Triathlon Distances: The Complete Guide from Super Sprint to Full Ironman

What are the different triathlon distances? In order of increasing length, the full set is Super Sprint, Sprint, Olympic (Standard), Long Distance, Half Ironman (70.3) and full Ironman.

There is a wide variety of triathlon distances to compete in, which can take from around an hour to complete, all the way up to 17 hours for a full Ironman. See the table below for the distances for each leg:

Event	Swim	Bike	Run	Total
Super Sprint	400m	10km	2.5km	12.9km
Sprint	750m	20km	5km	25.75km
Olympic	1.5km	40km	10km	51.5km
Long Distance	2km	80km	18km	100km
Half Ironman / 70.3	1.2m (1.9km)	56m (90km)	13.1m (21.1km)	70.3m (113km)
Full Ironman	2.4m (3.8km)	112m (180km)	26.2m (42.2km)	140.6m (226km)

Note that it is common to give the shorter distances in kilometres, whereas the half Ironman (or 70.3) and full Ironman distances are sometimes given in miles – probably because the half Ironman finishes with a half marathon and the full Ironman finishes with a full marathon run and these are usually quoted in miles!

It’s tiring just thinking about it!

Here is how all they compare in chart form:

We will consider each of the following triathlon distances in turn:

Super Sprint Triathlon
Sprint Triathlon
Olympic (or Standard) Triathlon
Long Course
Half Ironman (or 70.3) Triathlon
Full Ironman

In this article, you will also learn:

What triathlon distance is best for a beginner?
Can I do an Ironman as my first triathlon?
How much does it cost to enter a triathlon?
How can I enter my first triathlon?
What is the best advice for a triathlon beginner?
What is a triathlon without running?
What is a triathlon without swimming?
What is a triathlon without cycling?
Can you rest during a triathlon?

Super Sprint Triathlon Distance

This is the shortest entry-level event into the world of triathlon – and I guarantee it will get you hooked!

It consists of:

Swim: 400m
Bike: 10km
Run: 2.5km

The swim leg is almost exclusively going to take place in a swimming pool. This makes it very beginner friendly, as novice swimmers can often find open water swimming in a lake or the sea quite daunting.

It also removes the need for a wetsuit, usually mandatory in an open water swim. Although a wetsuit can aid buoyancy and body position in the water, a boon for less experienced swimmers, it does at least mean you don’t need to invest in a wetsuit before you know the sport is right for you!

Believe me, this sport can very quickly get expensive once you start ogling over all the kit available across all three disciplines.

Because this is a pool swim, it means you will be completing 16 lengths of a 25m pool or 8 lengths of a 50m pool, depending on the venue.

When entering a super sprint distance triathlon, you will usually be asked for your expected 400m swim time. This is so the organisers can seed you correctly with similar-speed swimmers, in order that slower swimmers are not holding up faster swimmers and creating carnage!

You will be sent off in waves of similar ability, as a pool lane can only really accommodate 6-8 people at a maximum.

Depending on your fitness level, it will take around an hour to complete.

Whilst you will find super sprint events, it is much more common to find the next distance up – sprint distance triathlons, which is why most triathletes entry into the sport is often at this next distance up, which we will consider next.

Sprint Triathlon Distance

Often this is where most novice triathletes start, simply because there are more organisers putting on a sprint distance triathlon than a super sprint.

A sprint triathlon consists of:

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

This a step up from a super sprint distance triathlon – all distances have doubled in length, apart from the swim. Although that has virtually doubled too!

You might be thinking “this doesn’t sound like much of a ‘sprint’ to me”, but with triathlon being considered an endurance event, this is very short compared to the half Ironman and full Ironman distances!

And don’t forget – if you are properly racing such an event, it is a real test of fitness!

You might find some sprint distance triathlons taking place in a swimming pool – in which case you’ll be covering 30 lengths of a 25m pool or 15 lengths of a 50m pool.

But it is more likely that a sprint distance triathlon will be held in open water. Usually a lake, although this author has done a sea swim at this distance. Thank goodness it was a still, calm day!

Open water swimming needs extra skills over and above pool swimming. You will need an ability to ‘sight’ the course – being able to lift your head to spot the course markers, usually inflatable buoys in bright yellow or orange.

Being exposed to the elements, you may also have to deal with chop on the surface of a lake. This is where having the ability to bilateral breath (i.e. being able to breath to both sides) is an advantage, as you can face away from the prevailing chop direction.

In a sea-based event, there could also be swell, or bounce. This is where the sea rises and falls, depending on the conditions, which can make sightings of the course buoys more challenging and requires a degree of timing in your swim stroke.

In the sea there may also be tidal currents to deal with too. This means you may have to swim in a direction slightly to the left or right of a marker buoy, so that the effect of the current is allowed for.

Needless to say, you need some open-water swim practice if you’re doing an open-water event!

Because of the extra challenge and organisational logistics of managing an open-water swim event, you will often find a sprint distance triathlon that has the swim shortened to 400m and held in a pool as a result, with the bike and run legs unchanged. A bonus for weaker swimmers!

When it comes to the bike leg, you will find some sprint triathlons will be draft-legal. This means that you are allowed to draft other riders and ride close behind, in their slipstream.

Riding this way can save up to 30% of the energy required to keep the same speed, so you will find groups of similar ability riders riding this way, each taking a turn at the front into the wind, whilst the others in the group recuperate from their effort in the slipstream.

Where races are draft-legal, you will not be allowed to ride specialist triathlon or TT bikes, or use clip-on aero bars on road bikes, for safety reasons.

However, in the majority of sprint distance races, drafting is illegal and you must keep a gap between you and the rider in front – usually 12 metres, but the race organiser should confirm this.

Depending on your fitness level, a sprint distance triathlon usually takes 1.5-2hrs to complete.

Olympic (or Standard) Triathlon Distance

The next step up is the Olympic distance triathlon – so called because this is the distance that athletes compete over in the Olympic games. It consists of:

Swim: 1500m
Bike: 40km
Run: 10km

You will also find this distance referred to as the Standard distance, too.

As you can see, all of the individual legs have doubled, in comparison with a Sprint distance triathlon.

Most triathletes tackle an Olympic distance triathlon having tried a Sprint or Super Sprint, but that isn’t mandatory! In fact, you can enter any triathlon distance you wish, as your first event.

Because of the longer nature of the swim, this will usually be held in open water and therefore use of a wetsuit is mandatory – unless you’re racing in a warm country, in which case it may not be required. You will need to check with the race organiser and even then, it will be down to the water temperature on the day.

Usually, wetsuits are mandatory below 16C (61F). Above this they are usually permitted, but not mandatory. Again, you will need to refer to the race organiser for clarity.

Much like with the sprint distance triathlon, the Olympic or Standard distance may be draft-legal – meaning you can ride in the slipstream of your fellow athletes.

This is usually only the case on closed-circuit events, free of traffic. If the triathlon is taking place on open roads, it will almost always be illegal to draft, for safety reasons and the concern of fellow road users. Cyclists get a bad enough name as it is!

If being held on a closed circuit, then the bike leg is often a number of laps and it will be down to you to keep count!

The run leg can be road, trail or a mixture of both. This will be down to the actual event you enter.

A well-trained amateur triathlete will complete an Olympic distance event in 2:45-3.15 hours. Anything under 3 hours is considered good.

Long Distance Triathlon

A brief mention here of the Long Distance triathlon. This comprises of:

Swim: 2km
Bike: 80km
Run: 18km

Which results in a rather neat total distance of 100km. This is the format promoted by the World Triathlon organisation and is also the adopted distance for the relatively new Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO).

Although the PTO has the world Professional in its name, they do organise events for amateurs, based around their European, Asian and US events.

However, you will not find so many events to enter at this distance, as compared to the much more popular half-Ironman (or 70.3) distance, which is similar in length.

Half Ironman (or 70.3) Triathlon Distance

The big step up from the Olympic or Standard distance triathlon is the half-Ironman, or 70.3 event, which comprises:

Swim: 1.2m or 1900m
Bike: 56m or 90km
Run: 13.1m or 21.1km

Along with the full Ironman, the event distances will be quoted in miles just as often as kilometres, whereas for the super-sprint, sprint and Olympic triathlons, distances will be quoted in kilometres only.

It is often referred to a 70.3, for two reasons:

The Ironman moniker is actually a trademarked brand. Therefore, only events organised by the Ironman organisation itself can call themselves a half-Ironman or 70.3 Ironman. Other events will call it half distance or just 70.3.
70.3 happens to be the total distance in miles of the event, if you add up the distance covered in the swim, bike and run legs.

You will notice this is quite the step up from the Olympic distance!

Although the swim has increased by only 400m, less than a third extra compared to the Olympic, the bike and run legs have more than doubled!

The more astute will note that the run is exactly the length of a half-marathon, too.

This is a true endurance event, as you can expect to be racing for 5+ hours and there is usually a cut-off time of around 9 hours – dependent on the event and at the organisers discretion.

The swim will be open water – usually a lake, but sometimes the sea, which poses an extra challenge. The ride will be on open roads and not draft legal. However, if you enter an Ironman branded event, the ride will be on closed roads.

Ironman organised events also offer qualifying slots for the 70.3 Ironman World Championships, which are held annually. These are hotly contested, with the number of slots available per age-group dependent on the number of entries.

Full Ironman Triathlon Distance

For many, this is the pinnacle of triathlon – The full distance or full Ironman triathlon. It consists of:

Swim: 2.4m or 3.8km
Bike: 112m or 180km
Run: 26.2m or 42.2km

You will also see such events referred to as a 140.6 – this is the total distance of the event in miles. As with the half-Iroman, the Ironman organisation owns the term ‘Ironman’ and so only events organised by them can be referred to as an Ironman. This is why you will find non-branded events referred to as full distance or 140.6.

As you will note, these distances are all double those of the half Ironman distance triathlon! This means this full distance event finishes with a full marathon run.

Although it is double the distance, it is more than twice as difficult, as this author will testify! I would say it is at least 4 times as hard as the half-Ironman, as it is such a long day. Even the professional men take 8 hours, with amateurs taking up to 17 hours to cross the line – which is usually the cut-off time to complete the event.

Whilst there is nothing to stop you entering a full Ironman as your first triathlon, it would be wise to enter shorter events and build up to this distance as it will take time to build the endurance and condition required to complete this distance.

At this distance, pacing your effort is super important as is nutrition. At this level, nutrition is the 4th discipline to master, as it can be difficult for your stomach to process enough food when exercising for this long. Plus, dehydration can become a major problem if you don’t drink enough and the event is being held in a hot climate.

If you enter a branded Ironman event, you will also get the honour of the finish line commentator proclaiming that “you are an IRONMAN”! A moment to remember.

Many athletes completing this distance also get the fabled Ironman tattoo – the classic red M-dot which is the Ironman organisations logo, usually placed on the right calf as bragging rights 😉

Much like with the half-Ironman distance, Ironman organised events also offer qualifying slots for the Ironman World Championships, but these are hard to get! Depending on the size of your age group, you’ll need to finish in the top 2-5 to guarantee a place.

Every age group is guaranteed at least one World Championship slot, even if there is only one competitor!

So, if you are still doing an Ironman event at age 80, there is a good chance you’ll qualify! 😉

The World Championship itself used to be in Kona, Hawaii every year – the birthplace of the full distance Ironman event. Due to the growth in popularity, in recent years they have split the women’s and men’s races. Starting in 2023, the women will race in Kona and the men in Nice, in the south of France. In the following years they will alternate locations.

FAQ

What Triathlon Distance is Best for a Beginner?

What triathlon event is best if you’re new to the sport? If you are brand new to the sport, then it would make sense to start with a super sprint or sprint distance triathlon to begin with.

This is especially true if you are a relatively weak swimmer. This is the discipline most triathletes struggle with, so it would be a good idea to minimise the amount of swimming you have to do!

What’s more, at these distances the swim is much more likely to be in a pool. This means you won’t have to deal with the extra challenges of open water swimming and neither will you need to buy a wetsuit.

Plus, the water is usually warmer in a pool!

So a super sprint or sprint distance triathlon is the perfect first exposure to a triathlon, where you will also have to get to grips with the transition from swim to bike and from the bike to the run. Both in terms of the mechanics of putting on the right kit and not forgetting anything as you head off and the feeling of switching disciplines so quickly – many novice triathletes can find the transition from cycling to immediately running particularly difficult!

If you do have a background in at least one of the sports and have some experience as an endurance athlete, then by all means consider an Olympic distance triathlon to start with – especially if you are a relatively strong swimmer and have experience of open water swimming.

From experience, I would recommend saving your debut in the half-Ironman and full Ironman events until you have considerable training and experience behind you! Running a half marathon or full marathon at the end of several hours of exercise needs proper conditioning so that you finish strong and not get injured due to your running form collapsing through fatigue!

Importantly, it is supposed to be fun and it won’t be if you’re seriously struggling to finish within the cut-off time. And no-one wants a DNF (Did Not Finish) next to their name in the results. 🙁

Can I do an Ironman as my First Triathlon?

Can you do an Ironman with no prior experience? Technically, yes – there are no rules to stop you!

But should you? Probably not!

A full Ironman is a serious undertaking, typically taking most people 12+ hours to complete.

Remember, this distance culminates in a full marathon – which you won’t even start until you’ve been on the go for 7+ hours! Most people would agree that just running a marathon is a big enough challenge on its own.

The reality is that you need incredible endurance, excellent aerobic fitness and superb condition to manage the stress a full Ironman places on your body.

Not to mention that you will need to hone your nutrition strategy. I know from experience that it is far from easy to take on enough fuel without your stomach rebelling part-way into the run!

All of this takes time and commitment to achieve the right level of fitness and capability.

A further consideration is that a full distance event, especially a branded Ironman one, is expensive! You will need to budget for:

Entry fees.
Accommodation.
Flights, depending on the event.

None of this is cheap and since you want to give it your all and enjoy the experience, it makes sense that a full Ironman is something you build towards over time, rather than as your first triathlon event!

How Much Does it Cost to Enter a Triathlon?

Wondering how much to budget for a triathlon? It can cost anywhere upwards of $50 (£40, €50) to $700 (£550, €650) depending on the event and location.

Shorter distance triathlons such as the super sprint and sprint events are cheaper, especially if they are smaller, local events.

Premium events such as those organised by Ironman are the most expensive, but they also only do the half-Ironman (or 70.3) and full distance events, which naturally cost more to organise and support. You also benefit from closed roads on the bike leg, unlike most non-Ironman events.

I also think they do the nicest merchandise!

For the longer events like the half-Ironman and full Ironman distances, you will be expected to rack your bike in the transition area the day before. Depending on where the event is being held, this might necessitate an overnight stay, so you will need to budget for accommodation – especially since the triathlon usually involves a very early start time!

If you particularly want to do full Ironman events, especially the branded events organised by Ironman, then you may have to factor in travel costs and flights as there simply are fewer to choose from.

For example, from 2024, the UK will only have one full distance Ironman event, in Tenby, Wales.

How Can I Enter My First Triathlon?

So you want to enter your first triathlon: It is as simple as finding an event you want to do and entering!

Depending on your region, you may have to purchase a day licence alongside the event entry. This gives certain insurance protections.

If you are a member of your national federation, that may include a race licence.

Plus, congratulations! I have no doubt you will have a blast and get a huge buzz out of completing your first ever triathlon (there is a reason we called this website Triathlon Buzz)!

Unfortunately, we are not aware of any fully comprehensive guide to all available triathlon events. So, we have tried to compile a full list of websites that show triathlon events, across all distances.

For the US:

USA Triathlon Events: You can filter by date, triathlon distance, distance from a Zip Code and they have a neat feature for you to filter by terrain. For example, don’t like climbing hills on the bike? Then you can filter for a flat bike course.
Lets Do This Events: Not so many filter options, but they use competitor feedback to allow you to filter by terms such as “amazing scenery” and “great atmosphere”, if that is important to you.
Running In The USA Events: Although a running website, they list triathlon events too. You can sort by triathlon distance, date and region.
Ahotu Event Listings: This site has one of the more comprehensive filters out there, including an option for “beginner friendly”.
Tri Find: A comprehensive calendar that has the neat function that allows you to drill down to events by state.
Find A Race Events: Another website that allows you to filter by triathlon distance and state.
World Triathlon Calendar: Not the most user-friendly calendar, but this is a list of all World Triathlon events.
Ironman Events In North America: Not aimed at the beginner, but no list would be complete without the premium Ironman brand of event listings in North America!

For the UK:

British Triathlon Event Listings: This allows you to filter by distance, region, swim type and so on. There is also the ability to search for events local to you, using your postcode.
Find A Race Events: This site can be filtered by month, location and type of event.
World Triathlon Calendar: This lists all events by the World Triathlon organisation. It is not particularly user-friendly, just giving all events on a month-by-month calendar, although it does have the ability to filter on particular triathlon series events.
Time Outdoors Events: This has the ability to filter by date, location and type of event using the “advanced search” option.
Lets Do This Triathlon Events: Less search options here, but they do include some of the UK’s more popular events, such as the Outlaw series.
UK Triathlon Events: A straight list of events under the UK Triathlon banner.
Tri247 Event Listings: This lists some of the more iconic and major race events around the world, including the Ironman series – but probably not ideal for your first race!
Ironman Events: Included for completeness, really, The iconic, premium brand events for half and full Ironman distances. Something to aspire to once you have a race or two under your belt!

For AUS:

Running Calendar Triathlons: They have lumped together duathlon events (run, bike, run) and aquathons (swim, run) together with triathlons and there isn’t much in the way of filters – but a good list of events.
Ahotu Triathlons: As with the US version, a great variety of filters to choose from, including “beginner friendly”.
Australian Triathlon Organisation Events: A full list of events organised by the Australian Triathlon Organization.
Run Calendar Triathlon Listings: Primarily a running website, but they do list triathlon events, although it seems you can only filter by state.
Event List Triathlons: Another list of triathlon events but you’ll have to do a lot of scrolling, there is no filtering ability.

Happy hunting!

What is the Best Advice for a Triathlon Beginner?

Are you at the very start of your triathlon journey? Then the best piece of advice we can offer is to join a local triathlon club.

A triathlon club will be full of like-minded individuals and will be full of encouragement to help you hit your goals.

Most clubs will have structured coaching sessions you can join, across all three disciplines. This means that not only will you get to train alongside others, which adds a social benefit, but you will also get tips and pointers on how to improve.

If you are nervous or weak in one particular discipline – and it is often the swim – then club support is a huge bonus to overcome your fears. Especially when tackling your first open water swim, it is much more reassuring to do it amongst a group of experienced swimmers, who can look out for you.

There is also a sense of accountability – if you know others are turning up early to train, then you are more likely to get out of bed and join them!

The best way to find a local club is to check the local triathlon federation website, as all clubs are usually affiliated to that:

What is a Triathlon Without Running?

What happens if you remove the run leg from a triathlon? An event that does not have a running leg, so comprising a swim and then a bike, is known as an aquabike.

These are not so numerous as triathlons, but many events run alongside their normal triathlon events, using the same course for the swim and bike as the full triathlon.

These are particularly useful for those recovering from a running injury, but who are still able to swim and bike. It allows you to have the fun of competing without aggravating the running injury.

What is a Triathlon Without Swimming?

What happens if you remove the swim leg from a triathlon? If you are not a fan of swimming, then you will enjoy the world of duathlons – these consist of a run, bike and another run!

Particularly good for stronger runners, these are most prevalent at the following distances:

Sprint distance duathlon: 5km run, 20km bike, 2.5km run.
Standard distance duathlon: 10km run, 40km bike, 5km run.
Middle distance duathlon: 10km run, 60km bike, 10km run.
Long distance duathlon: 10km run, 150km bike, 30km run.

Duathlon events are usually events held in their own right, outside of any organised triathlon event. They have the benefit of not needing swim facilities, so you will often find them organised at motorsport circuits, which has the huge advantage of them being traffic-free.

What is a Triathlon Without Cycling?

What happens if you remove the bike leg from a triathlon? An event that does not have a cycling leg, so comprising a swim and then a run, is known as an aquathlon.

As with aquabikes, these are less popular than triathlons and duathlons.

They are usually held alongside triathlon events and are popular with those competitors who are still building their cycling fitness and confidence and who are more comfortable with swimming and running.

Can You Rest During a Triathlon?

Are you able to take a break when doing a triathlon? Yes, totally! You are allowed to rest, but be careful of making the event cut-off if that is the case.

There is nothing to stop you resting during a triathlon event. However, if it is a pool swim, this will usually be frowned upon if you are resting at the end of a lane in between lengths, as you will be impeding other competitors.

If you are swimming in an open water event, you will usually be allowed to rest on a support kayak or paddle board, but only if you do not gain an advantage in doing so! Resist the urge to ask for a tow to the finish!

On the bike legs, it would be more sensible to reduce your effort if you are feeling tired and therefore to keep moving. You can also use the downhills to stop pedalling and get some recovery. Remember to eat and drink on the bike leg, to help keep your energy levels up.

On the run leg is where fatigue can really begin to set in, especially in the longer distance events such as the half and full Ironman. In which case, you can adopt a run / walk strategy. For example, run for 4 minutes and walk for 1 minute.

Another strategy is to walk the length of the aid stations on route. Not only does this give you some recovery time, it also allows you to ensure you take on sufficient food and drink to fuel you throughout the run.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this article has told you everything you need to know about the different triathlon distances, from the super-sprint to the full Ironman, alongside its closely related alternatives: The aquabike, duathlon and aquathlon events!

This sport truly has something to offer everyone, no matter your relative strengths and weaknesses.

What distance and event are you aiming for next? Do you aspire to hear the infamous words, “you are an Ironman” on crossing the finish line? Let us know in the comments!