How Much It Cost To Compete In My First Triathlon

[@onlyindeathdoesdutyend5138]

The cost is temporary but the experience will always be remembered.

[@reggie085]

No. Sorry, you don't get that money back

[@mukhademonyo6449]

​@@reggie085well.....if you keep working you can get the quantity back. Just depending on your spending habits. It would look like its not gaining itself back

[@SimonMannligemann]

@@reggie085 tell that to motocross riders XD

[@samanthajade3782]

The thing with the bike is that you learn how to do it all the harder way, so the day of it's easy peasy. Practice is usually so much harder than the actual performance day.

[@margaretskiff]

@@samanthajade3782 yes! The bike was a breeze on the rental bike after using old clunky bikes to train

[@Melanie-Shea]

What?!? You gotta try harder on race day 😂

[@pixelzebra8440]

Yea if you do it right practice should be harder so you can just focus on doing it right and keeping on going

[@athaya2992]

​@@Melanie-Sheapractice should be technically harder, but on race day u give it 110% effort

[@phishphood423]

@@athaya2992I kinda agree and also disagree lol. I think some workouts are so damn hard that you literally will never suffer that much during the race itself. When I ran the 800 one of our pure anaerobic focused workouts before our taper was 6*400 at race *goal* pace, split into blocks of two, so one 400m at goal pace (meaning faster than you had ever raced), about 50-60 seconds of rest, then another 400m. Something like four minutes of rest between each simulated 800, for a total of 3x the race distance at a pace we had never held in a race before. Brutal headwind too. Half way through the last set of 400s our fastest guy threw up. He looked bad so I took the lead for the last lap to break the wind…at his pace, so about 1.5 seconds faster per lap. I remember screaming uncontrollably as I crossed the finish line, it hurt that bad. It’s been years and that is an experience I will never forget. But on the other hand, your race definitely shouldn’t feel easy. Ideally you’re more focused on the racing part though, and less on how bad you feel. That’s the great thing about races - there’s almost always something going on! If you’re not hanging onto a group or moving up, you’re probably falling back!

[@christianmirza1188]

I love how you showed you can take on new sports and buy the necessary gear without buying the very best of everything.

[@michaelbauer8778]

well, buying a non QA tested helmet on amazon for 20 bucks is, well I don't have to say what this is :D

[@him050]

@@michaelbauer8778yeah save the money on the pointless things to a beginner like the elastic laces and bib belt and get a decent helmet!

[@JayS.-mm3qr]

​​​@@him050 standard helmets are fine. People pay more for style, and "comfort", and extremely minimal performance boost, not safety, really. Helmets have to meet standards.

[@him050]

@@JayS.-mm3qr if you’re happy to use a helmet that just meets the minimum standard, good luck to you!

[@diehardbikes]

​@JayS.-mm3qr i would not follow your advice. Getting a good helmet is likely to save your life. After nearly losing mine and receiving a fatal blow to the head, only being kept alive and awake from people's screams and shouts of my name, I would never take the chance on a 20 dollar helmet or no helmet at all. Spend the money, its the cheapest life insurance you can buy.

[@bengt_axle]

Crossing the finish line: priceless.

[@JrakeThePerson]

Thanks for the transparency!

[@tjdjultima]

Please don’t cheap out on the helmet and get a reputable brand with MIPS! Could really reduce the severity of a concussion. Cheap everything but safety gear should always the be latest and greatest. Same with good tires and brakes. Good luck in your new hobby!

[@dblevins343]

Exactly. It always hurts me to see people cheaping out on safety. A great helmet is only $40-60. I always refer to the Virginia Tech Helmet Rating when buying new helmets. I'm all for saving money, and she did a good job of this overall, but never save money on safety.

[@Azoth5876]

Or Lazer Kineticore- even better than Mips.

[@ragnkja]

And more importantly: if you ever end up *using* the helmet (as opposed to just wearing it), it’s used up and needs to be replaced. Even if there’s no visible damage, if it took an impact for you, it’s no longer safe to use.

[@FringeWizard2]

I never wear a helmet. If I wear one it will be because I am forced to as a rule to compete in iron man or it makes me more aero.

[@shanold7681]

But you also shouldn't go to expensive with a bike helmet its not reusable even if you just think you hit your head you should replace it. I think $100+ bike helmets are a waste.

[@RunnersGuide123]

I have my first triathlon tmrw morning, I'm 14 and I've been running for 2 years, swimming since I was born and biking for 1 year. Hoping I can make it into the state or national team soon.

[@depressedbatman3578]

How did it go?

[@RunnersGuide123]

@@depressedbatman3578 It went pretty well, except I'm not very good at hills on the bike.. 💀

[@jojoisontherun]

Thank you for the cost breakdown! I am wanting to save for my first!

[@06racing]

Sadly I hate running and swimming but I want to do a triathlon.

[@uphone7110]

Why do you want to do it then

[@urfavavey]

@@uphone7110i’m not the original commenter but i feel the same way they do and i would want to do a triathlon just for the experience. getting to say you were in a triathlon is really cool and you’ll always know that you tried something new even if you knew you wouldn’t love doing it.

[@uphone7110]

@@urfavavey ok that is valid

[@06racing]

@@urfavavey yep that's the reason

[@hot_damn99]

My country does mini triathlons, for example 10km on bike, 5km running and then less for swimming. And not just for kids, also for adults! I feel the exact same way you do, but I might try one of those mini triathlons just for the fun of it

[@michaelgnafakis430]

Awesome work spending wisely. I’ve helped out the last three Sacramento Ironmans. The high end bikes were $14,000. One racer I transported spent $700 just for a rental bike for the weekend. Unless you are competing for the win simply finishing is such an accomplishment. Personally think the most important thing with gear is to make sure it’s comfortable and non chafing “before” the race. Key word chafing.

[@paramedic13100]

And then……. The Ironman journey begins….. and the bank account plummets 😂

[@MultiHalonoob]

I just signed up for my first one lastnight and now feeling better I’m not the only one who doesn’t have anything starting out haha

[@PoliticalJames]

Been to that bike shop, don’t miss riding on narrow roads in Biddeford along Rt 1

[@charliesalazar3119]

Could have been expensiver, could be chepier... but it's totally worth it

[@madisonmasters4013]

This made me look into doing a super sprint triathlon! Thanks for the idea!

[@MakGetsFit]

This was so helpful!

[@TheHuester44]

You did well as far as your expenses go . Hopefully you enjoyed your race .

[@815donalduck]

Flaunting my Triathlon Tee…..Priceless!

[@andyjones1370]

Spend more on your helmet

[@ashtonnelson7599]

Keep up the great work and content 💪👍

[@alhypo]

As soon as I saw her pull out the bike, I thought, that bike is too big for her. 😂

[@SpaceGoat.]

glorious!!

[@onepawatatime7925]

Laughs in disabled triathalon. Hand cycle $4,000 used. Racing chair $6,000 used. Then add on clothes, registrations, helmet and other adaptive equitment. Getting into racing cost me about $8,000 to find out I didn't love it.

[@Thezuule1]

Standard triathlons are insanely expensive too. Not sure where she picked up all this bargain bin stuff. Most people spend as much on their bike kit as she did on her entire setup.

[@rawdaaljawhary4174]

Oh my God that's amazing that you did that. Good on you! ❤

[@thejohnbeck]

Holy crap

[@Lachlan_McDougall]

@@Thezuule1it’s called marketplaces, she bought everything 2nd hand.

[@renelataupequivoitiemb]

@@Lachlan_McDougalla 2nd hand triathlon bike (TT BIKES) cost a got 1000$ for something decent, top grade recent 2nd hand TT bike is more like 5 - 10k $ so yeah 500$ is the price for a decent bike and not for a full stuff but she save on that by renting it which is very smart for a first one cuz buying a bike without knowing if you gonna like it may be a bit too much.

[@duqial]

How did you train before competeing? Or was it more of a let's see how it goes thing.

[@tak-el-uc]

The bike shop did you wrong fixing that bike for you and charging you 100 for it.

[@Mrz_ClassyMa007]

Congrats 🎉 & goodluck 👍beautiful! Stay AWESOME & super blessed🙏🏽 on all your 👣 journeys in life❣️💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@Ztnuk1]

I've worked as a mechanic and salesman at multiple bike shops. They should have had a conversation with you about the improperly sized bike. I could tell from the video that it was 2-3 sizes too big. They didn't care and just took your money. I wouldn't go to that shop ever again

[@margaretskiff]

@@Ztnuk1 I didn’t buy the bike from a shop, like I said it was a Facebook marketplace purchase

[@Ztnuk1]

I understand that they didn't sell you the bike, my post wasn't clear on that though and the misinterpretation is on my end. Where I have issues is that they billed you for repairs without having a conversation on the correct bike for you and your goals. Perhaps they did, but if not that's the kind of practice that indicates they don't have your best interest in mind and just want your money. Either way it sounds like you found a good shop in the end and commend you for getting into the sport. Best of luck in your next races!

[@catwafflesv2421]

@@Ztnuk1Tbf depending on how she took it in, if she just “brought it in for a tune-up,” and didn’t say it was for her, they could’ve assumed it was for someone else, hence the lack of conversation. Though it would’ve definitely been better if they did

[@Ztnuk1]

@@catwafflesv2421 yea its a possibility but from working in multiple shops as a mechanic 99 times/100 I have a conversation about the bike while we're doing an estimate. And a number of times they don't put any work into the bike afterwards because it doesn't make sense to. Bike shops are expensive and on older bikes just a tune-up can easily cost more than the bike is worth after the repairs. It's important to find a shop you can trust, who takes the extra time and asks questions the customer might not have thought about is important for anyone who is looking to get into serious cycling.

[@kelseyj4018]

Way to go! 🎉

[@josielynn6369]

Invest in and research a good helmet!!! Just banged mine up the other day and was so glad I had mips

[@clas683]

If you are throwing all that gear away after the race than you are accurate about that cost. I would say you can use most of that stuff on multiple races and trainings bringing the cost per race down significantly. But it’s kind of cool you are showing your expenses for your first triathlon.

[@Adarsh40]

All the best

[@rileystevenson1020]

Hi Margaret!!! Don’t know if you remember me but that’s me running across the swim start line :)

[@friedegg1936]

568. for that price we couldn't gone on a date food and seen the world and stars for less. ❤

[@npervious9923]

Such a well done video! I'm kinda bugged that the bike shop didn't ask you a couple questions and then advise you to get a smaller bike... BEFORE they gouged you for the tune up. Five hundred bucks is a lot of money in my book. But it's a steal for all you got out of it! Nicely done! (PLEASE read the helmet comments! They are right! Concussions are severely bad for GIRLS! Please research the long term consequences of concussions specifically for GIRLS! SEVERE!

[@alexanders4911]

Ridiculous money but you look cute in the swimming suit❤

[@Philobiblion]

It gets a lot worse as you get better and better.

[@johnbarlow1428]

Well done!

[@jasoncollins5949]

That number was significantly lower than I expected (although, I suppose he totally unsuitable bike made all the difference. That's where most of the money goes normally)

[@timoakley277]

2 separate things. First off costs. And Repeating costs, entry fees and the like. Of course you need a bike a costume etc.. its fundamental

[@ooops1313]

What's on your left leg in the first few seconds of the video

[@margaretskiff]

@@ooops1313 it’s a timing chip!

[@fuswatenetke8295]

1. All about the participation bling 2. Not about winning, but about not being last in your category🖖

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

How much did you win in prize money for placing FIRST! 😁👍👍🇺🇸

[@thet769]

it never actually computed in my brain that you have to pay to actually do the triathlon i thought it was free where im from (london)

[@mikeymike1792]

If only. Some of the UK triathlons are so expensive. Blenheim Palace, which is seen as a bit of an entry-level event, is £100. Windsor is similar.

[@gearoiddom]

Free? Who pays the insurance? Someone leaving themselves wide open there for a massive claim.

[@AP-wd6dv]

Great job

[@jordenflamigen9590]

cool, keep goning!

[@craigm.5674]

Running shoes- €175, towel €20, run top €45 from lululemon, socks €19, …… etc Etc…

[@FringeWizard2]

I have already spent thousands and not even competed yet.

[@PerfectxDisasterx]

I’d love to do a triathlon but the swimming portion always scares me. I cannot swim in water I cannot see in and most triathlons I’ve seen have murky water. They can swear to me 1000000 times it’s safe and I still won’t believe it😂

[@margaretskiff]

@@PerfectxDisasterx my eyes were closed for the entirety of the swim 😂 I don’t like looking down in open water so I just don’t

[@nabranestwistypuzzler7019]

I already have a bike and I’ll just wear swim shorts and maybe a swim shirt and I’ll also free my feet ofc

[@Tricalnat]

The first one will always cost the most though because u had to buy all the equipment in my country signing up for a triathlon is 30 bucks usa is even more expensive then my country shits crazy

[@katief1944]

Definitely invest in a better helmet with proper certifications! Giro brand is great. Protecting your brain is very important!!

[@captainereo6105]

Ballin on a budget

[@brandonm8901]

I enjoy all 3 sports separately but never raced triathlons purely because of the cost. Great to see an example of someone trying to reduce the cost, but it's still shockingly high. Cycling in particular just seems pay to win as well, all I could imagine was people with 2k bikes breezing past me

[@mindofmission]

Multiply 2k x 10 and you’re close!

[@AlFrEDo-EllIs]

Whoever sold you that bike either didn't care, or didn't know, but that bike is going to be too big on most guys. Glad you were able to find a smaller bike. Comfort/fit over everything.

[@CatMeow24-qr7uo]

I would advise spending a little bit more on the helmet (for safety reasons)

[@goldenretriever6261]

Yeah, I've never heard of a $22 helmet, probably not certified.

[@CatMeow24-qr7uo]

@@goldenretriever6261 if you wear a helmet this cheap you could just strap a plastic box to your head.

[@philler8151]

Totally agree Also don't trust secondhand things when buying things which are relevant for your safety, you never know how the previous owner handled it, and your life/health is not worth the risk for saving a few bucks (except you are a safety inspector of the product you buy)

[@CatMeow24-qr7uo]

@@philler8151 👍

[@dblevins343]

​@goldenretriever6261 it's probably certified but not all certified helmets are made equal. A great helmet can be had for $40-60

[@sebastianwandel3332]

now this is a smart way to do thriatlon. not like people who only wants pricey gear

[@TheConan851]

Great job, Tri sport can get pricey

[@joshuaa3075]

Seems low but No food or drinks in your total? After race recovery needs?

[@marekklimczyk4042]

what about all the extra food you ate doing the training

[@miguelfigueira1719]

$96 for the registration?! Damn! Here is around 20€

[@VMR8648]

That's U.S.A. for you!

[@gerrysecure5874]

You forgot the time and cost for training and food.

[@avinashbhogun]

💪🏽💪🏽

[@absolutetuber]

10 years later "yeah guys....I lost count how much I've spent"

[@Shadowboost]

As a cyclist, who remembers what it was like to start out, that helmet and those cycling shorts scare me. I would not trust my life over 22 dollars, nor my ass comfort on a long ride. You can find deals on name brand gear and kit for maybe twenty dollars more and the quality and safety is night and day

[@ElectricOnion]

No race shoes?

[@peternewson2275]

That is a LOT of bike for $60 though, that was a great buy, shame it didnt fit you

[@cowoganteng3776]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@giadacastelli8045]

A swim cap should not be $16 you can buy them for like $1-2

[@Juunabes]

I like that she spent $16 on a swim hat and only $22 on a feckin helmet

[@him050]

@@Juunabestell me about it. Buys elastic laces (pretty pointless for a beginner), a bib belt, and stupidly expensive swim cap then buys a $20 helmet 😂.

[@ImCommanderCody]

I just did my first triathlon a few weeks ago and all i bought was a bike and goggles and i still spent more 😭

[@sdffawefeigdviwuyfhuigbabihisf]

Could I have the old bike? I have always wanted to compete in a race or just take some of the tracks in my town but my old bike is broken and isn't suit for bike racing and If you're not going to use the bike Id be happy to take it off your hands

[@amitesh7979]

I spent 1000 usd on a bottom bracket upgrade sighs

[@sdj7122]

Dammn. These sports are getting expensive. Sport now is a big business!

[@fentonbalfus4908]

As a cyclist please spend more then 22$ on a helmet. Protecting your head is very important. Personally helmets costing 200 for me make sense because it’s my main sport. For starting out I’d look at the 100 range +/- 20. You won’t regret buying a nice helmet if you end up hitting your head

[@justsomedude7556]

Yea that bike is like 3x too big. The head tube tells me it like a 60bm frame, you probably need a 50 or 52 at the most

[@margaretskiff]

@@justsomedude7556 the proper size for me is 54

[@justsomedude7556]

@margaretskiff ok, if you don't have a proper sized bike yet, check Buycycle, they have bikes people are selling for very reasonable prices. I sold a couple there, worked with potential buyers on price. Good luck. I've done a few Tri's when I was younger, they are grueling by enjoyable.

[@MrRamkulov]

That is cheyon comparison to my first triathlon.

[@KhoaNguyen-rk9dz]

for $518 I'd just stick with a nice bike and have myself a healthy mode of transportation with fun weekend rides. But hey, you do you!

[@michaelmajor6595]

And the running gear is not even included plus if you have to get a pass to swim at a gym or a pool ...

[@him050]

You really don’t need elastic laces for your first triathlon lol. You don’t really need to be worrying about saving 20 odd seconds during your transitions as a first timer.

[@margaretskiff]

@@him050 and I didn’t NEED a tri suit either but I knew it was going to make me feel more comfortable so $7 was worth it for me

[@him050]

@@margaretskiff If that’s the way you want to look at it, but you could break everything down that way. It’s just that some make sense and some not so much. You didn’t NEED a road bike or running shoes. You could have done it on a mountain bike and in a pair of your old air force ones. But you didn’t to make it more comfortable. A trisuit is a waaaay more important piece of kit than elastic laces.

[@margaretskiff]

@@him050 that’s the way you are looking at it. Good thing I didn’t have to pick and choose!

[@alexstewart9708]

Most economical triathlete of all time

[@Nessunego]

You actually spend the most when you try to spend the least

[@cluster3859]

well done

[@Annikidiary]

Considering that you won’t pay for new equipment for every triathlon it’s actually pretty cheap

[@K2CLOUD]

I did one got 4th and I’m 10 I was going against adaukgs

[@dariakwiatkowskowa2039]

Laughs in Polo

[@jeremyemilio9378]

Thats more than a month's worth of food for me

[@Crazykitsoncrew]

my kit is like 20+k lol it’s actually bad

[@yugantgurav8965]

And here I am paying 441 dollars as ironman fee 🙃

[@uralmutlu4320]

100 dollars for a bike tune up? I do it myself. It's gonna take them at most an hour, thats a bit expensive.

[@crstepstudy]

👍🥰🌷

[@pseudopuppy160]

$518.86 total, including 2nd hand stuff

[@Beyond_The_Cities]

Invest in clipples makes you like twice as fast on bike

[@margaretskiff]

@@Beyond_The_Cities I need a bike first before I can get new pedals haha

[@Beyond_The_Cities]

@@margaretskiff forgot about that part lol

[@Beyond_The_Cities]

I just got a new bike a size up as I do xc mtb racing

[@ABonRMS]

And the most important thing. How much fun was it?

[@jonathanparks207]

There is no significant difference between clipless and flat pedals because the vast, vast majority of work is done in the downstroke.

[@mindofmission]

You spent $96.40 for your first triathlon. $422.46 is dispersed amongst the number of triathlons for which you use that equipment.

[@maschalladiehuebsche]

Safety first - 22$ helmet from Temu 😂

[@mtbcolorado2981]

Please spend more than 22$ on a helmet. Your life is worth the extra 30-40 for a helmet with mips. As a bike shop employee, we will not sell a helmet without mips because they do little to actually protect your brain. You can find mips helmets for only about 60$.

[@mikel.mp4]

it's amazing you can get all those deals but please do not save on the helmet, it can save your life, and I cannot think of anything more worth than that.

[@wayne00k]

that's cheap - try outfitting a 14 year old for ice hockey... only to have to do it again when they're 15... 16... 17... 17 (this is when backup equipment - especially skates and sticks are absolutely necessary)... then at 18 they're more interested in cars

[@ryosaii]

competition is the circus w/ no bread. housing is a human right.

[@margaretskiff]

?

[@hoghopper]

Plus sunblock: $9.67

[@GrantGillilan44]

$16 for a swim cap??? Go to your local swim store, and i bet they have caps for under $5.

[@RyanWehr]

Renting a bike saved her over $1500.00