are characterized by particularly challenging terrain and/or temperatures and an increased degree of self-sufficiency.