Anyone who has ever packed a transition bag understands why triathlon is not - and never will be -the cheapest of sports. The typical triathlete has way more gear than they need, but even stripping it back to essentials there's still a lengthy checklist to tick off. Then there's race entry to consider, and by the time travel, A food, accommodation and some nervous, late kit purchases are included, the cost starts to add up. However, there is choice.
While £1,200 for a wetsuit, £10,000 for a bike and another five-figure sum entering enough Ironmans to qualify for a legacy place in Hawaii might be out of reach, you can compete in second-hand neoprene and on a bike one-10th of the price and still be competitive. And while a Pacific-island adventure has obvious allure, there are great races available on home soil, too.
THE TRI LANDSCAPE
There's no denying costs are on the rise. Brexit, a pandemic and global conflict have all contributed to inflationary pressures, and triathlon is not immune. Gary Roethenbaugh from the Triathlon Industry Association (TIA) and founder of Multisport Research says the appetite to spend is still there but the sport needs new blood.
"We've had two years of no new starters due to the pandemic," Roethenbaugh says. "It puts triathlon at a disadvantage because unlike running it's inextricably linked to the event landscape.” Roethenbaugh believes 2022 will prove to be a "transitionary year", with those reluctant to sign up for organised events continuing with informal activities such as Everesting or Strava challenges. "But because the majority come to tri from a run background, and because the pandemic sparked a boom in running, 2023-24 should see triathlon as a beneficiary," he adds.
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av 220 Triathlon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av 220 Triathlon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
How to Carb Load - Packing your working cells with carbohydrates in the build-up to your big race is a proven strategy to race stronger and faster...
Whichever distance triathlon you're racing, the intensity and duration of your activity will see your body tap into its stores of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) to power your effort. While it's possible to top up your tank on the go, it's better to start your event with your stores full to the brim.
The Olympic Champion - On 31 July, Great Britain's Alex Yee put together arguably the greatest one-day performance we have ever seen at an Olympic Games to win gold. And we were there at the finish line to speak to tri's new poster boy...
The opening line of the race report read how 20 years on from New Zealand’s first and only Olympic triathlon gold medal, Hayden Wilde had put in a careerbest performance to regain the title for his nation. Then Alex Yee comes around the corner.Yee’s charge, seemingly from nowhere on the final lap of the 10km run in Paris, didn’t just help him become the most decorated Olympic male triathlete of all time, and didn’t just cap a rivalry that has been building for six years, it left seasoned watchers of swim, bike, run in awe. It will go down as one of the greatest triathlon races; Yee, still just 26, as one of the greatest triathletes. His medals from Paris added to the two from Tokyo, leaving his haul at two gold, a silver and a bronze, and counting.
"I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE GROWTH OF TRIATHLON"
British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels talks Paris, her plans to grow tri and her own personal goals... knees allowing
ZWIFT RIDE
£1,199.99 Zwift's new Ride is an indoor bike that might help you break your PB... but won't break the bank
PARIS SHOWED THE VALUE OF OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
With the spotlight on triathlon like never before at these Games, debutant athletes talked about being overwhelmed by the unique environment
GAMES AT THE GAMES
After watching and enjoying the Olympic triathlon events, Brunt amused himself by playing the 'guess how far into each event I would die' game...
WHERE EAGLES DARE
With little heat prep, the wrong gear choice and a course-recce mistake, would experienced extreme triathlete Sean McFarlane soar like an eagle or drop like a stone in Italy?
HOW TO INCREASE RUN PACE WHEN FATIGUED
The ability to dig deep in the latter stages of a race helped Alex Yee achieve Olympic gold. Here Ben, a member of Team GB's coaching staff in Paris, explains how you too can find that extra gear...
BUYER'S GUIDE: BIKE COMPUTERS
Log your rides, find your way and monitor your multisport training with a quartet of impressive bike computers...
POLAR GRIT X2 PRO
\"You can't be anything other than impressed with the GPS, whose design is one of the significant changes to the V3\"