Has Triathlon Struck Generational Gold? New Data Says Yes!

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Good morning everyone,

The past few weeks I’ve had some great interactions with Tempo subscribers. Hearing about your race plans, new training methods, and other highlights really gets me fired up, and it’s a privilege getting to know so many of you!

• And if I haven’t had the chance to connect with you, just respond to this email. I’d love to hear what you’re up to this season!

In today’s edition:

• ⛏️ Has Triathlon struck generational gold? New data says yes!

• 🍌 Superfoods to supercharge your training.

• 🏃‍♂️ And when you can (and definitely can’t!) run through pain.

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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ONE BIG THING

Has Triathlon Struck Generational Gold? New Data Says Yes!

What is it: In a recent press release, IRONMAN has unveiled the intriguing data fueling a rise in North American race sellouts.

• According to IRONMAN, stronger year-over-year demand has led to many races selling out early.

• Surprisingly, a promising demographic appears to be supercharging growth.

Speedy sellouts: In the release, 2025 Canadian events 70.3 Tremblant and IRONMAN Canada-Ottawa were highlighted as being first to sell out when registration opened in 2024.

• 70.3 Oceanside, IRONMAN Texas, 70.3 St. George, 70.3 Chattanooga, and first-time event 70.3 Rockford were also highlighted as selling out faster and earlier than previous years.

Dynamic demographic: In the release, IRONMAN also provided encouraging demographic data which showed that participation rates among athletes 18-34 were at an all-time high, with the same cohort seeing a 32% increase in full-distance participation.

• Female participation in full-distance racing also saw a 10% rise in 2024.

First-time fever: Also cited in the release, over 50,000 athletes crossed their very first IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 finish line in North America, marking a 4% year-on-year increase.

Tempo’s take: We’ve been on a bit of a kick lately talking about promising growth statistics as we head into 2025. This new data from IRONMAN backs up what we’ve seen from USA Triathlon and its 2024 Impact Report (a subject of Tempo Talks!).

• The bottom line? Strong growth in first-time and younger athletes shows that the future of the sport is in a great position.

Endurance sports, in general, are enjoying two major structural tailwinds. The first is the Millenal/Gen Z population currently fueling a modern running boom that now sees over 200,000 try to earn a lottery spot in the New York City marathon.

• And Society’s growing obsession with longevity and wellness also pairs nicely with Zone 2-adjacent activities.

Going forward, the challenge for triathlon entities is how they can grow the multisport pipeline AND reduce churn so that the many “one-and-done” athletes become lifelong participants!

TEMPO TALKS PODCAST

Do You Really Need to Train on a Triathlon Bike? 

If influencers take Advil after training, does it mean you should? (Lol, no!)

And could a T100/World Triathlon race actually compete with IRONMAN?

All this and more in episode four of the Tempo Talks podcast. 

Together with The TriDoc, we’ll bring you the biggest stories in Triathlon,

• Training tips to make you faster,

• And breakdowns of the latest in sports science and performance!

Don’t miss a moment; listen to Tempo Talks here!

FAVORITES

🍌 Super-foodie: Triathletes are super athletes, so we should probably be eating super foods! And this YouTube has a great list of superfoods specifically for triathletes. Looks like I’m putting some Chia seeds on the next grocery list! [GTN]

⏳ Calling all busy athletes: Train smarter and race faster for IRONMAN & IM70.3! Join Matt Dixon for a FREE webinar on March 13 to avoid burnout and achieve breakthrough performance on 8-12 hours/week. Registration also includes a strategy PDF and 10 days of interactive bike workouts! RSVP at: go.purplepatchfitness.com/trainsmarter*

🏃‍♂️ Run through pain: You start your run and immediately feel an ache that wasn’t there before. You know running through pain isn’t advised, but with a big race coming up, this workout feels absolutely crucial. So, do you run through it? Or shut it down? This article explains when it’s safe to push and when you need to pause! [New York Times]

🎢 Knibb’s odyssey: After a roller-coaster year that saw her compete in two sports at the Olympics (plus a medal), win the inaugural T100 Triathlon World Tour, and win 70.3 Worlds, Taylor Knibb admitted she left a “piece of her soul” in 2024. And on this podcast, the World #1 opens up about just how difficult it’s been to process her season. [Chasing the Burn]

*Sponsored post

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REEL TIME

Giddy up! 🐎🤠

sean.triathlete

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QUICK NEWS

Future pro: Congrats to professional triathlete Emma Pallant-Browne, who just announced she is expecting! [Instagram]

New Mooloolaba date: The Mooloolaba Triathlon - which was cancelled due to tropical storm Alfred - has confirmed a new date of March 29 and 30. [Noosa Today]

CEO challenges: Former USA Triathlon CEO Steve Locke is no stranger to enduring races. But his toughest challenge yet has been navigating a debilitating illness and fighting for justice. [The Gazette]

Zimbabwe zeal: IOC Member Kirsty Coventry hailed the success of Triathlon Zimbabwe and its promising future after another successful edition of the Troutbeck African Cup. [Herald]

Kingscliffe success: Participation records tumble as the popular Kingscliffe Triathlon continues to grow - the next edition is expected to see over 1700 athletes! [Byron Coast Times]

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• An athlete’s harrowing account of the IRONMAN Ireland tragedy. 

• Are you making the four-most common nutrition mistakes?

• How this athlete manages start-up life and triathlon!

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