What Exactly Is An Indoor Triathlon?
Triathlons are a multisport athletic event where you swim, bike and run. A standard triathlon entails swimming in open water or pool, biking outdoors and running on a trail or road and each leg is distanced based.
An Indoor Triathlon is held primarily indoors at a fitness center or local YMCA. The format is composed of a swim, completed in a pool; cycling completed on a spin bike; running completed on a treadmill. It is time based and does include transitions to allow you to move from one discipline to another.
The typical length of an Indoor Triathlon is ONE HOUR!
Here is an example of a popular Indoor Triathlon race schedule.
Swim (10 mins)
T1 (10 mins)
Bike (20 mins)
T2 (5 mins)
Run (15 mins)
At the end of each leg, the amount of laps or distance you covered is recorded.
Indoor Triathlons Quick, Easy & Safe Way To Try a Tri!
If you are Tri curious, an indoor triathlon is a great way to Try a Tri without making any serious commitments.
An indoor tri is a great motivation for beginners to start participating in triathlons and adding to their fitness accomplishments.
Veteran triathletes often participate in this fun race format to dust off the cobwebs and to introduce their family and friends to Tri with a buddy.
Here are 6 advantages to signing up for an indoor Triathlon:
Limited/No gear required
Event Fees are low cost
Timed Based so you can fit in your busy schedule
All Indoors so no worry about weather (perfect for winter time)
Fitness will increase with your cross training
Safety - Lifeguards near by, no cars to contend with, and no tripping on the trail.
Why Indoor Triathlons Are Perfect For Beginners Of All Ages
Indoor triathlons are developed to get rid of certain “barriers to entry” that prevent aspiring triathletes from participating in outdoor events.
Suitable race format for all ages from 5-95 and can be as low-key and competitive as you desire.
Let's review the 5 amazing benefits of indoor triathlon races.
Swim 🏊♀️
You swim during a pool, not a lake or ocean. One reason many new athletes hesitate to get involve with triathlons is that the swim, usually occurs in open water with a large amount of other swimmers.
Indoor triathlon participants swim in a pool, sometimes in their own lane, allowing enough space to swim at their own pace with the choice to rest easily if necessary.
Transitions 🔛
Transitions are less hectic. most of the people define triathlons as swimming, biking and running, but a serious a part of the race is that the transition between events.
The clock doesn’t stop as you race to your gear, change equipment and set yourself on the proper course. In many indoor triathlons, however, the clock does stop — for a brief period — to permit you to change and head over to the next stage.
Bike 🚴♀️
You get a hassle-free bike ride. Since you’re not riding on the road, you don’t need to worry about getting a flat , wiping out, navigating around other cyclists on the course.
Weather🌞
Weather conditions can’t influence the race. You don't have to deal with the sun, cold, wind, rain or heat with an inside race. The conditions are always perfect and consistent.
We Race Together 🫂🫂
No one gets left behind. Everyone races within the same building, within the same area. It’s a perfect format to race with friends and family.
Where Can You Find Indoor Triathlon Races
Most Indoor triathlons are held from October - March in the cooler and colder months where it's makes sense to bring things indoors to avoid dealing with the weather and reduced daylight.
Training for and participating in an indoor triathlon is a perfectly great way for athletes to stay motivated and fit through out the winter.
Check out your local YMCA's and Lifetime fitness clubs for indoor triathlon events.
Austin' Champions Indoor Triathlon Race
One of our favorite Indoor Triathlon events! We look forward to it every year. It was the very first triathlon some of us ever participated in. Sadly this race will not take place this year do to changes at the YMCA brought on by Covid-19 pandemic.
SwimBikeRun Fun is looking to host an indoor triathlon in the near future for the Central Texas area. Stay Tuned!