There’s been a lot of discussion regarding Headwinds and bubble bursts regarding multi-sport in the US. I certainly agree leaner times are ahead, but it’s always good to keep some perspective. Here’s a great article about a participant who came back to the sport after a 14 year absence and quickly got hooked.
Thanks for linking the article. I have friends each year who do their first and become hooked. The biggest problem I foresee for maintaing growth is the cost. If you are outside a major metropolitan area you have to travel to do many tris. Putting the cost of equipment aside, it’s quite an expense and ordeal to get into the sport “full on” if you will.
Running events, at least in my area, are booming. It’s a relatively cheap sport and the events are much easier to put on from a race director’s perspective. I think if triathlon can grow at a slow pace or even maintain for the next few years it will do well in the long run.
For me personally, I’m most interested to see how 70.3/140.6 events survive and/or thrive. I like the shorter events but the longer ones are where I strive to do my best.
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I totally agree that triathlon will never be as affordable or accessible as running. In today’s society, there are plenty of ways to spend money on any obsession, sport related or not. I don’t think triathlon is unique in that regard. We’ll see how the sport continues to evolve. I think the big growth area is in these super-sprint formats that are: spectator friendly and can cater more toward youth participants. Combine that with going NCAA for women, and there is potential ahead.
All things equal, it still represents a great accomplishment for a lot of people getting off the couch and into the pool/ onto the roads.
The biggest problem I foresee for maintaing growth is the cost. If you are outside a major metropolitan area you have to travel to do many tris. Putting the cost of equipment aside, it’s quite an expense and ordeal to get into the sport “full on” if you will.
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I live WELL OUTSIDE a major metro area. Maybe I’m a outlier, but I see it as an advantage. Sure, I don’t have the resources of large tri clubs, groups, masters swimming, etc, and I’m a big fish in a small pond out here competitively, but OTOH my cost if living is 1/2 to 1/3 what it would be in most major metro areas, I don’t have traffic, a short commute, lots of hilly roads near my house, and while I’m not close to many events, we’re also centrally located so that I can get to at least 7 difference WTC or REV3 long course races within 8 hours driving time, and at least as many olympic.
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Tri is probably on the general decline. Running also had its heyday where everyone was running.
imo casual running like Rock n Roll marathons and 5ks is making a comeback, ultrarunning is increasing substantially for those who want to put in the time, and crossfit is getting bigger.
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Rock N Roll marathons are casual? I think they make running a marathon potentially more inviting, but 26.2 is still a big deal. Respect the distance.
The biggest problem I foresee for maintaing growth is the cost. If you are outside a major metropolitan area you have to travel to do many tris. Putting the cost of equipment aside, it’s quite an expense and ordeal to get into the sport “full on” if you will.
.
I live WELL OUTSIDE a major metro area. Maybe I’m a outlier, but I see it as an advantage. Sure, I don’t have the resources of large tri clubs, groups, masters swimming, etc, and I’m a big fish in a small pond out here competitively, but OTOH my cost if living is 1/2 to 1/3 what it would be in most major metro areas, I don’t have traffic, a short commute, lots of hilly roads near my house, and while I’m not close to many events, we’re also centrally located so that I can get to at least 7 difference WTC or REV3 long course races within 8 hours driving time, and at least as many olympic.
Definitely all about perspective. My closest WTC event is Kansas 70.3, which is close to 4 hours. OKC Redman has 1/2 and full distance and they are about the same distance. Branson was nice but it’s gone now. We have 5 events locally and another 8 or so within 2-3 hours drive. None of them over OLY. We have a good masters group and two strong tri clubs just not that many events. Again, IMO, it’s all about perspective and if the sport is to grow it’s going to have to be more available to the non-urban US.