Run Pacing Metrics
Race Duration | HR | RPE | TSS |
Sprint Triathlon (5k) | 95-100% LTHR | 9-10 | 25-40 |
Olympic Triathlon (10k) | 90-98% LTHR | 8-9 | 50-70 |
70.3 Triathlon (13.1 miles) | 88-95% LTHR | 6-7 | 110-170 |
140.6 Triathlon (26.2 miles) | 80-89% LTHR | 4-5 | 200-250 |
Introducing Long Distance Triathlon. Following the triathlon format of swim-bike-run, long-distance events are usually held over double or triple the length of the standard races. Athletes must possess high levels of stamina and endurance, with races for the elites lasting up to seven hours. One major difference between standard...
In simple terms, a triathlon is a multisport event that comprises three different disciplines consecutively run in one sequential event. While countless variations of triathlons exist, the most common form involves swimming, cycling, and running.
Pro triathletes are doing this in around 52 minutes. The average age group athlete might take about an hour and 20 minutes to an hour 30 minutes, going up to about two hours.
Half Ironman Triathlon Distance. The next longest distance is a half Ironman or a 70.3 because it’s 70.3 miles. Total distance for a 70.3 half Ironman is a 1900 meter swim, a 90 km bike and then a half marathon, 21.1 kilometers. Pro triathletes will be doing half Ironmans in about three hours and 45 minutes.
Olympic Triathlon: Swim 0.93 miles (1.5km), Bike 24.8 miles (40km), Run 6.2 miles (10km) ITU Long Course Triathlon: Swim 1.86 miles (3km), Bike 49.6 miles (80km), Run 12.4 miles (20km)
The different triathlon distances are: Common triathlon: A swim of 0.93 miles (1.5 kilometers), a bicycle route of 24.8 miles (40 kilometers) and a run of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). An Ironman Triathlon: A 2.4 mile (3.9 kilometer) swim, a 112 mile (180 kilometer) bike ride and a 26.2 mile (42.2 kilometer) marathon.
For an amateur triathlete, breaking three hours is a great first goal and a great time. Amateur athletes should focus on keeping their first transition under 1:30 and their second transition under 1:00.
IRONMAN Lanzarote While IRONMAN races are considered the toughest triathlons in the world, this is one of the toughest IRONMAN events. The reason for its reputation: the bike. Athletes face more than 2,551 meters of climbing and strong winds. The run, although flat, has athletes contending with fierce heat.
What's harder than an Ironman, ultramarathon, or marathon?Difficulty RankingRace TypeExperienced At1100 Miler Trail UltramarathonPinhoti 1002Offroad Ironman Distance TriathlonWilderman Triathlon3100k Trail UltramarathonBlack Canyon Ultras466k (40 mile) Trail UltramarathonHounslow Classic10 more rows•Feb 20, 2022
Novice (First Time) Triathletes Finishing Times For a novice triathlete, who has some experience swimming, cycling and running it will take about 2:00 minutes per 100 meters for the swim, or 8 minutes total, about an hour for the bike (avg 12mph) and 30 minutes or so for the run.
Average Half Ironman Finish Times. How long does it take to finish a Half Ironman Triathlon? The answer, based on our analysis of more than 67,000 finishers in 40 Half Ironman triathlons: about 6 hours, on average. Swim 1.2 miles in 45 minutes, Bike 56 miles in 3:00, and Run 13.1 miles in 2:15.
T-pace - 1.43 per 400m, or 6.53 per mile. The aim of your training is to get the optimum result from the least possible training stress. Don't be tempted to push yourself 'a little faster' than either of these paces.
Athletes can select swimming, cycling and running events of varying distances, tailoring the course to their preferences and ability. There is the option to enter just one discipline, multiple disciplines or the entire Long Course Weekend.
The pick n’ mix approach to the weekend allows athletes to select races that reflect their ability and training. This makes it accessible to first timers and seasoned athletes alike.
The multisport festival originated in 2010 in Tenby, Wales and Long Course Weekend Wales now attracts tens of thousands of athletes each year from across the globe. Since then, the festival has expanded, with annual events now taking place in Holland, Belgium, Mallorca and Australia.
Training Stress Score (TSS) is another method you can use to figure out appropriate pacing and can be particularly useful in mimicking race stress in your weekly training. By completing training rides that accumulate at or near the TSS you’ll generate on race day, you’ll be adequately prepared for your race day effort. Below is an overview of target TSS ranges for the bike portion of some common triathlon distances:
Are you going to hug the buoy line? Stay outside the fray? Or you may want to start outside the commotion and work your way in closer to the buoy line. Determine your strategy, but if circumstances change, be flexible and adapt. Also, make sure you sight regularly so you can maintain as straight a line as possible relative to your strategy.
The swim might be the shortest portion of the race, but it sets the tone for the day and will impact your performance on the bike and run. While you may not win your goals during the swim, you certainly can lose them there.
Set the foundation for a well-paced run by resisting the temptation to leave T2 as if you were shot out of a cannon. Take time to find your rhythm as you begin your run. Even-ish splits across a race will produce a better outcome than trying to aggressively “bank time” at the start.
Your race effort should follow your training protocol. For a 70.3, you may shoot for 85-90% of max; for 140.6, your effort may be in the 75-85% of max range. Ultimately, however, your experience will dictate the level of intensity that is appropriate for you as these ranges may not work for your individual ability.
A loss of speed in the second half is not necessarily an inevitable conclusion. It is possible to even (or negative) split the run. Practice this strategy in training and incorporate multiple bike-to-run bricks throughout your week.
A tri athlon bike is not about your fastest possible bike — it’s about an optimal bike that allows for a strong run. Based on your experience, there are varying degrees of wiggle room between bike effort and run effort. Determine these edges in training so you can ascertain the cost of energy expenditure on the bike in relation to energy availability for the run. This matters regardless of race duration.
It’s essential to learn the rhythm of the racecourse so that you can determine appropriate pacing. This includes its elevation, terrain, likely weather conditions, and so on. For example, consider the following two bike elevation charts. Both of the races below — Ironman Tulsa and Ironman Chattanooga — have roughly the same amount of climbing.
Race day pacing requires dynamic decision-making based on your understanding of all available metrics. During training, tune in to how your body feels at race effort and in race day conditions.
Your race day goals will help with your pacing as well, especially if you separate them into process goals and outcome goals.
Average finish times: 1-3 hours. How much time will you need to train: 3-5 hours per week. The next longest distance is called the sprint triathlon. Sprints are still short, but they’re normal short. This is a 750 meters swim, a 20 km bike and a 5 km run. Pro triathletes are doing this in around 52 minutes.
A double ultra triathlon, a triple ultra triathlon, quadruple ultra triathlon, a quintuple ultra triathlon, a deca ultra triathlon, a 10 days triathlon, a double deca ultra triathlon and a triple deca ultra triathlon. These races are really far. I’m going to tell you about the triple deca ultra triathlon. It’s a 114 km swim / 71 miles, a 5400 km / 3400 miles bike ride, and a 1260 km / 780 mile of run.
How much time will you need to train: 7-13 hours per week. Total distance for a half is a 1900 meter swim, a 90 km bike and then a half marathon, 21.1 kilometers. Pro triathletes will be doing half triathlon in about three hours and 45 minutes.
Athletes who excel at sprint and Olympic distance are able to hold a very high percentage of their max HR for 1-2.5 hours, usually in the 85 to 93% of max range. They’re keeping the effort level near ‘redline’ from start to finish. Athletes who do well at ½ Ironman distances (the ‘middle distance’ of triathlon) maintain a HR range of 75 to 85% for 4 to 7 hours. Athletes who do well at full IM distances maintain a range of 65 to 75%HR which is similar to relatively comfortable training levels for shorter workouts, but holding that pace for 8 to 16+ hours! The Sprint/Olympic distance athletes cope with the sensation of with lactic burn; IM athletes cope with soreness and overall fatigue. IM athletes are also limited by the efficiency of their metabolism. Some athletes struggle with this despite a perfect nutritional plan on race day while some seem to have no problem.
The super sprint only takes in between about 40 and 60 minutes. The distances for this vary a lot depending on the course, but typically they’re in the neighborhood of around 300 meters for the swim, about13 kilometers for the bike and about 3 to 5 kilometers for the run. It’s an excellent way to get into triathlon.
Bike: 10K (6.2 miles) Run: 2.5K (1.6 miles) (Distances may vary) Average finish times: 0.5-2 hours. How much time will you need to train: 3-4 hours per week. The shortest distance, which a lot of people start out with is called the super sprint or it might be called the try-a-tri.
A lot of people absolutely love the half distance. They say that it’s their favorite distance of triathlon. It’s probably the longest distance that you can go and still make it a race. It’s not nearly as acutely painful as the sprint and Olympic races, it’s painful in a different way, more in the aspect of managing your body, making sure that you don’t beat yourself down. But it’s about as long as you can go in a race effort while still incorporating some of the logistical issues of nutrition and training and strategy. It’s fun in a sick and twisted way.
The standard Sprint triathlon is an entry-level distance that includes swimming 0.5 miles (750 meter/2,460 feet), cycling 12.4 miles (20 kilometers), and running 3.1 miles (5 kilometers). While these lengths are the common benchmark for each leg, Sprint triathlons are often modified to accommodate the roads and terrain of the local area.
However, only two disciplines are involved, compared to triathlon which always entails three disciplines. Oftentimes called the “fourth discipline,” each leg of the triathlon is separated by a transition. The most common transitions are “T1” (swim-to-bike) and “T2” (bike-to-run). For competitive athletes, the objective is to get in and out ...
In simple terms, a triathlon is a multisport event that comprises three different disciplines consecutively run in one sequential event. While countless variations of triathlons exist, the most common form involves swimming, cycling, and running.
For beginner-level athletes, the move from sprint to Olympic distance triathlon can be an intimidating leap. While sprint triathlons can take anywhere from 1-2 hours to complete, depending on the athlete, Olympic distance triathlons average 3 hours or more for most age grouper athletes.
While countless variations of triathlons exist, the most common form involves swimming, cycling, and running. This common triathlon format involving swimming, cycling, and running is the most popular and standardized race type. Professional organizations like Ironman, Super League, and ITU are a few recognizable platforms in this realm of triathlon.
Every year in October, the Ironman World Championships are held in Kona, Hawaii where only the top qualifying age groupers and professionals meet to take one of the toughest courses. The distances of an Ironman triathlon are composed of a 2.4-mile (3.8 kilometers) swim, 112-mile (180 kilometers) bike ride, and run 26.2-mile (42.195 kilometers) run, ...
As the multisport scene has evolved, it’s becoming more and more common to see creative triathlon events with an alternative discipline to swimming, such as paddle sports (i.e. kayaking, cycling, running). Or in the case of winter triathlon, running (or snowshoe running), fat tire biking, and cross-country skiing has become a cold season alternative to triathlon.