Taking on your first full-distance (also known as long-distance and Ironman) can, understandably, be pretty daunting. With a 2.4-mile (3.8km) swim, 112-mile (180km) bike and a 26.2-mile (42.2km) run is not something you sign up for on a whim. Or maybe it is! Many are known to have taken up the ultimate multisport gauntlet thanks to a good-idea-at-the-time bet – usually while at the pub.
Whatever your reason for committing to this epic challenge, and whether or not you’ve even done a triathlon before now – although that is advised! – the UK is home to several fantastic races that are ideal for the first-timer.
So what makes a good ‘beginner’ full-distance course? Well, it could be as simple as being a flat course. Yes, you’ll still need to cover the same distance, but without the added challenge of training for climbs and descents it’ll make your debut a touch easier.
Or it could be the race-day atmosphere. There really is nothing better than hearing your name and some words of encouragement from a friendly face or two to give you that much-needed boost to help propel you forwards.
On the flipside, a smaller, and therefore perhaps quieter, event might suit you better as you toe your first full-distance startline.
To help narrow down your search, here is our pick of the best full-distance triathlons for first timers. And remember, whichever you choose, just don’t forget to enjoy it!
Outlaw Nottingham
The Outlaw started life in 2010 and quickly became a must-do race for endurance athletes. Why? Well, for a start it’s a fantastic beginner-friendly course. If you’re thinking of moving up in distance then The Outlaw is a great race to kick off your long-distance journey.
The easy-to-navigate 2.4-mile swim is a simple out-and-back course which exits close to T1. Then it’s onto the 112-mile bike course, which is a newbie-pleasing flat route out into the Nottinghamshire countryside and then back via Holme Pierrepont Hall. The final marathon run again is largely flat, following Regatta Lake, White Water Park and the River Trent Path.
But what also makes this an ideal first-time long-distance location is the atmosphere – widely considered to be one of the best you’ll ever experience. The Outlaw organisers know that as well as being a supreme test of endurance, the day is also a chance to celebrate your epic achievement with friends and family, and as such, up to two family members or friends can join you along the finishing chute for the perfect race-day photo.
The Northumbrian
If you want a smaller event for your first foray into long-distance racing then consider the Northumbrian. With just 300 entrants, this picturesque race in the north-east of England has that ‘local’ vibe that could help allay some of those pre-race nerves.
Still in its relative infancy – the first Northumbrian took place in 2022 – the event is the brainchild of none other than British running legend Steve Cram and his competitive-cycling son Marcus Cram. This does, however, mean a pretty challenging course.
The swim, at least, is in Kielder Water, a man-made reservoir and therefore perfectly calm and still. But don’t be fooled by that ‘easy’ start, there’s 3,606m of elevation across the bike and run, with the latter providing the added challenge of forest trails that make up part of the infamously-testing Kielder Marathon course.
The stunning scenery will definitely help take your mind off your aching limbs, though. And the bike leg also dips into Scotland, so you can tick off two countries in one event.
TriBourne Full Distance Triathlon
What better way to make your iron-distance debut than by jumping off a pier?! That’s right, the TriBourne Full Distance Triathlon gets underway by taking a short, sharp plunge into the English Channel off Eastbourne’s 153-year-old pier (don’t worry, it’s completely safe!).
The bike leg takes place on mostly closed roads over an undulating route. There aren’t any major climbs, but there are two ascents towards the end as you enter Friston (112m) and Beachy Head (153m).
The final test is a fast and flat one, though, as the run route covers gravel path and promenade. It’s also made up of four laps of 10.55km each, which is a great way to break up a marathon into more psychologically-manageable parts!
The full-distance race is one of several events that take place over the one-day TriBourne Festival of Endurance.
IRONMAN Leeds
Full course maps for this new UK IRONMAN (IRONMAN UK, Bolton, is now a 70.3) are yet to be released, but we know it’ll start from Roundhay Park, just three miles away from Leeds city centre and the former home of the World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds race. The 2.4-mile (3.8km) lake swim will also be in the same venue as the WTCS event, so expect calm waters and superb spectating opportunities.
We also know that the 112-mile (180km) bike course will take in Brownlee country – aka the stunning Yorkshire Dales National Park. Competitors will cover the same roads as the famous 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart route, with approximately 2,500 metres of climbing.
The final 26.2-mile (42.2km) run will cover a multi-lap course around Roundhay Park and scenic surrounding areas, so this could be predominantly flat in profile.
This will not be an ‘easy’ introduction to the world of long-distance racing – but it’ll be iconic. And we bet a Brownlee or two will be there to witness it. And how great would it be to say that this was your first full Ironman?
ATW Odyssey Full Distance Triathlon
A meandering swim, a scenic cycle and a picturesque run – that pretty much sums up this full-distance event in and around Riverside Park, St Neots, Cambridgeshire. Yes, it’ll be a tough day in a wetsuit, in the saddle and on two feet, but the organisers also promise “the ultimate in spectator-athlete interaction”. So expect fantastic fan support long the route, providing that all-important extra push to see you to the line.
There’s also a ‘tent of enlightenment’, which runners pass through on each lap of the marathon. Ticking off your first long-distance and discovering enlightenment along the way? Sign us up.
The Long Course Weekend Wales
This event is a fantastic option for newcomers to the world of long-distance racing. The premise is simple – you complete each leg of a long-distance triathlon over three days. So you do the 2.4-mile swim on the Friday, the 112-mile bike on the Saturday and the 26.2-mile run on the Sunday.
It’s a beach-run start with a literal bang, as fireworks and music provide a brilliant boost to get your competitive juices flowing. Then it’s a sea swim within a sheltered bay and in crystal-clear water.
Expect big crowds both on and off the course throughout the weekend, but the town really comes alive at the finish line of the second-day’s ‘sportive’. And that’s just the warm-up… Because the final day is even bigger, louder and more celebratory than the two days prior combined.
Before you experience that finish-line spectacle, however, there’s the small matter of completing the final marathon-length run. Like the bike, the route is challenging, but on the plus side the run is the only fully-closed road marathon in Wales. Just focus on the beautiful backdrop that is the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and you’ll be at that finish-line party before you know it.
UK Ultimate Triathlon
Billed as one of the fastest iron-distance races in the UK, this is a brilliant option for your debut.
The swim takes place in a freshwater mere, so expect calm waters as friends and family cheer from the shore. And then it’s on to the 112-mile bike leg through picturesque Shropshire countryside and parts of Wales over smooth, tarmac roads. To cap off your special day, the flat run course is also fully-closed and fully-tarmaced.
Sign up quick and you might even be able to bag a free camping spot.
The Long Course Weekend Yorkshire
Following the same three-day format as LCW Wales, day one of LCW Yorkshire sees athletes swim in the calm but chilly waters of Grimwith Reservoir, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The organisers describe the course in more creative terms: “You wouldn’t swipe left on it on Tinder.”
The second day’s bike course is a “stunner” and “pretty damn epic”, and that’s because the route traverses Nidderdale AOB and also incorporates some of the sections in the Tour de Yorkshire, Tour De France and UCI courses. If the going gets tough, you can always count sheep – just be careful not to nod off.
Another fully-closed run course on the third and final day is ideal for a beginner to this distance, and it also takes in the breathtaking Fountains Abbey for a brief, yet entirely welcome, cultural reprieve.
By now the Dales will have taken their toll on your weary limbs, but, as with LCW Wales, a carnival atmosphere awaits you at the finish-line in Masham Market Square.
Head to our Let’s Race… section for more event inspiration!
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