What is a Triathlon?

Triathlon is an exciting multi-discipline sport. It involves a continuous race over various distances in the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running.

A triathlon is made up of a swim, followed by a cycle ride, followed by a run. Competitors race against the clock, which starts as they enter the swim, and stops as they cross the finish line after the run. For this reason, triathlon is often reported as having a 'fourth discipline' known as the transition. The transitions are where competitors change from swimming to cycling, and from cycling to running. The transition areas (where these changes take place) are an important and unique part of triathlon, where time can be gained or lost.

Triathlon history dates back at around 1974 in Southern California when a group of friends began to train together. The group contained mostly runners, a few swimmers and the odd cyclist or two. It wasn't long before the group was organizing informal fun runs and races, followed by events containing swimming and running, and a natural progression led them to include cycling. Triathlon thus evolved from this healthy way of life in Southern California.