Mini Triathlon

Training for a triathlon can seem daunting to athletes who are just beginning or who aren’t quite physically ready for multisports competition.  The idea of swimming, biking and running for a single race can intimidate  anyone from triathlon, making them feel that they shouldn’t even attempt it  since they know they may not make the distance for just one of the disciplines, nevermind three!.  Have you had similar anxiety about tri’s?, why not try for a mini triathlon?  These short, challenging competitions are everywhere and offer the aspiring multisports athlete a great way to participate.

You’ll find that the distances for each portion of the tri can vary from one mini triathlon to the next.  Most races are open to virtually anyone who cares to race, whether it is a kid competing for their first time, or a senior who wants to try something new.  Some start as small as a 250 yard swim in a pool, a 4 mile bike ride and finally a 1.5 mile run, and others are slightly different and have a quarter mile swim, 12 mile bike ride, and three mile run. .

Why try a mini triathlon?  Many athletes would agree that training for and completing a triathlon is one of their most memorable accomplishments as well as most enjoyable.  Whatever place you finish in your “mini”-competition, you’ll likely get hooked and want to try another event.  This means pushing yourself the next time you train to get a little bit faster or to increase your endurance just a slight bit.  There’s just something about competing against yourself, your own time, your own performance, that really pushes a person!  However, there is also a requirement to be realistic and understand that even with all the proper training, a full Olympic or Half-Ironman distance triathlon might simply be out of reach, so aiming for a mini triathlon is a much better and more realistic choice.  If you set your goals too high, the chances of throwing in the towel half way along your triathlon journey is much higher, whereas having a goal that’s realistic – such as first completing your first mini triathlon will keep you working hard on crossing that finish line.