Is triathlon an easily accessed sport?
sfuller
Posts: 628
in General Chat
no, it isnt. I for one have been into it for a year or so now but with lack of funds havent been able to kick start my 'career' in it yet. I can;t imagine how expensive it would be for a young still growing triathlete.
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The thing that annoys me in a way is the constant barrage of triathlon doesn't have to be that expensive that we seem to get from magazines etc.
Borrow your mates bike! Right, that is if your mate happens to have a road bike that happens to be the right size, and he also doesn't mind you borrowing it and putting the top clips back on because your feet aren't the right size to borrow his shoes!
I think we do have to accept that it is an expensive sport, in particular the running costs, eg. entry. Because it is one thing laying out for the kit in the first place but to pay maybe 300+ a season for fees, etc. means it does require a fairly constant access to disposable income.
But that is such a good point about children doing it, I can remember my mum baulking at the 200 a season she had to lay out on football boots and running shoes.
I think most young people who have an interest in the sport are doing the way that ali and many others did it, and that was swimming from when he was very young, adding running during school, and then eventually adding cycling when the funds supported the purchase of a bike.
Other people will spend way more than my triathlon budget for the year on cigarettes, beer, even Sky TV subscritions. How much does a season ticket to football cost these days? Probably more than my entry fees to a few sprint races.
In the grand scheme of things, it is a very accessible sport if you keep true to yourself and set realistic goals. Starting with pool swim events requires only a pair of trunks (£5 ish) onto a basic road bike (£150 - 200) and cycle shorts and a t-shirt (£30 -40) and running shoes (£20 -30) means that you can enter for £200 - 275.
That's not too much of a stretch surely?
People who enter/compete and have no hope of winning (that's overall and age group), and
People who aim/expect to win/finish in the top 2 or 3.
And the difference between the two is huge (as far as I can see).
I started from a running background and only had a pair of trainers, so have had to buy everything and i reckon i have spent in the region of £400-500 (including £200 on a bike), but I think you could easily get started for £250 - £300. And as most peole already have a bike of some sort, that can be chopped down to £75 or so, well within most peoples budget.
However if you want to win then you are going to have to spend BIG on kit, coaching, time, nutrition etc. but I don't see how this is much different to most other sports.
I can't understand people who start tri and run off buying hugely expensive kit from day one, and just spending more and more and more on an alarmingly regular basis, when they may give it all up after a couple of years.
But for 99% of people it's not all about winning, it's also about improving yourself, your times, your fitness and enjoying yourself.
But I would love to win just once!
Next step £40 on a pair of New Balance, £20 on a pair of shorts, £20 on vest, then of course socks, underwear, energy drinks etc etc. But to go faster ... sounds familiar doesn't it fellow traithletes?
Basic tri gear - Speedos £5, Shorts, £10 both from TK Max, shoes £40 New Balance, bike borrowed MTB total a shade over £50 and the chances are that most people have this kit already so the additional cost is the entry fee and you get a T shirt as well in case you don't have one. Voila you are a triathlete and for less cost than the must have trainers that would fall to bits if you ran in them but look trendy.
Next step up - Tri Suit from £35 up (my first was an Orca from ebay for £30), shoes £50 up, bike Tesco Vertigo blade £150 - total a bit shy of £250 Want to go faster? How about Giant SCR3 £350 - total outlay less than £500 40 cancer sticks a week £500 a year, Sky Sports about £30 month
Lesson - if a youngster wants to do this or any other sport, choices, sacrifice, dedication - hang on isn't that also good character building? Having said that I do wish that the entry fees for under 18's could be reduced. I for one would not mind paying an extra £1 if it meant that a youngster could have increased access. Off the top off my head 200 18+ competitors pay £1 extra that would allow 40 under 18's to pay £5 less - perhaps British Triathlon could get some money from the Sports Council, lottery etc to offer subsidised entries fro under 18's which can be claimed back by the organisers. Just a thought.
- Mid to late thirties, starting to "spread", bored with gyms, too old for team sports, bit of spare cash, looking for a challenge they can fit around other commitments such as family.
One thing that surprises me is lack of ladies in the sport, based on recent tris I've done, including Londond - I wonder what the percentage is..?
In the tri's I've done this year plus Race The Train cross country 10k the split has been roughly 60/40 to 70/30 men to women. That's not too bad really considering girls aren't exactly encouraged to take part in sport in school.
Triathlon clubs.......nothing listed
Rowing clubs.........nothing listed
Sailing...........2 ,the local docks,and yacht club
Athletics and running clubs........nothing listed
canoeing clubs.......nothing listed.
A quick internet search for any of the above will give me at least 5 for each in a 50 mile radius.
If you know where to look sport is accessible,but will you get value for money???
''is drafting killing triathlon '',and ''is triathlon easily accessible '' seems like Mr conehead is researching for his new book.
Fair enough families may not be able to buy top end stuff but getting the basics to get them started is possible. It's then putting on more events for the kids like the Scootathon Human Race do, and scouting for talent from there. Being relatively new in triathlon I'm not knowledgable on the junior set up in the country.
For adults, though... I'm in my early 20s (damn that's not true anymore, I'm in my middle 20s) and got into triathlon on two weeks' salary. I decided I wanted to do it and I did, simple as that.
The scheme has apparrently been in place in 12 areas of the country already(but no names given).
But it would be nice to see the following sports on the school curriculam.....Power boat racing,clay shooting,formula 1,and '' please Miss,lucy's horse has just ate my homework'',
A good idea,but it will end up like career placements.
Anyway ...
Sport of choice will invariably mean football as Sky Sports and the Man U, Cheslea etc Plc hegemony will seek out extra suckers' cash as they do so efficiently now. Unless of course Triathlon and the other sports bodies can get a foot in with schemes like the Corus Kids of Steel.
Interesting points on accessibility; the three elements of triathlon are all pretty standard activities for active children and adults, so even though a beginner's kit may not be tri-specific, it will probably be enough to get them around with a sense of acheivement. I saw plenty of MTBs and hybrids at London, including one guy on an MTB with knobbly tyres, mudguards and a D lock!
The point I don't yet understand is the entry fees. Most sprints seem to be about £35, which must be a huge money spinner for the organising club, even taking into account the printing of t shirts, buying a block of time in a pool, cones and tape and refreshments.
When I was into competitive athletics, I would expect to pay £4-£8 per event, or up to maybe £15 for a national championship. I suppose London is a bit special as the roads are closed, but is it just me who thinks that entry fees are actually very steep?!