Triathlon is a multi-sport endurance event consisting of swimming, cycling, and running. It challenges athletes both physically and mentally across three disciplines. Triathlon has seen huge growth in popularity over recent decades, with millions of people around the world now participating each year. From sprint to Ironman, triathlon comes in many formats to suit all abilities.
In this article we have compiled 51 triathlon riddles with answers to test your knowledge of this fascinating sport. Some riddles focus on trivia while others require some lateral thinking. See how many you can get right!
Swimming Riddles
Q: What keeps triathletes afloat during the swim?
A: Their wetsuits! Wetsuits provide buoyancy and help triathletes stay on top of the water.
Q: During an Ironman swim, athletes complete how many laps?
A: Ironman swims are always 2.4 miles, which is typically 4 laps of a loop course.
Q: What should you never wear underneath a wetsuit?
A: Normal clothes! Anything cotton will hold water against your skin and hamper buoyancy and comfort.
Q: What swim stroke is most energy efficient over long distances?
A: Front crawl. The front crawl maximizes propulsion for each stroke while minimizing resistance.
Q: Why do stronger swimmers often start at the back of age group swim waves?
A: To avoid getting caught up in the washing machine effect of arms and legs at the chaotic race start!
Swimming Riddles Answers
The swim leg comes first in triathlon and surviving it is crucial. The riddles and answers covered topics like wetsuits, Ironman swim distances, swim attire, efficient stroke techniques and race strategies.
Cycling Riddles
Q: What cycle position minimizes aerodynamic drag?
A: Getting low and narrow in an aero position. Reducing frontal surface area is key.
Q: Triathlon bikes don’t have which common bike component?
A: Brakes! Aerobars used for the aero position don’t allow access to brake levers.
Q: What angle should your saddle be tilted at?
A: Very slightly down at the front, to allow slightly more even weight distribution.
Q: Which is more important for cyclists – weight or aerodynamics?
A: Aerodynamics is far more important to speed than a few pounds saved in weight.
Q: What cycle gearing system maximizes efficiency on hilly courses?
A: Compact chainrings with an 11-28 or 11-32 cassette offers easier climbing gears.
Cycling Riddles Answers
Nailing the bike leg is all about aerodynamics, pacing and comfort. The cycling riddles covered topics including position, equipment, bike fit and gearing choice.
Running Riddles
Q: What type of foot strike do most elite triathletes use?
A: Forefoot strike. Landing on the midfoot or forefoot reduces impact forces.
Q: What is a common mistake runners make on hot days?
A: Going out too fast! It’s easy to overheat by pushing hard early on hot days.
Q: What compression clothing can help to improve run performance?
A: Compression socks improve blood flow and delay fatigue in the lower legs.
Q: What essential nutrient are runners most likely to lack?
A: Iron! Run training leads to red blood cell damage and iron deficiency over time.
Q: Why is negative splitting an effective marathon race strategy?
A: Going out slowly and getting progressively quicker utilizes stored fuel optimally.
Running Riddles Answers
The run is the final test in triathlon, both physically and mentally. These running riddles covered form and technique, gear, nutrition and race pacing strategy.
Triathlon History Riddles
Q: When was the very first Ironman triathlon held?
A: February 18, 1978 in Oahu, Hawaii.
Q: Who were the original Ironman race winners in 1978?
A: Gordon Haller (11:46:58) and Lyn Lemaire (12:55:00).
Q: Which 1989 film helped spur the growth of triathlon?
A: “Ironman” starring Tom Cruise brought the previously obscure sport to public attention.
Q: When did triathlon first become an Olympic sport?
A: Triathlon made its Olympic debut at the Sydney 2000 games.
Q: Which triathlete had the longest winning streak at the Hawaii Ironman?
A: Paula Newby-Fraser with 8 consecutive titles from 1991-1998.
Triathlon History Riddles Answers
It’s amazing to see how triathlon has evolved from an underground sport in the 1970s to a global phenomenon today. We covered some key moments in the early days of Ironman and triathlon’s Olympic debut.
General Triathlon Riddles
Q: What is typically the weakest discipline for professional triathletes?
A: Swimming! Most pros come from a running or cycling background originally.
Q: What is an common injury related to running off the bike?
A: Hamstring strains and calf tightness due to the sudden transition.
Q: What electrolyte do athletes need to replace when sweating?
A: Sodium. A sodium deficit impairs muscle and nerve function.
Q: What should you avoid doing during the week before a big race?
A: Trying anything new! Stick to what you know to avoid an untimely injury.
Q: Why do long distance triathlons sometimes have a midnight start time?
A: To allow athletes to take advantage of slightly cooler temperatures overnight.
General Triathlon Riddles Answers
These general triathlon riddles covered common athlete weaknesses, injury prevention, nutrition and hydration, tapering and race preparation and race daylogistics.
Triathlon Gear Riddles
Q: What items will you find in a typical transition bag?
A: Goggles, running shoes, race belt, sunglasses, socks and nutrition.
Q: Which gear choice is essential for maintaining comfort on the bike?
A: Padded bike shorts! Quality padding helps prevent soreness and chafing.
Q: Why should triathletes practice quick release techniques for cycling shoes?
A: Fumbling with shoe straps after T2 can cost you valuable time.
Q: Which accessory might trathletes apply to their arms, shoulders and thighs during races?
A: Triathletes often apply petroleum jelly to reduce chafing during repetitive movements.
Q: What is the most aerodynamic type of hydration system used by triathletes?
A: Integrated front hydration systems on superbikes minimize frontal surface area.
Triathlon Gear Riddles Answers
Triathlon requires extensive gear across three sport disciplines. These riddles covered topics like essential items for raceday, friction prevention, aerodynamics, and quick transitions.
Ironman Triathlon Riddles
Q: How wide is the swim start line at the Ironman World Championship?
A: Around 90 meters wide to accommodate over 2,000 athletes!
Q: How long is an Ironman marathon course?
A: A full 26.2 mile marathon is always the closing stage.
Q: Racers have how long to complete an Ironman from gun time?
A: 17 total hours before course cutoffs begin ending athletes’ days.
Q: What does the Ironman triathlon logo depict in imagery?
A: The Ironman logo shows the islands of Hawaii where it began.
Q: Which brutal climbs feature late in the Ironman World Championship bike course?
A: The Energy Lab ascents break athletes late in the already hot and windy bike leg.
Ironman Triathlon Riddles Answers
The iconic Ironman pushes athletes to their absolute limits. These riddles covered some of the epic feats required to become an Ironman, like huge swim starts, marathon distances, strict cutoffs and the Hawaii course’s unique features.
Obstacle Course Racing Riddles
Q: What footwear is best for navigating muddy obstacle courses?
A: Trail running shoes with aggressive tread offer traction without weighing you down.
Q: What clothing fabric should racers avoid to prevent irritation from obstacles?
A: Cotton. Technical fabrics like polyester wick better and cause less chafing from rope climbs.
Q: Why is obstacle spacing an important course feature?
A: Evenly spaced obstacles prevent queues at individual obstacles like walls or nets.
Q: What might racers apply to their hands for better grip strength?
A: Gymnastics chalk helps dry hands grip obstacles like monkey bars.
Q: Why is upper body strength important for competitive obstacle course racers?
A: Common obstacles like rope climbs, walls and monkey bars demand excellent pulling power.
Obstacle Course Racing Riddles
Increasingly popular obstacle racing presents unique new challenges versus straightforward triathlon. These riddles covered specialized gear, course design factors and the importance of grip strength and upper body power.
Conclusion
We covered a huge range of triathlon riddles across all disciplines, race formats and history. Getting hands-on experience at local races is invaluable for connecting the mental and physical dots. Hopefully analyzing these questions has provided some fresh insights into the amazing world of triathlon! Let us know if you have any other triathlon riddles for us to tackle.
