We wanted to lift the lid on the sport of triathlon and explore what the current trends, themes and attitudes were. Is the sport growing or shrinking? What are the personal motivators for participating in triathlon - and of course - just how many hours a week are you training?! We're bring you the answers to these questions and more... We hope you find the results as interesting as we did!
For context our data set consists of a 60/40 split male and female contributors.
1. What’s your age group?
Kicking off, it was encouraging to see a relatively even split of age groups here. Off the bat, the survey demonstrates a healthy interest in multisport across the generations. (Whilst arguably it may well be skewed by our audience profile), we do believe this reflects the sports ability to maintain the interest of athletes throughout their years.
2. How long have you been participating in triathlons?
This suggests that triathlon is more than just a hobby for many; it’s a lifestyle that offers ongoing personal growth, a sense of achievement, and a deep connection to a like-minded community. The variety of formats and the challenge of progression likely play a significant role in keeping participants engaged over time.
However, this also indicates that the sport may have a well-established, mature audience, raising questions about its appeal to newcomers. Barriers such as cost, time commitment, or perceived difficulty could deter potential participants, making it crucial to explore ways to attract and support beginners. Balancing the needs of experienced athletes with strategies to lower entry barriers for newcomers could ensure the sport's continued growth and vitality.
3. How many triathlons are you likely to participate in this year?
This indicates that a significant portion of triathletes are highly engaged, treating the sport as a key part of their lifestyle. These frequent participants likely value the variety and challenge of competing in multiple events, showcasing the sport's ability to inspire ongoing involvement.
At the same time, the substantial number of casual participants suggests there are barriers—such as cost, time commitment, or accessibility—that may prevent some from participating more frequently. To sustain growth, the sport needs to balance its appeal to both groups. This could involve creating loyalty programs or multi-event packages for avid participants while offering beginner-friendly events or addressing common barriers to entry to encourage less frequent participants to engage more often.
4. How will your participation in triathlons change this year compared to last year?
This indicates a healthy level of consistency and growth within the sport. The equal split suggests that many participants are maintaining their engagement, while a significant portion is becoming even more active, signaling increased enthusiasm and commitment among triathletes.
This trend reflects the sport's ability to retain participants while motivating a large segment to push their limits further by taking on more events. For those increasing their participation, factors such as improved accessibility, fitness goals, or a growing passion for the sport may be driving this behaviour.
5. What motivates you to participate in triathlons?
This highlights two dominant driving forces behind triathlon participation: external motivation through competition and internal motivation through personal growth.
The competitive-minded group thrives on the challenge of measuring themselves against others, improving race times, or striving for podium finishes. Meanwhile, those motivated by personal achievement value the sport as a tool for setting and reaching personal goals, such as completing their first race or conquering longer distances.
This dual motivation suggests that the sport appeals to a diverse audience, from performance-focused athletes to those seeking self-improvement.
6. Which is the primary benefit you feel you gain from participating in triathlons?
This suggests that while improving health and fitness is a key factor, the emotional and psychological rewards of completing a triathlon resonate more strongly with participants.
Triathletes see the sport as a means of pushing personal boundaries and accomplishing challenging goals, which makes it deeply fulfilling beyond just the physical aspect. This insight highlights the importance of promoting triathlons as transformative experiences rather than purely fitness-focused events.
7. What is your primary goal for the next 12 months in triathlon?
This equal split of motivations underscores the wide-ranging appeal of triathlons, catering to participants with both competitive and recreational mindsets.
For those focused on performance (improving race times and qualifying for championships), the sport offers a structured path for progression and achievement. Meanwhile, participants prioritizing enjoyment and exploring different race types value the experiential and adventurous aspects of triathlons.
8. Which triathlon discipline do you feel requires the most improvement for you
No surprises here. A whopping 56% of triathletes feel that their swim is the weakest discipline. Interesting stat - seeing as though it’s also the leg which reflects the shortest time and distance. Anyone for duathlon??
9. Will you be investing in / using a coach - if so what type?
The data reveals that over half of triathletes (52.7%) use custom or personalised training plans, highlighting a strong preference for tailored approaches to optimise performance and meet specific goals. This suggests that many athletes are highly committed to improving their skills and see value in structured, individualised guidance.
Interestingly, 32.7% of respondents do not use any training plan, indicating that a significant portion of us either self-manage their training or do not prioritise structured guidance.
10. How many hours a week do you typically dedicate to triathlon training?
How does your training compare? Interesting to see the range… This data clearly highlights the varying levels of commitment within the triathlon community. The majority (83.6%) train 5-15 hours per week, reflecting a balance between dedication and practicality. However, the smaller groups at both ends—those training less than 5 hours or more than 15 hours.
11. What are the biggest barriers to participating in triathlons?
No surprises here; cost and time are predictably the dominant barriers, together impacting over 90% of participants. Good to know you’re not alone in not having enough time to fit as much in as you’d like to though… !
12. Will you be racing abroad this year?
Given that ‘cost’ was a significant barrier in the previous question, the data here shows a notable interest in international events among triathletes. This is likely driven by the appeal of new challenges, unique destinations, and the opportunity to combine racing with travel experiences.
However, the almost equal split also suggests that factors such as cost, time commitment, or logistical challenges may well deter others from competing internationally.
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to this survey.
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