By Katelynn Luu
Triathlon, although one event, is composed of three sports: swimming, biking and running. As such, you need to buy the supplies and gear for all three sports to train for and compete in a triathlon, which can get pretty expensive—up to the triple digits in dollars.
But, why should triathlon be a sport limited to the financially privileged? That’s the question that led the CEO of CalTri Events Thom Richmond to offer free, no-cost races for youth athletes aged 7-17.
“This is a game-changer,” Richmond said on the CalTri website. “We’re removing the financial barriers and opening the door for every kid to experience the joy of triathlon. For budget-conscious parents, it’s an incredible opportunity to cultivate healthy habits in their children without breaking the bank.”
This summer, I found CalTri’s free races for youth athletes and signed myself up for Cal Tri Newport Dunes, set for Nov. 3, 2024. I was ready for a challenge, and I needed a goal (this race) to look forward to and motivate myself to regularly exercise and physically train after retiring from being a student-athlete. I competed in the Youth Sprint Event, which consisted of a distance of a 400-yard swim, an 8.1-mile bike and a 5K run.
On the website, the available races for free for youth athletes are Sprint Triathlon, SwimBike, SwimRun, Swim (distance varies by race location) and 5K run.
Triathlon racing events can be expensive to host with the necessity to pay security to maintain safety on the course, and these expenses are reflected in the racing fees, which are often over $100.
Aside from the race fees, I also saved money in other ways that apply to beginner triathletes of all ages — the supplies and gear for each sport.
For the swim, I used goggles and a swimsuit that I already had as a previous competitive swimmer, but if you don’t have goggles, you could save $15 by borrowing them from someone you know. I wore a supportive sports bra-like bikini and biker shorts that worked for me throughout the entire race.
An inexpensive option is a cheap swimsuit you could wear for the swim, and then bring shorts and a shirt to put on over the swimsuit for the bike and run. This might invite some uncomfortable chafing for a longer Olympic distance race, but for a shorter sprint distance, this works just fine. For colder water temperatures or longer distances, you may want to consider renting a wetsuit or borrowing a wetsuit from someone that you know.
For the bike, I used a helmet that I already had and I borrowed a mountain bike from my uncle. While I’m all for borrowing, a helmet isn’t something that you should borrow from someone if it doesn’t fit well — your safety is worth the splurge in this case. I used safety pins to pin my race number onto a shirt that I put on over my swim top after the swim, so I saved money on a race belt.
For the run, I used running shoes that I already had, but if you don’t have a good pair of running shoes, this is something that you should splurge on for your safety and comfort. Bad running shoes or ill-fitting shoes can lead to injury.
So, amongst race fees and sports gear, I spent $0. The $30 I spent was on parking, if you can believe it. Take it from me: triathlon can be an expensive sport, but it doesn’t have to be. Swim, bike, run—you can do it all for little cost! Challenge yourself and get out there; don’t let money stop you!
