Then there\u2019s race entry to consider, and by the time travel, food, accommodation and some nervous, late kit purchases are included, the cost starts to add up.<\/p>\n
However, there is choice. While \u00a31,200 for a wetsuit, \u00a310,000 for a bike and another five-figure sum entering enough Ironmans to qualify for a legacy place in Hawaii might be out of reach, you can compete in second-hand neoprene and on a bike one-10th of the price and still be competitive. And while a Pacific-island adventure has obvious allure, there are great races available on home soil, too.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> There\u2019s no denying costs are on the rise. Brexit, a pandemic and global conflict have all contributed to inflationary pressures, and triathlon is not immune.<\/p>\n Gary Roethenbaugh from the Triathlon Industry Association (TIA) and founder of Multisport Research says the appetite to spend is still there but the sport needs new blood. \u201cWe\u2019ve had two years of no new starters due to the pandemic<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d Roethenbaugh says. \u201cIt puts triathlon at a disadvantage because unlike running it\u2019s inextricably linked to the event landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n Roethenbaugh believes 2022 will prove to be a \u201ctransitionary year\u201d, with those reluctant to sign up for organised events continuing with informal activities such as Everesting or Strava challenges<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cBut because the majority come to tri from a run background, and because the pandemic sparked a boom in running, 2023-24 should see triathlon as a beneficiary,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Drilling into the detail, TIA\u2019s recent research shows the intent to buy running shoes (63%) over the next few months far outstrips any other purchase. It also shows around a quarter are considering buying a new wetsuit in the first half of 2022 and one in five a new bike.<\/p>\n Tellingly though, more than one-in-three are reluctant to spend because they already have the required kit. Roethenbaugh also thinks the desire to be more environmentally friendly is creeping into the psyche, such as buying more second-hand products and making demands on race organisers to go green. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the COP26 zeitgeist,\u201d he says, referring to 2021\u2019s summit in Glasgow.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> However much the sport is dressed up, there will always be a purity to tri: you can run and cycle from your doorstep, and \u2013 as long as swimming pools remain open \u2013 head out for a dip. Training can almost always be done, and usually at low cost.<\/p>\n Yet all of us need a bit of guidance from time to time, especially if we\u2019ve a lofty event goal and aren\u2019t 100% sure how to navigate to the finish line.<\/p>\n \u201cI definitely think coaching is a \u2018nice to have\u2019 rather than a \u2018need to have\u2019, especially when starting out,\u201d says Adam Gibson, head coach of GreenlightPT in Milton Keynes. \u201cThere\u2019ll be plenty of good \u2013 and maybe some bad! \u2013 advice at your local tri club or training squad, so that\u2019s a good place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n Whereas a one-to-one plan might set you back between \u00a350 to \u00a3250 per month, you\u2019ll pay the equivalent for an annual club membership, and the value will quickly be recouped through kit discounts or pool time.<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone wants to step up from that, it\u2019s better to read books, listen to podcasts and make your own informed training plans rather than use a free generic plan [although 220tri.com does have a wealth of great, free training plans available to download],\u201d Gibson adds.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you understand the basic principles you should be able to apply these to the sessions you have time for. A tri coach is the next logical step.<\/p>\n Personalised training plans avoid ongoing costs. You usually submit information to a coach and they\u2019ll knock something up for you to get on with. \u201cThe top tier option would be having a coach reviewing and adjusting your training on a weekly basis. Just be careful you\u2019re getting what you pay for.<\/p>\n There are plenty of horror stories of athletes paying for what is technically a copy and paste job. \u201cUltimately, it comes down to where you are in your \u2018triathlon journey\u2019 and your budget. Some people have had great results without any coaching, but don\u2019t underestimate the value of having someone with the right skills and knowledge in your corner.\u201d<\/p>\n The TIA research backed up Gibson\u2019s view that triathletes take differing approaches. One in four (26%) used a free training plan last year, 28% hadn\u2019t had any coaching, and 22% were coached through a club. In addition, 29% also used training platforms such as Zwift and TrainerRoad.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Triathletes can be obsessed with kit and brands love them for it. But while a feather-light tri bike and the latest carbon-plated trainers<\/a><\/strong> undoubtedly aid performance, bigger gains will always be made through training.<\/p>\n Net result? You can keep kit costs down and still revel in the sport. The pandemic saw a cycling boom through a combination of furlough, working from home, quieter roads and the push for better health.<\/p>\n It also led to a thriving second-hand market, not just for workhorse commuter bikes, but for pre-owned premium bikes with warranties.<\/p>\n For example, Cycle Exchange is offering a 2018 Pinarello Dogma F8 Sram Force AXS road bike for \u00a34,695 \u2013 marked down from \u00a36,750. It isn\u2019t just the bike, though. \u201cWhen Boris [Johnson] said open water swimming<\/a><\/strong> is a good thing, wetsuit sales went crazy,\u201d says Dean Jackson, founder of Huub.<\/p>\n But supply and distribution issues coupled with nervous companies initially pulling back on orders due to an uncertain outlook, has led to many being short of stock. \u201cWe continued buying knowing that when we came out the other side, we might be the only ones with product,\u201d Jackson adds.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it\u2019s a mad rush. Factories that previously had a minimum order of 500 wetsuits are demanding 3,000. It\u2019s why anyone ordering custom kit might have experienced issues.\u201d<\/p>\n Overheads have soared. Jackson estimates the cost of raw materials for neoprene has risen by 15%. Container costs have tripled, with ships on a go-slow to save fuel resulting in longer lead times. Labour is also up, and the larger surfer wetsuit market has taken priority over swim wetsuits.<\/p>\n Where does this leave the consumer? \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get away from the mentality of \u00a399 wetsuits,\u201d Jackson says. \u201cIf you get a wetsuit for \u00a3150 you should be pleased with yourself. We\u2019ve done well with our ex-demo line. If a suit comes in for a size swap, we sell it as an ex-demo. So, you can get an incredible suit for \u00a3150-\u00a3200.\u201d<\/p>\n Moving forward Jackson expects wetsuit prices to rise by 10-15%, although he is dismissive of recent eye-catching four-figure prices.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> With retailers taking around 50% of the sale price, direct-to-consumer selling is seen as the golden ticket by sports nutrition brand 33Fuel, which has grown steadily over the past decade. \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt that the pandemic put a huge squeeze on supply chain logistics, but being online-only gives us more headroom,\u201d says its co-founder Warren Pole.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can spend more making a better product while retaining better prices. We aren\u2019t the cut-price option as our ingredients cost more, but our products are priced competitively to be comparable to the market leader.\u201d<\/p>\n Pole explains how 33Fuel has been forced to absorb rising overheads. \u201cConsider how many pairs of hands a delivery goes through, from the raw materials to the customer. For every 10 people, suddenly five are isolating. It hit all e-commerce retailers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, Royal Mail and Parcel Force use the hold of passenger planes and there weren\u2019t many flying. Courier costs roughly doubled and in many cases are still rising. Then there\u2019s Brexit. If you\u2019re sending or receiving anything from within the EU, you have to supply paperwork. Even if no duty is applied, it\u2019s several hours of work.\u201d<\/p>\n Pole\u2019s tips for keeping consumer costs down is to think of sports nutrition as a \u201csupplement\u201d and use sparingly. \u201cToo many brands sell it as a mainstay of the diet,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s just not true. You should be eating far more real food than sports nutrition. Most people will experience a significant uplift in performance simply by drinking more water and eating more veg and less ultra-processed foods.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> If Ironman is the benchmark for triathlon events, then news it\u2019s selling places to its World Championship event in Utah in May because not enough qualifiers want to go is a worrying sign for the sport.<\/p>\n But it might also be a cue to nab a bargain entry, because while some 2022 events are sold-out \u2013 often due to deferrals from previous cancellations \u2013 others are offering juicy discounts to entice sign-ups.<\/p>\n While few have gone as far as the Professional Triathletes Organisation<\/a><\/strong> (the PTO marketed its middledistance races in Dallas and Edmonton this summer for just under $400 and then slashed the price in half within days), UK race organisers are making concessions.<\/p>\n The World Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> event in Leeds, run by British Triathlon, is offering entry for \u00a399 for its standard distance, currently also with 10% off.<\/p>\n Compared to almost all other sports, long-distance tri is an expensive pursuit. However, unless you\u2019re the rarest of breeds, you won\u2019t be doing one every week.<\/p>\n So, in the context of an annual goal, it\u2019s easier to justify the price. At least, in theory. The big difference between racing Ironman and a different brand is in the cost of entry.<\/p>\n Other expenses, such as accommodation, travel and kit purchase remain the same. But for Ironman you\u2019re likely to find up to a 100% premium over the same distance if you want to race in the UK this summer.<\/p>\n Currently, Ironman had released additional race places for some of its most popular UK events, including the previously sold-out Ironman Wales, Ironman UK in Bolton, and the new Ironman 70.3 race in Swansea. Ironman Staffordshire 70.3 in June has Tier 5 slots available at \u00a3369, plus a 10% \u2018processing fee\u2019 through Active to total \u00a3406.<\/p>\n You could also choose Weymouth 70.3 in September which has Tier 4 places available for \u00a3319, plus the 10% fee, and remains your cheapest M-Dot option.<\/p>\n Compared to the Castle Series middle-distance equivalent, the Gauntlet at Hever Castle in September, which with the current 15% saving is \u00a3204, it\u2019s a substantial mark-up.<\/p>\n The new Challenge Wales in Pembrokeshire is \u00a3214 when the Active fee is included, and the Outlaw Half events range from around \u00a3230-240. The Northumbrian is cheaper still at \u00a3155 for the middle distance.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> The Castle Series<\/a><\/strong>, which hosts a series of event weekends across the UK in locations such as Hever Castle in Kent is offering 15% off. \u201cAll established events have seen a drop-off,\u201d says Allison Curbishley of Events of the North, who are launching The Northumbrian, based at the picturesque Kielder Water in June.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone was running, cycling or swimming through the pandemic and we thought we\u2019d see a surge in entries once restrictions were lifted. But it\u2019s a different world now and we\u2019ve got to work to entice people back in a safe environment.\u201d<\/p>\n The Northumbrian is priced competitively at \u00a3155 for the middle distance and \u00a3295 for full-irondistance entry, with both options including an event-branded cycling jersey. They\u2019re hoping for around 400 entrants for the first year. \u201cThe main thing is to showcase the race for next year. We\u2019ll make sure we put on a show and won\u2019t scrimp on anything so people say it was epic.\u201d<\/p>\n The expanding Outlaw series<\/a> <\/strong>of UK races are not immune from the economic landscape either. \u201cOur entries are down this year, some of which we\u2019ve put down to people going back to races where their entry had been deferred,\u201d says Helen Gorman from organisers One Step Beyond<\/a> <\/strong>(OSB).<\/p>\n \u201cNext year, we\u2019ll do a price freeze on the half and the full distance. It\u2019ll remain \u00a3215 for the half and \u00a3315 for the full. We\u2019ll also open entries earlier with payment plans in place and those entering on the first couple of days will get a discount that we\u2019ve never given before.\u201d<\/p>\n Gorman says costs have risen by 20% or more, including signage, barriers, toilets, security, hosting and food \u2013 \u201cIt\u2019s not just athletes, but 300 essential volunteers to feed.\u201d<\/p>\n OSB have responded to rising fuel and travel costs by paying travel expenses for volunteers, but the idea of removing the race T-shirt to save money is a misnomer. \u201cThe real cost to the T-shirt is a lot lower than the perceived cost,\u201d she explains. \u201cThe bigger issue we have is people being devastated when T-shirts don\u2019t fit!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to champion British racing. There\u2019s a lot to be said for sticking your bike in the car and only needing one night\u2019s accommodation \u2013 nearly all our events have onsite campsites.\u201d Gorman is making the case for racing in the UK.<\/p>\n While you might expect that, there are cost benefits to racing on home soil. \u201cThere\u2019s no compromise in quality, but it\u2019s budget-minded,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe\u2019re aware triathlon can be an expensive sport, but compare it to other sports where you race more regularly and it\u2019s not that much more.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> UK racing certainly has advantages. You remove the cost of flights, transporting a bike (and the worry of it arriving intact) and the additional logistical hassles of racing overseas.<\/p>\n While travel restrictions are starting to ease, there\u2019s also none of the stress or cost of pre- and post-flight testing. You might just have to compromise a little on the road surface and the sunshine isn\u2019t always guaranteed.<\/p>\n While fuel costs are pushing 170p\/ litre, getting anywhere is expensive, but sharing transport wherever possible helps, and gives you someone to dissect the event with on the journey home.<\/p>\n Triathlons in the UK are typically during peak seasons, so cut-price accommodation will be limited, but whether you choose a hotel, Airbnb or even hire a campervan, how you stop over is likely to be as much about personal preference as cost savings.<\/p>\n A hotel room could be sought for around \u00a3100, AirBnB is slightly cheaper if you\u2019re prepared to settle for one room in a house, and campervans start from about \u00a370 a day.<\/p>\n One way you can almost guarantee to save is to camp, where pitches are likely to be around \u00a330 a night. But you might just need the weather to hold for longer than the race.<\/p>\n All images:<\/strong> Steve Sayers<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n By Tim Heming Published: Tuesday, 10 May 2022 at 12:00 am Anyone who has ever packed a transition bag understands why triathlon is not \u2013 and never will be \u2013 the cheapest of sports. The typical triathlete has way more gear than they need, but even stripping it back to essentials there\u2019s still a lengthy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":14403,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"13"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/05\/how-to-do-triathlon-on-a-budget-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Tim Heming Published: Tuesday, 10 May 2022 at 12:00 am Anyone who has ever packed a transition bag understands why triathlon is not \u2013 and never will be \u2013 the cheapest of sports. The typical triathlete has way more gear than they need, but even stripping it back to essentials there\u2019s still a lengthy…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/14402"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The tri landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/05\/DSC0073-60ff48b.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\nTraining and coaching<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/05\/DSC0450-c2a9a3e.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\nKit and nutrititon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/05\/DSC0361-43b71e4.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\nTips to keep costs down<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Race entry<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/05\/DSC0311-c40cc60.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\nCan you do Ironman on the cheap?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Travel and accommodation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/05\/DSC0399-0bdc2d1.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"