Running; Triathlon
I love running yes, but I really want to begin the next chapter… Triathlon…
I want to dive head first into Ironman instead of taking baby steps and first attempting a sprint, Olympic or half-ironman distance triathlon. I like to go big! Who knows, I may not even like the sport. I am sure I will do Olympic or sprint triathlon (or two) during training…
Its one thing to participate in triathlon; it’s another whether or not you can afford it.
In the analysis of making this dream a reality, it involves substantial startup costs;
A bike… I was initially planning on saving to purchase a TT bike off the get-go but after giving it some thought, decided to take the more economical route of purchasing a road bike first; back to wanting a TT bike again… $3000.00 would make this worth more than my current car… I am planning on buying it in the U.S for substantial savings though…
Extra set of wheels… $800.00 (Not a definite need)
Peddles, shoes and cleats… It was like being hit by a ton of bricks discovering how expensive these were; $250 – $350.00…
Access to a pool, I am currently paying $36 a month for my gym membership, for $52 I can join a gym with a pool and indoor track… Bonus!
A wet suit… I have no idea how much a wet suit costs. On the Atlantic Coast, particularly in the North, the water is CHILLY. I would estimate the cost to be around $120 – $150.00…
A Helmut… $50.00
Goggles and swim cap… $50 – $75.00
A bike trainer to spend hours upon hours in the basement cycling into oblivion… $150 – $200
$4500 – $5000.00 later… You’re ready to start training for the next 10 to 12 months… I will be looking at A) a trip to the U.S.A to buy a lot of these items or B) purchasing used… I live in Canada, prices tend to be inflated…
Another $600.00 to sign up for an event… $1000.00 more to travel to said event…
A person could develop a complex after spending so much money on gear thinking they have become an overnight professional!
Anyone want to mail me a bike??
bearrunner 
You sure hit the nail on the head….! It’s definitely not a cheap sport, but it’s worth it! I started off with a road bike toob, but I started small (with events). If you are looking at a TT bike… Cervelo is at the end of their really good “share the ride” promo– where (along with a buddy), you can get $1000 off the price of a new bike. But you’ll probably want to take your time a bit more than rushing in order to snag that offer. Bike shopping sure is fun….! Enjoy! 🙂
It’s a much more expensive hobby than running, eh? As long as you’ve spent a bit on a decent pair of shoes, that’s really all a runner needs! I’d been considering tri, and it’s not so much the expense that puts me off. I luckily already own a lovely little ladies Felt carbon frame road bike which would do me fine, have the bike equipment, and have gym membership with a pool, and already swim fairly regularly so have the goggles, hat and training aids etc. My biggest problem is how to train effectively in all disciplines when there are only so many hours in a day! I’m training for the London marathon, and just to improve my long-distance running is taking up all of my training hours in the week. I’m daunted by the move from training up to competition standard in 3 disciplines! And then the 4th ‘discipline’ – transitions! I think joining a tri-club would help, so I might consider that after April 22nd. In the meantime, I’ve just ordered a turbo-trainer DVD specific to ladies road racing, which I’m hoping might inspire me, until the weather improves enough for me to get the road miles in. I’m also aiming to get at least one 30 minute swim in each week, which I’m hoping will help my anaerobic fitness and running too.
A second hand bike is a good idea. If you get it from a bike fanatic, you’ll probably get a fairly new model at a reasonable price – from experience, my bike-mad husband insists on changing his road bike every 2-3 years, and sells on his old bike really cheaply! If you lived in the UK, he’s got a lovely Cervelo he’s thinking of changing this year…….
Good luck with the challenge! I’m looking forward to reading all it! Maybe I’ll be inspired to try a tri later in 2012!
Cat x
Seems like a lot of money to spend before knowing if you like the sport or not. I just got into Triathlons this last summer to find that I love it – far more than running. I started cheap though. I went with a mountain bike for the first two before buying a road bike (and now a second, full carbon Trek)…still, all told, with three bikes and all of the bolt on accessories I have less than $2,000 into everything.
The pluses about purchasing a road bike first are many – you can buy used and save 2/3’s of the cost of new, if you find you like cycling but not Tri’s you’ve still got a bike you can use on a group ride and you can slam the stem to bolt on aero bars for Tri’s. The idea is to have a bike that’s worth more than your car, but there’s no need for a poor house to do it.
Also, God forbid you find you hate cycling, you’ll get a better sell price on a road bike than a TT bike – they’re too sport specific, you limit the pool of people you can sell to. I’d say talk to your LBS and see what that shakes out. I’m in a different situation though – I Tri for fun, so my comment may not match what you want. If that’s the case, pony up. Mailing a TT bike won’t work well btw, too many measurements to the fitting that should be done by a pro.
Wow, good luck with that! Be interesting to see how it works out…
Doing a tri is definitely on my bucket list but the cost is very prohibitive! My (vague, hazy) plan is to wait until I graduate/ have a grownup job. We’ll see how that turns out.
I started the tri journey last summer with the purchase of a road bike and swim lessons. I am a runner (love marathons–yes, a marathon maniac here…). So, I have my first 70.3 in April and am training for 140.6 for October. If you really want a TT bike then Cervelo is having an awesome deal right now (only in the states)–share the ride, buy one and a friend buys one at the same time so you get $1000 off each bike. I just got a P2 for $1800 (usually $2800), and my “friend” was actually a complete stranger who wanted to buy one too, so we hooked up and bought them (I actually never met him, we worked it out with the store and both got our bikes on the same day)…so, anyways, if you like Cervelo you may want to check this out. One thing though, must buy the bike by Jan. 31st so it doesn’t give you much time and it is on the 2012 models if you were wondering. Another thing, my husband got an awesome deal on a Felt B16 by buying used–perfect shape, sizing, etc so you may want to consider that route and save a lot of $$. As for shorter distance tris I agree that a road bike would be just fine (that is all I have ever used so far) but for longer distances I would recommend a TT bike, that is why I bought mine. And, I disagree about how simply it is to add aerobars to a road bike otherwise I would have done that with my Trek, the geometry and fit is different, don’t know that aero bars would have helped much on the road bike. But I am a total newbie with all this so take it with a grain of salt! Ask an experienced long distance tri friend…
Good for you! I’ve also decided to do a triathlon (though I will be starting with a sprint), but I’m in the same boat…no wet suit/swimming gear, no bike/biking gear, and really no swimming experience.
Keep us updated about any good purchases, especially if they are made stateside!
My husband and I just got bikes and are doing our first Spring Tri later in the Spring – I think I’ll like it – but I’m ready for riding weather! I’m still looking for good training guides – let me know if you find any!
Too late… you’re already hooked on the idea! And you didn’t even talk about the time investment of training.
But the thing to do now is just keep moving forward, one workout, one day, one $$ at a time, until you get there!
I can’t wait to read about this journey. Your big goal has already inspired me!
WOW I didn’t realize the sport was so expensive! Glad you have the chance to dip into the US and give your wallet a rest!
Fabulous ambition and epic research! I know a chap that does Ironman on a budget and has managed to get a sponsorship deal from a local bike shop – they lend him a top-notch bike with their name plastered all over it for free – maybe worth asking in your local shops?
Rather you than me! lol.
Good luck with it, I have a client that is training for an ironman and it’s gruelling. I push her to her limits and she walks out of my studio, actually she nearly crawls out of there shattered each week!
Be ready to punish yourself 🙂
Reality Check! Holy! I had no idea that the equipment and gear would cost that much to train for a triatholon. However, I suppose when I think how much I have invested in just one third of your goal: treadmill+shipping ($1,000) + Shoes ($100) + clothing ($300) + mileage trackers ($150) + endurance gels ($50) =$1600 to just go and run somewhere.
I suddenly don’t feel guilty about the running shoes I bought yesterday. 🙂
Yikes, that can sure add up. Got to love being in Canada with everything being so much more expensive. Le sigh. At least you have done the research so you can budget and plan for the expenses as tehy come up. Good luck with the training! Can’t wait to see how it goes.
Reblogged this on Fancy Oatmeal and commented:
I had a reality check this moning as I read bearrunner’s blog this morning. I calcuated that this year alone I have spent almost $1600 just to be able to run, which should be relatively unexpensive when you initially think about a sport that “does not have any equipment.”
I work with a bike fanatic. She has 5 bikes and recommends joining a club because often discounts are available or attend an equipment swap. There are deals to be found! My biggest worry is not the money itself, but finishing under 17 hours!!!
Do you have any friends who do the sport who could lend you bits and pieces as you see if you enjoy it? Or alternatively, just up the gym cost and swim, cycle (machine) and run (Treadmill) there? Maybe for the next few months as it warms up and then if you are still set on it you could focus in two areas (running and something else) until you are good at them and then look at the last area and joining them all together? That’s how I would attack it, and I hope to one day, but that day isn’t until I do an ultra, and that won’t be for a very very long time :0)
Hit up Craigslist mate! This time of year people are unloading stuff in the garage etc. I’d be more than willing to help you out if you need anything from the States from one Tri guy to a another. Good luck and stay healthy!
I feel your pain! I’m starting with a Sprint Tri this year, and started with only my running gear. I joined a gym that has a pool, got some googles and a swim cap on the cheap. Now I’m looking into bikes, and this is where most of the expense is going to come from. Good luck with your search! And I agree with some of the other commentors, may be worth finding a road bike first, just until you’re sure that you’ll enjoy it!
Wow! I never stopped to think about how expensive participating in a triathlon is before! I’ve run a few destination marathons and those racked up to around $2000 and I thought that was crazy! I’m sure it will all be worth it once you cross the finish line. Good luck!
Welcome to my world of drooling over kit while training twice a day six days a week. You missed out food and recovery on your list of expenses lol xxx
Yes, and that is why I am still “just” running. Nothing wrong with a road bike! It will work just fine until you save up for a TT! I agree with Sam above, if you have someone that will lend you gear for awhile it will save money and may help you to decide what you want. Gear Buzz or Active Schwaggle often has deals on tri-gear/wetsuits. Keep your eyes peeled, it will save you some money!
My brother has done that once-in-lifetime experience of the ironman. Twice. He is planning his 3rd once in a lifetime experience. Personally, I started as a runner, and have migrated to the bike (still love the running). However, swimming does not do it for me. We shall see…..
Moving to the bike, I have seen that the expense never ceases. However, I love it, so I do it.
Get the calculator away, bearrunner and get on the bike, the road and into the pool. You can die a rich old man, or die an ironman. You know what you want….
Goodness the $$ add up fast! Good luck with your goal and your deal hunting and shopping. Ironman is pretty intimidating to me, but I guess if you’re going to spend the time and money on triathlon, you may as well “go big!” 🙂
My solution: I’m getting a bike for valentines day!
Yup, an IronMan is NOT cheap! I dropped $600 for a road bike last spring & thought that was a lot. Personally, I wouldn’t want to enter an ironman without a decent, ahem, $3000 bike with all the toys.
Oh, you may want to up your ante on the goggles & swim cap, because those items tend to need to be replaced every couple of months. I have to replace my swimsuit every 3 months just like I do with my running shoes.
Hope you’re able to gather the funds for it, because it would be one hell of a journey!
I’m also planning my first triathlon this year…so I won’t be passing your list of startup costs on to my husband!
I’m a terrible swimmer and I only have a hybrid bike so I’m banking on the run portion to pull me through! I’ll just start with a sprint this year and, if I enjoy it enough, I’ll look into the investments later!
Don’t sweat your hybrid for the Sprints, I did my first two Olympics on full fledged mountain bike (though I did buy some 26″ slicks and aero bars – that just happen to fit perfectly on my new road bike). You’ll be surprised when you get there how many bikes there are a lot less efficient than yours.
Most important thing is to just have fun out on the course 🙂 Doesn’t matter whether you have a TT bike or a hybrid – everyone will be cheering you on to the finish 🙂
Don’t forget that it’s quite acceptable to do some breast stroke or back stroke during the swim. You don’t have to go hard freestyle all the way if you feel like you’re struggling 🙂
And a little secret – triathletes don’t like swimming 😉 LOL … It’s just something they have to do to get to the bike / run *haha*
For the swim – check out http://www.swimoutlet.com my favorite goggles are Speedo Sprint and they are under $6 US. Cap – Speedo Silicone Swim Cap is only $8.50 US. Both are very durable and affordable. Wet Suite – aim a little higher on cost unfortunately. My favorite is Blue 70 but you will be looking at north of $350…. Good luck!
triathlon is indeed expensive! that’s really great you want to jump right in with an Iron Man.
As Lance Armstrong said – It’s not about the bike. Ironman is 90% mental attitude. If you can do 7-9 months of consistent training you can complete the race. Of course the kit can help, and can provide additional motivation, but you don’t need to spend that much to get that medal.
I started tri on a mountain bike, and used a road bike with clip-on bars for my first Ironman last year. When you’re building up to 5-7 hour rides in training you need a bike that fits you – so I’d recommend buying a new road bike with a fitting service. Don’t spend too much though as you may find, if you stick with tri, that your increased fitness and flexibility means that you need a different bike in a couple of years.
First and foremost, though; make the decision. Sign up for the race, develop a training plan (I think Don Fink’s is great for a first-timer) and then do it! This brings to mind one of my favourite TriTalk forum sign-offs : “Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.”
I’ve done a few ironman triathlons, as well as all the other triathlon distances, and you are absolutely right, it is EXPENSIVE! A few places to save – get a regular road bike instead of a TT bike first, that way if you don’t like triathlon, you can still use your bike in regular group rides, etc. You can rent race wheels just for race day, huge savings! Sign up for a non-Ironman-brand race, they are usually substantially less expensive than ironman-brand and just as great! Good luck, it is a fantastic sport!
No kidding on the costs! I spent $1500 on a new road bike only to learn it is considered “recreational” level. Ironman is an awesome goal! So, if you complete one, are you going to get an m-dot ironman logo tattoo? Seems to be the trend among my friends. Good luck bike shopping (and funding said bike shopping)!
I got a Tri tattoo between my first and second Olympic. They were two weeks apart so I was sitting in the chair, under the needle, six days before the second one and when she got to the “now don’t go swimming for two weeks” part, I couldn’t help myself… I asked her if an easy mile in the lake on Saturday counted as swimming. She was not amused and complained about us “crazy fitness people” messing with the rules. Tattoo turned out fine, I just lubed it up well before the swim.
I’ve got the swimmer-biker-runner tattoo that is popular on the oval bumper stickers and it’s pretty cool.
I can offer zero recommendations on your triathlon. But I can say that I am impressed. And I would also like to know how you made it to this point. I am about to go run three miles, and I am nervous. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I’ve never done a triathonlon, but I did cycle from Yakima WA, USA to San Diego CA, USA on a $270 USD Raleigh Mountain bike. And I was able to keep up with all the ‘real cyclists’ on $5,000 touring bikes. Actually, my bike had less trouble after I bought a stronger back wheel to carry the weight of all my gear.
Perhaps it would be of financial benefit to ‘rethink whats possible.’ A $50 helmet… really? 10 bucks at Walmart. How often do you plan to bike wreck?
I’ve been thinking about the whole triathlon thing as well – but swimming is not my strong point. It would be a big commitment to do more swimming…
Well, I am planning to do a sprint tri this summer in Denver. I have a sleeveless wetsuit as well as a sleeveless hooded neoprene top that that I got last year when I decided to do an Alcatraz swim in September 2011 and wore together (went well and was the perfect gear for that swim). Goggles/cap I already have. Bike I have, but it’s a 21-speed “comfort bike” that I ride on and off road and I’m not upgrading. I’m not getting special shoes/cleats. I have a helmet/gloves. I probably need some good running shoes instead of the New Balance walking shoes I have now. I’m doing this tri to do it, not to “win”. If I make it across the finish line I will have “won” anyway, so no need to bankrupt myself just to do that. Like anything, a tri is as expensive or gadget-laden as you want to make it. Good luck!!
GG
1. Don’t skimp on a pro bike fitting once you find a bike that you want (and that is the correct size)
2. ebay and craigslist are your friend
3. good luck
Looking at this post, it makes me so glad I never learned how to ride a bike. I always toy with the Tri idea a bit as I am a strong swimmer and a fair runner. but of course the fact that I can not pilot the bike, pretty much ruins the idea again and again! good luck. I do think you could borrow a bike, for the event, it just make sthe training difficult.
hmmm…perhaps before buying all the gear, do a sprint or olympic distance, just to be sure you dig. I’ve done one sprint (on a dare) and bought a road bike (only had 13yr old mountain) 2 days before race. No clips, even. (heck, I ride everyday and still no clips! I dont trust myself with biking in traffic to work) We’ve a internationally known Olympic that is a bucket before I turn 40…its in Sept, I’m already finding excuses…
Much luck & props for dreaming big! (They do make iPod otterbox for the water if you need music to train for miles upon miles in the cement pond (smile)).
There are ways to participate in triathlon without spending an arm and a leg. It’s all about being realistic about what you want, why you want it and what you hope to achieve.
I see plenty of age groupers who would be better off paying for some cycle training tips with a coach and buying a basic alloy road bike for say $AU1,000 (or even as little as $500 off eBay) because they will get better performance. My bike set me back about $500 including shoes and pedals because it’s second hand -and it’s carbon fibre too with Zipp 530 wheels. Sure, it doesn’t look as flash as the $6,000+ bikes but it still gets me around the course faster than some of the flasher bikes.
For goggles I can’t recommend the $AU15 Speedos highly enough (i.e. cheapest pair). They might be basic but they keep the water out of your eyes and that’s really all you need.
Not having a go but just commenting to say that I see a lot of people either (a) spend huge money on getting into the sport only to find themselves being passed by people who used the cheaper option or (b) don’t get into the sport at all because they don’t realise it’s not about the money you spend but about the enjoyment you get.
Just making sure you don’t feel pressure to buy big when you don’t actually have to … But of course if you want to then that’s a whole other story and I say go for it! I’m just green with envy 😉
When do you hope to do your first Ironman?
I feel the same way as you, after running marathons I really want to start doing tri’s but the sprint distance just doesn’t seem like enough. I’m hoping to start training/saving money this summer to make it a reality!
Good luck 🙂
I know a gal that did her first mini triathlon with a $125 bike she bought at our local Fred Meyer.
I look forward to reading about your journey towards your first Ironman.
Good luck to you!
If you’re going to jump straight in with an Ironman you will need to make sure your triathlon gear is comfortable and appropriate for you, in which case you probably would need to spend a bit more money….
Some money saving tips:
You can hire wetsuits for a season from a shop so you don’t necessarily have to buy one – you can even buy the one you’ve hired at a lower cost at the end of the season if you like it. This is a good way to figure out the brand, size and type of wetsuit that suits you, which is really hard to figure out if you haven’t actually tried a wetsuit in the water.
Re bike, as others have mentioned, go with a standard road bike, to which you can add aerobars, and hire race wheels. You an get good deals on bikes through websites like ebay or on triathlon forums where you can get second hand bikes. Probably worth going into a bike shop and having a look/trying out some different bikes so you know what suits you. And definitely (ESPECIALLY if you’re going to do an Ironman) make sure you get a bike that fits you properly – you’ll save money in the long run by getting a bike that fits and works for what you want it to do.
Good luck!
good night, nurse!! that’s a lot of dough to spend.
I’m all for jumping right into a big goal like an Ironman! I say go for it. As I mentioned on my own blog, I did an olympic distance triathlon back in 2008, and since then no triathlons and no swimming. And really, very little cycling (but I used to be a more serious cyclist and have a trek touring bike from a cross country trip). And now I’m registered for Ironman Arizona 2012, and figuring out everything I need to do to train for it, and everything I need to buy!
A couple comments on your expenses. Wetsuit will cost more than what you’ve listed. I bought a mid-level triathlon wetsuit for 30% off at a post-Thanksgiving day (in the U.S.) sale, and still spent $300 on it. When I did the triathlon back in 2008, I rented a wetsuit. I think I paid around $80 for a week-long rental. Basically the rental made sense as a one-off deal, but if you’re going to use it for a full season, the purchase probably makes more sense, unless you find a season-long rental.
And, as others have suggested, you don’t need to spend that much on a bike. If you have the money and want to, then go for it. I’m not sure if I’m going to buy a new bike for my Ironman or not. I might do it on my old touring bike — which is basically a road bike, but with an all steel frame and a slightly longer frame length. If I do use my current bike, I will at least get lighter wheels (which make more difference than the frame for speed) and aero bars. I mean, I would love a new bike, but not sure I can justify the cost. But at least my touring bike can be used for standard road riding — meaning if I go for a new bike, it will definitely be a tri bike, because I don’t need a road bike to fall back on. Also, I know some people log long miles on a trainer over winter. I have no interest in that. I guess it helps that IMAZ is in November, so I can safely wait to log training miles on the bike till it’s warm enough outside. Depending what race you sign up for, you might not need to get a trainer.
Good luck with it! I think there’s nothing better than jumping into a really agressive goal and just going for it.
Tri -oh boy, that’s tough!
I see some videos from ironman competition and I can only cry along feeling the pain, but I definitely like your spirit going big. Go for it, wish you good luck and have fun, that’s all about.
I’m so impressed with your ‘dive right in’ method! I started with the sprint, then the full last year, maybe a half IM next year. Best of luck to you and enjoy every minute. Chat with as many Ironmen as you can. They have tons of knowledge that they love to share.
I call it the REI Syndrome: whenever I go to REI (an outdoor equipment/clothing store here in the States), I always “feel” like a pro and have the urge to arm myself to the teeth with the best gear! 🙂 However, participating in tri doesn’t have to break the bank! I have a friend who has completed multiple marathons and last year had her first tri. She didn’t spend much money buying stuff. She dived right in as well, but with average equipments (I think she either borrowed the bike from a friend or bought a cheap one). She loved it and did just fine. I am sure she will upgrade at some point, but it’ll be gradual.
So, my unsolicited advice is to talk to someone who has been there done that, and see: 1) what are the true essentials that you need to splurge on, and 2) things that don’t really matter whether they are a name brand or not. I think you will probably get very different opinions anyway! 🙂
Good luck! It sounds really exciting!
It’s like I was telling my husband. Running is really cheap. Until it isn’t anymore. But I think that once you have the gear, you will absolutely be focused on training for that long because you’ll have kitted out your home as a training sanctuary. Good luck as you begin sourcing some of this stuff!
Let me know how you make out on the Triathlon if you end up doing one…I always wanted to venture into that, but the swimming part is what would be challenging!! 🙂 good luck!
Hi, and thanks for dropping by my blog. Triathlons are great! If you’re an adrenaline junkie, you get three times the shot and the cross training is a great way to keep fit and avoid injuries. I’ve only done pool based sprints so far, and did my first 2 on a mountain bike, so you don’t have to spend a lot to get started. Enjoy your training and good luck with the tri adventure.
Hey, glad you liked my blog enough to subscribe. As for this post, I very much hold the same sentiments. I, too, would like to do a triathlon one day, but I definitely can’t drop that much cash for a road bike.
You’ll find it confirming to read that triathletes have an average income of $126,000… (http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/demographics.aspx). The runner’s average income is significantly less.