Components and Short History of the Triathlon

Eloah Rocha, Los Angeles Children's Hospital Youth Counselor

After earning her bachelor of science in child psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder, Eloah Rocha joined the staff of the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, where she supervises the youth activity center created by the hospital for the siblings of children undergoing treatment there. When not involved with her professional responsibilities, Eloah Rocha keeps fit by bicycling, long-distance running, and swimming.

Eloah Rocha’s three sports are the basis of the triathlon, a multisport endurance event in which athletes run, swim, and bicycle over various distances. The three legs of the triathlon are run in immediate succession, with no rest period between legs. There are four primary triathlon distances:

1. Sprint: 0.5-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike ride, and 3.1-mile run
2. Olympic: 0.93-mile swim, 24.6-mile bike ride, and 6.2-mile run
3. Long Course: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13.1-mile run (this is often called a half-triathlon)
4. Full or Ultra: 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run (this is often called an Ironman triathlon, especially when the swim leg is held in the ocean)

The first modern triathlon in the United States was held in 1974 in San Diego, although it was run on a significantly shorter course than the four modern standards. The first Ironman triathlon was held in Hawaii in 1978; the invitation from the event’s founder, U.S. Navy Commander John Collins, read simply, “Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles -- BRAG FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.”

Triathlons of all distances have become enormously popular in the United States. In 2015, more than two dozen triathlons are scheduled for various venues in the Los Angeles area alone and hundreds more nationwide. More information about the triathlon can be found at www.totaltriathlon.com.